Protectors

The parts doing security work. Often in the foreground, not stupid, and not going to stop because you asked nicely.

Description

Protectors keep exiles’ pain from flooding the system. Proactive parts - managers try to stop trouble before it starts; Reactive parts - firefighters deal with it once it has. Both would rather have control than have feelings.

Protectors respond far better to being asked than to being convinced. If you have ever tried to talk yourself out of a habit and lost the argument, you have met one.

What Protectors are NOT:

Not the enemy, and not “your worst self”. Also not the same as healthy adult boundaries, though protectors adopt those as part of their protective powers.

Examples:

Over-scheduling so there is never an unstructured hour.
Snapping at your partner because the alternative was feeling ashamed.
Reading a fourth book about something instead of doing the thing.

see also:

Proactive parts - managers; Reactive parts - firefighters; Exiles; Consent; Polarization