Plastic Personalities

Perpetrators are notorious for developing an effective plastic, superficial personality. They are charming, engaging and willing to go to any extreme to gain the persons trust.  The classic stereotype of the plastic personality is the car salesman.  Stereotypes are usually unfair, however are based in a grain of truth. We have all seen the plastic personality type. We have them at our employment, in our families and with our neighbors. Individuals have lost the ability to be REAL. In order to be real and authentic you have to be comfortable in your own skin and you must have some knowledge of who the hell you are as a person.

It is my experience most individuals with plastic personalities have another agenda. An agenda of taking something from someone else as well as personal gain and image. Who has not seen a  chief operations officer (COO) present with the ingratiating smile, the warm handshake and over identify with something of your past or present to show interest. These characteristics are typical of  a sly, manipulative maneuver to gain trust. How in the world do these individuals climb the corporate ladder if not for their cunning personality. They are usually shallow and lack the ability to be REAL.

Individuals with this persona usually are looking for monetary gain, power, and/or control. This need fulfills an empty hole deep in their soul. We can learn from this pathology. We can learn to identify it, and stay the hell away from these people. They will bring you down, and have a value structure that falls way short of respectability. All too common we see this behavior in men more than women. Controlling  men with a need to acquire money, control and a false sense of power has been the White man’s way for centuries. We see this now spill out in the medical profession as well as the professional sporting arena.

Learning that there are people in the world that have motivation to be hurtful, manipulative, and selfish is a rude awakening for many. It is fact, it is real and can be avoided. Teaching our children to be vigilant and not paranoid. Teaching our children what values are important in life. That integrity, honesty and acceptance is more important than a six figure income and a Ivy League degree.

I will always have hope that others can turn the corner and be loving and caring individuals. I will also be guarded, assessing for Mr. or Miss. Plastic, to protect my soul from being crushed and wounded. I will try to surround myself with individuals who have good values. Remember individuals with superficial personalities have few if any true friends. They are lonely and do not recognize or admit their sadness. In the end they will leave this earth with many materialistic items. We can only hope their siblings will not fight over the tangible objects. I hope they pile them up sell them and donate the money to charity.

The Ken and Barbie dolls of the world are clearly in excess. Let us all recognize them for who they are. Maybe all of us can make a difference a little at a time. Just maybe  a little cricket may summon a fairy and turn one into a real person. Keep wishing upon that star.

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