Conflicted Diplomacy

The Superbowl brought us many things one of which was a fresh new trailer for the newest web-head installment The Amazing SpidermanThe Marvel reboot was much needed after the whole Spider-Man 3 incident, in which that skinny kid from That 70’s Show was cast as iconic badass-villain Venom.  Needless to say that didn’t work out very well so the powers that be decided to give Marvel’s youngest superhero a fresh new look and so far it’s not looking too shabby.  The web slinger himself will be played by rising British star Andrew Garfield, most known for his role in The Social Network.  Emma Stone (The Help) plays the female lead Gwen Stacy, while British actor Rhys Ifans will play villain The Lizard.  This shy, nerdy high-school student actually happens to be Marvel’s flagship character and company mascot, being by far their most commercially successful character, filling the top three box office slots of any Marvel movie ever made.  Wherein lies the appeal of such an awkward, shy, and misunderstood young teenager?  Let’s take a look.

Peter Benjamin Parker was orphaned at the age of six when his parents were killed in an airplane crash overseas.  Peter went to live with his aunt and uncle in New York, where he excelled as a science student.  Peter was then bit by a radioactive spider in a science lab, giving him superhuman strength and agility, and all the abilities of a spider.  Soon after being given superpowers Peter failed to stop a thief, claiming that it was not his responsibility, the same thief that ended up murdering his dear Uncle Ben.  Peter learned firsthand that with great power comes great responsibility, and took such a tragic lesson very seriously.  Spider-Man is commonly seen as a brave and righteous hero with an indomitable sense of justice and responsibility.  Shaken by his uncle’s tragic death, Spider-Man’s vow of responsibility has led him to a path of heroism and humanitarian service.  Intuitive, shy, sensitive, and selfless with a profound sense of idealism Spider-Man makes for a great example of a Healer Idealist.  Certainly Spider-Man suffers with identity issues, as many Idealists do, as he is often scorned and ostracized by the very people that he has vowed to protect.  Indeed Peter Parker has developed “a certain fascination with the problem of good and evil, the sacred and profane”.  Parker is alone in his quest for the greater good however, and yet still charges on with relentless passion.

Healers have a profound sense of idealism derived from a strong personal morality, and they conceive of the world as an ethical, honorable place.  Indeed, to understand Healers, we must understand their idealism as almost boundless and selfless, inspiring them to make extraordinary sacrifices for someone or something they believe in.  They are the Shaman, Medicine Man, or the Witch Doctor of the tribe, the Prince or Princess in fairy tales, the True Knight or Defender of the Faith, like Don Quixote or Joan of Arc.  Isolated by their seclusiveness and infrequency (around one percent of the general population), their idealism leaves them feeling even more isolated from the rest of humanity.

Quote1.png With great power, there must also come great responsibility. Quote2.png

Spider-Man  

The Ethereal Complex

“The Ethereal Complex” refers to the Idealists’ tragic tendency to be misunderstood by those that they love the most.  Humanity by nature of course takes what it is given for granted, and much to the disadvantage of the Idealist.  The Idealists pour a tremendous amount of love and care into those they are closest to, a sentiment that is not always fully appreciated.  Indeed the Idealists’ intentions always come from a warm and positive place in their heart, but the same thing can not always be said about those around them.  The Idealists’ quest for better understanding and personal fulfillment is often misinterpreted as a result, leaving many Idealists’ with a tragic sense of inner-turmoil.  All is not lost however, as the Idealists’ confidence in the innate goodness of life and human nature is often a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Me

This is the title of her autobiography.

As she says:

What are you saying?  Who am I?
Well I’m me — I’m what is called the power behind the throne. I’m your — your character. Isn’t that what they call it?

Yes, Kate.  That’s what we call it.  Character.  You were certainly an interesting Character.

Character:  a configuration of habits.

Oh, but Kate, we have another word that you never knew much about.  The word is Temperament.

Temperament + Character = Personality

What you didn’t know was your Temperament.  But I doubt if you would care.  You had an interesting and full life anyway.  However, you might have understood yourself and others a little more.

Continue reading Me

Superlative Quaternity

Yes, Quaternity is in fact a word.  It’s like a fraternity, but with only four members.  Congratulations to Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants on being Super Bowl Champions.  Along with ‘the big game’ came a plethora of ridiculously expensive commercials, one of which was a fresh new trailer for Marvel’s blockbuster superhero ensemble franchise The Avengers.  The four main characters of Marvel’s the Avengers happen to closely correlate with the four basic personality types.  What a strange coincidence.  Let’s go right on ahead then and take a look at Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Captain America is the stalwart, stoic, and commanding ‘first avenger’ who defends justice with his iconic and indestructible shield.  The Sentential of Liberty is characterized by his tough-minded demeanor, his unyielding physicality, and his disciplined mindset.  Dutiful, authoritative, and highly dependable with a strict code of ethics Captain America is a classic Guardian.  A born leader, Captain America ‘lead’s by example’ and is the back-bone of the Avengers, much like Guardians are the back-bone of society.

The Hulk is a wild, ferocious, raging humanoid monster that comes out when Bruce Banner gets excited.  The not-so-jolly green giant was inspired by the classic tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and is characterized by his instinctual nature, his overpowering physicality, and his fearless disposition.  Impulsive, audacious, excitable, and highly physical The Hulk is representative of an Artisan.  Indeed The Hulk is often called in for serious jobs that require a creative solution, much like Artisans are in many organizations.

Iron Man is an intelligent, inventive, and ingenious engineer who created a mechanical suit to save his life.  The Armored Avenger is characterized by his mechanical aptitude and inventive genius, being a billionaire industrialist Stark is constantly tinkering with and improving his mechanical suit.  Innovative, scientific, analytical and systematic Tony Stark makes for a wonderful example of a Rational.  Certainly Stark is the brains of the Avengers and uses his cold, analytical mind to keep him and his super-friends on the right track.

Thor Odinson is a mystical, altruistic, brave and mighty warrior from another world who fights primarily for his native realm of Asgard.  The God of Thunder is characterized by his noble demeanor, his humble yet high-spirited attitude, and his selfless acts of valor.  Diplomatic, enthusiastic, empathetic, and highly independent Thor makes for a great example of an Idealist.  Thor is the glue that holds the Avengers together, and is always sacrificing himself for the greater good.

Quote1.png I’m loyal to nothing…except the American DreamQuote2.png

— Steve Rogers  

Quote1.png My kingdom for a Radio Shack. Quote2.png

Anthony Stark

Quote1.png You won’t like me when I’m angry! Quote2.png

Bruce Banner

Quote1.png Even the life of a Thunder God can offer no greater satisfaction than this! For I have helped a fellow man! Quote2.png

Thor Odinson

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Directive Diplomacy

Awards Season 2012 is rolling full force ahead as the 18th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards kicked off this past sunday unbeknownst to many.  The SAG Awards are in fact a special occasion for actors and actresses however, as the awards are chosen by the actors themselves.  Big winners in the feature film department included The Help and The Artist, while TV’s big winners include Modern Family and Boardwalk Empire.  Mary Tyler Moore was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Bridesmaids trio (Melissa Mccarthy, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph) lightened the mood by inventing a SAG awards drinking game in which ‘you have to drink every time you hear the word Scorsese’.  Actor Steve Buscemi (after winning Best Actor in a Drama Series) capitalized on such a joke by mentioning the iconic filmmakers’ name in his acceptance speech, as Scorsese was an executive producer for Boardwalk Empire.  Although his film Hugo didn’t take home any SAG Awards, he and his film are very much in the Oscar race so let’s take a look at the man himself, legendary director Martin Scorsese.

Martin Charles Scorsese (born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian.  Scorsese was raised in New York City by two devout Catholic Sicilian actors.  Martin had asthma, and as a result wasn’t able to play sports and engage in outdoor activities like many of the other children.  Marty found other interests however, as his passion for cinema developed at a very early age.  Enamored with the stories that the films of his time were telling, Scorsese went to NYU film school, and after graduating started making films of his own.  After becoming friends with the ‘movie brats’ of the 1970sFrancis Ford CoppolaBrian De PalmaGeorge Lucas, and Steven Spielberg, Marty was ready to make his mark on Hollywood.  He went on to make such films as Mean StreetsTaxi DriverRaging Bull, and Goodfellas– all of which he collaborated on with actor and close friend Robert De Niro.  He is a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema, and has won OscarsEmmysGolden GlobesBAFTAs, and DGA Awards.  Scorsese’s body of work addresses such themes as Italian American identity, Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemptionmachismo, modern crime and violence.  Scorsese is hailed as one of the most significant and influential American filmmakers of all time, and is known for his uncanny ability to create a warm, positive, and encouraging environment on-set.  Indeed Marty values “harmonious relations” and “can handle people with charm and concern”.  Sweet-hearted, charismatic, highly nurturing, very expressive, and a natural leader of groups Martin Scorsese is undoubtedly a Teacher Idealist.  Certainly Marty is arguably the best director of his generation, and has an incredible ability to put himself in the shoes of the people he is making a movie about:

Teachers have a highly developed ability to empathize by introjection, that is, taking into themselves the characteristics, emotions, and beliefs of others—even to the point of unconsciously mimicking others.  But this unusual ability to relate to other with empathy can also pose a danger for them, because they can easily over-identify with others and pick up their burdens as if they were their own, actually putting at risk their own identity.

Please Understand Me II, p. 151

Quote1.png Now more than ever we need to talk to each other, to listen to each other and understand how we see the world, and cinema is the best medium for doing this.Quote2.png

Martin Scorsese

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That Relational Thing

What is life?

That was the question he posed to himself.

No, he wasn’t asking the simple, vague, ill-posed, question: what those fuzzy, sloppy thinking Philosophers often try to talk about in volumes of words.

He was, in his mind, asking a precise question.  A scientific question. For to answer this question, he had to ask the immediately deductible question: What is life, Not?  Both questions are difficult to answer — precisely.

But he wanted to answer, What is life?, precisely, and he did give an answer: in his last book before he died.

But, there were critics of his work, although the vast majority are ignorant of his work.

An unnamed critic remarked: “The trouble with you, Rosen, is you’re always trying to answer questions that nobody wants to ASK!

Continue reading That Relational Thing

We don't put anybody's name on the back


He said: Hustle.  Good things will happen.  Keep hustling.

It’s a really simple formula: team, loyalty, competition. And lastly, hard work.

The basics. The fundamentals.

It was about we and us, for 62 years.  Constant.  He pushed so hard.  He expected good things.

It was about family.  And he took his team as a second family.

Continue reading We don't put anybody's name on the back

Complicated Logistics

Yet another “Hollywood Power Couple” has fallen victim to the devastating effects of real life as luminescent supermodel Heidi Klum and hopelessly-romantic singer Seal have officially announced a divorce after seven wonderful years of marriage and four children.  The tragic split seems to be extremely amicable as “the operative here is that we are civil to each other and we both have a tremendous amount of respect and love and we try and do this with as much dignity as we possibly can”.  After seven long years certain mathematicians might argue that Seal was stricken with the infamous “seven year itch”.  One would think that marrying a girl who many consider one of the most beautiful women on this planet would save you from a stupid “seven year itch” but some people are just downright greedy.  Shame on you, Seal.  While the couple has no intention of airing out it’s dirty laundry reports say Seals’ temper was a “deal breaker” for the young German model and entrepreneur.  Whatever the source of conflict lets hope for the best and take a closer look at this formerly adorable Hollywood Power Couple.

Heidi Klum is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, and television producer.  Heidi’s modeling career skyrocketed quite early, as she won a national modeling contest over 25,000 contestants before graduating high school.  After graduating, Klum accepted a modeling contract over seeking an apprenticeship at a fashion design school.  Klum’s success as a model is astounding, having graced the covers of Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, and Sports Illustrated among others.  Klum is perhaps best known for being host, judge, and executive producer of Lifetime’s Project Runway, as well as being a Victoria’s Secret Angel and hosting the Victorias Secret Fashion Show on four different occasions.  Indeed Klum is “without peer as master of ceremonies” and makes for an “outstanding hostess”.  Extremely hard-working, adorably sentimental, outstandingly personable, and highly accommodating Heidi Klum is undoubtedly a Provider Guardian.  With four children, a TV show, modeling gigs, make-up and fashion lines, and now a divorce Heidi Klum certainly has a lot on her plate.  No temperament is better equipped however, as “these Providers take their role as family provider seriously, in both a material and moral sense.  They provide a sound and safe home, good food, nice clothes, and a store of possessions”.

Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel (born 19 February 1963 in Paddington, London, England), popularly known simply as Seal , is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background.  Seal has won four Grammy Awards for his music, and is best known for his single “Kiss From a Rose”.  A hopeless romantic, Seal proposed to Heidi in a quinzee he built on a glacier in Whistler, British Columbia.  Every year during their marriage Seal and Klum renewed their vows on their anniversary with their close friends and family.  “Each year, Heidi and I get remarried. It’s a great party, but for about an hour, we go off on our own down to a private beach. We sit there with the kids and read vows to each other as the sun sets. It’s a very special moment to us.”  Highly romantic, a very talented singer and song-writer, extremely compassionate, and very private Seal  is undoubtedly a Composer Artisan.  Indeed Seal is (was) constantly serenading his wife in a very romantic fashion, as “if Composers find a medium of expression, some art form, then they will express their character quite eloquently via that medium”.  Seal was also a family man, as “these friendly and soft-spoken Artisans tend to seek a safe anchorage in their home and family”.  “With their children, as with their mates, Composers are great friends and mates, though they can be hard to get to know, and their reserve can be a barrier to close relations”.

The most stable and satisfying marriages for Artisans are with Guardians.  Not only do Artisans and Guardians both make their home in the concrete world, but the complementarity of their natures seems to fill a void in each temperament.  Here is the adventurous, fun-loving SP, bursting with energy and yearning for the excitement of new experiences, attracted to the concerned and responsible SJ, the Rock of Gibraltar standing watch over the established rules and traditions of society.  In many ways the match seems incongruous and difficult to account for, and yet the frequency with which SPs choose to marry SJs is compelling.  Perhaps seeking the stability they lack, perhaps wanting some missing center to their lives perhaps just needing someone to take care of them—whatever the reason, Artisans choose marriage with Guardians by far over any other temperament.

Please Understand Me II, p. 220

Quote1.png When I first met Seal he had a kindness and compassion that was so sincere I knew he’d be a good father. Bit it wasn’t until Leni was born and we had out three other children that I grasped what a great dad he is. He has infinite amounts of love and patience for our kids,” Klum added. “He puts me and the children first.Quote2.png

Heidi Klum

Quote1.png Family, my wife and children, that’s my reason for being. Everything is done with them in mind, so perhaps that’s the reason this new album is up-tempo. It does feel like a celebration of life. I am finally in a content and happy place to the point where I feel like I need to sing about it. It’s made me want to address things that are close to home.Quote2.png

Seal

The Steel Mask

“The Steel Mask” refers to the Guardians’ incredible ability to disguise themselves with the passions/interests/attitudes typically associated with one of the other three temperaments.  Indeed many Guardians are often mistaken for other temperaments strictly because of the career paths and recreational activities that they have chosen in their lives.  Statistically speaking however, Guardians are by far the most numerous temperament and certainly abound in all professions and hobbies.  Certainly a Guardian can come to enjoy ANY profession or passion, and brings hard-work and dedication to the enterprise.  Guardian’s are the unsung heroes of society and simply put: many Guardians are not given credit for being Guardians.

Artisans and Guardians both live in the concrete world of what is going on around them.  Both Artisans and Guardians together dominate most social realms and most of society for that matter.  As a result both temperaments learn a great deal from one another.  Guardians greatly admire they’re Artisan cousins ability to throw caution to the wind and live life to the fullest, and often emulate such behavior with astounding accuracy.  As a result many Guardians find themselves in professions that are typically associated with the Artisan, and yet fit in surprisingly well.

Idealists and Guardians both share a concern for society and for the morality of behavior, a wish to do right and to help other people.  And thus many Guardians and Idealists find themselves in similar professions, ones that deal with gracefully managing and dealing with people.  Indeed many Guardians choose Diplomacy in one way or another as their passion in life, and thus often blend in quite well with Idealists and their professions.

Rationals and Guardians share a lot of similarities in the way they approach their professional lives.  Guardians are comfortable with the Rationals’ skeptical attitude and obsession with their work, which seem very much like their own pessimism and sense of duty, and they often admire the NT’s ingenuity.  Guardians too, excel in the Rationals’ primary realm of science, as good science requires discipline and dedication.  Certainly Guardians are everywhere, but at times can be difficult to identify.

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