What Does Ancient Philosophy Have to Say about Personality Type?
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Ancient Philosophy and Personality Type
I've always been intrigued by the idea of personality types. Most of us have heard of them before: sanguine, melancholy, phlegmatic, and choleric. Simply put, they're kind of like sets of behaviors, how people of a certain type will act and react in given circumstances, what kinds of attitudes they have about life in general. I won't get into the details of what each means, I just wanted to mention them so as to talk about personality in general. As a young man, I was often bombarded with personality tests to help me determine what kind of man I was in the world. I generally scored mid-range, mundane I guess you could say. My personality was a mixture of sanguine and melancholy, which is just to say that I was both thoughtful and lively.
But taking a wide array of personality tests got me intrigued with the idea of personality types in general. In my studies of philosophy, I learned that it was an ancient philosopher, Hippocrates, who had first come up with the idea of temperaments. He was the one who gave the goofy names (sanguine, melancholy, etc, etc) But what was surprising to realize is that though modern psychology has used the names of the temperaments handed down to us through the ages, they do not advocate the same prescription for how to refine our characters. Modern psychology would tell you that you need only to identify your temperament – its strengths and weaknesses – and then do your best to operate comfortably in it.
The ancient philosophers, however, had a different perspective on personality and temperament. The ancient philosophers often used as models of personality certain types of persons who had a remarkable opposition of temperament and personality. They include things like the Warrior-Poet, the Philosopher-King, the Ruler-Sage. The ancient philosophers had the interesting idea that human beings are only really ever satisfied and alive when they have a certain duality of temperament and personality about them.
The ancients advocated this kind of duality of personality, a pairing of opposite tendencies by creating archetypes of personalities for people to model their own lives after. I'll use the Warrior-Poet as the prime example. Just from the name, you can already see the duality, the opposing temperaments. According to most ancient philosophers, this personality type was considered to be the ultimate masculine model – a man confident and strong, but also thoughtful and wise. From our own experiences, we all know how rare such a person is.
For generally, when someone is confident and bold, he lacks thoughtfulness, and often speaks without thinking. Conversely, when a person is thoughtful and introspective, he's often shy and lacks the boldness to speak up for the good. Ancient philosophers realized this tendency, and created models for people to strive toward. Are you confident and strong, they would ask? A warrior? Then strive toward wisdom – study the deep and mysterious intricacies of life and humanity. Are you thoughtful and introspective? Then learn boldness. Learn how to fight for the good.
In many ways, we still find this concept of duality lingering about in the subconscious of our minds. I have often heard women say that they want to find a man who's sensitive and kind. That doesn't mean, conversely, that they want a man who lacks confidence and courage. They want the one as well as the other, confidence and strength, as well as sensitivity and thoughtfulness.
In truth, human beings still long for a duality of nature, though modern psychology has done them a disservice by not advocating it. They teach us to identify what we are – our strengths and weaknesses – but they don't give us a model to strive toward to better our temperaments. The ancient philosophers would say, whatever your strength, strive for its opposite. If you are bold, strive for thoughtfulness. Don't simply speak without thinking. It you are shy, strive for boldness – realize that your constant self-reflection is rare, that those around you will be changed for the better by your thoughts.
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Comments
Thanks Cris! Likewise, you always have a good combination of information and entertainment. I like that phrase, "the fulcrum of balance." That's a really good word picture for duality. Thanks man.
And btw, i like that you put Rodin's the thinker above. he does seem to be contemplating some personality issues of his own! Am I? Am I not? LOL
Hahaha, that's awesome.
Oh My! All the concepts that branch from the thought of being "balanced" - true though. I mean, doesn't it make sense that the warrior who becomes the poet can in the process do battle on a level beyond what he has done before?
It is the warrior-poet alone who understands that the truest strength is not measured by one's capacity to dominate or oppress, but to strive for what is noble, and to defend it valiantly. It is in the very nature of any man both wise and courageous to first apprehend the true, the just, the beautiful, and the good, and then to strive after it and guard it at all costs - "...though I drown myself," to quote Thoreau. :)
In The Republic, Plato advocated a society of citizens educated and trained up in the four virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice. Young men were to be trained in physical fitness and combat arts in their youth, exercising their virtue of courage, until they were mature adults, at which time they should be taught in philosophy, mathematics, political science, and the like, at the academy, to hone excellence in wisdom - all the while learning to temper and balance their fierce bravery and lofty idealism, in order that they would never be prone to either extreme, neither living and ruling foolishly as brutes, nor as timid aristocrats in ivory towers. To suffer the great difficulty that is such a life of constant self-denial and self-improvement, sacrificing one's own perceived self-good for the good of the many, is what Plato called the virtue of justice. This great father of Socratic philosophy understood it, with Aristotle following closely after in his footsteps; it is something to be sought after and prized as uncommon, worthy of attaining - is it any wonder that men of such mettle are so few and far between today, or in any day of history? As you say, this fact is what many women you have heard lament, longing to find such a noble mate; they search, and often in vain, while many give up so soon along the way, convinced their ideal is mere myth or fairytale, so rare is such a man. Yet, the enduring stories throughout time remain the same: tales of wisdom and virtue, honor and valor, courage and steadfastness; these are what we revere and cherish, yet have so little patience and perseverance to achieve.. or so little hope.
Yes, the ancient philosophers had much to say on the subject - it is nothing new, and you are not alone.. it is simply a truth largely forgotten and ignored, because it is so very cumbersome to do what is good and right at the expense of one's own pleasure. Yet, while few volunteer, many laud those who step forward to do what all the others know they ought as well. The ideal and the desire still exist, if mostly unrecognizable now. To draw from Thoreau again, who said it best, "there are 999 patrons of virtue to one virtuous man." The virtuous man is the warrior-poet.
I've always loved discussing this one with you, my good friend.. a fine job making your case! :)
By the way, I cut-and-paste my above comment in a hub of my own, to avoid cluttering your comments section, in case anyone cared to respond to my rather lengthy remarks.. and, to generate a little traffic, if possible - since I have my own thoughts on the subject, too! :) Thanks for bringing up the topic!
My hub URL: http://hubpages.com/hub/Philosophy--The-Warrior-Po
Coffeesnob, I never thought about that before. That's a really good insight that once a courageous person gains wisdom, they're able to do battle on an even greater level than they ever could have before. Thanks so much for the comments. You always have great things to say.
Kyle, You're just awesome. I love your response and that you too are interested in this idea. We should write an ebook and sell it :)
thanks-this is a topic near and dear to my heart. From a woman's perspective the warrior she desires is the man who will sacrifice himself for her and for me that in itself fills that longing for the warrior poet...I am a fiercely independent person. One time my husband asked me what I thought the Bible meant that a wife should submit to her husband. Without a semon on that topic my quick answer was for him to read futher on in that chapter where it says a husban should love his wife like Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. I told him if he loved me like that then I would melt at his feet. He rose to the challenge - and, well, I have a warrior-poet :)
Oh yeah! Can you guess that I am choleric
Haha, yes I could have guessed that :) And congrats on finding a man who's willing to strive and struggle to become better than he is. That's definitely a rarity. My favorite verse on that subject is Proverbs 24:16: "Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." It's fun having a conversation with you.
Ditto and thanks for the verse you left me on my hub - needed that for today
Hi - interesting hub. You might want to make the url of Kyle's hub into a link so people can just click it.
I work with the 4 elements model a lot - whether as you describe, or as earth/air/fire/water, or magician/lover/king/queen/warrior. Joseph Campbell is a worthwhile resource for his Hero's Journey work for more detail.
Interesting. I've not heard of Joseph Cambell before. You're right about Kyle's URL. I thought it would automatically do it.
I think that today, psychologist just lump people with opposing traits into the bipolar category and call it day. :)
Great hub again Benji!
Haha, yeah they totally call opposites bi-polar. I never thought of that. That's funny. Thanks Sandra!
I am not sure what to say..No one is perfect...you may think you have found The Man only to have him leave...there is so much to learn and so much to be thankful for and so many roads traveled over the years...the bumps and the ditches and the storms...I just don't know...Most stimulating hub though ...thanks G-Ma :O) Hugs & Peace
Thanks G-ma! It's odd how life is so dualistic. I hope the Lord has given you more sunshine than storm :) You certainly are a ray of sunshine here on Hub Pages and a blessing.
That is so interesting. Chris A is right it's about balance.
Thanks foxility! Yeah CrisA's the man.
The concept of balance in the Western society is more overt when compared to Eastern traditions. Even more obscure to both cultures is the theory of cycle or waves. The best verse which best can explain my cycle/wave swings is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and time to refrain; a time to search, and a time to give up; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to mend; a time to be silent, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”
Yeah that is a good passage displaying the cyclical nature of the world we live in. Thanks for pointing that out.
Benji,I love the warrior poet. David the ultimate warrior poet. I have to admit my own weakness is lacking respect for those who are all one or the other. i see men who are overrun by their wives and are basically yes men and then there are those who terrify their wives with power of submit and I think have you been reading the word. the whole thing is checks and balances. Which reverts back to relying on the spirit and the principle of love. Good job Benji
Cris A says:
11 months ago
The concept of duality is a universal one and it's the fulcrum of balance in any "order" - government, science and nature, and personality. Thanks for sharing this very informative hub Benji. I really like your style, easy but definitely always a great read. :D