Signal: 72/100
Voltage: 80/100
Coherence: 70/100
Glow: 76/100
Signalled Value (SV): 74/100 → Signalled (borderline Volted)
Core message
The book presents four archetypes of mature masculinity — King, Warrior, Magician, and Lover — as a way to guide men from “boy psychology” to “man psychology.” It aims to reconnect modern men with mythic structures and balance power with responsibility.
Strengths
- Signal: provides clear archetypal categories, easy to grasp and apply in therapy or group work.
- Voltage: charged language and mythic framing give men a sense of depth and meaning.
- Coherence: structure is tight; the model is internally consistent, mapping shadow and mature aspects.
- Glow: widely cited in men’s movement, therapy groups, and self-development programs.
Weaknesses
- Reductionism: compresses Jung’s vast symbolic system into four types; risks oversimplification.
- Cultural narrowness: model reflects Western, heteronormative male identity; less resonance outside that frame.
- Application distortion: often misused in men’s groups as justification for dominance or regression into shadow.
- Timeliness: feels dated in light of today’s conversations on gender, diversity, and fluidity.
Coherence
High within its limited frame: the archetypal system is presented clearly and consistently. But when tested against broader cultural diversity, coherence breaks.
Glow
Strong in therapeutic and men’s circles, but not mainstream. Glow has dimmed outside its niche, though influence persists underground.
Loopwell correction
- Expand archetypal language beyond binary male/female roles.
- Anchor shadow analysis more carefully to avoid misuse.
- Recast the framework as one of many maps, not a total system.
- Update examples and references for cultural resonance with new generations.
Final assessment
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover is Signalled, edging toward Volted. It offers a functional archetypal map, charged with mythic energy, but bounded by cultural and historical limits.
Loopwell translation:
“A clear map of masculine archetypes — powerful but partial, needing update to serve today’s field.”