The psychology of authority: Who is your “Authority”? Who is the AUTHOR of your story?
Hi, I am Harry Venice, an Attachment, Trauma, and Jungian Therapist who is also certified to score the Adult Attachment Interview for Reflective Function.
If you want to do Shadow Work, Jungian Analysis, trauma healing, or repair insecure attachment, book a Free 1:1 Discovery Call today: https://calendly.com/harryvenicepsychology/30min
The psychology of authority: Who is your “Authority”? Who is the AUTHOR of your story?
Photo: The Augustus of Prima Porta is a full-length portrait statue of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Augustus of Prima Porta.
The word “authority” originates from the Latin word “auctoritas” which is related to the word “augere” and means to: “increase” or “augment” (which means to make something greater by adding to it). This raises the questions: what are you increasing in your life? What are you adding to the Self, to your true being?
The 3 Latin words that the word “Authority” comes from
Below I break down the 3 Latin words that ‘authority’ comes from to amplify its meaning psychologically. In brief summary, it relates to the word “author” which we take from the Latin word “auctor”. This Latin word is linked to creating, inspiring, and having influence. That is why I want you to think about who holds the pen in your life? Who is writing your story? Think about that as we explore the roots of this psychologically important word.
1. “Auctoritas” (Latin)
In Roman law and culture, ‘Auctoritas’ referred to a person’s prestige, influence and ability to gather support. Importantly, it was separate from the word “potestas” which referred to legal power and command.
This separation of these words is important psychologically because legal power and command (e.g. “potestas”) is ENFORCED on someone and comes from the ‘outside’. Whereas, “auctoritas” (e.g. authority) was about influence and the ability to gather support voluntarily from a person’s free will. It wasn’t forced upon them, it was consciously and willingly accepted.
Ironically though, in modern life we generally don’t really have “authority” of ourselves in the true sense of ‘auctoritas’: it is more common to have ‘potestas’ (a narrative legally commanded on us or an obligation). We let parents, society, culture, expectations, material values have a “COMMAND” over us, a legal command (this is the unconscious narrative and energy gradient of our lives which we need to make conscious via the shadow).
This comes from the outside, from the collective influence, and makes us a “person of the many” as Carl Jung said, rather than an individual (e.g. a true individual within collective society).
2. “Augere” (Latin)
‘Auguere’ means to increase, and in our context, it meanms that the authority figure is someone who enhances or expands something, where it be confidence or influence.
Who enhances or expands your inner view, your world view, and your decisions?
Are you enhancing your false self, your persona, your career identity, your outer image?
OR
Are you enhancing your Self? Who you really are!
MAYBE … the false self, the persona, is being enhanced more than your true self.
3. Most importantly, we have the word “Auctor” (Latin).
‘Auctor’ means ‘author’ or ‘creator’. And this emphasizes the idea of someone who originates or brings something into being.
What are you “originating”? Is it even original? Is it you? Or just some family persona mask from your parents?
Are you living their recipe?
What is your original recipe? (I’m not talking about Colonel Sander’s original 12 spices here!)
“Be an Author!”
“Be Original!”
“Be YOU”
If you want to explore individuation, Jungian Analysis, Shadow Work, trauma healing or to repair insecure attachment, book a Free 1:1 Discovery Call with me today: https://calendly.com/harryvenicepsychology/30min
Harry Venice
Attachment, Trauma, and Jungian Therapist
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