[Transcript:
While we have covered one theory on the structure of a system and the functions of individual parts, it was a more clinical approach than I personally like to take with a human experience/condition.
So I wanted to explain the structure and roles in a system from a more artistic perspective, as well as touch on the internal balance of our system specifically.
Mandatory 'we are just one system' disclaimer.
It's worth noting that every system will be different, and some may lack some of the parts listed here, or have parts we do not! Some systems do not even have a part they consider the host.
When we talk about the 'typical behaviors' of parts with these roles - they are just that - typical, not absolute.
These roles may fluctuate or change over time. System titles exist to help understand the patterns of behavior within your system, so if they don't actually help you, then there's no reason to use them.
Host
+ Social part, task manager
A host is probably best compared to the front runner of a band. They're the part most people outside the system will recognize. Typically, they're the part that fronts most frequently. They're also likely to be the part that handles tasks like work and social life.
Internally, out hosts main job is to give voice to other parts who may struggle with socializing, and to create structure in our daily life so that we can achieve our individual goals by working together. This helps other parts stay on track when they front if structure is not their strong suit.
Being the 'boss' is no easy task though, nor is keeping everyone happy with your actions as a host. Being the part that receives the most external experience and attention can cause some clashes with other parts who may have different ideas of how things should be 'run.'
It's why therapy is such a valuable tool in helping delegate the needs of different parts in a system, instead of that being left to a host or helper part alone.
Protector/Persecutor
+ anger holder
Persecutor is a contentious term to many. Who is considered 'persecutor' largely depends on whose perspective you're considering.
In our system, our labelled persecutor was just the part that most vocally opposed our host. However, the label inhibited healthy communication between them, so we no longer use it.
Just like in external relationships, it's important to remember that most of the time, people are just doing what they think is the right thing to do. A point of conflict in our system is that our host has a more diplomatic way of speaking/problem solving, where our 'persecutor' favors bluntness/honesty.
Hey, can we talk?
Go ahead, shoot.
It turns out, this made him skilled at handling confrontations other parts were too timid for. It's not uncommon that with patience, a 'persecutor' can end up becoming a valued protector for the system. It reminds me a lot of a drummer, who drives the heartbeat of a song.
Protector/Tank
A more traditional type of protector is a 'tank', sometimes called a 'wall'.
Exactly like the name implies, this part serves as the defensive counterpart to our more offensive protector.
If the drums are the heartbeat of a song, then I'd say the bass is the blood that runs through its veins - these two parts work as a team to assess threats and handle them accordingly.
Sometimes conflict means somebody has to fight off 'the bear', and other times it means somebody has to take a hit that other parts can't handle.
'Conflict' is multifaceted of course - from real like abuse, to as simple as a rude customer, or just offering company when another part needs to blow off steam.
@#!!X $#?!
I love you Wawa hoagie.
Co-host & Caretaker
Some systems, like ours, have a cohost. This is a part who fronts frequently like the host, but may handle tasks the host is unable to.
In our system specifically, our cohost is our physical caretaker.
Generally speaking, dynamics between parts in a system tend to form as a means for helping the entire 'unit' survive. In our case, our host is a bit of a workaholic.
This caused them to often neglect our physical wellbeing, like forgetting to eat, sleep, or take medication. Our cohost stepped up and took on these responsibilities.
I felt that a cohost would best be represented by the electric guitar, as the guitar has a 'voice' of its own that sings in harmony with a vocalist.
Fragment/Little
In addition to being our physical caretaker, our cohost also takes care of our system's little.
A fragment is any part in a system that is less fully formed than other parts of the system. In our system, we have only one fragment, who is our 'little'.
A little is younger/child part. Our little is the age we were when we experienced our first sexual assault.
While more fully formed parts of our system can handle daily life on their own, our little is not capable of handling tasks of adult like and struggles to have a 'voice'.
I'd liken their relationship to an amp and guitar - while a guitar could play on its own, an amp can't do much. The two sound better together.
Internal Self Help
Similar to a physical caretaker, an internal self helper part is one who helps other parts work through their mental/emotional troubles.
As the name would imply, our self help part typically stays internal - though in instances where it would help another part, she will front.
Like the inclusion of a lone classical instrument in a song, I find that internal self helpers bring clarity to a system.
Our experience of plurality is best described as 'a mind constantly at odds with itself'. For every feeling of opinion one part has, another part has a contrary one.
We do not experience one train of thought, moreso a conversation - one that frequently devolves into an argument.
Often, our I.S.H.'s role is to mediate to prevent such arguments.
Sometimes conflict is unavoidable, but having someone there to help patch things up is what helps us move on from it.
Operator
Apathy + addiction holder
While this is not a role we have seen any other systems use, it is what we have ended up calling our final parts role.
Our operator functions similarly to an internal self helper, however, rather than doing so in a nurturing way, he pushes other parts to breakthroughs by any means necessary.
Part of the reason we chose the title 'operator' is because he is capable of being co-conscious with every part of the system, which is something only he is capable of.
In addition to this, he has an odd ability to 'voice throw' or take on the 'sound' of other parts in our system, as well as people outside of it. This has been used in the past to antagonize other parts by 'throwing' the voice of an abuser at them.
I thought that this role reminded me most of a synth, because of its ability to take on the 'voice' of other instruments, and contort them into something new.
Despite its use in many pieces of literature about plurality, I personally dislike the idea that we as parts are 'broken' from a larger whole. No instrument in a song is 'broken' on it's own. In the same way, parts have feelings, dreams, and desires that are not just 'symptoms' of a problem.
I think that there is room to work towards system balance without considering these individual parts something to be blotted out. Every one serves a purpose, and even beyond utility - has a right to life, even if it is not life in the 'typical' sense.
In spite of the chaos, and the pain, I acknowledge that my existence as a system is the thing that allowed me to live through what otherwise would've destroyed us. Even though others might see us as being 'broken' into parts, I see what we come together to create -
Something new, something strong, something dependable, something kinder, something hopeful, something healing. Someone who survived. A song. End transcript.]
this is such a cool way to look at system roles, we have an alter we call a user interface because it can hold information/memories for other alters between switches. He used to be a guy, but his desire for experiences was strong enough that he decided knowing everything happening in system was worth giving up personhood to not bias the memories
In the band analogy, I think it'd be audio recording equipment.
