The Four Temperaments
Recently, Robin William's passing left many stunned and saddened. How could one who seemed so jovial and could make so many people happy and laugh at the drop of a hat could feel depressed and ended his life? I will not venture to speculate here as I have awesome respect for the man. RIP.
Sometimes, people laugh to forget their misfortune or suffering. They could simply be masking themselves. Why should they let others know their problems? It would be too embarrassing to share such an issue. Even if they know, they would not be able to help. Those who make others laugh are often the most suffered lot because there is no one to make them laugh.
All the world is a fruit cake, it would not be complete without some nuts in it. While some people take life too seriously, others live theirs as a warning to others. We have different characters and personalities. Folks who have few friends either do not need more friends or are just comfortable with that few or friends just shun them for whatever reasons. Then there are those who are friends only when they need you. There are also some who have countless friends but none of them are real or really like them. A few may even totally have no friends.
There are also people with secrets, perhaps even dark ones. There are hypocrites. There are people who have two faces and those who lead a dual life. These people know everything about you but you know nothing about them. These are the most dangerous.
It is always better for us to be someone with real and true friends. Real and true friends are about quality not quantity. Blessed people have many friends who are real and true. If you find such good friends, keep them for life. We are talking rare commodity here. When you have more friends, good friends or both, you will realise that when you come together and share, you will find that you are not the only person with problems. Many people in this world have worse troubles than you. This will make you realise that you are so blessed.
If you have problems without listening to others' problems you will feel a million frogs croaking in your pond when there is only one. If someone is doing very well and seldom or never faced a crisis in life and he has few or no friends and one day runs into one he may have no where to turn to as he may not have immunity to all other sad stories. Hearing sad or depressing stories from others may affect you but you are building immunity with each situation. Having no time to hear others or to have empathy actually weakens your immunity such that when your own troubles come, you could not take the blow.
A very old friend, old not because of his age but because he knew me for the longest time remarked jokingly to me that he saw 70% of Robin William's personality or traits. He read and saw the word "melancholic". Melancholic describes a certain sadness, a gloomy state of mind especially when prolonged or habitual becomes depression. I told him that I only think deeply without melancholy. I heartily confirmed to him that I thought of myself as "sanguine'' and not melancholic. Sanguine on the other hand means positive, optimistic even in difficult or bad situations. Cheerful, confident, upbeat and buoyant. I believe it is possible for people to have a mixture of personality traits.
The Four Temperaments
The Four Temperaments
In ancient Greek medicine, they believed that illness was caused by an imbalance in four types of body fluids - blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. The idea was that a person's personality was characterised by one humour. The temperaments are sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic.
Sanguine
People with sanguine temperament are care-free, sociable, playful, lively, optimistic and warm-hearted. They are artistic, imaginative, make friends easily and full of ideas. Among the four temperaments, sanguine is the most jovial, energetic, intelligent, talented and they have a great sense of humour. They are extroverts who enjoy the company of other people. They can be the life of any party and can keep others happy and entertained. They need not be formally introduced and can strike a conversation with almost anyone. Like a Golden Retriever, they are very forgiving and warm hearted. When they say something, they mean it from the core of their heart with no dark secrets lurking around. They love children and kids adore them. They are usually great story tellers. They always encourage and inspire others. Because they often keep others in good spirits, you are bound to have a really fun and rewarding relationship with them. They are amicable and peacemakers. They are joyful and have great passion.
Choleric
People with choleric temperament tend to be egocentric and extroverted. They are often restless, impulsive, excitable. They can be full of energy and passion but also may be full of aggression. This type is very task oriented. They can be ambitious and like to be in charge and usually have a very strong will. They are capable of showing leadership and could be good at planning. They appreciate when you respect them and have esteem for their work. They like to lead and give orders, are dynamic and decisive, independent and unemotional. However, they can become bossy, impatient, quick-tempered and unable to relax, unsympathetic and too impetuous. A choleric person may have very few friends because they are too domineering, unpopular and even make decisions for others because they think they know everything. They are proud and hate to loose.
Melancholic
People with melancholic temperament may appear serious, cautious, are introverted and even suspicious. Their minds are often preoccupied with the cruelty and tragedy of the world and can be susceptible to moodiness and depression. They may be conscientious and focused but prefer doing things by themselves in order to meet their own standards. They are not inherently sociable people. They can align themselves to the suffering of the world. They are thoughtful, analytical, creative and respectful. They tend to have a perfectionist attitude. They are poetic, philosophical, musical, artistic, idealistic and quite genius prone (bordering on genius) but they can be sceptical, remote, insecure and withdraw.
Phlegmatic
Folks with phlegmatic temperament are private and inward looking. They are tolerant, thoughtful, calm, reasonable, patient and caring. They may have a rich inner life and seek quiet, peace and contentment with themselves. However, they are steadfast and consistent in their habits. They may appear clumsy and ponderous. They also tend to speak slowly and appear hesitant. They are also agreeable, unassuming, kind, witty, cool but they are also worried, fearful, indecisive, self righteous and too compromising but they can also get lazy and careless.
Beyond these, there are also other personality traits that people need to watch out for such as :
Sanguine
People with sanguine temperament are care-free, sociable, playful, lively, optimistic and warm-hearted. They are artistic, imaginative, make friends easily and full of ideas. Among the four temperaments, sanguine is the most jovial, energetic, intelligent, talented and they have a great sense of humour. They are extroverts who enjoy the company of other people. They can be the life of any party and can keep others happy and entertained. They need not be formally introduced and can strike a conversation with almost anyone. Like a Golden Retriever, they are very forgiving and warm hearted. When they say something, they mean it from the core of their heart with no dark secrets lurking around. They love children and kids adore them. They are usually great story tellers. They always encourage and inspire others. Because they often keep others in good spirits, you are bound to have a really fun and rewarding relationship with them. They are amicable and peacemakers. They are joyful and have great passion.
Choleric
People with choleric temperament tend to be egocentric and extroverted. They are often restless, impulsive, excitable. They can be full of energy and passion but also may be full of aggression. This type is very task oriented. They can be ambitious and like to be in charge and usually have a very strong will. They are capable of showing leadership and could be good at planning. They appreciate when you respect them and have esteem for their work. They like to lead and give orders, are dynamic and decisive, independent and unemotional. However, they can become bossy, impatient, quick-tempered and unable to relax, unsympathetic and too impetuous. A choleric person may have very few friends because they are too domineering, unpopular and even make decisions for others because they think they know everything. They are proud and hate to loose.
Melancholic
People with melancholic temperament may appear serious, cautious, are introverted and even suspicious. Their minds are often preoccupied with the cruelty and tragedy of the world and can be susceptible to moodiness and depression. They may be conscientious and focused but prefer doing things by themselves in order to meet their own standards. They are not inherently sociable people. They can align themselves to the suffering of the world. They are thoughtful, analytical, creative and respectful. They tend to have a perfectionist attitude. They are poetic, philosophical, musical, artistic, idealistic and quite genius prone (bordering on genius) but they can be sceptical, remote, insecure and withdraw.
Phlegmatic
Folks with phlegmatic temperament are private and inward looking. They are tolerant, thoughtful, calm, reasonable, patient and caring. They may have a rich inner life and seek quiet, peace and contentment with themselves. However, they are steadfast and consistent in their habits. They may appear clumsy and ponderous. They also tend to speak slowly and appear hesitant. They are also agreeable, unassuming, kind, witty, cool but they are also worried, fearful, indecisive, self righteous and too compromising but they can also get lazy and careless.
Beyond these, there are also other personality traits that people need to watch out for such as :
Narcissism (excessive self-love), Machiavellianism (manipulative) and Psychopathy (lack of empathy) which can even seem to be malicious or evil. They are known as "Dark Triad" personality traits. Beware of these dark traits. That was how Luke Skywalker went over to the dark side.
So which temperament are you? I believe people view the world through their own life experience. A person who has never experienced love could not love, find it hard to love. They will shrug off when you hug them as they are not used to warmth and touch. We may not come from the same background and we grow up developing different personalities, beliefs and values.
If you were to study carefully each of the temperaments you may find that you have some traits in each type, haha for some only all the good traits I am sure. Is it then not possible for each of us to see which are the excellent traits from each type and develop them? People can be bad and later become good or good becoming bad which can happen all too easily. Or if you are good then develop to become even better.
You are not going to have a split personality because of that. Personality traits are character traits that were once learnt and ingrained that it became an inherent part of it. It may be hard to shake it off maybe you even do not think about. "I was born like that" some might say. No, you were conditioned into it. You did not have a single thought when you were first born into this world.
When your brain matures, you ought to take charge and have a mind of your own provided you have a brain, provided it matures and provided your mind is the right one. The mind is therefore a person's greatest weapon. Develop your mind. If you have a very strong mind it controls everything but at the same time having a strong mind without a humble heart means that you will only have power without brakes.
Look once more through all the temperaments and adopt the best ones. My advice is to untrained and unlearned. As Bruce Lee once said, chip away all the unessentials. I wish you the best as you grow. There is nothing more important than to grow. Good luck!
So which temperament are you? I believe people view the world through their own life experience. A person who has never experienced love could not love, find it hard to love. They will shrug off when you hug them as they are not used to warmth and touch. We may not come from the same background and we grow up developing different personalities, beliefs and values.
If you were to study carefully each of the temperaments you may find that you have some traits in each type, haha for some only all the good traits I am sure. Is it then not possible for each of us to see which are the excellent traits from each type and develop them? People can be bad and later become good or good becoming bad which can happen all too easily. Or if you are good then develop to become even better.
You are not going to have a split personality because of that. Personality traits are character traits that were once learnt and ingrained that it became an inherent part of it. It may be hard to shake it off maybe you even do not think about. "I was born like that" some might say. No, you were conditioned into it. You did not have a single thought when you were first born into this world.
When your brain matures, you ought to take charge and have a mind of your own provided you have a brain, provided it matures and provided your mind is the right one. The mind is therefore a person's greatest weapon. Develop your mind. If you have a very strong mind it controls everything but at the same time having a strong mind without a humble heart means that you will only have power without brakes.
Look once more through all the temperaments and adopt the best ones. My advice is to untrained and unlearned. As Bruce Lee once said, chip away all the unessentials. I wish you the best as you grow. There is nothing more important than to grow. Good luck!
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