Are You the Kind of Person Who Divides the World into Two Kinds of People–Or the Other Kind?

puzzlesandwich
puzzlesandwich

I love taxonomies, categories, ways of dividing people into groups. If you're the same way, take these quizzes to find out what categories describe you:

1. Are you an under-buyer or an over-buyer? I'm an under-buyer.

2. Are you an abstainer or a moderator? I'm an abstainer, 100%.

3. Are you an alchemist or a leopard? I'm an alchemist.

4. Are you a radiator or a drain? I try to be a radiator.

5. Are you a finisher or an opener? I'm a finisher.

6. Are you a satisficer or a maximizer (yes, these are real words). I'm a satisficer.

7. Are you more drawn to simplicity or to abundance? I'm more drawn to simplicity.

8. Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? I'm a bit of both, but writing about happiness has definitely brought out my Tigger qualities. (I write a lot about the conflict between these two categories in Happier at Home.)

9. Are you a marathoner or a sprinter? (categories formerly known as "tortoises and hares," but I changed the terms). I'm a marathoner.

Putting myself into categories is fun, and I think it also gives me insight into my own nature. When I see myself more clearly, I can more easily see ways that I might do things differently, to make myself happier.

Categories can be unhelpful, however, when they become too all-defining, or when they become an excuse. "Oh, I can't be expected to resist eating the cookies in the cupboard, I'm an abstainer."

Do you find it helpful to consider these kinds of categories? Or too constraining?

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