According to a very annoying and largely pointless pop psychology quiz my personality type is ISTJ: The Reliant.
The first time I took this test was in grad school, and the instructor herded us to different quadrants of the room to visually represent how many people have a certain leadership style. Most everyone ended up in one corner.
I was on the opposite side of the room, not chatting with the only other person like me, some fellow who worked on wetlands projects.
I actually have no argument with the test results; the description seems accurate. The critical problem with the tool is that it reports a best case scenario composite description of the people who supposedly share the same personality traits.
It all falls apart in the career and personal sections of the description: I have to assume that others like me must have had carefree childhoods.
Yes, I am an extremely dull person. I believe in tradition, honor, all those boring concepts.
But I grew up in a lawless, impoverished place, with cancer and uncertainty ruling my life. I may have a cautious soul but it is in charge of cultivating radical pursuits. Not because I want to, but instead because I needed to survive.
I may be a stereotypical middle manager at heart but I found government work revolting — it didn’t agree with my high ethical standards. I do not wear sober clothing but I am one of the only people around who can saunter forth in completely scandalous clothes and sequined glasses and still maintain an aura of genteel respectability.
My friends believe that I wear black all the time even though this is not true.
Growing up on the edge of society is instructive for people like me; we are not especially passionate but we believe that reform is inevitable.
Plus we know how to make it happen.