Psychological Archetypes Reimagined With Depth, Drama & Brutal Truth
By: John S. Morlu II, CPA
Before humanity ever opened its eyes, the world already belonged to creatures of instinct—beasts carved with hunger, cunning, dominance, fear, and survival written into their bones. God created the animals first. He made the Lion with its silent rule, the Fox with its cold intelligence, the Snake with its patient betrayal, the Hyena with its wicked laughter, and the Scorpion with its timed revenge. He built everything nature needed to understand power, danger, loyalty, deception, death, and survival. Then He created humans. And in His darkest stroke of genius—or warning—He placed those same creatures inside us.
He hid the Lion in some, the Snake in others. He buried the Hyena’s envy in one heart and the Octopus’s manipulative mind in another. Some He made as Wolves—noble but dangerous. Others He left as Amoebas—spineless shadows drifting through life. Humans walk upright and wear clothes, but under the fabric lies a forest. A jungle. A killing ground of instincts pretending to be “personalities.” We are not civilized; we are merely contained. Scratch a little, and the animal underneath bares its teeth.
This is why societies collapse, why friendships rot, and why love turns into warfare. Why leaders rise like lions and fall to vultures. Why betrayal feels prehistoric—because it is. Human nature is just wildlife with better grammar, and every soul carries the creature God assigned them long before birth.
What follows is not a list. It is a revelation. A mirror held up to the beasts living behind human faces—the true Human Animal Kingdom. Not myth. Not metaphor. Just truth with its fangs exposed.
But Did God Give Us the Freedom to Choose Our Animal—or Did He Impose It?
Here is the uncomfortable truth: some parts of us are chosen. Most parts of us are inherited. And the darkest parts were assigned. God gave humans free will—but He also embedded instincts that operate outside our permission. You can choose your actions, your discipline, your moral code… but you cannot choose your nature.
The Lion cannot become a Butterfly. The Snake cannot become a Goat. The Hyena cannot become a Swan. The Amoeba cannot grow a spine just because it prays for one. Free will lets you manage the creature inside you—but it does not let you trade it for another. Some people rise above their animal. Some people kneel to it. Most people pretend it isn’t there.
God gave humans the freedom to shape their destiny, but He never gave them the freedom to erase their design. And that is the terror of being human: we are responsible for instincts we did not create.
The Human Animal Kingdom
1. The Lion — Power Without Permission
A Lion doesn’t need volume. Its silence terrifies people more than another person’s shouting. It sits, and the room rearranges itself. People straighten up, become more polite, reduce their lies, adjust their posture—because real authority reshapes the environment without lifting a paw. The Lion is the leader no one appoints, yet everyone follows. He doesn’t chase respect; respect chases him.
2. The Fox — Intelligence With Sharp Edges
The Fox sees opportunities the way satellites see continents. While others are reacting emotionally, the Fox is already ten moves ahead—calculating outcomes, reading faces like spreadsheets, and mapping the human weaknesses in the room. Never loud. Never rushed. Just surgical brilliance wrapped in a calm smile. The Lion rules the day, but the Fox rules the mind.
3. The Hyena — Chaos in a Smile
Never trust someone who laughs too quickly. Hyenas laugh not from joy—but from the scent of your fear. They gather around success like vultures around a funeral, secretly praying you fail so they can feast on your misfortune. These are the people who forward your achievements in a WhatsApp group with, “He thinks he’s better than us.” They don’t build—they wait for collapse. Their entire personality is noise, drama, and hunger.
4. The Snake — Charm That Bites
You’ll never catch a Snake running. They move slowly, gracefully, with elegance that disarms you. Their strength is not their bite—it’s how they make you feel safe enough to step closer. They strike only when you trust them. That’s why it hurts more. The Snake is living proof that the deadliest weapons are soft voices and polite smiles.
5. The Amoeba — The Spineless Shapeshifter
If loyalty had a test, the Amoeba would fail before the exam starts. They have no spine, no internal compass, no fixed identity. They adapt to whatever environment gives them the highest chance of survival. With you, they are your friend. With your enemy, they are “neutral.” With a powerful person, they magically forget your name. Amoebas don’t betray—they simply become whoever is winning.
6. The Scorpion — The Silent Backstabber
The Scorpion is patient. It waits under the rock while pretending to be asleep. They don’t confront, don’t argue, don’t shout. They store every insult quietly—for the perfect moment to sting. They destroy friendships without raising their voice. Their signature move? A smiling apology after the damage is irreversible.
7. The Octopus — The Hidden Agenda Machine
The Octopus is the master of multi-layered manipulation—eight arms doing eight different things: one hand helping you, one hand stealing from you, one hand comforting you, one hand gossiping about you, and four more doing nonsense you haven’t discovered yet. When cornered, the Octopus releases ink—confusion, lies, contradictions—until you doubt your own sanity. Their superpower: weaponized ambiguity.
8. The Monkey — The Mischief Strategist
The Monkey is dangerously playful. They can turn a million-dollar project into a comedy show. They jump from idea to idea with the attention span of a mosquito. They touch things not meant to be touched, open doors not meant to be opened, and create chaos with the innocence of a toddler holding fireworks. They are lovable. They are hilarious. They are destructive. A Monkey in your team is both entertainment and bankruptcy.
9. The Vulture — The Crisis Opportunist
The Vulture watches from a distance—never offering help while you’re alive and well. But the moment you fall, they land with the speed of greed. Suddenly they “always believed in you” and “were praying for you”—while searching your pockets for leftovers. Vultures prosper only in the cemetery of your mistakes.
10. The Shark — The Predator in a Suit
A Shark doesn’t waste motion. They glide through meetings like water—smooth, composed, emotionless. They never raise their voice. Never show their hunger. But they smell fear the way sharks smell blood across oceans. They close deals gently and gut you softly. Their contracts are crafted by lawyers with PhDs in fine-print assassination. By the time you realize what happened, the Shark is already swimming to its next victim.
11. The Cricket — Noise Without Contribution
The Cricket is the philosopher of useless conversation—talking from sunrise to sunset about plans they will never start, projects they will never finish, and skills they never possess. They disappear during real work and reappear during celebrations, claiming they “contributed the idea.” Their soundtrack: sound without substance.
12. The Chameleon — Identity Is Optional
A Chameleon’s greatest talent is survival through mimicry. In a room of strong people, they become quiet. In a room of loud people, they become loud. In a room of confused people, they become an expert. Their loyalty changes faster than their color. They tell you exactly what you want to hear—and tell your enemy the same thing with better grammar. Don’t trust someone whose personality depends on the audience.
13. The Rat — The Sneaky Survivor
Rats thrive in cracks—moral cracks, structural cracks, ethical cracks. They steal crumbs of success from unsuspecting people. They nibble at your credit, your ideas, your hard work—and escape into the shadows when responsibility arrives. They move silently. They multiply quickly. They disappear conveniently. Rats don’t seek power; they seek survival at any cost.
14. The Parasite — The Energy Drainer
The Parasite attaches itself quietly. At first, they compliment you. Then they depend on you. Then they drain you—emotionally, mentally, financially. They disguise themselves as “friends,” “mentees,” “partners,” or “people who just need a little help.” They leave only when you have nothing left to give. Their motto: look for the strongest host and drain until dry.
15. The Butterfly — Beauty Without Substance
Elegant. Attractive. Irresistible. But structurally hollow. They float from idea to idea, person to person, job to job, like they are auditioning for a life they will never commit to. Aesthetic over substance. Vibes over values. Flirting over effort. A Butterfly will decorate your life for a moment—and vanish the moment you ask for consistency.
16. The Goat — Confident Ignorance
A Goat believes they are right even when GPS, Google, God, and gravity disagree. They argue loudly, passionately, confidently—with zero evidence and maximum stubbornness. They will drag an entire team into a ditch and say, “At least we stuck to the plan.” Goats don’t fear being wrong; they fear being corrected.
17. The Elephant — Silent Intelligence
Elephants watch everything. They listen even when people think they’re not. They remember conversations from five years ago—who lied, who cheated, who betrayed, who helped. They don’t explode. They don’t react dramatically. They wait for the perfect moment to move—and when they do, the ground shakes. An Elephant doesn’t forget. It simply waits.
18. The Rooster — The Loud Self-Promoter
A Rooster believes volume equals value. They announce achievements no one asked about. They claim victories they never contributed to. Every morning, they wake the whole village—not to inform, but to impress. They are allergic to silence because silence forces them to face their emptiness.
19. The Swan — Elegance Hiding Aggression
The Swan glides gracefully, beautifully, peacefully. But beneath the water? Chaos. Violence. Fury. They smile in public and panic in private. They appear composed, but their life requires constant hidden paddling. Threaten their image, and they turn from elegance to execution mode instantly.
20. The Wolf — Loyalty With Boundaries
A Wolf moves differently: loyal, but not stupid. Friendly, but not naive. Brave, but not reckless. They run with their pack—but think independently. Once you betray a Wolf, you are cut off permanently. No drama. No speeches. Just absence. A Wolf doesn’t seek revenge—your loss is the revenge.
Author: John S. Morlu II, CPA is the CEO and Chief Strategist of JS Morlu, leads a globally recognized public accounting and management consultancy firm. Under his visionary leadership, JS Morlu has become a pioneer in developing cutting-edge technologies across B2B, B2C, P2P, and B2G verticals. The firm’s groundbreaking innovations include AI-powered reconciliation software (ReckSoft.com), Uber for handymen (Fixaars.com) and advanced cloud accounting solutions (FinovatePro.com), setting new industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and technological excellence.