The Rivaling Mimic• Show poetry

The Rivaling Mimic possess strong and attractive personalities. They fall into two principle types: one shy, sensitive, gentle and patient; the other exuberant, lively and exhibitionist, sometimes hiding the considerable depths of his character under a cloak of frivolity. Both sides are strong willed and forceful in their different ways and have strong convictions, though as he seeks truth above all things, he is usually honest enough to change his opinions, however firmly held, if evidence comes to light which persuades him that he has been mistaken. He has a breadth of vision that brings diverse factors into a whole, and can see both sides of an argument without shilly-shallying as to which side to take. Consequently he is unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view. This is because he can see the validity of the argument, even if he doesn't accept it himself. He obeys the Quaker exhortation to "Be open to truth, from whatever source it comes," and is definitely prepared to learn from everyone.

His qualities are humane, frank, serious minded, genial, refined, sometimes ethereal, and idealistic, though this last quality is tempered with a sensible practicality. He's also quick, active and persevering without being self-assertive, and express himself with reason, moderation and sometimes, a dry humor.

He is nearly always intelligent, concise, clear and logical and has been known by his peers as strongly imaginative and psychically intuitive. The Rivaling Mimic's philosophical and spiritual bent may be dangerous in that they may drive him into an ivory-tower existence where he'll meditate on abstractions that bear little relevance to life. On the other hand it can help him have scientific leanings to combine these with the yearning for the universal recognition of the brotherhood of man, and to embark on scientific research to fulfill his philanthropic ideals of benefiting mankind. When some cause or work of this nature inspires him, he is capable of such devotion to it that he may drive himself to the point of exhaustion and even risk injuring his health.

He needs to retire from the world at times and to become a temporary loner. He also appreciates opportunities for meditation. Even in company he is fiercely independent, refusing to follow the crowd. He dislikes interference by others, however helpfully intended, and will accept it only on his own terms. Normally he has good taste in drama, music and art, and is also gifted in the arts, especially drama.

In spite of the often intensely magnetic, forthcoming and open personality of his more extrovert side, and of his desire to help humanity, he does not make friends easily. He sometimes appears to condescend to others and take too little trouble to cultivate the acquaintance of people who do not particularly appeal to him.
He does not give himself easily - perhaps his judgment of human nature is too good for that - and is sometimes accounted cold. But once he decides that someone is worthy of his friendship or love, he can exert an almost hypnotic and irresistible mental attraction on them and will himself become a tenacious friend or lover, ready to sacrifice everything for his partner and be faithful to them for life. However, he is sometimes disappointed emotionally because his own high personal ideals cause him to demand more of others than is reasonable. And if he is deceived his anger is terrible. If disillusioned, he will not forgive.

Among his faults to which they are liable are fanatical eccentricity, wayward egotism, excessive detachment and an inclination to retreat from life and society, and a tendency to be extremely dogmatic in his opinions. The Rivaling Mimic can be a threat to all he surveys or a great boon for humanity in general. Circumstances - for example, continuous opposition to a cause he holds dear - may cause the atrophy of the openness of mind that is one of the Mimic's most attractive traits. He may express a lack of integrity in broken promises, secretiveness or cunning. Simmering anger and resentment, rudeness or, worse, a tense, threatening silence which may suddenly burst out in eruptions of extreme temper, these are all part of the negative side of the Rivaling Mimic. This can also reveal itself in a sustained hatred for enemies that is capable of enlarging itself into a misanthropy toward the whole of mankind.

...this is The Rivaling Mimic.