Have You Got Personality?

If you are over eighty, you may remember the 1946 song called “Personality,” sung by Dorothy Lamour.  It goes like this: When Madam Pompadour was on a ballroom floor. Said all the gentlemen “Obviously, The Madam has the cutest personality.”  And think of all the books about Du Barry’s looks.  What was it made her the toast of Paree?  She had a well-developed personality.  What did Romeo see in Juliet?  Or Pierrot in Pierette?  Or Jupiter in Juno?  You know, and when Salome danced and had the boys entranced, no doubt it must have been easy to see that she knew how to use her personality.

If you are over sixty, you may remember Lloyd Price (“Mr. Personality”) or Jerry Lee Lewis (1959) singing another song called “Personality,” which went like this:  Cause you’ve got—(personality).  Walk—(personality).  Talk—(personality). Smile—(personality).  Love—(personality).

Personality is the combination of characteristics and/or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character—one’s nature, disposition, temperament, psyche, etc.  The word personality stems from the Latin word persona, which refers to a theatrical mask worn by performers in order to project certain roles or to disguise their identities.  Thus, we’ve come to understand personality as those characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. 

Personality psychology says that our personality develops out of our unique being, but also out of our environment, experience, parenting, biological needs, genes, training, education, etc.,  and all of these factors combined make each of us unique. Our personalities seem to remain fairly constant as we develop and there is some truth in the saying, “You haven’t changed a bit.” 

What makes me, Me?  What makes you, You?  What makes us tick? What is your persona—your personality?  Who am I?  Who are you?  There are times when I think this question is the most important question we can ask in life. “Cause you’ve got—(personality)” and it comes through in everything you say and do—your talk, your walk, your smile, and even in the way you love.  It comes through in the way you think, the way you vote, and the things you fear.  Do you know who you are and why you behave as you do?  Are you what others told you or want you to be or are You really YOU—(personality)?  Malcolm X spoke truth when he wrote, “Why am I as I am?  To understand that of any person, his whole life, from birth must be reviewed.  All of our experiences fuse into our personality.  Everything that ever happened to us is an ingredient."