Joel and I have been discussing the tragedy of Robin William’s suicide, especially as it relates to his type as an ENFP personality – or, Exploration/Authenticity in the Genius System.
He was an amazing performer, but by all accounts when he wasn’t performing he was shy and had difficulty connecting with others.
A big question I keep seeing (or, rather, assertion I keep reading) is that people who are truly funny always balance it with a ‘dark side’, can’t connect with others authentically (that’s what the humor is for – to manufacture a feeling of relationship), and will almost always have lows as low as the highest high.
I’m not an expert on mental health, depression or suicide. An explanation of why Williams may have taken his life is being attempted by a lot of people right now, and I’ll leave it to others far more qualified than I to take on that task.
That said, I have observed often that the more time and effort we spend on truly developing and exercising our co-pilot process the heartier we are at dealing with some truly horrific things that life can throw at us.
I recently ran into the video below.
The comedian, Russell Brand, another ENFP personality (Exploration/Authenticity), has clearly spent a lot of time developing his Authenticity co-pilot process.
He’s a fantastic performer, very charismatic, and if given the right platform will often resemble Robin Williams in his energy and effusiveness.
He refers to himself as insane, but don’t let him fool you.
Instead of having difficulty connecting without the tool of performance, Brand appears far more responsive to people around him.
For example, in the situation in the video below there is no safe container for performance, so he instinctively understands it’s on him to create it.
In fact, as the people around him get more and more insecure, he gets more and more authentic and rests into himself.
There’s a connective element to his interaction, true concern in his voice toward the interviewers, which is quite disconcerting to them as they are fully in ‘performance’ mode.
It’s not easy to develop oneself when in the public eye, and it can be comforting to fall back on synthetic relationships when you’re really, really good at creating them.
For people of all types some of the hardest work is letting oneself recognize the difference between true development, and the illusion of growth based on accolades we may get for having talents others admire.
The litmus test is this: the former fills us to the brim with self-love, the latter always leaves us starving for more.
Read more about the Authenticity process here.
-Antonia
p.s. I’ve rarely seen such an amazing example of development in an performer. The closest is Jon Stewart, who is most likely an ENTP – Exploration/Accuracy.
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18 comments
My father is an ENFP and Robin William’s doppelgänger, so that death disconcerted me for personal reasons. How much do (did) they really have in common? What motivated Robin Williams, and is my father at risk for that same line of thinking?
My father often gets defensive from feeling invalidated and marginalized, but Russell Brand, with that very same treatment, reacts differently. So, when an ENFP is confident enough in their Fi, they can be at ease and sympathetic while expressing their convictions, despite lack of respect from others? I suppose it’s a matter of utilizing Fi instead their weaker Te where they might try (clumsily) to argue their way through. Wow. What an epiphany for me.
Come to think of it, I just inspired another ENFP friend to follow her convictions, even though it meant disagreeing with domineering and disrespectful family members. It was like watching a butterfly emerge, a glorious awakening that was a privilege to witness. She tells me again and again how empowering it was for her to exude both kindness and conviction simultaneously.
I love that you wrote this, and hope that every ENFP who reads this comprehends just what is possible for them when they bolster their authenticity.
Absolutely epic! Bravo, Mr. Brand!
Now that was some the purest form of authenticity I’ve seen and a great display of radical honesty. from the very beginning they were openly attacking his charecter, distorting his agenda and continually trying to objectify him. I love how he held his frame and agenda and was able to display his intended message through pure authenticity. Great example of showing the style of authenticity Antonia