[AGTRT-BA31] Gender identity and the evolution of humanity and consciousness

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Structure of this blog

1. Archetypes and polarity: the structure of the collective unconscious
2. Individual and environment: Darwinian evolution as manifestation of consciousness
3. Reason and passion: gender identity as knowledge production
4. Microcosm and macrocosm: the socialization modes of the ABGI
   

1. Archetypes and polarity: the structure of the collective unconscious

ABGT makes the following assumptions about consciousness and reality:

• Physical reality can be seen as a manifestation of a Divine primordial consciousness. For example, this manifestation can be seen as a hologram projected in three dimensions from information on a two-dimensional plane (‘t Hoofd 1993, Susskind 1995). In this way, physical reality can also be viewed as a computer simulation as proposed by Bostrom (2003), provided that simulation is generated by a computer that itself has loving consciousness.
• This consciousness is composed of archetypes; these are symbolic structures that relate to each other. Archetypes are intrinsic to consciousness, just as organs are intrinsic to the body. Archetypes have agency, just as humans do, and share this agency with humans according to the principle of symmetry as described by Latour (1987, 2005).
• Humanity and all living beings are also a manifestation of this primal consciousness. Living beings can be seen as a microcosm within the macrocosm: they are a way in which consciousness becomes aware of itself. As Sagan (1980) said of humanity, “We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.”
• The analytic psychology of Carl Jung and others describes how we are connected to this primordial unconscious: this forms the collective unconscious, which together with the personal unconscious and the personal conscious form the three layers of the psyche (Jung 1969). Humans are symbolic beings, and the archetypes in primal consciousness enable them to give meaning to their everyday experiences (Peterson 1999).
• The most fundamental archetypes of the collective unconscious have been identified by analytic psychology as part of study of the collective unconscious, and described by Carl Jung (1921, 1928, 1944, 1951, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1964), Emma Jung (1955) and Marie-Louise Von Franz (1970, 1974, 1980, 1985, 1993), among others. The four most fundamental archetypes in the collective unconscious are:
  • The Self: this is the most central archetype and represents the totality of the psyche. The Self is the center of the personality and symbolizes unity, wholeness and ultimate integration. The function of the Self is to strive for unity and balance.
  • The Shadow: this archetype contains the unconscious aspects of the personality that are rejected or suppressed by the ego. These can be negative traits as well as positive traits that do not fit the self-image. The function of the Shadow is that the archetype protects individuals from, or confronts them with, their own shortcomings, weaknesses and hidden desires.
  • The Animus: the Animus is the masculine archetype in the feminine psyche. It represents the inner masculine qualities and aspects present in the feminine psyche, such as assertiveness, rationality and logic. Becoming aware of and integrating the Anima helps the feminine psyche develop a more balanced and complete personality.
  • The Anima: The Anima is the feminine archetype in the masculine psyche. It represents the inner feminine qualities and aspects present in the masculine psyche, such as sensitivity, intuition and emotions. Becoming aware of and integrating the Anima helps the masculine psyche develop a more balanced and complete personality.
• It can be deduced from the archetypes of the collective unconscious that consciousness consists of three fundamental aspects: the Masculine, the Feminine and the Androgynous:
  • The Masculine and Feminine aspect can be derived from the existence of the Animus and the Anima, each of which is an opposite of the feminine and masculine psyche, respectively (Von Franz 1974, 1985, 1993). In ABGT, these are the masculine-androgynous and feminine-androgynous personality types of secondary gender identity (SGI), about which more later. This means that most people can only experience the Masculine and Feminine aspects of consciousness asymmetrically, that is, from their own position with respect to consciousness. Hence the Jungian tradition speaks of Animus and Anima.
  • The Androgynous aspect can be derived from the existence of the Self, in which the Masculine and Feminine aspects come together and form an ultimate totality (Bem 1975, Singer 1976, Meijer 1979, Csikszentmihalyi 1993).
  • The Shadow, according to ABGT, exists only in cases of patriarchal socialization of consciousness and is seen as an expression of patriarchal trauma. Therefore, the Shadow is not seen as a necessary and fundamental aspect of consciousness itself.
  • The three aspects of consciousness can be seen as abstract core qualities of consciousness abstracted from the four fundamental archetypes of the collective unconscious as mapped by analytic psychology.
• In ABGT, it is argued that these three fundamental aspects of consciousness are in a dialectical relationship with each other, together forming a dialectical mechanism of adaptation and transformation, also called the dialectic of androgyny. It is further argued that this mechanism lies at the core of existence. These three archetypes each have a fundamental basic quality that they acquire in relationship with each other, which again can be deduced from analytic psychology’s research on the operation of archetypes in the collective unconscious (see also AGTRT-BA24).
• In summary, the Masculine, the Feminine and the Androgynous can be seen as different aspects that form a “movement” with each other, called the dialectic of androgyny. They are each an expression of a different quality: differentiation, integration and transcendence (Jung 1921).
  • The Masculine has differentiation as a quality.
    • In this part of the movement, parts of a whole are split off and those parts parts take on a precise and specialized form. This part of the movement is also called contraction or convergence. The Masculine aspect can be seen as reality-checking because it provides a counterbalance (negation) to what is.
  • The Feminine has integration as a quality.
    • In this part of the movement, the formed parts are arranged to each other in a new way, making their interrelationships (and thus their differences) explicit. This part of the motion is also called radiation or divergence. The Feminine aspect can be seen as reality-creating because it expresses that which is.
  • The Androgynous has transcendence as its quality.
    • In this part of the movement, the integrated parts combine to form a new whole that is more than the sum of its parts. This part of the movement is also called emergence or ascension. The Androgynous aspect can be seen as reality-transcending, because it expresses something other than what is.

In ABGT, it is assumed that the dialectical movement between masculine and feminine energy in consciousness is similar to the dialectical method described by Hegel (1807, 1812). This is a method by which Hegel provides insight into the development of ideas and concepts by describing how opposites can lead to synthesis.

• Although Hegel does not explicitly formulate the confrontation between Sein and Nichtsein in terms of gender, from the perspective of ABGT it is obvious to look at it that way. The relation between the Masculine and the Feminine aspect can be compared to the relation between the undifferentiated Sein and its negation which is its irrevocable consequence: Nichtsein.
  • Although Sein and Nichtsein are both undifferentiated in the sense that they have no specific properties or content, Nichtsein introduces a form of distinction by denying Sein. There is a paradox: Nichtsein is both undifferentiated (as nothingness) and differentiated (as negation of being). As a result of this paradoxical relationship, synthesis (Werden) becomes possible: In the process of “becoming,” Sein and Nichtsein become integrated into a dynamic unity. Werden is the process of adaptation and transformation in which the opposites of Sein and Nichtsein come together to form a new reality.
  • The relationship between the Masculine and Feminine aspects can be compared to this: here, too, one is the negation of the undifferentiated other, and thus equally undifferentiated but in its negation differentiating nonetheless. The synthesis of this paradoxical relationship can be likened to the Androgynous: a dynamic unity between the undifferentiated Sein (the Feminine) and its equally undifferentiated negation that paradoxically introduces differentiation (the Masculine). Werden implies a dynamic process of change and development, overcoming contradictions and bringing them to a higher level of understanding. This process of transcendence goes beyond the limitations of the original thesis and antithesis and leads to a synthesis that is more encompassing than either.
• The comparison between the Androgynous mechanism of adaptation and transformation on the one hand and Hegel’s dialectical method on the other is relevant. Hegel provides an elaborate and widely recognized framework for the development of knowledge and understanding and the role that opposites play in it. In ABGT, masculine and feminine energy are seen as two opposing and simultaneously complementary forms of knowledge, focusing on how consciousness (defined as a relational process of knowledge development) evolves and develops in time and space.
• The Androgynous can be seen, on the one hand, as a synthesis and, on the other hand, as the beginning of a new dialectical movement (with the synthesis as a new thesis, or as a new manifestation of the Feminine entering into a dialectical movement with the Masculine).
• The Androgynous can therefore be seen as a“reflexive shift“: a “moment” (in the Hegelian sense of the word) in which consciousness mirrors itself in a slightly different (asymmetrical) way (Buijs, Harambam & Siebel 2011).
• Reality can ultimately be seen as an endless series of “folded together” reflexive shifts according to the mechanism of folding. Each new shift can be identified by a different polarity (such as space/time, light/gravity, electricity/magnetism, energy/matter, particle/wave, natural selection/fitness, XX/XY, and so on. Folding occurs with every manifestation of the Masculine and Feminine aspects of consciousness.
• Through a long series of reflexive shifts, inorganic and organic evolution eventually emerged, resulting in Homo sapiens, among others, on Earth (Buijs, Harambam & Siebel 2011).
• Inorganic and organic (including biological, Darwinian) evolution are thus seen in ABGT as a consequence of (Jungian) evolution of consciousness, and not the other way around.

ABGT argues that the three fundamental aspects of consciousness can be seen as different expressions of one universal cosmic sexual energy that Reich (1942) describes as orgone energy:

• Reich describes orgone energy as a cosmic sexual energy that is everywhere and permeates all living and non-living matter. He regards orgone as the basis of life itself, and as an energy responsible for the vitality and dynamic processes in nature.
• Reich speaks of the polarity of orgone energy, indicating that this energy manifests in opposite but complementary forms. Although he does not explicitly speak of “masculine” and “feminine” energies in this context, he implies a dynamic interaction between two poles of energy. This idea of polarity is similar to other esoteric and spiritual concepts such as yin and yang.
• Reich uses the terms “God” and “Devil” as metaphors to describe the positive and negative manifestations of orgone energy. “God” represents the harmonious, life-enhancing aspects of orgone energy, while “Devil” represents the destructive and pathological manifestations when the energy is blocked or misused. There is some parallel here with the qualities of masculine (differentiation) and feminine (integration) energy, although in ABGT no judgment is placed on these categories.
• Reich also describes orgone energy as a kind of “ethereal” substance that fills the void in space. This idea of ether aligns with older scientific and philosophical concepts of an all-pervading substance that is the basis for physical reality.
• Reich describes how orgone energy moves and fluctuates between two poles, which is essential for maintaining life processes. These dynamics can be seen in natural phenomena such as the weather, plant growth and the physiology of living things.
• Orgone can thus be seen as an energy that can express itself in two ways: dual or polarized, where there is polarity between masculine and feminine energy, and non-dual or transmuted, where the tension between the two poles has been relinquished and is unified into one androgynous energy seeking change.
• Based on the above, it can be said that the Masculine and Feminine aspects of consciousness can be seen as masculine and feminine energy, with differentiation and integration as qualities, respectively. The Androgynous aspect of consciousness can be thought of as orgone energy: the life energy that flows through all living things and permeates everything in the universe. Orgone manifests in the continuous interaction and balance between masculine and feminine energy. The interaction of these two forces creates the dynamic balance that is evident in all aspects of the universe. Without masculine and feminine energy, orgone could not flow or change, and vice versa.

ABGT states the following about ontology and epistemology:

• Although ABGT assumes a higher divine consciousness of which physical reality is a projection, it explicitly uses an ontology that is as “flat” (Latour 2005) as possible. That is to say, the assumptions about what is needed to explain physical reality are kept to a minimum.
• The existence of the divine energy orgone is assumed, which can be seen as a pure form of love. The existence of the dialectic of androgyny is also assumed, with which this energy has translated into time (Masculine) and space (Feminine), and into light (Masculinity) and gravity (Feminine), from which physical reality and ultimately living beings including humans have emerged through a series of reflexive shifts.
• Orgone and the way in which this energy translates can be seen as consciousness that expresses itself in ever different ways to gain knowledge, and living beings can be seen as beings that produce knowledge about this knowledge-producing consciousness, and thus become aware of themselves. This means that reality can best be expressed in terms of knowledge production. In ABGT, epistemology is therefore equivalent to ontology: reality is the knowledge that is produced about that reality. This leads to a dynamic and relational view of reality: reality is multiple, is always subject to change, exists only in the “here and now” and is the result of continuously shifting processes of knowledge production.

2. Individual and environment: Darwinian evolution as manifestation of consciousness

Darwinian biological evolution is seen in ABGT as a manifestation of consciousness. That argument can be made by positing Darwinian evolution as a series of reflexive shifts (Buijs, Harambam & Siebel 2011). Darwinian evolution (DE) can be expressed in terms of androgynous consciousness as follows:

• Time, space, the laws of nature and matter are presupposed, all as the result of a complex series of reflexive shifts in which consciousness mirrors itself asymmetrically and folds together the transmuted qualities through folding in complex ways.
• An organism arises as soon as a “non-organism” is able to reproduce itself. This happens when an assembly of molecules is able to make an almost identical copy of itself. This shift from inorganic to organic evolution is a shift from “non-life” to “life,” and the beginning of Darwinian evolution.
• Darwinian evolution can be viewed as a continuum: the DE continuum. In this continuum, through the evolutionary organism, space and time are continually folded in new ways through the mechanism of folding. With the occurrence of Darwinian evolution, the space that was at first simply the natural domain turns into a habitat.
• With the arrival of the organism and habitat, through the dialectic of androgyny, a series of relations is triggered in which four dialectical movements can be discerned, each of which produces a reflexive shift (RS):
  • DE-RS1: The movement of Darwinian evolution;
  • DE-RS2: The movement of the individual domain;
  • DE-RS3: The movement of the social domain;
  • DE-RS4: The movement of gender identity.
• These movements together form the continuum of Darwinian evolution (DE continuum), and the complex relationships that make up that continuum are detailed in Buijs, Harambam & Siebel (2011).
• Every movement is the result of interaction of the Masculine and Feminine aspects of consciousness leading to the possibility of transcendence, or the Androgynous aspect of consciousness. The manifestation of the Androgynous aspect of consciousness always constitutes, on the one hand, the quality of the movement as a whole, and on the other hand the possibility of an individual factor from which a subsequent dialectical movement forms. In this way, the four movements mentioned above emerge and together form the DE continuum.
• The first three dialectical movements of the DE continuum each consist of an individual factor and an environmental factor. The individual factor and the environmental factor can be seen as different “moments” in the dialectical movement. Here “moment” has the meaning given to it by Hegel in his dialectic: not as static steps or points in time, but as dynamic processes that mutually permeate and produce each other in the evolution of higher forms of knowledge and self-consciousness (Hegel 1807, 1812; Dawkins 1982).
  • The individual factor is a manifestation of the Masculine aspect of consciousness, for through differentiation the individual and specialized arises. The individual factor can always be seen as a “moment of possibility” because the individual creates possibilities within the given constraints.
  • The environmental factor is a manifestation of the Feminine aspect of consciousness, for the environment selects in Darwinian evolution and thus determines how that which is differentiated comes together. The environmental factor can always be seen as a “moment of constraint” because the environment imposes constraints on the individual.
• The DE continuum shows how gender identity is intrinsically linked to the process of Darwinian evolution, while also having an autonomous position in relation to it. The individual domain and the social domain each form a knowledge repository. These knowledge depots form the basis for the two forms of knowledge that structure gender identity: masculine and feminine knowledge. Humanity’s gender identity can thus be seen as a knowledge-producing unit that arises as a result of the universe (in itself a knowledge-producing unit, including through the DE continuum) becoming reflexive on itself.
• The four dialectical movements of the DE continuum are summarized below in terms of the aspects of androgynous consciousness; the relations intrinsic to the continuum are elaborated in more detail in Buijs, Haramban and Siebel (2011).

2.1 DE-RS1: Darwinian evolution

With the transition from non-life to life, the natural domain manages to mirror itself in an organism. This is reflected in the dialectical movement of Darwinian evolution:

1. Fitness (Masculine) is the individual factor and a “moment of possibility.” It refers to an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce through division or sexual reproduction (Darwin 1859; Dawkins 1976).
2. Natural selection (Feminine) is the environmental factor and a “moment of constraint.” It involves the process by which traits that promote survival and reproduction of organisms (fitness) are more common in a population over successive generations (Darwin 1859; Dawkins 1976).
3. Adaptation (Androgynous) is the transcendent quality that follows from the mechanical interaction between fitness and natural selection, and is expressed by the continuous adaptation of a species to its environment through a variety of complex reproductive strategies (Darwin 1859; Dawkins 1976).

2.2 DE-RS2: Individual domain

Adaptation creates the possibility of genotype, from which a new dialectical movement takes place in the individual domain:

1. The genotype (Masculine) is the individual factor and a “moment of possibility.” The genotype can be seen as a reservoir of knowledge in which the organism organically stores all reproductive strategies of ancestors. Through the genotype, the organism executes a particular reproductive strategy that is more or less suitable for survival in a given environment (Darwin 1859; Dawkins 1982).
2. The environment (Feminine) is the environmental factor and a “moment of constraint.” It concerns all external factors that can affect the organism (genotype) and includes more than just habitat (the physical and biological environment such as the ecosystem or geographical area), but also nutrition, temperature, light and predators (Darwin 1859; Dawkins 1982). In addition, this is also about the social environment as reflected in social interactions and culture.
3. The phenotype (Androgynous) is the transcendent quality that follows from the functional interaction between the genotype and the environment (Darwin 1859; Dawkins 1982). Because the reproductive success of a species depends on how the genotype adapts to the environment, the quality of the phenotype is expressed in terms of the individual’s efficiency relative to space (the environment).

2.3 DE-RS3: Social domain

The phenotype creates the possibility of social species, which identify differences and similarities when interacting with other species and thus become reflexive on themselves. Thus, from the social phenotype, a new dialectical movement is taking place in the social domain:

1. The intersubjective reality (Masculine) is the individual factor and a “moment of possibility.” The social phenotype meets the Other (in an anthropological sense) and develops self-awareness by identifying similarities and differences. Through the formulation of interests, group formation and social identification takes place (Latour 1987, 2004, 2005).
2. Institutional reality (Feminine) is the environmental factor and a “moment of constraint.” As the social interactions of individuals become more complex, more and more groups and anti-groups arise around matters of concern (controversies), and more and more non-humans are brought into the collective as matters of fact. In this way, an institutional reality is formed within which social interactions can take place (Latour 1987, 2004, 2005).
3. Cultural logic (Androgynous) is the transcendent quality that follows from the catalytic interaction between intersubjective and institutional reality. Culture, like genotype, can be seen as a reservoir of knowledge, but of a social rather than organic nature. This reservoir is formed by discourses: a collective form of knowledge that structures society semiotically and rhetorically (Foucault 1966, 1969). Because this knowledge enables humans to make projections into the future, the quality of cultural logic is expressed in the efficiency of the collective in relation to time (the future).

2.4 DE-RS4: Gender identity

The interpretation of Darwinian evolution as a manifestation of androgynous consciousness shows that in DE-RS2 and DE-RS3 two depositories of knowledge have emerged:

• A priori knowledge is organically stored in the genotype as reproductive strategies that allow the individual to navigate through space.
• A posteriori knowledge is socially stored in the form of culture, which enables the individual to make projections and navigate through time.

• The two forms of knowledge are reflected in the four functions of the psyche distinguished by Jung (1921): feeling, intuition, thinking and perceiving. These functions can be seen as forms of knowledge production, each determined partly by genetic factors and partly by cultural factors.
• In ABGT, the psychological functions distinguished by Jung (1921) are expressed in terms of masculine and feminine knowledge:
  • Thinking and perceiving are seen as masculine knowledge. They have differentiation (Masculine) as a quality: through analysis, evaluation and categorization, complexity is broken down into smaller, manageable units to better understand and manipulate the world. Masculine knowledge is also called Reason.
  • Feeling and intuition are seen as feminine knowledge. They have integration (Feminine) as a quality: they focus on seeing coherence and the larger context, and allow us to bring different elements together into a coherent whole. Feminine knowledge is also called Passion.

These two forms of knowledge together create the two poles of gender identity, which in ABGT is called the Androgyny-Based Gender Identity (ABGI). The ABGI is the result of a fourth dialectical movement:

1. Masculine knowledge (Masculine) gives the social phenotype Reason.
2. Feminine Knowledge (Feminine) gives the social phenotype Passion.
3. Projection (Androgynous) is the transcendent quality that follows from this as a possibility. Reason and Passion gives the social phenotype the ability to orient itself in time and space by assessing situations, determining direction and setting goals. Projection is the quality that enables the social phenotype to map the current reality and form a new reality based on it. Projection can occur in two ways: patriarchal or matriarchal, depending on the socialization mode of the ABGI (see Section 4).

3. Reason and passion: gender identity as knowledge production

As stated, ABGT distinguishes between masculine and feminine knowledge:

• Masculine knowledge is rational-cognitive knowledge.
  • Masculine knowledge comes from thinking and perceiving.
  • Masculine knowledge is a manifestation of the Masculine aspect of consciousness: differentiation.
  • Masculine knowledge is based on objectivity through empirical observation, logical reasoning and objective measurements.
  • Masculine knowledge is usually easily traceable and verifiable by others.
  • Masculine knowledge can lead to consensus, allowing objective standards and norms to be developed and knowledge to be imposed based on evidence and logic.
  • Masculine knowledge is also called Reason.
• Feminine knowledge is emotional-intuitive knowledge,
  • Feminine knowledge comes from feeling and intuition.
  • Feminine knowledge is a manifestation of the Feminine aspect of consciousness: integration.
  • Feminine knowledge is based on subjectivity through internal experiences, intuitive insights and feelings.
  • Feminine knowledge is difficult to trace and verify by others: one’s own experience is central.
  • Feminine knowledge leads to a personal truth: intuitive knowledge is difficult to impose because it is often unique to the person experiencing it. It is less suitable for consensual standards and more for personal insights and wisdom.
  • Feminine knowledge is also called Passion .

Gender identity can be seen as the system in each individual that structures and directs the four functions of the psyche, and thus masculine and feminine knowledge. In ABGT, gender identity is conceptualized through three aspects: primary gender identity (PGI), secondary gender identity (SGI) and tertiary gender identity (TGI). Together, these three aspects are called the Androgyny-Based Gender Identity (ABGI):

• Primary gender identity (PGI) is primarily biological: it arises in the relationship between the self and the body, giving an individual a sense of gender embodiment (in the most basic form: “I am a man,” “I am a woman,” or “I am neutral”). See also AGTRT-BF47, AGTRT-BF48 and AGTRT-BF93.
• Secondary gender identity (SGI) is primarily psychological: it arises in the relationship between self and consciousness, and provides the individual with one of the androgynous personality types (in the most basic form, “I have a masculine-androgynous personality” or “I have a feminine-androgynous personality”). The SGI will be developed in more detail later, but for now the following main points are relevant:
  • There are three basic androgynous personality types: masculine-androgynous, feminine-androgynous and neutral-androgynous, abbreviated as SGI=m, SGI=f and SGI=n. SGI=n may be associated with asexuality and is rare; it is discussed separately.
  • The SGI works energetically and based on polarity: electromagnetic energy is polarized (then there is libidinal energy) or transmuted (then there is psychic energy).
  • The SGI functions on the basis of archetypes and symbolism: through the integration of Anima (by SGI=m) and Animus (by SGI=f), a person works to develop and balance masculine, feminine and androgynous personality traits and individuate the personality. This is called the process of individuation.
  • The SGI is all about knowledge production: in the meeting between SGI=f and the Animus on the one hand, and SG=m and the Anima on the other, masculine and feminine knowledge find a balance in the individual psyche.
  • The SGI serves (social and sexual) coupling because this part of gender identity determines which social and sexual gender roles can be taken with the TGI. See also AGTRT-BA24.
• Tertiary gender identity (TGI) is primarily sociological: it arises in the relationship between self and Other, and allows the individual to develop sexual and social gender roles (“I behave masculine,” “I behave feminine,” or “I behave androgynous”). TGI expresses power difference but how and whether there is also room for equality in addition depends on the socialization mode (matriarchal or patriarchal).

The secondary gender identity (SGI) can be seen as the nerve center of the ABGI, where masculine and feminine knowledge balance with each other:

• It is the place where the personality develops through the development of masculine, feminine and androgynous personality traits. Masculine personality characteristics serve masculine knowledge production, and feminine personality characteristics serve feminine knowledge production.
• Not every person has the same disposition of the SGI because each person is asymmetrically positioned with respect to the Masculine and Feminine aspects of consciousness (see AGTRT-BA24). There are three basic androgynous personality types. This means that each individual has a masculine-androgynous, feminine-androgynous or neutral-androgynous personality structure (abbreviated with SGI=m, SGI=f, SGI=n). We will see that under the influence of 12,9000 years of patriarchal evolution, these three types have further differentiated and branched out, making their operation more complex and nuanced, but fundamentally the three types work as follows:
  • SGI=m is naturally inclined (predisposed) to produce masculine knowledge, but through integrating the Anima, this type can also produce feminine knowledge.
  • SGI=f is naturally inclined (predisposed) to produce feminine knowledge, but through the integration of the Animus, this type can also produce masculine knowledge.
  • SGI=n has no energetic connection to the archetypes in the collective unconscious and therefore the development of masculine and feminine knowledge takes place less “from within,” but still occurs through socialization.

Gender identity is at the basis of all forms of identity and identification: through the ABGI, man is able to identify differences and similarities between Self and Other. Gender identity is equivalent to knowledge production because Latour (1987, 1993, 2004, 2005) provided insight that all identification processes can be traced to knowledge networks. For ABGI, therefore, Latour’s (1987, 2003, 2004, 2005) insights on the relationship between knowledge and identity apply:

• Identity is relational and comes about in relationship with the Other.
• Identity is dynamic and emerges in social practices.
• Identity involves a series of identification processes at the service of producing situated knowledge through the principle of translation.
• The ABGI in its totality constitutes the consciousness by which each human being is enabled to engage in identification processes.
• Identification processes can be seen as group formation processes in which groups and anti-groups are formed, consisting of human and non-human actors working together to produce knowledge around matters of concern (controversies).
• Institutionalization occurs when knowledge networks are incorporated into the collective as a matter of fact.

4. Microcosm and macrocosm: the socialization modes of the ABGI

ABGT states that the function of Androgyny-Based Gender Identity (ABGI) is to balance feminine and masculine knowledge. The ABGI can thus be seen as a way in which primal consciousness (the universe, itself a knowledge-producing entity through the dialectic of androgyny) has become fully aware of itself through a long series of reflexive shifts. In the words of Sagan (1980), “We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.” Viewed in this way, the ABGI is a microcosm within the macrocosm:

• On the one hand, the DE continuum can be seen as a continuation of the androgynous primordial consciousness: the (social) phenotype capable of Projection is the result of a complex series of reflexive shifts folded together via the dialectic of androgyny.
• On the other hand, the (social) phenotype is also completely autonomous with respect to this androgynous primordial consciousness: this phenotype has “agency” with respect to the DE continuum.
• This agency can be expressed in terms of how masculine and feminine knowledge relate to each other through the process of folding:
  • Clockwise folding: Reason and Passion are in a coordinate relationship. Rational-cognitive knowledge is used to map a situation and determine possible directions, emotional-intuitive knowledge is used to choose from those possible directions. This mode of folding of Reason and Passion is called “clockwise,” because it moves with the direction of the DE continuum (as determined by the dialectic of androgyny). We will see that clockwise folding of knowledge is the result of abundance and prosperity: in that case there is matriarchal evolution.
  • Counterclockwise folding: Reason and Passion are in a subordinate relationship. Rational-cognitive knowledge is used to determine an (un)desirable outcome, emotional-intuitive knowledge is used to legitimize the (un)desirability of that outcome. This mode of folding Reason and Passion is called “counterclockwise” because it moves against the direction of the DE continuum (as determined by the dialectic of androgyny). We will see that counterclockwise folding of knowledge is the result of scarcity and adversity: in that case, patriarchal evolution occurs.

From the above, it is established the ABGI has two modes of socialization: matriarchal and patriarchal. How masculine and feminine knowledge relate to each other in ABGI determines the socialization mode of ABGI:

• Matriarchal socialization mode: masculine knowledge and feminine knowledge are in a coordinate relation:
  • Individualized psyche: the Animus/Anima are integrated into the androgynous personality structure of the SGI and thus there is an androgynous, individualized psyche.
  • Equal social networks: the matriarchal socialization mode leads to equal and horizontal social relationships and networks through the TGI.
  • Horizontal ordering of knowledge: masculine and feminine knowledge are seen as equivalent to each other. Reason and Passion are seen as two sides of the same coin and strike a balance with each other.
  • Integration: Reason and Passion are integrated into a broader framework that includes intuitive and feeling knowledge. Knowledge is seen as a continuum between objective and subjective. This leads to a holistic approach in which both forms of knowledge are equal and complementary, without hierarchical arrangement.
  • Polarity: masculine and feminine knowledge are seen as two opposing but equal forces within a single system. They are inherently linked and exist as each other’s complement: there is no conflict between Reason and Passion, but they complement each other.
  • Truth as multiple: truth is seen as multiple. It is recognized that everyone is uniquely positioned in knowledge networks and that in occupying such a knowledge position, objectivity and subjectivity complement each other.
  • Synchronicity: events are meaningfully connected without any causal relationship.
  • Clockwise folding: this method of folding knowledge is called “clockwise” because the knowledge production of the ABGI then moves in the same direction as the knowledge production of the DE continuum.
• Patriarchal socialization mode: masculine knowledge and feminine knowledge are in subordinate relation:
  • Traumatized psyche: the Animus/Anima are not integrated into the androgynous personality structure of the SGI as a result of a survival mechanism due to trauma, but are projected onto the other in relationships.
  • Hierarchical social networks: the patriarchal socialization mode leads to unequal and vertical social relationships and networks through the TGI.
  • Vertical ordering of knowledge: masculine knowledge is seen as more valuable and important than feminine knowledge. Intuition and feeling are valuable only insofar as they contribute verifiably and traceably to rational conclusions.
  • Specialization: Passion is subordinated to and interpreted through Reason; rational-logical thinking leads to further and further differentiation and specialization.
  • Duality: Passion and Reason enter into a conflictual and mutually exclusive relationship with respect to each other. A clear separation is created between what is objective (and therefore “real” and “true”) and what is subjective.
  • Truth as singular: truth is seen as singular. There is one objective truth to which subjective perceptions are subject and must conform.
  • Causality: events in the external world are connected by cause and effect, with one event (the cause) directly leading to another event (the effect).
  • Counterclockwise folding: this mode of folding knowledge is called “counterclockwise,” because the knowledge production of the ABGI then moves against the direction of the knowledge production of the DE continuum.

About the ABGI and socialization modes, ABGT states the following:

• Discussions about gender and gender identity are now often about issues touching on PGI, such as the definition of man and woman, the question of how many genders there are or about transgender and gender transition. However, the SGI is by far the most extensive and complex part of the ABGI, fundamental to each person’s everyday existence and, moreover, directly connected to a variety of vital systems such as sexual orientation, emotion regulation, the reward system, the immune system and the energy body. The SGI is also where the development, integration and balancing of masculine and feminine knowledge takes place. ABGT argues that the SGI should be made much more central to discussions of gender and gender identity, especially since the patriarchal mode of socialization leads to all sorts of personal, relational and social problems.
• The ABGI of virtually every human being is currently in patriarchal socialization mode due to patriarchal trauma caused by a major comet impact 12,900 years ago (see also AGTRT-BA3 and AGTRT-BA29).
• It is possible to switch back to the matriarchal socialization mode through doing shadow work (see AGTRT-BA7 and AGTRT-BA26). This is also called the process of individuation (Jung 1944, 1964; Jung, Wolff & Von Franz 1970).

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