[Video]

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya starts the video, sitting quite comfortably on a couch. A small smirk is on his lips, and he has his glasses on.]

Prospero. Let's have a little chat.

Now, I'm wondering how many of you are familiar with a man named Carl Jung. He's a man from my world who had many theories on human psychology. There are a few of those that I would like to discuss at the moment, because they're relevant to a few of the terms for the beings we've encountered here. Those would be 'shadow' and 'persona'.

The shadow, according to Jung, was the part of the unconscious mind containing repressed weakness, shortcomings, and instincts. My question to you is this - if there are so many shadows around, they can't be all from us - or from those of this island. So where are they coming from? Yes, yes, 'the dungeon' is the obvious answer… but if we're taking the Jungian route, there has to be someone making all of those shadows. Probably many someones.

The second theory is the more interesting one. These beings we have now in place of whatever power we may or may not have had before are called 'persona', as you know. According to Jung, a persona is a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and on the other to conceal the true nature of the individual. Obviously, no one wants to have their true nature revealed… but my second question is this: what does your persona say about you? What impression does it give to others, based on what it is?

These are just some questions to think about. Don't take them so seriously - unless you want to, that is.

[He chuckles softly, and shuts the video off.]

Comments

[Video]

[babel_hacker]

[He almost hesitate to answer this. November's events are still fresh on his mind, many months later. To talk about this means potentially telling Naoya about his Shadow.]

We've somewhat asked about the 'shadows' before, last year due to what happened in November. One of our theories is that they're from people in general, but nothing conclusive.

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

The Collective Unconscious... well, I suppose. Shadows aren't as strongly linked to that as they are the personal unconscious, though.

[Video]

[babel_hacker]

Personal ones... [C'mon, he got to mention it. Naoya would've find out, one way or another.] Well, in November, our personal Shadows did kind of show up...

[ video ]

[rocker]

To answer your second question.. I can not help but find my own Persona slightly strange, for it is based on one of the holy angels. I did not know such a thing was possible.

[ video ]

[crouching_sin]

[ANGELS WHY...]

Oh? Might I ask which angel?

[Video]

[heavenscorpse]

My form is based on people's thoughts, the angel they want to see - I think Alice's is like that.

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

[... Give him a moment to stare at you, wings and all.]

[Eugh.]

I see.

[The corner of his mouth twitches slightly.]

[Video]

[soulsborderline]

Yeah, yeah, anyone with an education knows all that. Anyone with an education also knows that Carl Jung postulated a collective unconscious. Logically, that collective would have its own generic Shadow or Shadows, right?

Of course, I'm pretty sure he made all this crap up to explain his own insecurity and hallucinations, but that's just how schools of psychiatry get started...

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

Possibly, though shadows and personas are linked to the personal rather than collective unconscious.

... Heh. True. People cannot explain what they see, so they turn to either science or religion.

[fractured_white]

I wonder indeed what being represented by the harbinger of conquest and apocalypse might speak of.

[crouching_sin]

There are many of those throughout mythology. Which is yours?

[want_a_vacation]

I'm...not really sure where the Shadows are coming from. I suppose it's possible they represent people outside of the island, but why come here if that's the case?

As for my Persona...I think he represents how much I can do for the sake of love.

[crouching_sin]

Now that is the question, isn't it?

Ah? A romantic, are we?

[Video]

[crownedexorcist]

I do wonder what it means to have a god of rebirth and vegetation as my Persona.

[Video]

[crouching_sin]

Oh? Which one?

[breatheinthefog]

My Persona isn't much like me. *shrug* It's a bird.

[crouching_sin]

[... :| ]

A bird? Which bird?

video

[oneinamillion]

Persona? I'm somewhat familiar with Jung and your terminology, but...I can't help but feel the "persona" you speak of is different.

video

[crouching_sin]

In some way, perhaps. They are a power that comes from within ourselves, after all...

[athngabla]

Ah, another person well-versed in the art of saying a whole lot of words, but managing to say barely anything of worth at the same time.

[...Really, far from belligerent, he just sounds bored.]

What's your point, anyway? Trying to get a rise out of people?

[crouching_sin]

But what of worth I do say is important to hear.

[At least he's not denying it.]

Perhaps. That's always interesting. Other than that, it's to inform, and to make them think about what these powers actually imply. From what I've seen, we don't know a lot about this place... so any theory is still fair game.

Video

[sandma]

It's a talking lizard. I don't quiet want to think of the implications of that.

Video

[crouching_sin]

... I suppose it depends which lizard it is.

[video]

[hellburner]

...My Persona is a giant octopus that speaks in some garbled tongue from the mouth of hell itself.

What do you make of that, Doctor Smartass?

[video]

[crouching_sin]

[Must not facepalm must not facepalm...]

Is it named Cthulhu?