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Personality - III

June 24, 1999 

The aim is to explore PERSONALITY as something that transcends fixed character and surface behaviour and external manners. Manners are a form in relation to the external society. Behind it is a conception, a sentiment, an organisation all on the surface being and surface mind. Behaviour is the same thing or a similar thing much less external, can be ascribed to the surface vital. Manners and behaviour can give way under pressure of circumstances even pressure of apparent circumstances. Character is fixed, rigid, unyielding, incapable of change and is rooted in the substance of the physical and is monitored by the genetic code. In the light of the above what is Personality?

            Manners can be ascribed to No.1 in the surface mind as it is by a conception man acts. Behaviour can be fixed at No. 2 as there is sentiment in it. Character is at No 3 at the level of substance, if we ignore the role played by No. 4 to No. 9 for the time being. All these are expressions of the organised energies of No 1,2 and 3. There is the unorganised energies at all these levels as the human existence does not exhaust the human potential. The unorganised energies, if called upon to act, is unable to act, lacking a direction. The organised character etc overpower them.

            Let us consider a person whose unorganised energies, are ready to lend themselves to be harnessed by the Person who has an open mind, who has the power to overcome his behaviour as well as the organised character. He has the will not to let his manners, behaviour or character to compel the unorganised energies to act as they choose. The will of the person is strong enough to compel his character etc to subserve the fresh need he faces. That Person, we say, has a Personality.

  • Open mind means not to be bound by opinions.
  • Reasonable behaviour means ability to put aside one's preferences and attitudes.
  • Fairness demands overcoming the fixed habits in favour of the situation on hand.
  • Can we say it is open-character?
  • As manners acquit itself well in social situations, as behaviour wins the confidence of friends and as character prevails in difficult tasks,

      Personality is that trait that can harness the unorganised energies in a new situation and act appropriately in disregard of behaviour and defiance of character.

  • We attribute originality, creativity, common sense, courage of conviction, capacity to be unfettered by the past experience or convention or tradition but capable of drawing upon the essence of the past, not rely on the form of the past.
  • New Deal, Churchill's winning the war, Gorbachev's glasnost, Kamaraj making Shastri PM overlooking Moraji will fit these descriptions.



story | by Dr. Radut