Cutthroat Diversity

Game of Thrones is finally back and Thank the Gods because some of us have been waiting since Season 1 ended without eating food, sleeping, or going to the bathroom.  Ya.  It’s been rough.  But the wait is finally over as HBO’s outrageously phenomenal epic fantasy series Game of Thrones returns for Season 2 this coming Sunday April 1st at 10/9c on HBO so strap your boots on folks ’cause it’s gonna be a good one.  Funny thing about outrageously phenomenal series’ is that they tend to know whatsup.  When I say know whatsup, what else would I be talking about other than the Four Basic Personality Types.  And while we’re on the subject of the Four Basic Personality Types, let’s take a look at the Four Major Houses of Westeros.

Game of Thrones is based off a series of popular fantasy novels entitled “A Song of Ice and Fire” and chronicles the violent conflicts and struggles between noble families vying for control of the ‘Iron Throne’.  The unprecedented genre series has been called a darker ‘Lord of the Rings’ with politics.  Thrones enjoys stunning visuals, exceptional storytelling, strong writing, dense mythology, superb acting, and an ensemble castThe series focuses primarily on the political and military strife between four major powers: House Lannister, House Baratheon, House Stark, and House Targaryen.  Just like the real four major powers or Temperaments, these ones certainly have their differences.

House Lannister, or more specifically resident tough-guy Tywin Lannister is characterized by its financial strength, stoicism and stability.  House Lannister is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, and is the richest and most powerful family and one of the most feared and respected banners in all of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms.  The major members of the house are Jaime, Cersei, Tyrion and TywinTywin Lannister is the head of House Lannister and Lord of Casterly Rock.  Their lands are to the far West of the continentWardens of the West; House Lannister’s symbol is a golden lion, and their house motto is “Hear me roar!”  Their unofficial motto, which is as well known as the official one is “A Lannister always pays his debts.”  Lord Tywin is a key supporter of his grandson’s reign in the current (Season 2) War of the Four Kings.

Guardians know better than the rest of us what dangers lurk nearby, ready to pounce.  Property can be lost or stolen; health can fail; relationships can fall apart.  The world can go to hell in a handbasket.  Perhaps this is why they put such trust in institutionsInstitutions are bastions of security in a chaotic world, and SJ’s devote themselves to establishing them, tending them and perpetuating them.”  — Please Understand Me II, p. 99

Your mother’s dead.  Before long I’ll be dead, and you and your brother and your sister and all of her children, all of us dead, all of us rotting underground.  It’s the family name that lives onIt’s all that lives on.  Not your personal glory, not your honor… but family.  You understand? Tywin Lannister

House Baratheon or more specifically local drunk King Robert Baratheon is known for being wild, cynical and impulsive.   ‘Usurper’ King Robert admittedly was ‘better at taking the throne than keeping it’, as the family is revered mainly for its military prowessHouse Baratheon is also one of the Great Houses of Westeros, although also one of the youngest.  It is the current royal house as King Joffrey Baratheon is the reigning monarch in King’s Landing.  House Baratheon’s sigil is a black stag and their house motto is “Ours is the Fury”.  The ancestral Baratheon stronghold is Storm’s End, but since becoming the royal house they have also taken possession of the old Targaryen island fortress of Dragonstone, whilst the King rules from the city of King’s Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.  When the War of the Four Kings begins following King Robert Baratheon’s deathHouse Baratheon becomes divided into three distinct factions: one led by Robert’s son Joffrey; one led by his younger brother Renly, and one led by his older brother Stannis.

Artisans are impulsive.  They like being that way.  To be impulsive, spontaneous, is to be really aliveSP’s trust their impulses without reserve, enjoy feeling them well up within; and they love discharging them, like setting off an explosion.”  — Please Understand Me II, p. 56

Killing things clears my head.” King Robert Baratheon

House Stark or more specifically provincial badass Lord Eddard Stark is characterized by his adherence to reason and deference; with the pragmatic family motto of “Winter is coming”.  Yet another of the Great Houses of Westeros, ruling over the vast region known as the North from their seat in Winterfell.  The current head of the house Rob Stark is the Lord of Winterfell.  House Stark is by far the oldest of the Great Houses, claiming a line of descent stretching back over eight thousand years.  Before the Targaryen conquest the leaders of House Stark ruled over the region as the Kings in the North.  House Stark’s sigil is a direwolf, they are an ancient house from the Age of Heroes, thousands of years in the past, who built their ancestral home of Winterfell.  They are descendants of the First Men and still follow some of their ancient traditions of the Old Gods of the forest.  Since that time the Starks have held the North for the kings of the Seven Kingdoms as Wardens of The NorthHouse Stark played a key role in Robert’s Rebellion against the Targaryens, after which the Starks have become a relatively inactive Great House until Lord Eddard Stark was beheaded towards the end of Season 1 on the orders of King Joffrey Baratheon.

Rationals are self-confident in so far as they sense in themselves a strength of will or an unwavering resolutionNT’s believe they can overcome any obstacle, dominate any field, conquer any enemy — even themselves—with the power of their resolve.”  — Please Understand Me II, p. 186

You think my life is some precious thing to me, as i would trade my honor for a few more years.  Of war.  You grew up with actors; you learned their craft and learned it well.  Well I grew up with soldiers….  I learned how to die a long time ago.  Lord Eddard Stark

House Targaryen or more specifically parochial oracle Daenerys Targaryen is characterized as being mystical, mysterious and empathicHouse Targaryen was one of the former Great Houses of Westeros and the previous ruling royal house of the Seven Kingdoms; before House Baratheon took the Iron ThroneHouse Targaryen’s symbol is a three-headed red dragon, their motto is “Fire and Blood”.  Once a noble family of the vast Valyrian Freehold, the Targaryens were given control of the island of Dragonstone in the Narrow Sea some centuries ago.  After the Doom of Valyria, the Targaryens launched a devastating invasion of Westeros known as the War of Conquest using three dragons to spearhead their attack.  Nearly 300 years later, after failing to quell a rebellion led by Robert Baratheon the family was exiled, until Daenerys Targaryen hatched three new dragons concluding Season 1.

Idealists devote much of their time to pursuing their own identity, their personal meaning, what they signify—their true Self.  It is not, mind you, that they are self-centered, self-serving, or selfish; they focus on the Self of others as surely as on their own.  But whether their own or another’s, NF’s are centered on the Self, concentrated on it, committed to it.” — Please Understand Me II, p. 143

He was no dragonFire cannot kill a dragon.”Daenerys Targaryen

All four major houses of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are constantly struggling for supremacy much as all four temperaments do the same.

Which House are you?  Tell us at https://twitter.com/#!/Keirseydotcom!

Thoughts?  Opinions?  Disagreements? New to TemperamentTell us about it!  Voice your opinion on our brand new Twitter page at https://twitter.com/#!/KeirseydotcomWe want to hear what you have to say!

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