SolitaryRoad.com

Website owner:  James Miller


[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Info ] [ Mail ]

Open and closed personalities




   We just had a Reagan-Gorbachev summit.  Gorbachev made a big 
   impression.  Everyone seems to like him.  Everyone is talking 
   highly of him.  Reagan, congressmen, people on the street, 
   world leaders such as Margaret Thacher, everyone.  Some 
   congressmen made the comment that he seemed more American than 
   Americans.  And if he were over here in American politics 
   running for president no one else would have a chance.  He 
   would take the election with ease.  People were really 
   impressed with him.  Why do people like him so well?  What 
   personality traits does he have that causes people to like him?  
   I will list some of them:  He is intelligent, thoughtful, 
   reasonable, friendly, courteous, warm, confident, relaxed, 
   open.  I mention this because all of these traits are part of a 
   particular personality pattern.  They all tend to be found 
   together.  They reinforce each other, they fit together well.  
   Ability, intelligence and success in one's pursuits builds 
   confidence and a relaxed outlook on life.  Confidence and a 
   relaxed attitude towards life breeds generosity in our feelings 
   toward other people, warmth, friendliness, courtesy and 
   openness.  (Openness is an important word here.  It is a trait 
   very important to happiness and mental health.)  There is an 
   opposite personality pattern.  What is it?  What are its 
   characteristics?  Personal inabilities and handicaps; lack of 
   confidence; defensiveness; emotional problems; being worried, 
   tense and uptight; unfriendliness; closedness; 
   uncommunicativeness; anger at people and society; mistrust of 
   others; fear; insecurity; dissatisfaction with one's self; 
   unhappiness. 

   Why is all of this of interest to me?  Because for years I was 
   a captive of the later personality pattern: the one of anger, 
   fear and closedness.  Then about 10 or 15 years ago I did some 
   sort of mental flip and instantly went into the other 
   personality pattern --- the one of confidence, friendliness and 
   openness. 


   Dec 1987




More from SolitaryRoad.com:

On Self-sufficient Country Living, Homesteading

Principles for Living Life

Topically Arranged Proverbs, Precepts, Quotations. Common Sayings. Poor Richard's Almanac.

America has lost her way

The really big sins

Theory on the Formation of Character

Moral Perversion

You are what you eat

People are like radio tuners --- they pick out and listen to one wavelength and ignore the rest

Cause of Character Traits --- According to Aristotle

These things go together

Television

We are what we eat --- living under the discipline of a diet

Avoiding problems and trouble in life

Role of habit in formation of character

The True Christian

What is true Christianity?

Personal attributes of the true Christian

What determines a person's character?

Love of God and love of virtue are closely united

Walking a solitary road

Intellectual disparities among people and the power in good habits

Tools of Satan. Tactics and Tricks used by the Devil.

On responding to wrongs

Real Christian Faith

The Natural Way -- The Unnatural Way

Wisdom, Reason and Virtue are closely related

Knowledge is one thing, wisdom is another

My views on Christianity in America

The most important thing in life is understanding

Sizing up people

We are all examples --- for good or for bad

Television --- spiritual poison

The Prime Mover that decides "What We Are"

Where do our outlooks, attitudes and values come from?

Sin is serious business. The punishment for it is real. Hell is real.

Self-imposed discipline and regimentation

Achieving happiness in life --- a matter of the right strategies

Self-discipline

Self-control, self-restraint, self-discipline basic to so much in life

We are our habits

What creates moral character?


[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Info ] [ Mail ]