What is individuality?
What is group behaviour?
What is the real personality?
Personality Development is in fashion these days. Every small town is also full of many such institutes that claim to bring a total turn around in the personality of its students. But are they able to define the word personality in a sense acceptable to all? I doubt.
One definition is SWOT. As everybody must have read, this acronym represents strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The first two are individual variables while the other two are environmental variables. Some experts opine that SWOT is the personality while personality development includes the conversion of weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities.
Another definition is Mask Theory. Believers of this camp say that everyone has two personalities - the real one and the explicit one. They also say that no one, absolutely no one in the world today, can afford to be totally transparent. We have some animal instincts which are hidden in the garb of a social smile. Let us have an example. When you are just about to go to bed at the end of a hectic day and some relative or friend turns up, how do you react? The real one would be a frank reminder of the time and the social etiquette of seeking appointment before visiting someone, but in all probability, the explicit one would be to welcome them with a broad smile.
The third definition is based on the reaction to a stimulus. We all react to many things available around us. But this reaction depends on our personality. Same stimulus may evoke different responses from different people. Slapping to a staunch believer of Jesus may result in getting the second cheek offered while the same action may possibly bring a violent reaction from other people.
Which theory appeals to you most? What is the real personality? I am confused. I find some essence and practical wisdom in all of them. While the SWOT theory tells me what to do (convert weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities) while the mask theory tells me how to do the same. And the third theory gives me some tips to judge other people by observing their reactions to different situations.
One thing is very sure. Individuality and group behaviour are very different things. While in a group, one tends to sacrifice his very personal set of beliefs which may not be a very wise thing to do.
I must not allow my individuality to get lost in a crowd, or to use a better word, a mob!
9 comments:
dear sir
in my opinion mask theory is best u also discuss this theory in class and i really enjoy it and do some practical in my life .always wear a smile is the best idea.
Regards
Rajat
ujjain
Good Morning Sir,
First of all Happy New Year.I liked this post because we don't know about ourselves.We don't know that we are different from the remaining world.this world is only a mob where we can't show our talent even they don't try to understand our talent.I do agree that individuality is better than group.
THANK YOU SIR
NAME : PROTON ROSHAN SHARMA
Good Morning Sir,
First of all Very very happy new year.
I liked this post because we don't know about ourselves.In my opinion the remaining world is only a Mob where we can't show our talent because they don't try to understand what we are? Sir, I do agree with you that individuality is more important than group(MOB).
THANK YOU SIR
NAME : PROTON ROSHAN SHARMA
Good Morning Sir,
Happy New Year for 2010.
i liked this post because we learn anything this blogs and we can do better in our life if we have a chance to do better in our own life. we can't leave this opportunity while we are deciding a good way and working this area so nobody/no one can stop us.
Just focus on that area who want to achive in life and do it and win it.
Thank you for New Year
PROTON- Rakesh Sharma
Dear Sir,
I find myself aligned with the mask theory. Also, I strongly feel that everybody, knowingly or unknowingly, follows the same.
Wish you a very happy new year.
Regards,
Shoaib Qureshi
It is not a mechanistic process to convert weakness in to strength and threats in to opportunity. Lots of environmental factors play an all important role in the life of an individual. What I think is that no one can develop the personality of any other individual, no theory, no person. It is all one's own intrinsic motivation. It is all about how one deals with these environmental variables. Everyone has his/her own way of looking things/objects and react to that and that's what play a crucial role in framing one's behavior. People do have different opinions about same object.
In this manner I would say that one can have or improve one's personality by understanding the surroundings and bringing change in one's own personality with due consideration of what/why/when/how questions about that change. It is a continuous process.
If we talk about not loosing one's own individuality in a group than one will have to understand this basic and constant phenomena......CHANGE.
These are my view. I don't know how much you people agree with me. If you have any counter productive though, please write it or mail me (viveksharma302@gmail.com)...
Regards
Vivek Sharma
IMDR, Pune
Insightful blogpost!!!
Sir this post was really good as it gave us three ways of how an individual reacts in the world. The people having two face one being real (which is frank) and other being explicit (for the outer world).
Individual and environmental factors affecting a person. The point raised on individuality was also really apt as to one must stick to what he/she believes in.
Thank you sir for sharing your thoughts.
Regards,
PROTON Sanjay Dodeja
hello sir
really u r fab,i jst liked d way u describe things wid such an ease...
alwazz admire"s
RUCHI SOOD
ujjain
hello sir
u r fab,i likes d way u says everything wid such an ease
alwazz admires
RUCHI SOOD
ujjain
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