Uncle Akin: Knowing Myself is the Key to Knowing Others (Part Six)

Personality Models (Part 2): The Four Elements.

Fifty years prior to Hippocrates, Empedocles (444 BC), an ancient Greek philosopher from Akragas (a city in Sicily), postulated all matter is made of four (4) primary elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. This was a pervasive belief in ancient Greece, with Aristotle (325 BC) adding a fifth element: aether (also called, quintessence) to explain heavenly bodies. This formed the cornerstone of Philosophy, Science, and Medicine, and aligns with the four (4) states of matter in modern science: solid (earth), liquid (water), gas (air), and plasma (fire). Empedocles believed these elements determine personality types by the way they interact and gain structure through the operation of Love and Strife. Below is a summary of the elements and their personality traits.

Fire (The Wizard, Comedian, Activator)
Traits	Forceful; Energetic; Adventurous; Ambitious; Achiever; Risk-Takers; Brave; Confident; Charismatic; Enthusiastic; Passionate; Motivated; Inspirational; Intuitive; Optimistic; Social; Dislikes Routine
Weaknesses	Arrogant; Exaggerate; Short-tempered; Proud; Aggressive; Critical; Crave for Power and Control
Typical Profession	Soldier, Salesperson, Rescue Worker, Performing Artist, Entertainer, Motivational Speaker
Examples	Jim Carrey; Ellen Degeneres
Synopsis	Fire represents energy, a tool for transformation, connection to personal power, and inner strength. The Fire person commits fully to whatever his/her passion is

Water (The Philosopher, Unifier)
Traits	Emotional; Compassionate; Caring; Generous; Romantic; Candid; Creative; Objective; Great Listener; Articulate; Introspective; Transparent; Flexible; Self-contained; Self-sufficient; Private; Mysterious; Clever
Weaknesses	Fearful; Lack of Self-Restraint; Affinity for Physical Pleasures; Addiction; Depression; Sensitive
Typical Profession	Artist; Musician; Counsellor; Religious Figure; Mortician; Caretaker; Poet; Health Worker
Examples	Nicholas Cage
Synopsis	Water represents emotional release, intuition, and inner reflection. The water people feel first and foremost. They represent the emotional side of human life. They dive deep into the depths of life. The word “hurry” is not in their vocabulary. They take in everything around them and can get lost in life and overwhelmed by the details

Personality begins where comparison ends (Karl Lagerfeld)

Earth (The Peacemaker, Stabilizer)
Traits	Grounded; Predictable; Dependable; Structured; Methodical; Orderly; Deliberate; Practical; Compliant; Patient; Attentive; Considerate; Supportive; Sympathetic; Agreeable; Tolerant; Sociable; Nester; Nurturer; Love Commitments
Weaknesses	Crave comfort and lack of effort; Uncomfortable with Change and Risk
Typical Profession	Farmer; Gardener; Engineer; Artisan; Homemaker; Nanny; Banker; Manufacturer
Examples	Pope Francis
Synopsis	Earth represents grounding, the foundation of life, substance, connecting life path, and family roots. The Earth person cares about what is real, physical, and experiential. They learn by doing. They love to touch - a hug or a pat on the back is their favorite mode of communication

Air (The Clarifier, Thinker)
Traits	Visionary; Creative; Communicator; Innovative and Outspoken; Logical; Charming
Weaknesses	Tend toward meaningless chatter, Gossip, Flattery and Deceit. May have a hard time sticking to routine and order
Typical Profession	Writer; Philosopher; Economists; Politicians; Scholar; Teacher; Communicator; Theorist; strategist
Synopsis	Air represents intellect, mental intention, and connection to the universal life force. The Air person thinks before he feels, and sometimes thinks instead of feeling. They represent the mental side of human nature and tend to be disdainful of those who don’t operate by reason, because they can elaborate on the reasons behind everything they think or do or believe

The only people we can think of as normal are those we don't yet know very well. (Alain de Botton)

A slight variation of "The Four Elements" is "The Five Elements" theory from Chinese Taoist cosmology: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. It excludes the Air element but includes two new elements - Wood and Metal. Below are the characteristics of the Wood and Metal personality types.

Wood (The Doer, Pioneer, Warrior)
Traits	Bold; Fearless; Driven; Strong; Confident; Ambitious; Assertive; Direct; Decisive; Competitive; Stable; Perfectionist; Logical; Reasonable; Independent, and Unapologetic
Weaknesses	Anger
Examples	Simon Cowell
Synopsis	They enjoy debates and arguments and are not easily swayed by others’ opinions. Once they make up their minds, there is little that can convince them that someone else’s opinion is right. They are Type A people who seek out challenges and do well under pressure

Metal (The Alchemist)
Traits	Rational; Organized; Methodical; Self-Controlled; Disciplined; Meticulous; Routine; Reserved; Discerning; Scrupulous; Honorable; Brave; Urge to Win; Authoritative; Resolute; Firm
Weaknesses	Possessive; Acquisitive; Domineering
Examples	Angelina Jollie; Victoria Beckham
Synopsis	The Metal person is a master at meeting life where it is at and rising above it. Metal people like definition, structure, and discipline; they seek to live according to reason and principle. They tend to be pleasant but cool. Their lives are designed to keep their feelings in

If you don't acknowledge differences, it's as bad as stereotyping or reducing someone. (Aasif Mandvi)

You need not ask anymore where the popular idiom, "being in one's element," came from, nor what it really means. Again, we need to sound a note of warning here. These are simply tendencies. They do not necessarily have a life of their own. The life they have is that which we give to them through our response-ableness or the lack thereof. The weaknesses flow from a person being negligent and hence is reacting to events and circumstances. The strengths come when we proactively engage life in/from our element, driving it towards a predetermined, desired end.

Just as with The Four Temperaments System, there are combination personality types here also, with primary and secondary elements. Below is a quick comparison of the two personality models.

Element	Temperament	Energy	Season	Phase
Air	Sanguine	Outgoing	Summer	Adolescence
Fire	Choleric	Outgoing	Spring	Youth
Earth	Melancholic	Reserved	Fall	Middle Age
Water	Phlegmatic	Reserved	Winter	Old Age
Wood	Choleric	Outgoing	Spring	Youth
Metal			Autumn