Was That Really Me?: How Everyday Stress Brings Out Our Hidden Personality

by Naomi L. Quenk

When someone starts making categorical, all-or-none statements, chances are the statements come from the person’s unconscious.

Knowing this can help us understand our Polarized Thinking and help to bring to consciousness sense and patience rather than impulsiveness and irrational sway.

the behavior of the Inferior Function is wonderfully mirrored in those fairy tales where there is the following structure. A king has three sons. He likes the elder sons but the youngest is regarded as a fool. The king then sets a task in which the sons may have to find the water of life, or the most beautiful bride. (p. 8) What then occurs in this fairy tale scenario is familiar. The king (dominant function) assumes that the two competent older sons (auxiliary and tertiary functions) will succeed at the task. They try but fail miserably. The youngest son begs to be given a chance. In his foolishness and naiveté, he comes up with an unorthodox but effective solution and thus succeeds where his “betters” have failed. He wins the prize, is recognized as valuable, and takes on a significant role in ruling the kingdom wisely.

Great analogy!