Column: Life with Liz
I met Elizabeth Mallicoat in 2018. She worked as a photo archivist for the Champion, but no one realized her design potential until she received the B-section graphic design position last semester. Since then, Liz has been a driving force in the office, building a dense portfolio of sports and feature graphics for this newspaper. She is an incredible person to work with, and the
paper would not look as good without her.
Life with Logan will return April 16.
-Logan
You could be in the library, the gym, class or at a coffee shop, and it’s not uncommon to hear, “Wait: you’re an introvert? I never would have guessed!” “What’s your wing?” or “Wow, she’s such a 7.”
As Liberty University students, we’re not strangers to the conversations surrounding personality types. Between Myers-Briggs, the Enneagram, or the DISC, some may argue we are one of the most self-aware generations yet. We read books, listen to podcasts, attend workshops, and follow social media accounts, all revolving around self-analyzation.
What is it about personality typing that interests our culture so much?
Before I go any further, I want to emphasize that personality quizzes do have a lot of value. By understanding more about ourselves, we are able to better shape the way we interact with others. These tests give us the tools we need to encourage healthy habits and understand why we fall short in other areas. Unfortunately, the fascination surrounding these quizzes does not always stem from a desire to understand our honest downfalls and grow in that knowledge.
One of the first reasons for the popularity comes from a wish to fit in with others, identify with a group, and say “I’m one of you.” We do this with all sorts of things — the sports teams we watch, the part of the country we’re from, the major we’re studying — the list goes on. It gives us a feeling of belonging to share a common trait with a group of people, and shared personalities gives us a platform to connect with others.
Another important note as humans: we love to talk about ourselves; it’s in our nature. We find value in our uniqueness. It feels good to say, “I’m an ENFJ, the Caregiver. I tend to love others too much and not take care of myself.” It gives us a sense of value.
Personality analysis equips us to understand how we process situations, respond to others and see areas of our lives that need improvement. I’m not abdicating for stepping completely away from them — but the danger occurs when we become so entrenched in the identity of our type that we are unwilling to change for the sake of becoming more Christ-like.
One of the dangers of personality tests occurs when we choose to use our traits as an excuse for our behaviors. Being an introvert does not justify isolating yourself from community, being a thinker does not allow you to disregard the feelings of others, and just because you’re a “leader” does not necessarily mean you need to take control of all situations. Understanding our tendencies allows us to recognize areas that require growth, but do not provide a cop-out for our selfish behaviors. Regardless of your personality, you are called to be like Christ in everything you say and do.
As believers, we are told in Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Becoming like Christ is a process of dying to self and looking to the author and perfecter of our faith. We should not allow our obsession with our own characters to get in the way of imitating the perfect character found in Christ.