This is done through us accessing the Trickster in the right way, consistently. It must “prove” its Parenting capabilities by helping to raise the Child. At its core, the Trickster wishes to return to that Parental role. What does the Trickster need? Or rather, what is the purpose of the Trickster, when utilized properly? The Trickster is the Parent of our Superego and, as we eventually develop our Superego, it will be essential to access it as a mature Trickster.Īs we said, the Trickster was used in a parental role - much like an older sibling must care for a younger child - before the Parent function of the Ego was developed. The Parent needs the Trickster to help develop the Child. We need the Parent, Trickster, and Critic through Axis, Orbit, and Reflection, to raise the Child. In order to raise the Child to become the Parent of our Subconscious, we need to utilize every function that is directly attached to the Child. They are Reflector Functions and, to achieve the height of responsibility, we need to develop both functions in the Battleground. We just referenced Chris Taylor’s Cognitive Battlegrounds to reveal that the Trickster and the Parent function compose the Battleground of Responsibility. In the same way that the Hero and Nemesis sit in Orbit with each other, and can make each other better, the Child and Trickster are no different. So, the question becomes: What is it about the relationship between the Trickster and Child that creates the circumstances for innocence and divinity to exist?Įach Cognitive Orbit can be harnessed to propel growth. And with an introverted - source - Trickster function, the Trickster is the cause and the Child the effect. With an introverted - source - Child function, the Child is the cause and the Trickster to effect. The Child/Trickster Orbit reveals the essential interplay between the ignorance and foolishness of the Trickster, and the innocence and divinity of the Child. But the Child and Trickster will not exist without each other. Now, it’s true that the Trickster is the shadow of the Child - which may lead one to think it is the opposite of innocent and divine. The most curious thing about the Trickster is that it sits in direct connection to the source of one’s innocence and divinity. But, once the Parent came online, friction between it and the Trickster followed to determine which function would be used more. Remember, before the Parent emerged, the Trickster was accessed more regularly to fill the parental role. Specifically, this is the Battleground of Responsibility where both the Parent and the Trickster are trying to fulfill the parental role and reach responsibility. The Reflection between the Trickster and the Parent is a Cognitive Battleground. What does this tell us about the Trickster? Cynicism and foolishness are tied together, just as wisdom and the accompanying virtue of the Trickster are tied together. The Input or Output of the Critic is tied on a string with the oblivious and optimistic Trickster. The leading question we are asking is, Why does the Trickster exist? Where do we start to answer that? Let’s first look at where the Trickster sits in relation to the other Cognitive Attitudes.Īxis with the Critic. A fog where we think we know the way but end up walking blindly on the cavernous ground. The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool. Further, that in its utter ignorance, there is a gem of absolute brilliance that acts as a force of personal renewal that spreads to others as well. In this article, I will attempt to convince myself (and hopefully you) that there’s something vital about the Trickster - and even that the Trickster is one of the most necessary functions we have. But seriously, why the Trickster? Assuming all the pieces of human cognition, like all the pieces of the human being, are not arbitrarily put in place, the Trickster must serve some purpose, right? And that purpose must be more than creating our own shortcomings, right? Let’s hope there’s more to be had from the Trickster than deception, ignorance, and the revealing of our own weaknesses. This makes it undoubtedly the single most useless function known to human cognition. And worse, still, the Trickster acts as if it has it all figured out! The misdirection and deception it creates are only made worse by its obstinate belief that it is the one - perhaps the ONLY ONE - that sees clearly.
But the Trickster, the manifestation of human ignorance via an utter lack of awareness, has little going for it. The Trickster is the most useless of all the Cognitive Functions! Even the Demon, the lowest, most repressed - most suppressed - function, full of our irritation, resentment, and hatred, has some consistent utility.
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