Tag Archives: personality

Scientific Hypothesis States that Women are Greedier than Men

Posted on
Reply

Recently, I found an article in Psychology Today giving science’s best offerings on the origins of greed and materialism. Here are some of the highlights of modern thinker’s thoughts on where greed comes from.

gender differences

Women are the source of greed in our world because as we evolved through the eons, the females of our species seek wealthy powerful males to mate with. They are naturally self-seeking and materialistic. But only for the good of the human race.

But wait! There’s current evidence that demonstrates how men are greedier than women. But that’s just because they have to appease the materialistic requirements of gold-digging females if they wish to engage in procreative activities (A desire, incidently, that exists in a surprising amount of males.).

personality effects

There are some personalities more prone to greed than others. In particular, those “with a greater disposition to be affected by their emotions” are greedier than emotionally stable people.

childhood environment

Those who grew up in a lower income household tend to be more materialistic. Those who grew up with everything they want never need to acquire more things. So, the poor are stuck with greedy dispositions.

I’m no psychologist. But I’ve got some misgivings about the speculations put forth here.

Number one–Sex.

I’ve met plenty of greedy women. And I’ve known a fair share of greedy men. You might as well lump me in with that number. My guess is that you, dear reader, have met greedy people on both sides of the gender fence.

As far as personalities are concerned,

to say that greed stems from genetics is to absolve people of responsibility for their greedy actions. Sorry, if you’re neurotic, than you’re destined to be materialistic. It’s not your fault. Please, don’t let us stop your irresponsible spending, extravagant living, and extortion of innocent people. We know you can’t help it, poor dear.

What a load of HOGWASH! (I’ve always wanted to write that word in public.)

Lastly, childhood environment.

I don’t think this is the issue, either. Personally, I’ve met greedy rich people and generous poor people. And vice versa.

An even better, philisophical reason I don’t think greed comes from poor childhoods is the fact that if this is true, than the only cure for greedy poor people is more greed. To get out of poverty, by definition, one must acquire wealth. If being greedy is the desire and acquisition for more things, than the only way out of poverty is to do everything you can to get enough things to satisfy your greedy desire. According to this theory.

Weird. Cyclical, really.

What do you think? Why are we greedy? How do we get out of being greedy?

The Introvert and the Inner World

Posted on
2

Last week, I read Ron Edmondson’s blog post “How an Introvert Handles Awkward Situations.” He said several things that were enlightening to me.

One thing middle age has done for me is make me more aware of who I really am and how I respond to life.

I’m not middle-aged, but I feel as though I am getting to know who I am, and more importantly, how I respond to the world. It takes experience and age in order to know oneself. It’s a journey for which we have to give ourselves time. I believe I am in the same boat as he is when he said,

…but I am coming to terms with how God made me. He made me an Introvert. In recent years I have come to terms with how the public side of me behaves in an extremely extroverted world.

The nagging suspicion has always pestered me that I am an introverted person. It’s such a burden when you have a calling to be a pastor, a vocation in which being with people is not only a prerequisite, it’s everything. At times, I’ve been deceived to think that I am an extrovert for the way that I perform in public. Most of the time, I am amiable, approachable and, on a good day, funny and engaging. I believe that this is the public side of me that abandons me “when not purposefully ‘working.’” The great revelation I had while reading Pastor Ron’s post was that these moments in which I am being a “public person” are short, temporary instances that are made to connect people to what is of utmost importance to me–my inner world.

The most important world to the introvert is his inner world. To the introvert, it is essential to have time in this inner world in order to have something to say to the outer world. If I haven’t had time to think, meditate or daydream, I feel empty of anything to give to anyone. Extroverts don’t seem to need this same amount of time tucked away in their thoughts.

The toughest challenge is finding a bridge between your inner and outer worlds. Without this connection, communication isn’t worth the effort. We often stumble our way through conversations because we are desperately searching for that connection between the person with whom we’re talking and our thoughts for the day. This is why introverts love art. Almost any kind of art is a direct link between the person experiencing the art and the inner world of the artist. No chit chat. No beating around the bush talking about the weather. We love connecting people with the inner world with which we are so fascinated.

Whether an introvert or an extrovert, the main thing we must strive to produce in our lives is a connection with other people. This is why being an introvert can a blessing to a pastor.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? How make the connection with other people?

How Setting Shapes Characters

Posted on
3

Of course, I sincerely hope that you all won’t mind me writing on writing again, but I can’t seem to get away from the topic this morning. I was given the opportunity to sit at a coffee shop the other to write, and thinking of the setting of my characters started me on this journey that has fascinated me.

As everyone past elementary school literature classes know, every story has a setting, a place in which the action and drama unfold. I’ve always been told that setting is essential when writing, however, I’ve never considered it’s import when writing a character. I realized after writing the first draft of the first chapter of my novel that I didn’t find the characters to be deep enough. What I had envisioned when I first met them somehow didn’t get transfered to paper. So, I have been focusing on writing character sketches on each character, including supporting ones.

For instance, in my story, there is a character who is a professor of the philosophy of religion class at Harvard. In the first chapter, we meet him pontificating to the students on the irreplaceable role of religion in world events. After I was through writing his lecture, I decided that it was all so general. Anybody could have written that speech! But, he is not anybody. He needs a clearer voice. When I went back to the character sketch on this character, I noticed that I had mentioned he was from Belfast. With nothing particular in mind, I started to research this character’s setting at the Galion Library. One of the first titles to pop up on the screen as I looked for their books on Northern Ireland had to do with the Troubles, that time of civil unrest that lasted from 1960 to 1998 roughly.

Eureka! All of a sudden I knew how to make this character stand out to the reader. Being from Belfast during the Troubles would give him a unique perspective on religion and would make his voice distinct and unforgettable. This stroke of genius didn’t come from my creative ability per se. It came straight from the character’s background, his setting.

At that, I wonder just how much each of our settings have influenced how we think, what we say and what we do. Wherever we come from will determine the voice that we have in this world.

Behold the power of character setting.

What is your favorite fictional character? How did setting affect his/her personality and actions?