The Samaritan archetype reaches all the way back to the scripture. Beyond just being a “nice person,” a Samaritan possesses a sacred aura that is a field of grace. The Samaritan acts on behalf of others without being asked and without a personal agenda. The Samaritan is closely related to the Martyr archetype, with the essential difference being that Samaritans make sacrifices for those they might be least inclined to serve, as in the Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan. The act itself can be as simple as stopping in the street to give a stranger directions when you are in a hurry to get somewhere. The shadow Samaritan helps one person or group to the detriment of another, one’s own family, or the greater good of society. A simple example is the driver who stops in traffic to let another driver make a turn against the flow, with the result of holding up many more drivers in the process. There seems to be implicit in such shadow Samaritan behavior a kind of self-importance that says others must adhere to one’s own choice of who is most deserving. The shadow side of the Samaritan also manifests in corporations and organizations that have economic and political agendas to serve themselves instead of the groups they claim to serve.
Film Reference: Richard Dreyfuss in 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills'
Film Reference: Richard Dreyfuss in 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills'