Objectivity

Objectivity is the Magician's capacity to see reality as it is—not as he wishes or fears it to be.

This is not cold detachment. True objectivity includes awareness of one's subjectivity. It means knowing how personal filters shape perception.

Objectivity and the Magician

The Magician archetype works with knowledge and transformation. Both need clear perception.

Healthy objectivity in the Magician:

Sees without distortion: Notices what is present, not what is expected.

Acknowledges bias: Recognizes all perception is filtered and considers this.

Separates observation from interpretation: Distinguishes what happened from what it means.

Remains curious: Asks "What am I missing?" instead of defending what it sees.

Clear seeing leads to effective action.

The Shadows: Manipulator and Dummy

When objectivity goes off balance, it twists into the Magician's shadows.

Active Shadow: The Manipulator

Objectivity becomes a weapon in its active distortion.

Signs of the Manipulator shadow:

• You use "objectivity" to dismiss others' experiences.
• You claim to see clearly but ignore your own biases.
• You use facts to control.
• You hide behind "being rational" to avoid emotional engagement.
• You use clarity to feel superior.

The Manipulator insists he sees things as they are. Underneath is fear of vulnerability or a need for control.

Passive Shadow: The Dummy

Objectivity collapses into confusion in the passive distortion.

Signs of the Dummy shadow:

• You can't distinguish reliable information.
• You dismiss all truth as subjective.
• You're swayed by whoever spoke last.
• You confuse feelings with facts.
• You avoid clear assessments for fear of being wrong.
• You defer to others' perceptions instead of trusting your own.

The Dummy calls it humility or open-mindedness. Underneath is fear of being wrong or taking responsibility.

Near Enemies of Objectivity

Near enemies look similar but come from elsewhere inside.

Coldness Disguised as Clarity

• False version: Emotional detachment that ignores feeling.
• True objectivity: Clear seeing that includes emotional data.

Test: Does your objectivity help or hinder connection with others?

Cynicism Disguised as Realism

• False version: Assuming the worst about people and situations.
• True realism: Seeing what is present without fixed conclusions.

Test: Is your "objectivity" always negative, or does it see the full picture?

Certainty Disguised as Clarity

• False version: Rigid conviction that mistakes confidence for accuracy.
• True clarity: Perception that stays open to being wrong.

Test: Can you hold perceptions lightly while still acting?

What True Objectivity Feels Like

True objectivity has a feel:

Spacious: There's room for what you see, even the uncomfortable.

Curious: You aim to understand, not just confirm.

Humble: You know your perception is limited.

Grounded: Attention is careful, not based on assumption.

Useful: It serves understanding and action.

True objectivity brings relief. You can see what is.

Cultivating Objectivity

Know Your Filters

Understand what shapes your perception:

• What do you tend to see or miss?
• What are your default assumptions?
• Where do hopes and fears color what you perceive?

You can't remove your filters, but you can know them.

Seek Disconfirming Evidence

Actively look for what challenges your view:

• What would prove me wrong?
• Who sees this differently, and what might they be right about?

The Magician who seeks only confirmation stays trapped in projection.

Separate Observation from Story

Distinguish what happened from what you made it mean:

• What did I observe?
• What story did I add?
• What else could this mean?

Most suffering comes from the story, not the event.

Check with Reality

Test perceptions against feedback:

• Ask others what they see.
• Look for evidence that confirms or contradicts.
• Update when reality doesn't match your map.

The mature Magician holds perceptions firm enough to act, loose enough to revise.

Inquiry

• Where does your desire to be right interfere with seeing clearly?
• What are you most likely to project onto others?
• Where do you confuse interpretation with what happened?
• How do you know when you're seeing clearly versus seeing what you want?
• What would you perceive if you had no stake in the outcome?