07.11.07 Enough About Me. What Do YOU Think About Me?
An artist friend of mine, at the end of a long day of interviews with journalists, sat down with his last of the day and said, “Enough about me already...What do YOU think about me?” He was joking of course, playing the part of the narcissistic rock star, but I hear the truth in there somewhere too. We’re never really as tired of hearing about ourselves as we might like to think. Or, to avoid another “stop judging me” fiasco here I should say I’M never really as tired of hearing about me as I’d like to think - or like you to think.
Why else would I go to this website. Going there felt a little like saying, “Enough about me. What do YOU think about me, computer program thingy?”
After answering eleven pages of questions I knew what it thought about me. The totality of my complex personality was reduced to a square of colored bits.
“It” thinks I’m an ”advocating thinker.” This, in plain English, means I feel your pain like Bill Clinton, talk too much like Bono, and think through everything like Stephen Hawking with less focus (a lot less). Or, to spin it less positively, I’m a sucker with a big mouth and enough fear to keep me in the planning stages of everything forever. Oh, and low self-esteem. There’s that.
Shocker: Musicians have low self-esteem. This apparently is why we strut around on stages with lights shining on us screaming poetry that really all says the same thing: “Notice me.”
But “it” thinks some good stuff about me too:
(Good I think)“You have insight into what others are thinking and feeling. This ability allows you to be happy for others, and to commiserate when something has gone wrong for them.
(Maybe not “highly” compassionate but… And, no, I don’t trust anyone. That means you.)You are highly compassionate, and being conscious of how things affect those close to you leaves you cautious about trusting others too hastily.
But “it” doesn’t always get me right:
(My job is imposing “my” ways on others. Save a kid. Think. Love. I’m a professional imposer.)“...you are open-minded when it comes to your worldview; you don’t look to impose your ways on others.”
(I’m interested in the complexities of the world. Not sure I understand the, But even if I do, it’s bogus to assume that understanding such things to any degree would necessarily lead me to not judge those points of view against my own and my own against them. A thinker who can’t judge isn’t thinking all that much. See? That right there was a judgment. Some ideas are better than others. To believe that is to judge.)“As someone who understands the complexities of the world around you, you are reluctant to pass judgments.”
“You like to be sure of yourself before voicing your opinion.”
(Nope. I get sure of myself (an idea really) BY voicing an opinion, batting it around with others and it standing up to the scrutiny. Then I voice it to a bigger audience and hope their as validating as the small one was.)
But “it” nailed me when it said...
“One of the reasons you enjoy conversation as much as you do is that you often learn about yourself while talking things out with a friend; you realize things about your own beliefs while discussing them with others.”
Yep. That’s why I blog. To “realize things.” About you. About me. About ideas. About the world.
Enough about me. What does “it” think about you?
anne jackson said:
It said I was a man. 88%. Crap.
encouraging creator. traits, here:
http://www.personaldna.com/report.php?k=WnYwmKsVDtlMvVj-HP-DACDA-89c4
said:
FYI: Thomas started a thread over on the board yesterday where some of us have already posted, if you’re interested.
Todd said:
So are you mocking those of us who took the time to take this test and put it on our blogs?
Way to alienate your fan base Shawn. Next thing you know, you’ll be mocking our purchase decisions…
Todd said:
How does it feel when your “fan base” misspells your name?
Sethificus Maximus Ward said:
I did this over a Brody’s a few days ago and It said I am the “Potential Evil Dictator They’ve Been Looking For.” and gave me some number to call.
I’m thinking about calling it.
I wonder if it’s God’s will? Please help.
Actually mine rocked. I’m keeping it, and like a good Protestant I’m declaring it inerrant.
Zach said:
That is definitely right for me, also, that I learn about myself through conversation like that. I think I also can learn a lot about myself through writing.
I never liked online test/quiz stuff like that. I always feel like I don’t know the answers for some reason. So I’ll pass on taking it. I don’t want my dna to look like a television error either.
Aims said:
i is a faithful experiencer...what that means...not sure but I somewhat agree with it.
Katie Larson said:
I am a “free-wheeling” experiencer. which basically means I don’t plan. don’t think ahead. live off of my emotions........sounds about right
said:
The test says I am a “respectful leader.” I have never heard that term.
said:
It says I am a generous thinker. Apparently, I think a lot about being generous??
said:
THAT must be why I like freecycle!!
The Leprechaun said:
I am a dynamic analyst
Ryan G said:
I’m an Encouraging Inventor
http://www.personaldna.com/report.php?k=sqwrpolUIkjGNVa-GP-AACAD-069d&u=67b8ea7597c5
I really enjoy things like this, while they are never 100% accurate we can still learn from them more about ourselves and others.
Brant said:
Mine says I like taking tests to affirm, in detail, how awesome I pretty much already knew I was.
This puts me among 100% of the population.
said:
Advocating Creator...go figure
said:
It (being me) thinks that that you are a prophet. Of course my programming is not a bunch of numbers strung together by some man, but instead words spoken by the Most High, so what would I know?
Really though, I was just meditating on your lyrics for “Welcome Home”. I was feeling a little “overwhelmed” from all the “clutter” I’ve gathered from “floor to ceiling”. The way you end that verse brought back to the Bible. And that is one of the things a prophet does. Calls us to holiness. Brings us to the Word for change.
said:
I am an Encouraging Dictator...I mean Director (Huh?)
I have no idea where they got the director part from...I so can’t direct. Unless it’s my husband, and I’m usually not encouraging then.
Shawn B said:
I have a serious question.
Wouldn’t-
“One of the reasons you enjoy conversation as much as you do is that you often learn about yourself while talking things out with a friend; you realize things about your own beliefs while discussing them with others.”
be a simple, universal, psyhological trait amoungst every human being?
said:
Apparently I am a considerate experiencer.
They got it 75% right.
said:
I’m a attentive idealist.
good..the bad..the ugly..it was pretty close.
Scott said:
Advocating Leader....
It nailed me pretty well, except I hate puppies.
Shaun Groves said:
Wouldn’t-
“One of the reasons you enjoy conversation as much as you do is that you often learn about yourself while talking things out with a friend; you realize things about your own beliefs while discussing them with others.”
be a simple, universal, psyhological trait amoungst every human being?
Nope.
I was leading a “conversation” tonight at a church in NC and it dawned on me how the various folks were reacting to the format of the night. I could tell there were some very action-items-oriented types in attendance with great minds and hearts who would rather just be told by me what to do next. I didn’t do that. I asked questions and we discussed. I disagreed and agreed. They did too. It was an organic conversation centering around a book we’d all read.
Some people, I just suspect, would rather read a handout with a to-do list on it or a bunch of facts bullet pointed out for them. My wife’s like that. She likes to talk. She’s a great people person. Fantastic listener. But she doesn’t necessarily look to conversation for learning. She looks to books or experts she can ask direct questions and get direct answers from when she needs to learn something. She hates blogs. She has no idea why they exist. Same for message boards.
Ironic.