PROTEAN PERSONALITY

MITALI’S MADNESS

 

In Greek mythology Proteus is the seer whose apparent identity is so unstable that no one knows who he is. First he poses as an old man, then a tall green tree, then a blinding fire. He is constantly changing form. This capacity for shape-shifting suits Proteus, for he is a reluctant wizard who wants to evade his clients. Because Proteus has the power to radically transmogrify his identity, no one can pin him down long enough to make him reveal the truth.

A person with a protean self may be described in many ways. These people are often called adaptable or flexible; adjusting to any change. While having a protean personality is usually a boon because people tend to like you more often, it may often be perceived that people with this personality are just “people-pleasers”. This is not true. A person with this personality trait is just generally adjustable to all situations. Doing so makes him happy- he doesn’t do it for the pleasure of others. The pleasure others gain from not having to diverge from their ideas is just an added bonus! Life is not a straight line, rather it is meant to be experienced as a collage or a roller coaster ride, and a protean person is just a “willful eclectic” drawing his power from the various sources and experiences around him.

For all of us non-conformists out there, relax! You too have been categorized! People who are the stark opposite of protean selves are called fundamentalists- this being the alter ego of a protean person! A fundamentalist, as I said earlier is a non-conformist and refuses to accept change as easily as a protean person. They’d rather that the world come to an end than their vision get changed.

These personalities are both a part of every individual. Now you must surely have thought back and tried to put your near and dear ones in these categories. You must have also thought that there are so many people who are simply too nice to have a speck of fundamentalism, or others who are so stubborn as to not having a cell in their bodies that would end up giving your idea a higher stand!

Well it’s rather simple. Any normal human being has different parts of consciousness- the conscious, unconscious and subconscious mind. These traits lie in our mind and are usually balancing each other out with the help of the Ego. In terms of psychology, the mind contains Id, Ego and Superego. Id is the stubborn child; superego is the strict parent and ego is the lenient parent who gets a compromise done between id and superego. So fundamentalist traits and protean traits are also essentially balanced out by the ego.

What are the traits you see in someone that is protean?

When we talk about this personality one trait you see in people like this is that they are versatile. They are multi-tasking and still remain effective doing their jobs. If you are a business man you will want to hire someone with this kind of personality because you will benefit from having a staff this efficient working for you. This is because a person that is has a protean personality can be very adaptable to most conditions and situations. Because they are versatile they are able to accomplish more. People with protean personality are gifted and mobile. They are reliable and efficient in their dealings. They are resourceful and always ready for challenges that might arise.

Because protean people are not dedicated to a field and gather as much information as they can about different fields, this makes them skillful and talented! In order to succeed in life, one must develop a predominant protean personality.

“Superiority of circumstances is one of the most prominent characteristics of great men”-Horace Mann