Kim Kiyosaki (wife of Robert of Rich Dad Poor Dad fame) shares an interesting insight about what she calls: 4 kinds of people, grouping them by their mantras:
- I must be right — people who love to be validated and proven correct.
- I must be comfortable — people who like settling in their comfort zones and not push boundaries.
- I must be liked — people who live to please others and patronize.
- I must win — people who will do anything to succeed.
Although doubtless there are more archetypes than Kiyosaki claims (depending on whatever typology you subscribe to), the thing I find interesting about the 4 types above is how they would react and utilize critical thinking.
- Critical thinking seeks to clarify, not simply validate.
- It is often uncomfortable and involves challenging the status quo.
- It is not patronizing, and is often deprecating.
- It seeks to achieve its end goals.
Of the 4 types above, only those who seek to win would push criticism to its limit.
Kim says know who you’re dealing with and that will bring you success. In critical thinking it’s the same: it’s important to know who your talking to, who your audience is, and who you’re criticizing.
I critically contest, her approach is narrow and short sighted… she is very negative… there is a lot more to life than a ‘I must’ , its just one punitive aspect of any human personality… her book is targeted to a certain audience and these 4 brackets exist only within that section of the pie…who want to hear these words…..
Indeed it is a marketing presentation. However the general idea that strikes me is the concept of addressing arguments depending on the audience receiving them–which is what you have elucidated.
I attend New Thought sessions that develop the I WIN part of that box, and this means success in all areas of one’s life. Health on all levels, that is.
Makes sense to me. There’s a lot of these kinds of personality tests in business and the HR department. Haha.
There is more to life that “Must-ing” and “Should-ing” oneself, of course, but some people are just driven. As you know. If it isn’t somebody telling them what they must, they are doing it to themselves.