How to better understand people
The Seasoned Personality by Sara S. Kim is a very interesting read. The book proposes that personalities and development of such is affected by the season in which one is born. The author proposes, based on her years of work in the field of psychology and therapy, and observation of people, as well as her study of people through history, that personality types can be evaluated and categorized according to two major types; the Winter Personality and the Summer Personality. The book provides plenty of examples both contemporary and historically to support the theory and her observations. In reading it, I was able to see aspects of this that were true for me. In fact, being a Winter Personality, and being more familiar with others in my circles who share the same seasonal birth, I found certain parallels which supported her observation. Winter Personalities are very structured, very driven, organized, sometimes cold and hard – and although I haven’t compared myself to the Summer Personalities, there are probably differences. One thing that struck me as true is the fact that people growing up in a winter climate would seem to have a more disciplined and rigorous lifestyle dictated by the harsh conditions alone, and this could certainly affect personality development, if only culturally. Whereas those in more equatorial climates are, in some ways, although certainly not in an absolute sense, less challenged and by the very nature of the climate, are permitted to be more relaxed, more at ease in a sense. If these factors have bearing, then Sara Kim’s observations, culturally speaking, in terms of personality development, would bear out. The author continues her research, according to the book, so it will be interesting to see how this subject developes – because it would provide a simple way of better understanding people and to predict their behavior.
About Sara Kim
Sara Kim's received her Master's Degree from Columbia University. When not working in her role as a clinical social worker, Sara stays busy with research, writing and raising her family. She lives in Amherst, NY with her husband and two children.
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