Consider 2450 BCE: about 45 centuries ago. The time was well before the internet, before nuclear weapons and computers (c. 1945), world wars (c. 1917), the industrial revolution (c. 1760), the Enlightenment (c. 1670), the Renaissance (c. 1300), the founding of London and the birth of Jesus (the beginning of the 1st century CE).
The year 2450 BCE was still 2000 years before the birth of Socrates in Greece and Confucius in China (c. 450-551 BCE), before the rise of Athens (c. 480 BCE), before the founding of Rome (c. 753 BCE), and before Homer (c. 850 BCE).
Back in 2450 BCE, many key human advances were in place. Agriculture had been in use for some time (c. 10,000 BCE), and irrigation as well (c. 5,000 BCE). Fermentation led to beer and bread (c. 4000 BCE). Carts with wheels aided transportation, as did sailboats (c. 3500-3000 BCE). Bronze technology was developing in Egypt (c. 3000-2300 BCE).
Just 1000 years before 2450 BCE, the earliest forms of writing appeared (dated to c. 3500 BCE), and only 150 years before had seen the introduction of papayrus (c. 2600 BCE), which made writing easier and more widespread. The first flutes and wooden sandals also dated to approximately that era.
In 2450 BCE, the human population of the earth was roughly 21 million, equivalent to a few million more than live today in Mexico City, or about the population of Australia.
In 2450 BCE, 45 centuries ago, people judged one another, and were sensitive to the many issues involved in such judgments. A compilation of wise sayings from c. 2450 BCE, is entitled "Instruction of the Vizier Ptahhotep," and is attributed to the Vizier (Governor) of a city-state, who ruled under the Fifth Egyptian Dynasty (of King Izezi).
Ptahhotep urged wise people to judge others carefully:
If you are investigating / the character of a colleague,
Do not make inquiry of someone who is close to him.
Conduct your business with him alone
Until you are no more ambiguous about his
personality.
After a while you will become familiar with him.
Examine his heart / at the time of speaking (with him).
If he talks too freely about what he has seen,
Or if he does something at which you are taken aback,
Nevertheless be amiable with him and remain silent.
Do not turn your face away (from him),
But be cautious about revealing anything to him.
Ptahhotep's interest in personality led him to discern at least a few personality types:
One who is dour throughout the whole day
Will never have a happy moment,
And he who is frivolous throughout the whole day
Will never establish a household for himself.
Ptahhotep is concerned that individuals preserve their own good reputations as well. He warns his students:
Do not be haughty because of your knowledge,
But take counsel / with the unlearned man as well as with the learned...
To the official, he advises:
Do not be domineering except in official matters,
For the aggressive man meets with trouble.
For the litigant in court, he advises:
If you come up against an aggressive adversary,
Your equal, one who is of your own social standing
You will prove yourself more upright than he by remaining silent,
While he speaks vengefully.
The deliberation by the judges will be somber,
But your name will be vindicated in the decision of the magistrates.
Do not, Ptahhotep advises, make fun of, or demean, the angry person; rather wait until the anger passes. The one who remains calm, he writes, will be more admired by those witnessing the altercation.
Ptahhotep is also sensitive to false communications, false judgments, and communications made in anger. He urges that, when sending a message on behalf of another: "deliver his message exactly as he dictates it." Don't make any extraneous comments. He concludes, "Observe the truth; do not surpass it,..." - with this exception: "...Although one should not repeat an angry speech." And Ptahhotep continues: "Do not speak against any person, be he great or small, For this serves only to arouse the temper."
There is more to be found on restraining one's judgments:
Do not repeat slander,
And do not listen to it...
Repeat only what is seen, not what is heard,
Or forget it and say nothing at all...
Slander is like a nightmare;
Divorce yourself from it.
In 2450 BCE, on papyrus, are the key issues of contemporary personality judgments: You must make them, you must be sensitive to how others make such judgments about you, and you must be cautious about making judgments erroneously; it can be socially exposive to misjudge others.
Judging personality has long been a habit of the human heart; making such judgments successfully requires using one's head as well as one's heart.
"When -- and how -- should we judge personality?" This, is a truly Big Question -- one that deserves some attention and some answers.
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Notes: The approximate dates of various historical events are taken from historical timelines readily available on the internet, and cross checked with other sources. That said, estimated dates for "ages" (e.g., the Enlightenment) and for the development of technology vary widely, particularly as one goes further back in time. The population estimate for 2500 was downloaded from http://www.intute.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/timeline_Population.html . The quotes from the Maxims of Ptahhotep are drawn from Ptahhotep (c. 2450 BCE/2003), The maxims of Ptahhotep. V. A. Toben (Trans). In W. K. Simpson (Ed.). The Literature of Ancient Egypt (pp. 129-148). New Haven: Yale University Press. (Please note that there are "extreme difficulties" with translating the text, and translations vary). "If you are investigating the character..." (33, p. 143). Judgments of personality types: "One who is dour...And he who is frivolous" (25, p. 141). Reputation management: "...Do not be domineering...the aggressive man meets with trouble." (24, p. 140) To students: "Do not be haughty" (1, p. 131); In court: "If you come up against an...adversary..." (3, p. 132), the passages on not making fun are in (2-4, pp. 131-132). On the honestly of emissaries: "...deliver his message exactly...Although one should not repeat an angry speech..." (8, p. 134). Slander "Do not repeat slander..." (23, p. 140)
© Copyright 2009 John D. Mayer
