But how useful or futile have those endeavors to unravel the human psyche been? And just how much time and energy does this task actually require?
However, one thing is certain. It’s not a simple job to scrutinize layer after layer, shade after shade, aspect after aspect and twist after turn of one’s personality which is so full of mysteries and ambiguities.
Watching people, as long as it’s discreet, is intriguing in a funny sort of way. If we observe carefully, we find people doing one quirky thing or the other, often subconsciously or unconsciously, simply out of habit. Biting nails, wringing the fingers, shaking the legs, running the hands through the hair, aimlessly flipping through the pages, drumming the fingers, and pricking the ears or picking the noses are some examples of what people do when they’re feeling bored, nervous, impatient or frustrated.
But even while working, studying or talking, there are certain recurrent gestures, reactions or facial expressions that are a part of one’s personality. Chewing the lip, furrowing the brows, fidgeting with something, spinning a pen, doodling, twirling a stray lock of hair, being a tad bit disorganized, or too organized are also some of the activities that people usually tend to indulge in, depending upon the circumstances.
Studying body language is one of the most trusted methods of reading minds. We could always make an educated guess regarding one’s feelings of love, hate, reverence, intimacy or even indifference towards us by the body language s/he exhibits. The way people shake hands, hug, pat, wave, maintain a stance during a conversation or the distance that is kept while interacting with someone are some of the ways of reading between the lines. Many experts claim that observing such traits are the keys to unlock some parts, if not all, of a human mind.
A few years ago, for a short while, I was totally into personality tests. Any test, no matter how absurd, would catch my eye and I would sit down to take it. Believe me, they’re splashed everywhere, in the magazines, in the newspapers, in random reading materials, and on the internet. Frequently, the results wouldn’t completely match my personality. But there were some bits that did, and they managed to somewhat appease me.
A lot of people I know are ardent fans of horoscopes and birth charts. The terms sun signs, moon signs, ascendants, descendants and compatibility hold a world of meaning for them. What is a Libran like? Who’s the best match for a Capricorn? And which hot celebrity does one share his/her birthday with? Obviously, all this ado is about seeking answers to the queries regarding one’s personality.
Another sought-after subject, in my opinion, is dream analysis. What exactly happens in reality after a particular thing happens in dreams? When does this philosophical line between dream and reality blur into oblivion? If you’re being chased in your dream, does that mean that you’re running away from someone or something in reality? Does climbing a mountain signify success? Does a green meadow indicate prosperity? Does eating an ice cream imply that you’ll be getting one the next day? At what point does a dream turn into a nightmare?
The explanations may be found in mythologies or Freud. Nonetheless, the interpretations of dreams or lack thereof have always been a matter of great interest.
Other than these, there are several more ways in which people try to carry on with this kind of reading. Handwriting analysis, games involving shapes and colors, the plain old IQ tests and ‘what would you do if…’ questions can further aid in proving that some pure, unadulterated and valid curiosity can make an otherwise dreary life so much juicier.
Questions! Questions! And the most important ones are – How true or accurate are these tests and their corresponding results?
Is it really so simple to solve this enigma, namely, human mind? Granted, a test or an analysis may clear some things up, but is it truly enough to guide you towards knowing yourself better?
All questions aside, I guess we can come to a conclusion that there are some similarities among the most dissimilar people. And
there are some dissimilarities among the most similar people. Some qualities that are in active form in some people may be in passive form in the others, and vice versa. But they are there, nonetheless.
This is the reason why no test, interpretation or analysis can be completely right or completely wrong. There can never be an answer that is concretely true or concretely false when the area under discussion itself is an epitome of abstractness and vagueness.
And yet, the journey towards oneself is an incredibly enjoyable one that captivates a person and sparks his/her curiosity like nothing else does, and makes him/her keep on searching for more and more until the desired answers are brought into being.
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