Izzy:
You make a good point. I tried to make sure my guesses directly followed from the cultural groups the person assigned themselves.
After reviewing my old copy of Mindhunter by Stephen Douglas the FBI profiler, I tried to see how the combination of one’s cultural groups affected their choices and personality.
For example, Gobear’s interest in punk rock says a lot about what kind of guy he is. At first glance, it doesn’t seem to fit, but when you consider that Punk Rock is played very loud, and moshing is a very physical activity it starts to make sense. Gobear’s interests are most solitary or one on one, and though punk rock concerts are very crowded and physical it’s basically a solitary almost combative activity. Weightlifting is also solitary. The physicality of both these activities suggest that they are an outlet. Seeing as Gobear has his safety fuses built in, I guessed that he was very undemonstrative and reserved outside of those pursuits. Most importantly, they seem like they are intentional outlets.
Editing is very intense. An editor of a paper has to threaten and cajole people and keep a team running to get a paper out. I didn’t see that as appealing to a man who loves Scrabble, is undemonstrative, and works out his frustrations with punk rock and weightlifting.
Editing a book on the other hand is a collossal and involved solitary pursuit. It’s a sustained effort, rather than a mad rush. This fits well with the idea that Gobear likes to work things out carefully.
So we picture a quiet, physically imposing man, who internalizes his emotions, allowing them only very specific outlets. He is a careful thinker, and if he plays cards, he’s gives nothing away.
Sounds like John Wayne, doesn’t it? Only allowing specific outlets for his emotions, suggests a man who gives nothing away emotionally. He probably does not advertise that he’s gay, and casual acquaintances don’t think he is. Stereotypically a lot of manly looking gay men wear mustaches or facial hair. A mustache is also something like a mask. It conceals your true self, and helps you give nothing away. Literary types and academics are also prone to facial hair. So, while I thought that a mustache would appeal to Gobear on several levels.
Technophile, scrabble, editor, all suggest a deep thinker, and a lover of utility over form. hence the clothing, and automobile choices. We’re hypothesizing a very stable personality as well which is why I guessed that he had settled down and had been in the same place for a while, as well as the choices in Sci-fi that he would like.
So that was my thinking.
But, you’re probably right. I’ve spoken to gobear on these boards a while, and that may have influenced my thinking and made me do better than if I knew nothing, though I tried to confine my thinking to the cultural groups he stated.
Let’s see what esprix says.
Then maybe we try it on somebody I haven’t had contact with.
)