PT Bergin

Yes anyone I know who claims to dislike Stefan hasn't actually listened to any entire presentations or points in general. It's usually an emotional response to a small sound bite out of context.

Has anyone ever responded to "not an argument" with "not an argument is not an argument" to which Stefan responded with "'not an argument is not an argument' is not an argument"?

Greetings free domain! I'm turning thirty next month, and expecting a kid next May. I've struggled with addiction and weight for most off my life, all due to my highly dysfunctional family of origin. The last couple years have been a most difficult adventure in discovering self knowledge, and after these last long 8 months of losing 70 pounds, i have also finally kicked my fifteen year addiction to marijuana and cigarettes. I've been sober from the weed for one month and haven't had a cigarette in about two weeks. It's not very long out of the jungle but it is quite an experience so far. My brain seems to be firing on all cylinders for the first time since i was probably five years old. I've been stoned for such a great portion of my life that now sobriety almost feels like a high of its own. Are there any other current or former marijuana users or cigarette smokers here? Perhaps we could open a discussion about why we used or still use, and techniques that led to the quitting process becoming successful. I have a few different paragraphs around my specific history with drugs i'm still editing, but wanted to get this post up and see who might be interested before i include some of that info and run on for too long. Thanks everybody!

All of you guys are awesome. I hope to respond to all of it or as much as I can soon.

This is such a wonderfully rich response. I can't believe how awesome the free domain is. I'm a little speechless. Thank you so much. So yeah, I'm not going to earn off writing or similar creative things at the rate I need with only 8 months until birth, so I'm holding on to those types of things only as hobbies and such. I'm trying to figure out the quickest way to find something I can make a living with. I do have a deformed hip bone that will likely prevent me from taking on a trade job like some sort of repair man or electrician. I'm wondering about accounting, I was always good with math. The coming days are daunting but with keeping the weight off my body and keeping a decent routine training martial arts in my spare time, plus therapy, I'm not getting so floundered as I have for the last decade. Thanks again for the response, Siegfried. I'll report back soon!

@RichardY I live in the Midwest of USA. That's a really good idea! Thanks, man! I'll look into it. I bet there is huge market for that in the Colorado, Utah, Wyoming area, near where I live. What sucks about my big five is it seems I have a creative temperament but my conscientiousness is so low it feels impossible to stay focused long enough to do anything about it. I know I can write when I get to it, but everybody wants to be a writer, everybody wants to be a comedian and a content creator. but enough about me, what do you do, Richard?

I have the temperament of a retarded chimpanzee

Agreeableness: Typical You are typical or average in agreeableness, which is the primary dimension of Interpersonal interaction in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Agreeableness has two aspects: compassion and politeness, which will be explained separately. Agreeableness is a very complex trait, with marked positive and negative elements all along its distribution. Because of this, higher scores and lower scores need to be explained at the same time. People high in agreeableness are nice: compliant, nurturing, kind, naively trusting and conciliatory. However, because of their tendency to avoid conflict, they often dissemble and hide what they think. People low in agreeableness are not so nice: stubborn, dominant, harsh, skeptical, competitive and, in the extreme, even predatory. However, they tend to be straightforward, even blunt, so you know where they stand. Your score puts you at the 50th percentile for agreeableness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more agreeable than 50 of them and less agreeable than 49 of them. AGREEABLENESS 50th percentile You are more agreeable than 50 of 100 people People with typical levels of agreeableness are seen by others as somewhat cooperative, warm and considerate. They look for and even sometimes see the best in others, and are reasonably interpersonally tolerant (an attitude that is much valued by agreeable people). They are no more sensitive than average to seeing someone’s feelings get hurt and, although sometimes concerned about the emotional state of others, don’t always prefer peace and harmony to conflict. They strike a good balance between submissiveness and dominance. People with average levels of agreeableness are somewhat forgiving, accepting, flexible, gentle and patient. They sometimes feel pity for those who are excluded, punished or defeated. However, they are less likely than highly agreeable people to be taken advantage of by disagreeable people or those with criminal or predatory intent. They can be skeptical. They believe in cooperation, but also feel that competition, with its losers and winners, has its valid place. They are less likely to lose arguments (and will not typically avoid discussion) with less agreeable people. They can be quite good at bargaining for themselves, and at negotiating for more recognition or power. They are likely to have somewhat higher salaries and earn more money, in consequence. This may mean they are less likely to suffer from resentment or to harbour invisible anger, although this tendency may be increased, if they are high in neuroticism. In addition, because of their tendency to engage in conflict, when necessary, typically agreeable people are less prone to sacrifice medium- to long-term stability and function for the sake of short-term peace. This can mean that problems that should be solved in the present are often solved, and do not accumulate counterproductively across time. Women are higher in agreeableness than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 61.5. For men it is 38.5. The fact that men are lower in agreeableness than women helps explain their much higher rates of criminal incarceration (90% male). The primary difference between criminals and non-criminals is disagreeableness. If the typical criminal is more disagreeable than 98% of people in the general population, then almost all those criminals will be male. This difference in agreeableness between men and women is largest in countries such as Norway and Sweden, where the most has been done to ensure equality of outcome between the sexes. This provides strong evidence that biological factors rather than environment and learning account for the dissimilarity. Agreeableness, per se, is not strongly associated with political liberalism or conservatism, but this is because the aspects of agreeableness predict such political belief in opposite ways, and cancel each other out. Liberals are higher in aspect compassion, and conservatives in aspect politeness. However, alliance with the category of belief that has come to be known as politically correct is strongly predicted by agreeableness (particularly compassion). What this appears to mean is that agreeable people strongly identify with those they deem oppressed, seeing them, essentially, as exploited infants, and demonize those they see as oppressors, seeing them as cruel, heartless predators. There are large differences between men and women in terms of spontaneous interest, and these also appear associated with agreeableness. Agreeable people, caring as they do for others, are more likely to enter professions associated with people, such as teaching and nursing, which are dominated by women. This is true even in the Scandinavian countries, where attempts to produce gender-equal societies has reached a maximum. Disagreeable people, by contrast, appear to prefer systematizing over empathizing, and are more interested in things – machines and technology. In consequence, professions such as engineering and trades associated with construction and machinery tend to be dominated by relatively disagreeable men. Agreeableness has two aspects: compassion and politeness. Compassion: Moderately High You are moderately high in compassion, which is one aspect of Agreeableness. Your score puts you at the 61st percentile for compassion. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more compassionate than 61 of them and less compassionate than 38 of them. Moderately compassionate people are interested in the problems of other people, and other living things. They are concerned about helping other people avoid negative emotion. They make time and do kind things for others, even when doing so may interfere with fulfilling their own needs and interests. They have a noticeably soft side. Other people consider them sympathetic and nice, and will turn to them often for a listening ear. They are empathetic and caring. However, because they are so other-oriented, they may find it difficult to negotiate on their own behalf, and may not get what they deserve (for their hard work, for example). This may lead to feelings of resentment. COMPASSION 61st percentile You are more compassionate than 61 of 100 people Those who are liberal, politically, score somewhat higher in compassion than conservatives. Women are also higher in compassion than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 61. For men it is 39. Politeness: Moderately Low You are moderately low in politeness, which is one aspect of Agreeableness. Your score puts you at the 38th percentile for politeness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less polite than 61 of them and more polite than 38 of them. People who are moderately low in politeness are not particularly deferential to authority – nor are they markedly obedient. They can be respectful, but only to people who clearly deserve it, and they are willing to push back when challenged. They are not particularly uncomfortable confronting other people. People moderately low in politeness are not particularly motivated to avoid conflict, or to steer clear of conflict or fights. POLITENESS 38th percentile You are less polite than 61 of 100 people Those who are liberal, politically, score somewhat lower in politeness than conservatives (the opposite pattern is seen with compassion). Women are higher in politeness than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 59. For men it is 41. Conscientiousness: Exceptionally Low You are exceptionally low in conscientiousness, which is the primary dimension of dutiful achievement in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Conscientiousness is a measure of obligation, attention to detail, hard work, persistence, cleanliness, efficiency and adherence to rules, standards and processes. Conscientious people implement their plans and establish and maintain order. Your score puts you at the 0th percentile for conscientiousness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less conscientious than 99 of them and more conscientious than 0 of them. People exceptionally low in conscientiousness do not consider duty as a virtue or an obligation. Instead, they regard those who slog away diligently at their task as suckers, teacher’s pets and boot-lickers. They will not even work hard if directly and continually pushed by outside forces (supervisors, spouses, friends, parents). They can be exceptionally skilled at wasting time and slacking off and justifying it. They are almost certain to procrastinate (particularly if they are also above average in neuroticism). Even if they do commit to doing something, they will be late, or delayed, even when there is absolutely no reason for failing to deliver. They inevitably formulate and deliver excuses for their failure under such circumstances, blaming the situation for their problems with task focus and completion. They are not all decisive, neat, organized, future-oriented, or reliable, and they find themselves constantly and continually distracted. CONSCIENTIOUSNESS 0th percentile You are less conscientious than 99 of 100 people People with exceptionally low levels of conscientiousness are very likely to obtain poor grades in academic settings (particularly if they are also less intelligent), and require far too much supervision to stay on task. For this reason, they make very poor managers and administrators. They are not compelled to do things by the book, however. This can perhaps be an advantage, if they are engaged in creative tasks, where rules must be broken for advancement to take place. Exceptionally unconscientious people will not make a primary goal of career or education (or accomplishment in general), turning instead to pursuit of safety and security (if high in neuroticism), creative accomplishment (if high in openness), establishment of intimate relationships and friendships (if highly agreeable), or social success, excitement and fun (if extraverted). Such people are the very opposite of achievement-oriented. People exceptionally low in conscientiousness tend to be almost completely free of guilt, shame, self-disgust and self-contempt. Other people, however, are almost certain to react negatively to their tendency to slack off and avoid responsibility (particularly if those other people are disagreeable and conscientious). Individuals who are exceptionally low in conscientious appear completely unconcerned by failure. They are not at all judgmental, to themselves or others, and can easily and quickly find and formulate situational explanations for every instance of disappointment, frustration or lack of success. They can handle periods of inactivity and unemployment with total ease. They chronically and habitually downplay the relationship between hard work, diligence and success, insisting instead that chance factors and luck in life play the only determining roles. They live only for leisure and very much look forward to time off. They can be exceptionally good at relaxing, taking it easy, and living in the moment (particularly when low in neuroticism). They are completely unconcerned with cleaning, moral purity and achievement. It’s far more fun to be at the beach or at a party with a person exceptionally low in conscientiousness – but you don’t want to invite them over on moving day, or at any other time when something important has to be done, and done on time. People exceptionally low in conscientiousness are much more likely to be political liberals rather than conservatives. This is particularly true if they are also high in openness. Women are very slightly more conscientious than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 51.5. For men it is 49.5. Conscientiousness has two aspects: industriousness and orderliness. Industriousness: Exceptionally Low You are exceptionally low in industriousness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts you at the 0th percentile for industriousness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less industrious than 99 of them and more industrious than 0 of them. People who are exceptionally low in industriousness are extremely unlikely to be successful in school and in administrative and managerial positions (particularly if they are also less intelligent). If they are highly intelligent, they will almost certainly be regarded as underachievers, by themselves and others. They don’t regard work as worthwhile or important, and are almost certain to procrastinate, miss deadlines, or fail to complete assignments or projects completely. They shirk all responsibility, concentrating on fun, worry, relationships, excitement or creative endeavor. They aren’t all concerned with or interested in schedules, timelines or efficiency, and are unlikely to complete their tasks even if supervised excessively. They lack focus and are far too-easily and continually distracted. INDUSTRIOUSNESS 0th percentile You are less industrious than 99 of 100 people People exceptionally low in industriousness are not at all judgmental to themselves or others. They continually and habitually let people, including themselves, off the hook. They insist that people fail not because they don’t apply themselves or work hard but because chance and luck play the only determining roles. They are very resistant to guilt, self-disgust or self-contempt, and have a totally laissez-faire, whatever-will-be-will-be attitude toward life. Those who are liberal and those who are conservatives appear equally industrious. Men are slightly more industrious than women. The mean percentile for men in a general population (women and men) is 51.5. For women it is 49.5. Orderliness: Exceptionally Low You are exceptionally low in orderliness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts you at the 2nd percentile for orderliness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less orderly than 97 of them and more orderly than 2 of them. People exceptionally low in orderliness are never disturbed, upset or disgusted by mess, disorder and chaos. They appear almost completely blind to such things (or, if they do see them, they don’t at all care). They see the world in shades of grey, never in simple, straightforward black and white, and are extremely non-judgmental and devil-may-care in their attitudes toward themselves and others. They are contemptuous toward and positively hate schedules, list, or routines and, even if they plan, never implement those plans, preferring to take things as they come, and letting chance determine the outcome. They are oriented toward detail in any way and simply never abide by rules or procedures. ORDERLINESS 2nd percentile You are less orderly than 97 of 100 people People who are exceptionally low in orderliness cannot tolerate or establish any routine or predictability whatsoever. Their schedules are remarkably loose, their time completely unscheduled, and disruption doesn’t bother them in the least. They require continual and constant reminder and supervision to maintain any attention and focus whatsoever, and are continually distracted and off task. They can, however, tolerate the mess, disruption and intervening periods of chaos that may accompany creative endeavour. Those who are who are exceptionally low in orderliness are remarkably much less likely to be political conservatives. Orderliness is the second-best predictor of conservatism, after openness to experience. Women are more orderly than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 54.5. For men it is 45.5. This may account for some of the trouble in relation to housework between women and men. Since women are, on average, more orderly, household disorder will trigger disgust and discomfort in them faster. This may happen with sufficient frequency so they end up doing a disproportionate share of such work (even though if they waited a bit longer their less orderly partners, often men, might end up equally troubled and motivated to fix the problem). Orderly people are more likely to have items such as event calendars, drawer organizers, laundry baskets, irons and ironing boards in their immediate environments. Extraversion: Moderately High You are moderately high in extraversion, which is the primary dimension of positive emotion in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Extraversion is a measure of general sensitivity to positive emotions such as hope, joy, anticipation and approach, particularly in social situations. Your score puts you at the 66th percentile for extraversion. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more extraverted than 66 of them and less extraverted than 33 of them. People with moderately high levels of extraversion are quite enthusiastic, talkative, assertive in social situations, and gregarious. They are often energized by social contact, and crave it. They typically like to plan parties, tell jokes, make people laugh and participate in community activities. They are somewhat more likely to have positive memories of the past, above-average levels of current self-esteem (particularly if they are low in neuroticism), and to feel optimism about the future. EXTRAVERSION 66th percentile You are more extraverted than 66 of 100 people People who are moderately extraverted don’t often keep things to themselves, tending instead to share what they are thinking with everyone. They are self-disclosing (particularly if also high in neuroticism) and they warm fairly rapidly to other people. They are among the first to speak in meetings. They can be captivating and convincing. They are likely to be among the first to act in an ambiguous situation. People who are moderately high in extraversion make more enthusiastic employees, and tend to be well-suited to jobs involving sales, persuasion, work in groups and public speaking (particularly, once again, if they are low in neuroticism). They are somewhat less suited to occupations that require a lot of isolated work (such as computer programming or accounting). People moderately high in extraversion have a tendency to be impulsive, particularly when it comes to having fun in social situations. They are somewhat more likely to sacrifice the future to the present, when something social or group-oriented beckons. It can be difficult for them to be alone and to study and work. They can find themselves distracted by opportunities to chat, joke and socialize. This is particularly the case if they are also low in conscientiousness. When individuals are extraverted and conscientious, they are more productive than if they are introverted and conscientious. However, when they are introverted and unconscientious, they are more productive than they are when they are extroverted and unconscientious. People moderately high in extraversion are comparatively more dominant in social situations, particularly if they are also low in agreeableness. Less agreeable extraverts tend to be self-centered – something that can be made worse if they are also low in conscientiousness. Those who are politically liberal are slightly less extraverted than conservatives. Women are slightly more extraverted than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 52. For men it is 48. Extraversion has two aspects: Enthusiasm and Assertiveness. Enthusiasm: High You are high in enthusiasm, which is one aspect of extraversion. Your score puts you at the 86thpercentile for enthusiasm. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more enthusiastic than 86 of them and less enthusiastic than 13 of them. Individuals who are high in enthusiasm are excitable, happy and easy to get to know. They will talk rapidly about everything, particularly other people. They laugh or giggle much more than average. They want to be around people, and they love parties. They don’t keep people at a distance, and keep little private. They are positive and optimistic. They warm up quickly to other people. They like – and sometimes crave – stimulation, excitement, activity and fun. Enthusiastic people are gregarious, encouraging and people-loving, and they are positive about what might happen next. ENTHUSIASM 86th percentile You are more enthusiastic than 86 of 100 people Enthusiasm is not strongly associated with political preference, either conservative or liberal. Women are higher in enthusiasm than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 55. For men it is 45. Assertiveness: Moderately Low You are moderately low in assertiveness, which is one aspect of extraversion. Your score puts you at the 36th percentile for assertiveness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less assertive than 63 of them and more assertive than 36 of them. Somewhat less assertive people are not known to be “take charge” types. They put their own opinions forward with reservation, and rarely attempt to dominate and control social situations. Somewhat less assertive people are generally not influential or captivating in social groups. They have less of the communication style that is often associated with leadership. This can be somewhat of a handicap when they are knowledgeable, competent and able, but causes less trouble when they aren’t. Those moderately low in assertiveness are less likely to be people of action. They rarely in heedlessly and, in consequence, tend to allow others to lead the way. They are not typically impulsive, in consequence, and rarely act without thinking. ASSERTIVENESS 36th percentile You are less assertive than 63 of 100 people Liberals tend to be slightly less assertive than conservatives. Women are slightly less assertive than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 48. For men it is 52. Neuroticism: High You are high in neuroticism, which is the primary dimension of negative emotion in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Neuroticism is a measure of general sensitivity to negative emotions such as pain, sadness, irritable or defensive anger, fear and anxiety. Your score puts you at the 88th percentile for neuroticism. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in neuroticism than 88 of them and lower in neuroticism than 11 of them. People with high levels of neuroticism are more likely to think that things have gone wrong in the past, are going wrong now, and will continue to go wrong into the future. They are also more likely to be unhappy, anxious and irritable when just thinking or remembering, and when they encounter a genuine problem. They have substantially lower than average levels of self-esteem, particularly when they are also low in extraversion. Neuroticism is a risk factor for anxiety disorders and depression. NEUROTICISM 88th percentile You are higher in neuroticism than 88 of 100 people High levels of neuroticism may interfere with both success and satisfaction in relationships and career, with the strongest effect on relationships. High levels of neuroticism are associated with much more concern about mental and physical health, as well as more frequent physician and emergency room visits, and much more absenteeism at work and at school (particularly if accompanied by low levels of conscientiousness). People with high levels of neuroticism appear to be much more risk-averse than average, which means they tend to avoid recreational, career, financial and social situations where the possibility of loss is high. Such people appear to be much more concerned with maintaining their current status, rather than enhancing it. Perhaps this is a good strategy in genuinely dangerous or uncertain times. Neuroticism is not a powerful predictor of political belief, either conservative or liberal. Females tend to be higher in neuroticism than males. The typical woman is higher in neuroticism than 60% of the general population of men and women combined. In part, this may be why women report more unhappiness in their relationships, at work, in school and with their health than men, on average, and why women initiate 70% of all divorces. This difference in neuroticism between men and women appears to emerge at puberty. It is largest in countries such as Norway and Sweden, where the most has been done to ensure equality of outcome between the sexes. This provides strong evidence that biological factors rather than environment and learning account for the dissimilarity. Trait neuroticism is made up of the aspects withdrawal and volatility. Withdrawal: High You are high in withdrawal, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at the 83rdpercentile for withdrawal. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in withdrawal than 83 of them and lower in withdrawal than 16 of them. Individuals high in withdrawal may feel above average levels of anticipatory anxiety. This makes it much more challenging for them to approach new, uncertain, unexpected, threatening or complex situations. They are instead substantially more likely to avoid or withdraw in the face of the unknown and unexpected. People high in withdrawal much more frequently feel sad, lonesome, disappointed and grief-stricken. They have higher than average levels of doubt and worry, become embarrassed easily, are self-conscious and strongly tend to get discouraged in the face of threat and punishment. Their anticipatory anxiety is likely to be general. They are sensitive to social rejection, and can be relatively easily hurt. Once hurt, frightened, or anxious, as well, it takes them longer to recover. They can be argumentative and lose their composure. They can be provocative in a dispute (particularly if also low in agreeableness). Perhaps people high in withdrawal are concerned that something bad might happen, while people high in volatility (the other aspect of neuroticism) get upset if something bad does happen. Technically, withdrawal has been associated with activity in the brain systems that regulate passive avoidance. WITHDRAWAL 83rd percentile You are higher in withdrawal than 83 of 100 people Those who are liberal, politically, are slightly higher in withdrawal than conservatives. Women are higher in withdrawal than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 60. For men it is 40. Volatility: Very High You are very high in volatility, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at the 89thpercentile for volatility. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more volatile than 89 of them and less volatile than 10 of them. Individuals very high in volatility tend to vary a great deal in their mood. They can be very irritable, reacting quite strongly to disappointment, frustration, pain and the threat of social isolation. They can lash out and are very easily annoyed. They are likely to act out or verbally express their frustration, disappointment and irritability. They can be easily stirred up and upset and, once angry or irritated, take a comparatively long time to calm down. They may be argumentative and can lose their composure. Perhaps people very high in volatility get very upset if something bad does happen, while people high in withdrawal (the other aspect of neuroticism) are extremely concerned that something bad might happen. Technically, volatility has been associated with activity in the brain systems that regulate fight, flight or freeze. VOLATILITY 89th percentile You are more volatile than 89 of 100 people Volatility is not strongly related to political preference, either liberal or conservative. Women are higher in volatility than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 57.5. For men it is 42.5. Openness to Experience: High You are high in openness to experience, which is the primary dimension of creativity, artistic interest and intelligence (particularly verbal intelligence) in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Openness to experience is a measure of interest in novelty, art, literature, abstract thinking, philosophy as well as sensitivity to aesthetic emotions and beauty. Your score puts you at the 80th percentile for openness to experience. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in openness to experience than 80 of them and lower in openness to experience than 19 of them. People with high levels of openness to experience are much more likely than average to be characterized by others as smart, creative, exploratory, intelligent and visionary. They are highly interested in learning, and continually acquire new abilities and skills. They are very curious and exploratory. They find themselves unusually interested in abstract thinking, philosophy, and the meaning of belief systems and ideologies. They will seek out cultural events such as movies, concerts, dance recitals, plays, poetry readings, gallery openings and art shows. They are very likely to enjoy writing (or even to be driven to write). They enjoy complex, abstract ideas and love to confront and solve complex, abstract and multi-dimensional problems. OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE 80th percentile You are higher in openness to experience than 80 of 100 people They are very likely to be prolific readers, with a strikingly wide range of interests. They have an atypically broad and deep vocabulary. They can think and learn very quickly. They are very proficient at formulating new ideas, and tend strongly to be articulate (particularly if average or above in extraversion). People high in openness can see old things in new ways. They can formulate any single problem in a highly diverse range of ways, and can generate a very large number of problem-solving solutions. They seek change, often to make things better, but also just for the sake of change. People who are high in openness to experience are less well adapted to and tend to do less well in situations or occupations that are routinized and predictable. They do not fit in very well at the bottom of hierarchies. They are typically ill-suited to entry-level, repetitive, rote positions, because they are always thinking up new ways to do things, and such ideas are seldom welcome from someone at the bottom. They are radical thinkers. They shake things up, particularly if they are also disagreeable and assertive. They are somewhat more likely to be revolutionary rebels (particularly if average or below in conscientiousness). Individuals high in openness to experience tend strongly to be entrepreneurial in spirit, as well as smart and creative. They have much higher than average interest in creating new ventures, sometimes for profit, sometimes for curiosity, and sometimes for personal transformation. High levels of openness to experience appear necessary to the formation and leadership of business and other forms of complex organization, although conscientiousness appears required for the attention to detail and process management that such organizations also always need. Because people who are high in openness to experience tend to be interested in almost everything, this can make it harder for them to settle on a single path in life, to specialize to a necessary degree, and to create an integrated identity. This problem can be exaggerated if they are high in neuroticism and/or low in conscientiousness. People characterized by the combination of high openness to experience and high neuroticism often undermine their own convictions and beliefs by questioning and making themselves lost and anxious. Open, unconscientious people tend to be “under-achievers” (particularly if also above average in neuroticism). Such people appear to have the capability to succeed, can learn quickly, and are creative, but they can have some trouble implementing their ideas. Openness to experience is the dimension that best predicts political allegiance (with conscientiousness, particularly the aspect of orderliness, coming in at second place). Those who are liberal, politically, are very much more likely to be high in openness to experience than conservatives. Women and men differ very little in openness to experience at the trait level, although there are differences in the aspect levels. Trait openness to experience is made up of the aspects of intellect and openness. Intellect: Moderately Low Note: Do not confuse the personality aspect of Intellect with IQ. Intellect is a measure of interest in abstract ideas, essentially, while IQ is a measure of processing speed, verbal ability, working memory, and problem solving capacity, and is better measured with a formal IQ test. It is perfectly possible to have a high IQ and a low score on the personality trait of Intellect. You are moderately low in intellect, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your score puts you at the 34th percentile for intellect. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be lower in intellect than 65 of them and higher in intellect than 34 of them. People moderately low in intellect are less likely to evince interest in ideas and abstract concepts. They tend not to appreciate learning about philosophical ideas. They don’t want to be overloaded with information, particularly if it is complex. They are less intellectually curious, and will rarely voluntarily tackle and solve complex abstract problems. They are less likely to engage in issue-oriented discussions, or to enjoy idea-centered books. They can be somewhat less articulate (particularly if average or lower in extraversion) and may have some difficulty formulating and communicating their ideas. People moderately low in intellect may have a vocabulary of somewhat less than normal breadth and depth, and like to stick with the tried-and-true, rather than learning new ideas and skills. They will be less likely to seek out or generate novel, creative concepts or finding and adapting to new experiences and situations. INTELLECT 34th percentile You are lower in intellect than 65 of 100 people People moderately low in intellect find complex, rapidly changing occupations less to their liking and are less likely to do well at them (unless high in conscientiousness and low in neuroticism). They are better suited to stable, straightforward and more traditional occupations, where the rules for success are well-defined and tend not to change. Liberals are higher in intellect than conservatives (although the biggest difference between the two is openness to experience at the trait level). Women are lower than men in intellect (although not in IQ). This is probably a difference in interest: people high in intellect, compared to openness, are more likely to prefer the sciences to the arts. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 45. For men it is 55. Openness: Exceptionally High You are exceptionally high in openness, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your score puts you at the 96th percentile for openness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in openness than 96 of them and lower in openness than 3 of them. The closest synonym for openness (rather than openness to experience, which encompasses openness and intellect) is creativity. Open, creative people love beauty. They must have an outlet for their creative ability, or they simply cannot thrive. They must be surrounded by art or beautiful crafts. They are extremely sensitive to color and architectural form. They love to collect things, sometimes to the point of obsession. They are exceptionally imaginative, and love to daydream and reflect on things. They are remarkably affected by music, of many genres, and are likely to be musical or artistic themselves (both of these are rare in the general population). They can get completely immersed in a book, or a movie, or in their own thoughts, and become totally oblivious to the outside world. They respond unusually strongly to beauty, creativity and art. OPENNESS 96th percentile You are higher in openness than 96 of 100 people Open, creative people can be impractical and flighty, however (particularly if low in conscientiousness). It can be extremely difficult to transform creativity into money, or into a career. High levels of openness are, however, necessary for entrepreneurial success, and often prove useful at the top of hierarchies, even in very conservative occupations such as banking, accounting and law, which need creative people in leadership positions to provide new vision and direction. Liberals are higher in openness than conservatives (although the biggest difference between the two is openness to experience, at the trait level). Women are higher in openness than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 56.5. For men it is 44.5.

I just found out my fiance is pregnant about a week ago. I'm 29, financially poor, working in a kitchen at a bar, and just barely starting to recover from my childhood family of origin system. I've been going to therapy for a couple months and making great strides in my recovery from various addictions, but now i'm really terrified. I need to upgrade to a new job and I don't know how to provide value to the world. I don't want to recreate the system I come from. I don't want to fail my future wife and child. She is about at the 4-5 week mark. 8 months isn't a lot of time to find a career to support my family but I have to do it.