How accurate and valid it all is can be questionable, but it's still fun to look at. I ran across a funny (old) article written last spring about the presidential candidates. It described Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain's "types." I thought it was pretty amusing that they labeled Obama as an ENFP. Of him they say:
Barack Obama—no one will be surprised to learn—is an Idealist. His specific type is an ENFP, what Keirsey calls "the Champion." ENFPs, says Keirsey, are "filled with conviction that they can easily motivate those around them." Champions work to "kindle, to rouse, to encourage, even to inspire those close to them with their enthusiasm." Idealists "usually have a tongue of silver" and are "gifted in seeing the possibilities" of institutions and people. This ability to move people through imagery and rhetoric carries a danger for the ENFP, says Keirsey—a belief in "word magic." "Word magic" refers to the ancient idea that words have the ability to make things happen—saying makes it so. Keirsey says Idealist leaders should be called catalysts because "[t]he individual who encounters such a leader is likely to be motivated, animated, even inspired to do his or her very best work." Idealists are deeply introspective. According to Keirsey, their "self-confidence rests on their authenticity," which makes them "highly aware of themselves as objects of moral scrutiny." Idealists, such as Thomas Paine, Mohandas Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., tend to be leaders of movements, not office-holders. If Obama is elected, not only would he be the first black president, but according to Keirsey, he'd be the first Idealist president. (Kroeger speculates that Lincoln may have been an Idealist.) Idealists are rare in any executive position. In a survey Kroeger did of the personality types who make it to top management, less than 1 percent were ENFPs—
In a Vanity Fair profile, Todd Purdum quotes a Harvard Law School classmate of Obama's describing his collaborative style as editor of the Law Review. Obama was "someone who wanted the group decisions to reflect the group's intent, not Barack's intent." (This classmate added, "I actually would have been happier for him to say sometimes, 'This is how we're doing this, and shut up!' ") Wanting inclusiveness has been a hallmark of Obama's career and his campaign. Purdum noted that in the Illinois Legislature, "Obama made friendships across the aisle" and used his people skills to get some difficult legislation passed. In a speech, Obama described this ability: "If you start off with an agreeable manner, you might be able to … recruit some independents into the fold, recruit even some Republicans into the fold."As leaders, Keirsey says, the Idealists possess a "diplomatic intelligence." They "seek common ground," want to "forge unity," arrive at "universal truths," and are "trusting." Given these qualities, it should be no surprise that Obama says that as president, he would quickly sit down with our enemies. He told Paris Match, "I want to have direct talks with countries like Iran and Syria because I don't believe we can stabilize the region unless not just our friends but also our enemies are involved in these discussions."
The ENFP can have a problem with "restlessness," says Kroeger. "As a task or responsibility drags on and its mantle becomes increasingly routine, the ENFP can become more pensive, moody, and even rigid." Obama himself referred in a debate to his disorganization and dislike of paperwork—and his self-knowledge that "I need to have good people in place who can make sure that systems run." But as Purdum writes, it is Obama's "restlessness" that prompted him "to take a chance, to aim higher—when others told him to wait his turn."
So, yes, that was long. But it helps me understand a few things. First off, I was initially attracted to Obama as a person (who wasn't?). I saw him on Oprah (of course, lol) when he was just a senator several years back. I really liked listening to him (again, who doesn't - ok, well some people). And when he decided to run for president, I began to have mixed feelings. He's the kind of person I would probably love to sit down with and talk to. I would most likely think he was incredibly intelligent, compassionate, and the kind of person who was on the same wavelength as me (apparently he is). But I couldn't quite bring myself to actually vote for him.
I found myself saying, "Yeah, his personality and style are probably not far off from mine, but I'm not trying to run for president." Let's face it, I know that I'm a bit idealistic and impractical at times. I also don't like administrative duties. They feel burdensome to me. I might get great ideas and inspirations sometimes, and sure, I love to talk and try to convince people, butI know that I also need someone practical to help balance out my idealism. I am, after all, the person who gets the result of Marxism as my ideal political system when I take political orientation quizzes! I was a tad embarassed and (I have to admit) also a tad proud (I like to be different!) of that for a while, but I have realized that no, some of those ideas don't work in practice. However, I felt more compassionate towards Obama when Conservative people would angrily call him a "socialist." It felt a little personal!
This election left me feeling torn, honestly. Certain issues were too important to me (as a Christian, first and foremost) to ignore, regardless of how fascinating Barak Obama was to me. So he didn't get my vote. But I can't say I'm devastated that he won. Despite disagreeing with some of his policies, I think he appears (that is the key word, we shall see) to be a really cool person, with a true heart for people. Thought it might be rare for an idealist to become the leader of the free world, I can't help but be proud for us idealists :) I hope that there are people by his side to counsel him and give him practical advice. I also hope that despite the weight and responsiblity of what he is walking into, his idealism and hope doesn't fade. It's really a gift.
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