No two persons are the same in the world or who are completely alike in all aspects. The wonder of nature where amidst of billions a single individual claims independence with no one else interferes in his affairs; he has nothing to share with the rest of the world pertaining to his DNA makeup. Personality is qualities that make up a person’s character. It is a tool with which people evaluate themselves. Each person thinks that he lacks certain qualities to succeed in life the way he wishes to attain perfection, which is impossible. He always doubts his capability no matter how he succeeds. There is always an empty gap that needs to be bridged.
The efforts to equate oneself with others, in this instance, fail to find something that would compare oneself with others. The person’s positive response to a situation, whether it accepted or not, assists him to locate his right position with the people he daily contacts. The outcome of the contact, whether it is good or bad, helps the individual to undertake self-evaluation and thereby find means to adjust to the mainstream.
Whichever course events take, despite the positive reaction the individual encounters, there are a few people who are entirely satisfied with themselves. They still feel that there is always something missing that would earn them acceptance. The traits or personality of an individual are abstracted from his behavior.
Traits, the core of personality, are exhibited in different ways. Some are expressed in manners of the person’s acts: persistence and speed are typical traits of manner. The individuality of the person is shown in his refusal to accept anything that he apprehends is against his interest. However denounced his views and opinions are, he still believes that his stand is always right and dogmatic. Such individual acts in his own world by making himself difficult in sharing his opinions and believes with others.
In its narrowest scope, that the writer’s endeavors to open up the secretes of qualities each person exhibits. There are numerous human qualities of individuals. Modesty, for instance is where the individual does not talk about his abilities or possession or interact with others; he is quiet by nature and not outgoing either. In most circumstances, he avoids meeting other people and does he enjoy their company. Akin to places, he opts for going away from a particular place rather than arriving in it. Modesty in actual sense is a personality where the individual is more confined to himself than being open to others. Even if it is for a moment, it takes efforts to see him inside out.
In a similar situation, a reserved person is one who deliberately does not freely talk to others about his ideas and feelings. Thus, such a person is not easy to be friended with because of unnatural his reserve. He may or may not be evil; his innate behavior from birth makes him behave that way.
A selfish person is more of self-righteous, convinced of his own goodness and he is better than others. He finds it very difficult to admit that others could be equal or better than him. He is often seen as being too concerned with gaining advantages for himself. He disregards the interest of others no matter what happens to them; he feels well secured with himself despite what others seek to get from him. Cooperating with others in ventures for the benefits of all least affects him.
Parallel to this, surfaces selflessness in which an individual yields himself for the benefits of others forfeiting his own advantages. To such a person the interest of others comes first however difficult and dangerous it appears to be. He does not entertain the idea of giving in too easily to desire for one’s own comfort, pleasure and the like. He believes in forfeiting things he would like to get in order to help others. He generates the highest joy in offering himself to the advantage of others. Sacrificing his interests for the wellbeing and advantage of others is all he lives for, by virtue of being naturally kind.
In navigating through human behavior, one finds himself in the sea of innumerable cheerful and cheerless dispositions. Further digging into the matter, we often confront a hypocrite who makes oneself appear to be virtuous; whereas in reality or deep inside, he is not. In truth, he always suffers from guilt of hypocrisy. On the other hand, a genuine person acts himself and due to gaining acceptance and love of people he happens to be with, he feels free and happy. There is nothing that he hides from others; he is genuine and he is what he says to be. His appearance is his true self.
Along with this, sneaks in other behavior. In relationship with companions, some people become misfits in the way they relate with people which may not be acceptable. They take pleasure in the suffering of others. They are ready and eager to inflict pain and sufferings on others and they exceedingly delight in this. Their cruel deeds are what they are always after. Their characters revealed in the way they treat their fellow men and even animals. Sympathy has no place with them; a cry of a baby does not move them, rather the sound makes them angry.
On the other hand, there are those who exhibit thoughtfulness for others in their deeds; they are kindhearted and polite. Cruelty is disdained in their sight. Their presence is revered and accepted while their absence highly missed. Such is how kind people comfortably find themselves among many around them.
Not all people have the same reaction to something. There are those who love and ready to die in the defense of their country, a sort of proxy war. Amidst the raging war, they do not budge an inch; they press forward until they see the back of their enemies or miss in action themselves. These are those who are referred to as patriots. They are the pride of their citizens and their heroic acts keep shining through the ages.
Abreast of this, some people cannot control their fears and in time of confronting the enemy, they even run away. Such ones are humiliation to their relatives and friends and to their country at large. They are ridiculed by all wherever they go. In some cultures like Ethiopia, they cannot get wives because of their cowardice which simply means faintheartedness.
Some people are quick-tempered; Small things irritate them. They easily get angry and for that matter people avoid them and in fact disdain them and they are looked upon with contempt. Obviously, short-tempered people suffer from loneliness as no one wishes their company and no one wants to be identified with them.
On the other hand, there are others who control their temper. They do not become frantic. They are not wildly excited with anxiety either. They are sober, self-controlled and temperate and, of all, they are serious in thoughts. Such are the intricacy of human traits. Where do you like to place yourself or which side do you want to take? The writer leaves up to you.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 10 November 2019
BY JOSEPH SOBOKA
