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[fusedshadows]

      "Calamity Self." "Shadow." These words have been going around a lot lately, haven't they? I'd be interested in talking to heroes that have already chosen to face these so-called versions of themselves, and what exactly it entailed.

Did you truly consider this other you your "shadow" self? And what exactly did that mean to you before you faced it? Did your feelings change after meeting with them?

I ask because, well... I wonder how easy it was for some of you to determine which is the shadow, and which is the light.

          -- ℳidna.

Comments

[deadlyvu]

Dear Midna,

Cid had given a few of us a quest to research those terms, as the Sage in Mysidia used them. While "Calamity Self" was a new one, a few of us were familiar with the idea of the "shadow self". At least, as it related to a psychologist's theories from Earth. Roughly, the 'shadow' was the side of ourselves that we don't show others. Things we repress, we fear, we feel guilty over--that we don't want others to know about us. It's usually countered by a 'persona' which is the face we show to everyone else. There was more, but that's the relevant part based on the psychologist's writing.

How it relates to the Calamity Self, is that it seems to be related to our Crystals, and how we're tied to this world. If I'm understanding it right. We're able to use 2 jobs, because part of the process bringing us to Crystallis, has us with 'two' selves. One being our normal selves, and this is the part that becomes a native to Crystallis when we die and the cycle starts over. The other, being the hint of calamity within us. The 'Calamity self' is that other self, representing the 'shadow' side to our being.

That's about as much sense as I was able to make of it. It...wasn't easy though, facing things you don't want anyone to see. You yourself don't necessarily try to think about it or think about it, and then having others see it too? Yikes!

It would be just as easy for us to call it the "Repressed" self and "Obvious" self, in some ways, except humanity likes its symbolism and the shadows traditionally hide stuff, while we 'come into the light' when we face stuff.

Personally, I see 'why' people use that phrasing, and other things related to dark or light. I'm a bit different though, just because I don't mind the dark. Back home, my best friend is a ghost--for example. I go visit him in the Neitherworld all the time, even though I'm a living girl.

Sincerely,
Lydia Deetz

[fusedshadows]

      Well! That was quite a lot of information. It seems as though someone has been paying very close attention to all of this. I suppose I should thank you? More importantly however, this is the first time I have heard of this theory involving the two selves harboured within the crystal. If you are to learn anything more about this, I would be very interested to hear it.

I wonder. Could someone in the shadows truly ever be considered the "obvious" one? The "light" persona? I'm not so sure everyone would be willing to accept something like that, even if you seem to be some kind of exception.

          -- ℳidna.

[deadlyvu]

Dear Ms. Midna,

Part of the research involved taking notes; honestly it was really fascinating, so I didn't mind that much. Better than some of the research papers I've had to do back home

I've also been around a while and helped Zelda with some of her notes before. I think that was where I first heard about the reason we can two jobs? A lot of information has come out quickly and it's hard to keep track of all of it.

I really don't know that what you ask is accurate. People call it the 'shadow' only because it's what we hide and repress, as one would hide stuff in shadows. Dark vs. Light and all that symbolism humanity loves and what not. Really, even if you're a 'dark' person, you still have the repressed side--and that would still be the 'shadow' for someone using those terms. Your "light" persona would be your 'dark' side.

Using myself as an example I'm...ridiculously pale, and love Halloween, and ghosts, and all things dark and spooky and weird. I love the shadows, and the night--and I am amused and thrilled that I have the Vampire Job. Even so, I have a 'shadow' and a 'persona'--though I'd be considered "dark".

Sincerely,
Lydia Deetz