On The Nature Of People

I am a simple man of limited talents. I like to break things down to their most basic terms because it makes it easier for me to understand. With all of the bad that is going on about the economy lately, I have given some thought to the nature of people in reference to productivity and contribution to the betterment of society.

Now that sounds very complicated on the face of it. I think, though, if we can come up with some basic classifications we might find some logic. Logic is a wonderful thing that is, at times, hard to come by. I have come up with four basic natures and two categories  within each one. Just remember that people as individuals will vary in effectiveness by intelligence and ambition. Also, sometimes luck plays a role in final results.

My first classification is doers. These are physically creative people. Engineers, mechanics, inventors, entrepreneurs are all doers. The two categories within doers are creators and fixers. A creator sees a need before anyone else and satisfies that need. The world didn't know that it needed AC electricity until Tesla invented it. Fixers are generally unsung heroes. They will see what doesn't work and puzzle it through until they know why and fix it. Jonas Salk would be a good example of a fixer.

My second classification is thinkers. Their world is their mind. They can sit for hours appearing to do nothing and suddenly they give you insights that you never considered. The two categories if thinkers are visionaries and diggers. A visionary travels to places never visited before while never leaving his chair. Albert Einstein was a visionary. People are still focusing on a vision he had almost a hundred year ago. Researchers and reporters are diggers. They will pour through material by the hour looking for clues to find where the next clue might be until they have the whole story ala Sherlock Holmes.

Next we have talkers. They live in a world of sound. And the most sound that they hear is their own voice. I do not mean that in a derogatory manner. The two classifications would be orators and teachers. Orators being priests, ministers, politicians et al. Teachers being, of course, those that pass on the accumulated knowledge of our civilization.

My final classification is the non-contributors. Again, I don't mean this in a derogatory manner. They may be people that are loners and live off the grid, taking care of themselves without personal interaction like the old time mountain men. Others might be just those that can't cope and live on the street most getting only sustenance but contributing nothing.

I think that those of us that do the most for society excel in two classifications. If you are a creator and a visionary you can create the next great leap for mankind.  If you are a fixer and a talker you can teach others to repair the worlds problems. If you are a digger and speaker you can do research and teach others to advance knowledge. If you are a visionary and an orator, you can inspire.

We must all discover our own special talents and focus. If that is repairing automobiles and it completes you, be happy with your choice. If you have the capacity to be the next Stephen Hawking, so be it. But discover your own nature and never look back. Strive for greatness, but always do good.