Ever since Turtle had to take a personality test for an upcoming seminar, we've been enthralled by the whole Meyers-Briggs/Keirsey personality typing--testing everyone in the family with the enthusiasm of amateurs.
After complaining for weeks about having to take the test, and the absurdity of tests, and the conspiracy of all testers, and the consequences that would probably ensue should he not perform well on the "stupid" test, Turtle finally caved in and took the fifteen minute exam. From that, he tallied his scores and was given a four letter "code". When he researched the four letters on the internet, he found pages and pages about his personality type. These descriptions fit him so incredibly well that (in his own words) "It was spooky". Suddenly all those crazy little quirks--like never finishing a sentence or at least not until you've started three or four others to leave hanging, or forgetting everything and blaming it on everyone else--were explained as part of a particular personality type. His affection for children; his "alleged" affection for animals (that never leads to actually owning one because they are not hygienic); his always having a story ready to tell; his propensity for long conversations with complete strangers; and his distrust of logic. It was all there. Having seen the simple test, I simply couldn't see how anyone could use it to deduce these things. It did seem kind of "spooky".
So I took it myself. Not surprisingly, I tested the exact opposite in every letter. The descriptions seemed uncannily apt also. All my unique personality had obviously been studied, unbeknownst to me and posted on the internet. Logical, diligent, introspective, and sometimes needing silence for my overactive imagination, I love sequence, charts, lists and main points. Now Turtle knows why I frequently interrupt his detailed, twenty-minute, explanations that start in the middle of the subject and dart in both directions crying: "Get to the point, please, before I go crazy!"
I always knew we had nurtured a wild and crazy family.
Now I know why--all that genetic variety available for our offspring's personalities.
Our Three word Wednesday prompt was: diligent, nurture, amateur
4 comments:
It does begin to make a little more sense, yes.
Yes sometimes you need to be told what you already know (or strongly suspect)..that it comes in a neat score is almost reassuring..maybe easier than a loved ones remarks about your foibles..Jae
Nice use of the three word prompts. Can't imagine having two opposites in the Meyer Briggs living in the same house. My mother-in-law and I were opposites. She's now an EX-mother-in-law and still a pain.
Interesting how many different personalities are out there. Multiply that with all the people who came before you and you're going to get a real mix of personalities.great post
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