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In the theme browser each Type contains 8 dynamic pairs of Elements. This same set of 8 is shared with 3 other Types (1 per Class). For this specific example, Changing One's Nature, Innermost Desires, Future, and Obtaining share these 8 dynamic pairs: Consider vs. Reconsider, Support vs. Oppose, Pursuit vs. Avoid, Faith vs. Disbelief, Control vs. Uncontrolled, Conscience vs. Temptation, Logic vs. Feeling, and Help vs. Hinder. Two of these pairs are contrasted to form the Problem/Solution and Symptom/Response for each throughline. Mathematically there would be 28 possible ways of contrasting any two of these dynamic pairs. However, only 16 of those possibilities actually exist within the system. Conscience vs. Temptation is contrasted with Control vs. Uncontrolled, Help vs. Hinder, Logic vs. Feeling, and Faith vs. Disbelief. So, I assume there's a reason Conscience vs. Temptation can't or shouldn't be contrasted with Pursuit vs. Avoidance, Support vs. Oppose, and Consider vs. Reconsider. What might that reason be? |
The question has been closed for the following reason "The question is answered, right answer was accepted" by Jim Hull 18 Nov '11, 12:34
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The reason Conscience and Temptation do not pair with Pursue and Avoidance has everything to do with the way in which the Dramatica structural model is constructed. The model is based on the relationships of items in a quad with an emphasis on dynamic pairs. It is also based on the spiral twisting created by the justification process. Here's how the pairings in the four domains are determined. Let's use the dynamic pair of Pursue and Avoid, for example. Quads have two dynamic pairs in each quad: With the Activities domain as the reference point, you can see that Pursue and Avoid appear in the dynamic pair "1" position, while their dynamic pair, Control and Uncontrolled, are in the dynamic pair "2" position.
If you look to the rest of the Motivation elements in the Activities, there are four quads, each with two dynamic pairs. The three other #1 dynamic pairs in the Motivation set in the Activities domain are Consider/Reconsider, Faith/Disbelief, and Support/Oppose. These three dynamic pairs become the co-dynamic pairs of Pursue/Avoid in the other three domains. THE PATTERN You may notice the spiral in the arrangement of the four quads paired with Pursue/Avoid. The quad in the companion pair (horizontal) relationship with the base quad (base: Pursue/Avoid/Control/Uncontrolled; companion quad pair: Consider/Reconsider) are in the dependent pair (vertical) relationship between the domains (Activity and Fixed Attitude). The inverse is true for the positioning of Support/Oppose. They are in the dependent position relative to Pursue/Avoid in Activities, but are paired with Pursue/Avoid in the Situation domain. WHY THIS PATTERN The basis of the Dramatica structural model is the quad. Each position in the quad represents a different quality. The domains represent the most 'pure' instance of these qualities. Each level down blends these qualities more and more. By the time you get down to the element level, subtlety requires comparing the most 'like' qualities. Therefore, the '1' dynamics are compared to the other '1' dynamic pairs, etc. CONSCIENCE AND TEMPTATION Based on the qualities that identify Conscience and Temptation, they are considered a type "2" dynamic pair, so they would not be paired directly with Pursue/Avoid. However, they still can interact, just as characters representing them can interact. |
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Try writing a story with a quad centering around Pursuit, Avoidance, Conscience and Temptation -- you'll quickly discover that they don't work together. They cannot be viewed simultaneously as a quad representing the Problem, Solution, Symptom and Response in a story. For instance, killer robots track down the last humans on Earth. The humans, aware of this Pursuit (Symptom) employ Avoidance in order to stay alive (Response). Eventually, the humans come to realize that what was really going on was that the people were always trying to do the right thing (Problem of Conscience), and what they needed to do to survive was to give in to their carnal natures (Solution of Temptation)...say what? The story doesn't make sense because a Symptom of Pursuit can't have at its core a problem of Conscience. Logically, they don't gel. Theoretically, the 4 Elements in a Quad add up to the Issue directly above them. There is no singular Issue that would cover a quad of Pursuit, Avoidance, Conscience, and Temptation and thus, no reason why they would appear together. At least, not in this current Knowledge-based model of Dramatica. Saying there's no reason they'd appear together in the current model of Dramatica is a bit circular since I was asking why they don't. Yes the question is irrelevant to the software, I was just curious if there was an explanation of some kind in the pre-software theory about why elements are paired the way they are. If you change it from robots to aliens I could actually imagine a story like that. The aliens are pursuing humans, and the humans don't know why, so they avoid. It turns out that the humans who considered it morally wrong to communicate and compromise with aliens were being too strict, and also that the aliens are just trying to follow orders. Still they are at an impasse until the humans and aliens decide to sleep with each other (or start a trade partnership). This convinces the humans that the aliens are good and don't need to be avoided, and it satisfies the aliens' orders so they don't need to pursue any more. Pursuit, Avoidance, Conscience, and Temptation might theoretically end up in an issue like "Negotiation". But yeah, purely theoretical.
(02 Nov '11, 15:10)
sunandshadow
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To clarify: the reason why those four don't appear together is because the model has taken a certain bias to it (K-Based). This is not circular reasoning, this is one explanation for why that quad cannot be found. Quite possibly there could be a quad as you suggest, but it would be found in a different model -- one with a different bias.
(03 Nov '11, 12:55)
Jim Hull ♦♦
It would be really cool to see some kind of guidelines on how one might go about constructing a system with a different bias.
(18 Nov '11, 03:45)
sunandshadow
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Please restrict all comments and questions to the Dramatica theory as is. This is not a discussion group, nor the place to discuss different interpretations. Read the FAQ for detailed guidelines.
(18 Nov '11, 12:32)
Jim Hull ♦♦
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