After four hundred years or so, I think there is a general consensus forming among psychologists that we are returning to a view of essential personality that has much in common with the old ideas of The Four Humours. As MArk Twain is supposed to have said, "History does not repeat itself, it rhymes.)

There are studies that show that there are groupings of reactions to stimulations such as (and these are hypothetical, I don't want, unless absolutely necessary) to go back into my old scripts to locate specifics), people who prefer more or less constant audio stimulation are less sensitive to temperature change. Of course, life experiences can help to shape this but we all seem to have a hard-wired set of preferences that can be changed only with some effort.

Coming from a professional background of journalism, I've seen that there are clearly some people who are very unhappy in a "bull pen" situation while others, myself included, love that stimulation, the buzz of people on the phone, of conversations around. I once had a private office with a secretary outside. I felt lonely, cut off, perhaps even abandoned. To an extent that often surprises others, I remain able to pick up on more than one thing simultaneously, filtering to hear only what is of some value. Out of the buzz of several converstions, I will hear a noun or a verb that is of interest to me and will be able to tune in.

I worked with an executive producer of some of the most highly regarded television documentaries. He was a former Chicago Tribune reporter and always had the television set going in his office. It was playing game shows, childrens cartoons and situation comedy reruns. All this while he was grappling with some of the major issues of our times and how to communicate them. As near as I could tell, all he was interested in was having the noise and flickering movement for company. (He did have a private office with a secretary outside the door.)

At that time, I didn't know anything about temperment but now I am convinced of its important role. We are not born with blank slates for minds.

Sourdough