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The Scholar Role

+ Knowledge
– Theory
13% of the 
population
Assimilation

 

Everything is of interest to the Scholar as an object of study. Scholars are the perpetual students of the world, always seeking to learn more. They are the scientists, the researchers, the archivists, the historians. Metaphorically speaking, Scholars are the head of the body of mankind, the brain that accumulates and stores and recalls the knowledge and information needed for the life of the rest of the body.

Because he is the Neutral Role, the Scholar can fit in fairly well in most any occupation or career. The Scholar is the universal person, the generic person, suitable for a wide range of professions. Scholars tend to prefer the sciences. For instance, if they have ordinal action traits in their overleaves, they might prefer forensic, strategic or military studies, or such things as systems analysis — because these deal with regulating events. If they have Cardinal Action traits in their overleaves, they might prefer such studies as political science, history, or economics — because these deal with what is happening. If they have Ordinal Inspiration traits in their overleaves, they might prefer such studies as biology and medicine -because these deal with the physical body. If they have Cardinal Inspiration traits in their overleaves, they might prefer psychology or religion as a study worthy of their attention -because these deal with the spiritual quality of life. If they have Ordinal Expression traits in their overleaves, they might prefer such studies as engineering, physics, and technology — because these deal with the intellectual aspect of life. If they have Cardinal Expressive traits in their overleaves, they might prefer such studies as art or music history, the making of documentary films, and philosophy — because these deal with the aesthetic aspects of life. If they have Assimilation  Traits in their overleaves, they might prefer such pure sciences as mathematics, statistics, and astronomy — because these deal with the universal and cosmic aspects of life. Whatever occupation they find themselves in, Scholars will always apply a measure of scientific acumen and erudition to it. They view the world as a laboratory, and life as a classroom situation, with themselves at the star pupils. They pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge, for the pure joy of knowing.

Like a person with the Goal of Flow, the Scholar typically seeks the middle road in all things, always trying to achieve a balance in life. He does not want to upset the natural order of the universe, and he would like to restore symmetry when things do get out of kilter. Like a person in the Observation Mode, the Scholar is always on the lookout for new information. He beholds the world going by, with himself as student thereof — a non-participant, a neutral observer. Like a person with the Feature of Stubbornness, the Scholar sees no need to deviate from his accustomed path in life. He views himself as a universal constant, a perpetual cosmic factor, an eternal being. Like a Pragmatist, the Scholar has a very practical attitude toward the world — whatever works is the way to go, the thing to do. He experiences life in a functional, utilitarian way. Like a person in the Instinctive Center, the Scholar is attuned to the primitive, natural, and elemental aspects of life.

The Scholar is always assimilating information, especially when he is in the Positive pole of Knowledge. He fills his experiential data-banks with learning, facts, and figures. In an extreme case, he is the archetypal "walking encyclopedia". In the Negative Pole of Theory, he is the archetypal "egghead" — someone who likes to speculate, and has a lot of ivory-tower hypotheses about life, but lacking in actual knowledge to back it up. Many of the "professional students" in colleges and universities are Scholars who can never seem to get enough learning. The academic life suits them very much. Many of the professors of these schools are also Scholars, who are there for the opportunity to do research, more than to teach. The higher-education systems of the world are dominated by Scholars, because it is they who typically seek the higher degrees -masters and doctoral. They then often use these degrees to study and research all the more. There is no end to their assimilation of information. Scholars like books. The person of the Scholar Role, being Neutral, is not strongly attracted to nor repelled by things. Lacking Polarity in his nature, the Scholar tends to go through life as if nonattached and non-affected by the events and feelings and thoughts around him. He always maintains a scientific aloofness, as if merely studying life from afar. Consequently, it is difficult for a Scholar to become truly involved in life, since, to him, the world is just an object of study. People of the other Roles, who are more involved in life with stronger attractions and repulsions, would perhaps consider the Scholar too "clinical" or "antiseptic" to suit their taste. There is a certain colorlessness to the personality of a Scholar. In an extreme case, Scholars can seem rather computer-like in their behavior, since they operate so much on the basis of facts, figures, information, data, mathematics, and statistics, just as computers do. Scholars have no Complementary Role, so there is no "other half of the team" where they are concerned. More than any other Role, Scholars can be loners, in solitary pursuit of scientific knowledge. They tend to treat people in the same detached, depersonalized, calculating way in which they regard the rest of the universe.

They might have any and every appearance or physiognomy, as would the other Roles, but if there is a physical appearance that is typical of Scholars, it would be that they are rather generic or androgynous, since this goes with their Neutral nature.

Some famous Scholars who fulfilled their Role rather obviously are the following: Leonardo DaVinci, Charles Darwin, Benjamin Franklin, Sigmund Freud, and Martin Luther.

                                                               -- Phil Wittmeyer

More about Scholars:

Knowledgeable, detail oriented, and innately curious, Scholars are the librarians of the Universe.  They methodically collect and transcribe the genetic code of existence so nothing is ever forgotten. Like walking Encyclopedia Britannica's of the human experience, they record life in both its positive and negative faces, teaching us about the triumphs and failures in the world, and how we can best learn from them.

Scholars are sponge-like in the way they record the events around them, and can sometimes be indiscriminate in the experiences they choose to absorb.  The rule of thumb with most Scholars then is they are willing to try anything at least once.  This can lead to rather unpleasant circumstances at times, but experience is the modus operandi of the Scholar, and sometimes irregardless of the outcome, just having the experience is considered a mission accomplished for the Scholar. 

A new exploration for the Scholar can be like a quest for the Holy Grail.  Scholars are typically unrelenting in obtaining virginal sources of information, either through the process of intellectual inquiry or actual hands-on experience.  Either way, the Scholar will not give up until they have completely absorbed a new area of interest, and they will continue in pursuit of these forbidden  fruits of knowledge until they have thoroughly and metaphorically tasted everything they have to offer.  For instance, some Scholars might devote an entire lifetime to a particular study.  A drug addict might indeed be a Scholar methodically assimilating the experience and adding it to his growing library of past life knowledge.  On the surface this may not seem like the most productive way to gain information, but for the Scholar, there is no substitute for hands on experience.  

On the downside, Scholars can become so bookish in their approach to collecting information that they don't speak from hands on experience, but from theory.  It is of little surprise then to find a Scholar who can write a fifty page dissertation on the harmonic approaches used by jazz soloists, but when asked to demonstrate that knowledge firsthand, it is discovered the Scholar can't even crack a note on a musical instrument.  It's also the Scholar who can give a lengthy pontification on the art of hanging drywall, but when asked to assist in the task, he might be hard pressed to even hammer a nail straight.  These are all humiliating episodes for the Scholar, and most soon learn that vicariously collecting their knowledge through the reading of books alone is a poor substitute for first hand experience.  

Scholars are naturally attracted to the information professions, and the growing technology that has made the information highway so widely available lately via the Internet is an enticing form of eye candy for them.  

Normally more reserved in expression than the other roles, Scholars possess a unique sense of detachment that makes them excellent mediators, in addition to providing them with the neutrality necessary to relate well with all kinds of people.  Generally non-confrontational and relaxed, Scholars are grounded and reliable.  While their obsession with sometimes useless facts can be an occasionally daunting aspect of their personality, they make huge contributions to the collective by fearlessly trying things others don't want to do.  In an ever diligent and methodical manner, Scholars are the very scribes of humanity.  

                                                                           -- Dave Gregg

"It is the nature of scholars to explore constantly for new knowledge. If existing knowledge sources have been exhausted, in the sense that everything the scholar wishes to study of resources currently available has been studied, the scholar is prone to creating new knowledge. He plays the game of “What would happen if…?"

Knowledge can be gained in many ways other than verbally. Theory, the negative pole of scholar, is more reliant on words. Becoming aware of more expansive avenues of communication can help scholars be in their positive pole."

                                        -- Michael (channeled by Shepherd Hoodwin)

 

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Phil Wittmeyer is a longtime Michael student and scholar of the teachings.  He can be reached at: wittmeyer@hotmail.com

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