More Space/Time Orientation Stuff
In my last post I briefly touched on the space and time orientation of each personality type as another factor in determining type, and introduced the space/time orientation of the Concrete Cooperator type.
Today, I’m just going to follow up with the other three types. For a refresher on the types, you can go here
Concrete Utilitarian
For the Concrete Utilitarian, the Space is “Here” and the time is “Now”
“Here”, meaning that where ever this type is, they are usually “all there”. All of the other types have some mental and emotional capacity reserved for past events or future consequences, but the Concrete Utilitarian would have to make a special effort for that to be the case. Similarly, their time orientation is “Now”, meaning that both space and time are present, always, and inseparably together in such a way that virtually everything this type does is designed to affect immediate consequences. They truly live for today, giving little thought to past mistakes or “good ol’ days”, as well as taking little thought for the future or how things will work out, instead trusting in their ability to adapt to the needs of whatever moment they may find themselves in. This type will never have to be encouraged to “stop and smell the roses”. In fact, it is often the opposite with them, and they need to consider the consequences a little more than they do.
Abstract Utilitarian
The Abstract Utilitarian has a very unique Space/Time orientation that I like to imagine as a vast three-dimensional grid, with Space being the “Intersection” and Time being the “Interval”.
“Space” is not some physical position in the universe, but is instead wherever two or more independent coordinates meet. Space, for the Abstract Utilitarian, does not really exist without these coordinates, which are generated from independent thoughts, ideas, situations, etc. All of space is determined by how this situation or that idea collides with another. The question for this type is much more likely to be “how did I get here?” and not “where am I?” Similarly, when planning their movements within space, its rarely a straight line from point A to point B, but rather a series of logical steps that, when interacting with each other, and with the variables of the outside world, ultimately lead to where they intended to be.
The fun part about describing this orientation is that it is almost always only the Abstract Utilitarian who this even makes any sense to. So, if you followed that, chances are good that’s because its YOU!
Time, for this type, is the “Interval” and is similarly not nearly as linear as the rest of us would like. It is a segment, confined to and defined by an associated event. Each plot on their course through space, represents an event, and each event, then, has a segment of time dedicated to it. Time is created by events, rather than being the medium in which events occur.
Abstract Cooperator
Finally, the Abstract Cooperator has a space/time orientation with Space being the “Pathway” and Time being the “Future”
The “Pathway” here is what it sounds like. For the Abstract Cooperator, “are we on the right path” is a common question that they will constantly ask themselves and those around them. They are preoccupied with this sense of discovering meaning in their lives and in the lives of those around them, and so everything they do tends to be colored by this desire to be on the correct “path” that they consider will lead them to these discoveries and outcomes. They are constantly scanning their surroundings for indicators that they are still on “the right path” for whatever these goals may include.
Time is the “Future”, and inseparable from the Pathway. Pathways, after all, lead somewhere, and that somewhere is not here, but there. There is a constant anticipation, then, for “when we get there”. The focus is on “what might be” and their efforts in the present moment are to realize something in the future. Almost everything the Abstract Cooperator does presently, is in an effort to set or correct a course for some future destination that they have in mind.
In future discussions, we will see how important these space/time orientations are in shaping behaviors, especially as it relates to relationships and each of our approaches to what would otherwise be shared goals. An Abstract Cooperator and a Concrete Utilitarian may have exactly the same thing in mind that they hope to accomplish, and will sabotage each other’s efforts because they fail to see how each functions in space and orients themselves to time. One’s efforts may appear silly or even counter productive to the other, and vice versa, leading to frustrations with each other, and unrealized goals and accomplishments.
Stay tuned!