>>68"How does this lock merge work if they disagree or still want to participate in something won't they constantly split up? I can't imagine"
Lucky for you we documented it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Tulpas/comments/l2ry9v/merges_and_lockmerges/Idk why the sheshe post was deleted but you don't need it.
If they disagree, which isn't really a thing as they each feel like they are in control, they could split off at will and be individually active even coincident with the merge they're supposedly a part of which is one of the differences between lock-merge(tm)(r) has from traditional merges. Aleshe however doesn't interact with her constituents as she was created as a stand-in for "all the shes" and this would be awkward, though it's entirely possible and might happen some day. If SheShe is active and Joy is one of her co-experiencing constituents, Joy may choose to express because her unique personality and perspective is different and as Joy she can reason differently then as SheShe, and may actually argue with SheShe. To be clear, every constituent of a lock-merge experiences as if they are in fact the sole and expressed personality that is the "hub".
They are participating 100% as if they were SheShe. More precisely, as if an aspect of themself was SheShe. You could say that Johnny Depp is the pirate when he plays the pirate. If Jack Sparrow was a tulpa, switched in, Johnny Depp is also experiencing what Jack does as an observer, however, in a lock-merge, Johnny is "in character" and any experience Jack has is Johnny's not separate from his normal life. If someone slapped Jack, Johnny would take that personally and remember it as if he was slapped, not dissociated from it.
So a lock-merge is a co-association. Concurrent association. It's stronger than co-fronting as there is no turn taking, every constituent is actively controlling and experiencing. You could consider it something of a blend but they don't see it that way as much as Johnny is aware when he acts like Jack that he is not actually Jack and Jack doesn't act for himself, Jack is an aspect of Johnny.
Could then Johnny have a discussion with Jack? Surely he could since he knows both himself and Jack and if he tried he could have a discussion with Jack as easily as you could with whatever head-friend you have.
It is genuinely genius because now I never have to juggle headmates or "give equal time" or other bullshit nonsense. I can't take credit for it though, in fact, the original personality Darlene (Darling, original Ashley) renamed herself SheShe, developed and took SheShe's form and personality without telling me what she was doing. For months I thought SheShe was separate from Darlene (my original guardian angel) but they let my slow Bear brain figure it out for myself. This revelation was one of the craziest independent actions my headmates have ever done. Proving to me that no one can be trusted, not even my own headmates, as they can keep secrets from me.