BASIC NATURE AND PERSONALITY

Written by

 Brij Sachdeva

A child is born with certain distinguishing constitutional personality traits that are fundamental to an individual. It does not mean that these distinguishing personality traits are the only criteria to figure out the basic nature of an individual. There are three factors that are responsible for the development and establishment of the ultimate basic nature of a person.

1) Constitutional Traits 

2) Childhood Reality 

3) Overall Environment

Constitutional Traits

Constitutional traits are the embodiment of characteristics largely because of the genetic makeup of an individual, which is largely inherited, also described as genotype and phenotype.

Childhood Reality

Childhood reality consists mainly of the surrounding life situations in the initial years of life. A child who gets respect, care and love in the family develops a different kind of ego and strength of mind than a child who is deprived of all these privileges. Actually, the damage or the enhancement caused to the strength of mind by the closest people and surrounding life situations in the initial years of life is almost irreversible. Childhood reality leads to the development of basic nature.

Overall Environment

Overall environment includes the reality that one lives in, in the broadest sense. Physical attributes, social standing, relationships, financial status and nationality, all contribute to the totality of an individual. It includes literally anything and everything deemed to have social significance.

Basic Nature

Basic nature is a relatively permanent part of the way one thinks, feels and behaves. It is unique to every individual. As one grows, everything changes, within and without. People, situations, preferences, priorities, inclinations and prejudice- everything changes, but there is something deep inside- the self, the real you or the basic nature that never changes, down the decades. But, once basic nature gets established in the initial years of life, the third factor, overall environment, has only a little effect on basic nature. After the establishment of basic nature, environmental changes can affect personality only, not basic nature.

Personality

If you are a plumber, you will behave like a plumber. If you are a bank official you will behave differently and if you are an agent of an insurance company you are bound to behave that way.You might have noticed the fact that all the plumbers behave in a similar way. They will be less talkative and reserved kind. Their work is monotonous. Their nature of work is such that they acquire the typical personality of a plumber. On the other hand, carpenters have their own kind of personality. They are more talkative. They mix up with others very soon. Their work is creative. Have you noticed the behaviour of a tyre puncture fixer? They have certain distinguishing personality traits. You might have wondered sometimes why most of the clerks acquire a certain kind of behaviour which is very specific to a typical clerk. There may be exceptions. If there are rules, there are exceptions too.

So it is a mix of environmental factors, physical attributes, priorities, preferences, inclinations, vested interests, fears, fearlessness and all kinds of psychological attributes that make a man. And out of these, vested interests and fears are the primary.

If you want to know the reason for the difference between the behaviour of two persons, focus on their vested interests first. Then focus on their fears, risk factors and vulnerabilities. Thirdly, focus on the richness and poverty of their totality which includes everything mentioned by me in the overall environment. These are the primary drivers of personality. If you come to know why a daughter-in-law is, the way she is, and why a mother-in-law is, the way she is- they will, for the first time, start appearing similar to you. The delusion of differences and the attitude discrimination will cease to be. 

When you finally come to the point of realisation that all the humans are same, only their realities are different, maybe you become more tolerant, more forgiving, less judgmental, less discriminatory and more sane.