Had an interesting discussion this week on the difference between archetypes and stereotypes and their effect on establishing your identity.

My take is that archetypes are an energetic blue print and as such have a deep resonance or not with the recipient.  The reason we like certain films or characters is because they embody an archetype we respond to.

Stereotypes are general views held about an entity based on past experiences (not necessarily your own).  e.g. Librarian’s are quiet.  Now I know a few of these plus I used to be one many years ago, and I can say now that quiet is not a word by itself that people would use to describe me.  I can think of some who were very bookish and archetypally sage.  Which brings me back to the resonance.  If Sage isn’t an archetype you sit comfortably with, then meeting someone who is very strong (either positive or negative) in this energy isn’t going to be a rewarding or easy experience for you.