1. Definition of the postulate
The postulate “Personality types and existential strategies” states that a human being is not a set of fixed traits, but a dynamic process of choosing between existential strategies of being. A personality type arises from the psychic system's response to inner complexity: once the psyche admits heterogeneity, former homeostasis is disturbed and oscillations of different intensity appear.
In other words, the very ability to take in heterogeneity — contradictory impulses, alternative viewpoints, cultural and semantic diversity — inevitably sets the system in motion. Dialectics does not pass without a trace: it disturbs stable equilibrium and creates inner dynamics. This dynamic is reflected in the amplitude of existential experiences (AEE).
AEE as a marker of taking in heterogeneity
The amplitude of oscillations may be considered an indirect indicator of the degree to which heterogeneity is taken in. It is not a direct measure of “depth”, but it is an important diagnostic entry point.
The logic here is structural, not evaluative: if a personality actively takes in difference — contradictions, shadow, cultural and semantic heterogeneity — then psychological homeostasis is inevitably disturbed and the system begins to oscillate.
People differ by this metric in what amplitude of oscillations they experience and how they structure that dynamic:
- for some people rises and falls are smoothed
- for others they are sharp and intense
- for others they are chaotic or cyclical
The more diversity and opposites a personality allows inward, the higher the likelihood of pronounced oscillations. Conversely, a limited acceptance of opposites is often accompanied by a relatively even dynamic.
A personality type here is not a label and not a diagnosis, but a form of the system's reaction to inner complexity. It is a way of organizing oscillations, a way of processing the tension that emerges as the inner field expands.
2. Ontological layer: cycles, meanings and freedom
The ontological foundation of the postulate begins from the fact that a person and society almost never live “before” or “after” crisis; they exist inside disintegration and restoration. 1 Heraclitus' ancient aphorism “everything flows” describes the world as a stream of transformations, and contemporary systems research emphasizes that dynamic equilibrium is achieved through constant destruction and creation. Niccolò Machiavelli saw that rises and falls are cyclical; similar rhythms appear at the level of personality and even at the level of a single cell within the organism: for example, catabolism allows metabolism to create new structures. 8
The psychoanalyst Carl Jung believed that individuation is possible only through the integration of opposites; for this, the ego undergoes a “little death” in order to make room for a more mature personality. In a similar way, without disintegration there is no adaptation: social phagocytosis and the collective shadow remind us that only by living through crisis do we acquire immunity. 1
Meaning and discipline act as stabilizers in this process. Viktor Frankl emphasized that whoever knows the “why” can endure almost any “how”; this idea passes through reflection on daily effort and purpose: constant work creates an accumulative effect and turns a dream into a stable reality. 2 In existential psychology, the inner positive tendency described by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers also plays an important role: the organism strives toward self-actualization. A dialogue between two voices discussing the path to health through asceticism and satisfaction reflects this anthropological optimism: different strategies rest on a shared pull toward development. 5
At the same time, one must take into account the risk of dehumanization pointed out by Karl Marx. Market logic turns the human being into a commodity: the habit of humiliation can make dehumanization seem normal. 3 Here the space of inner freedom becomes decisive. These ideas resonate with K. Popper and with the existentialists, for whom freedom is the condition of responsibility. 4
Finally, a binary vision of the world appears at every level: order and disorder, passion and discipline interact and generate development. The triumvirate of id, ego and superego; high intensity of feeling increases the tendency toward black-and-white perception. 8 The development of AEE depends on this.
As a result, the amplitude of existential experiences is not an accidental property, but a consequence of the deep cycles of life and culture. It reflects how much difference the system allows, how it finds meaning and how it holds freedom in a society where everything tends toward commodification. 67
3. Dynamic mechanism: amplitude as a pattern of adaptation
The oscillations that appear after taking in heterogeneity form the amplitude of existential experiences — a distinctive “rhythm” of psychic life. Amplitude is measured not only by emotions, but also by the level of meaning, doubt and striving. The categories of amplitude are diverse: some people experience rises and falls smoothly, others as flashes and collapses; for others, the graph of oscillations resembles chaotic fractals or cycles. 6
Meaning and discipline have a modulating effect: knowing the “why” and daily effort transform peak experiences into a stable flow of meaning. 2 In this sense, daily practice resembles sport: by training the body, we train the will; each new “little death” in the gym makes us stronger and more capable of enduring tension. 2
At its extreme, amplitude can turn into black-and-white thinking. 8 To prevent this, passion and self-discipline must be joined, using introspection and dialogue with the “shadow” to integrate opposites. 8
4. Logical transition
If the first postulate sets the condition of development — taking in heterogeneity — and the second describes the form of the system's reaction, amplitude and strategy, then the key question becomes:
what does the personality do with these oscillations?
Can the person endure tension, or do they seek to compensate for it and remove it immediately?
The answer to this question forms the third postulate — “Overcoming mindset”, where it is determined whether amplitude becomes a source of growth or a cause of collapse.