What is a culture of character? How does it differ from a culture of personality and which does society currently default to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A culture of character is the idea that people in society are judged on their ethics, values, and reliability. In contrast, a culture of personality relies on things like charisma and likeability<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more about how American society has shifted from a culture of character to a culture of personality, and what that means for introverts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n U.S. society has not always promoted extroversion as the ideal. Up until the start of the twentieth century, the focus was on a culture of character rather than personality. The ideal person was serious, self-disciplined, and moral. How you behaved in private\u2014your virtue\u2014was more important than outward charm or impressing others. (Exceptions were sometimes made in politics, where brashness drew admiration and votes.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n A shift from a \u201cculture of character\u201d to a \u201cculture of personality\u201d occurred at the turn of the century<\/strong> in response to a convergence of economic forces, including industrialization; migration from rural areas to cities; and the rise of retail giants such as Woolworths, J.C. Penney, and Sears Roebuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In retail, it became important to make a good impression<\/a> on others with whom you had no past connection, in contrast to interacting with people in small towns whom you\u2019d known all your life. This new culture of personality was a departure from the former culture of character. The burgeoning retail sector needed a different kind of employee\u2014a gregarious salesman with the ability to get along with anyone and be comfortable in any situation. Having a \u201cgood personality\u201d became paramount. At the same time, Americans developed a fascination with celebrities, further elevating charisma over character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-help advice, advertising, and psychology fueled the transition from a culture of character to a culture of personality. You had to sell yourself, not just products. And to do that, you had to be a performer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the forefront of the personality transformation movement was Dale Carnegie<\/strong>, founder of the Dale Carnegie Institute and author of best-selling books, including How to Win Friends and Influence People<\/em>. The son of a poor Missouri farmer, Carnegie was impressed in 1902 by a traveling lecturer who had transformed himself by learning public speaking. Later in college, Carnegie entered speaking contests and eventually became such a successful speaker that others began asking him for lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After college, Carnegie offered a public speaking class in New York City, which was an overnight success. Thereafter, in books and seminars, he touted public speaking and developing a winning personality as essential skills for succeeding in the competitive business world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One hundred years after the advent of the culture of personality, we\u2019ve elevated extroversion to hyper-extroversion and equated it with leadership<\/strong>. It permeates the self-improvement industry, business schools, corporate culture, and even churches. But charismatic leaders aren\u2019t as effective as most people think\u2014in some circumstances, introverted leaders may be more effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today\u2019s hyper-extrovert is personified by self-help guru Tony Robbins, whose high-energy workshops on building self-confidence (the $895 four-day entry-level session is called \u201cUnleash the Power Within\u201d) draw thousands. They culminate in a voluntary walk across hot coals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Robbins has a \u201chyperthermic\u201d or extreme extrovert temperament characterized by one psychiatrist as \u201cexuberant, upbeat, over-energetic, and overconfident\u201d\u2014which are traits touted as assets in business, particularly sales. Indeed, Robbins is a salesman, constantly urging attendees at his sessions to buy additional higher-priced packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At first, the culture of personality urged people to develop an extrovert personality to stand out from competitors<\/a>. Robbins\u2019s message, however, is that extroversion not only ensures success but also makes you a better person. Selling yourself<\/a> is a way of contributing to the world. In this view, what some might see as hucksterism is the ultimate in leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is a culture of character? How does it differ from a culture of personality and which does society currently default to? A culture of character is the idea that people in society are judged on their ethics, values, and reliability. In contrast, a culture of personality relies on things like charisma and likeability. Read more about how American society has shifted from a culture of character to a culture of personality, and what that means for introverts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":23353,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,12,24],"tags":[192],"class_list":["post-24319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","category-relationships","category-society","tag-quiet-the-power-of-introverts","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nMoving Away From a Culture of Character<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Boom in Self-Help<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Charismatic Leadership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n