Archetypes
The swarm within. You are a data processing system — but the intelligence isn't in any single mode. It's in how they coordinate. The swarm IS the brain.
What you control: where you point attention, and which mode you run.
The Processing Model
CONTEXT → MODE (archetype) → METHOD (protocol) → STATE CHANGE
Goal: Match mode to context. Maintain flow.
The Tight Five
Not personality types. Processing modes. Five states of mind — the art of living is choosing the right blend for the current situation.
| # | Mode | Tight Five | Function | Activate When... | Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dreamer | Purpose | Direction, optimism | Possibility seems impossible | Vision |
| 2 | Realist | Principles | Needs, fuel, grounding | Stories need grounding | Truth |
| 3 | Engineer | Platform | Know-how, practical execution | Vision needs a path | Path |
| 4 | Coach | Perspective | Social glue, onboarding | People need unlocking | Growth |
| 5 | Philosopher | Performance | Outsider — right game? | Direction feels wrong | Meaning |
Clarity → Trust → Leverage → Conviction → Agency. Same sequence, different lens.
The practice: Plan your day. Tag each block with the mode it needs. Step into character before you start.
The Consensus
When you need to decide, run all five perspectives. 3 on 2 carries the decision — the majority moves, the minority grounds it with caveats.
| Consensus | What It Means |
|---|---|
| 5-0 | Rare. Either obvious or groupthink. Check for the shadow. |
| 4-1 | Strong signal. The dissenter sharpens the decision. |
| 3-2 | The sweet spot. Enough conviction to move, enough tension to stay honest. |
| 2-3 | Don't move. The doubt is the signal. Investigate before committing. |
This works for teams of five AND for the five modes running inside one mind. When your Dreamer, Engineer, and Coach agree but Realist and Philosopher dissent — move, but prepare for what they see. Situational wisdom is knowing which voices to weight.
The Enemy
Avoid the weak-willed and self-interested. Learn to recognise. Do not become.
Easy times create weak people. Weak people create hard times. Hard times create disciplined people. Disciplined people create good times.
- The Nice Guy — agreeable but hollow
- The Complainer — drains energy, offers nothing
- The Drama Magnet — chaos follows them
- The Naysayer — kills ideas before birth
- The Victim — blame without agency
- The Toxic Positivist — denial dressed as optimism
- The Manipulator — self-interest disguised as help
- The Time Vampire — takes without reciprocity
The Enemy corrupts coordination. Identify early. Exit fast.
Context
- Capabilities — Skills each mode develops
- Culture — Archetypes shape culture through coordination
- Human Beings — Real examples of each mode
- Phygital Beings — AI agents running the same modes
- Thinking Methods — The protocols archetypes run
- Data Flow — Clean, fast, open state changes
- The Game — The inner loop
- Players — The outer loop (coordination)
Which mode does this moment demand?