Dumas. Sensory-ethical introvert (SEI – ISFp)

Alexandre Dumas, the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, among scores of other novels, was born on July 24, 1802. His father was somewhat of an adventurer-soldier, a mulatto, and was not a favorite of Napoleon because of his staunch republicanism. Therefore, on his father’s death in 1806, when Alexandre was only four, the family was left in rather severe financial straits. The young boy’s formal education was scanty, most of it provided by a priest, and as soon as he could qualify, Alexandre entered the services of a lawyer. Read more.

Description of socionic types made by Elena Zamanskaya  and translated by Olga Yuska:

Dumas’ connection with their inner world is much closer than in any other representative of the socion. This type has an inborn full-fledged and subtle perception of all planes and shades of the physical world. Contacting with the social realm directly and sensually, Dumas preserve and refine luxuriance of their perception. Sensing and experiencing reality, they stay in inseparable and  continuous contact with themselves,  their own sensual nature.   In their understanding the relationship “I – the world” are harmonious. The universe offers various sensations and Dumas are good at capturing them. It has its own harmony and Dumas have their own – inner one, and both these harmonies naturally complement each other.  Naturalness and ease, genuine peacefulness and good nature allow Dumas to see the whole world as friendly and well-disposed. Ability to feel, recognize and trust their own sensations help Dumas flexibly react to the changes of the outside world without losing self-sentiment. Dumas have good memory for pleasurable sensations and keep finding new ones with people and nature. Cuaght up with the world reality they constantly feel it enriching their sensational experience. All five senses in Dumas work harmoniously and consistently, getting perfectly colored with emotions and weaving into peculiar harmony. Tastes, flavors, sounds, visual images, and touches create a unique picture of the world. And in the story told by Dumas you are about to see the sunset, a wind tickling your face, rustling sand, whispering waves … you will see that with their eyes, feel the beauty and harmony of the world through their senses. Most Dumas are gifted with artistic perception of life. 
       Dumas also feel well their physical condition. Whatever happens inside their body is picked up  by different senses and  accurately deciphered. They are also good at recognizing physical condition of close friends and relatives. Physical comfort is very important  and therefore Dumas pay great attention to themselves, their family and friends, taking care of quick recovery. At home and in life they prefer to create conditions that would prevent them from overstrain, physical overwork, discomfort which altogether reflect on their health.  The life deprived of pleasurable sensations seems to Dumas poor and empty. And Dumas know how to get such sensations. There may be tasty food, cozy environment, beautiful and pleasantly-feeling clothing, comfortable room temperature, fresh air, flavors, pleasant sounds and colors – a variety of pleasant trifles that make life easy and relaxed. Some representative of this type are real hedonists and sybarites though most Dumas prefer   more active way of life, they travel, play sports or practice yoga. Physical activity also brings a kind of amusement and delight. Dumas display such activity for the sake of large scale of sensations. Practically everything that can please, finds a lively response in their sensitive soul. Most SEIs  are connoisseurs of art; their natural crave for beauty makes them not only adorn their life but also help them restore their inner balance.  Most people of this type are creative personalities able to turn gray routine into enjoyable life with simple daily pleasures, appreciation of beauty and luxury of human communication. Dumas are fairly called “artists in love”.  In communication Dumas are optimistic, well-wishing and friendly. Constantly keeping close contact with their own emotions, SEIs easily recognize emotional disposition of others. They can make people laugh, invigorate and cheer up a sad person. Readily give their warmth and smile. Feel responsible for mood of others. 
       Dumas demonstrate their emotions softly and non-intrusively. You can hardly find another type in the socion that is more sensitive to the borders of other individuals. Paying high tribute to their own space, Dumas also take care about inner space of others. And the richness of their inner, very emotional world reveals itself to full extent and in all its colors only in tight circle of friends. In such environment they show intense spectrum of their inmost emotions and can even afford to act up whereas in social medium they are rather agreeable, compliant and peaceful.
       Dumas can flexibly and quickly react at emotional state of other people, understand them through their emotional expression and softly influence it. Dumas tell a lot of jokes trying not only to raise someone’s mood but also get across their ethical truth. Though they bring such truths not only through jokes but also controlling emotional climate in the process of intercourse. Be sure Dumas can show emotional cooling-off if required. Having once experienced some emotions, Dumas remember them well, can easily reproduce and activate them. For SEI emotions is not only communication medium but above all the tool for self-knowledge. And though they prefer to live now and here, their decisions and judgments about themselves are primarily based on emotions and feeling they went through. For Dumas life is an extremely emotional process, but emotions can hardly prevent them from relaxed swimming with the life stream.  
       Dumas’s emotional life is various and manifold. It is noteworthy that representatives of this type try and give their positive and warm feelings to other people, taking care about their emotional comfort; and prefer to cope with sadness and grief on their own or splash these out in some creative work. Due to self-stabilization and self-support in emotional sphere, Dumas wisely demonstrate their feelings.  Ability to response to joys and sorrows of today make Dumas optimistic and confident about   the future: everything will come right, things will straighten out. It is remarkable  that such positive attitude quite often leads to optimistic development of events – everyone gets on their faith.  Dumas may get easily knocked out from a comfortable state tinctured with anticipated pleasures by an acute or routine need for business activity and competition. In tough competitive situation they are extremely vulnerable and therefore will appreciate if employers can create more favorable (in terms of competition), cordial and creative environment. It will help SEIs relax, enjoy their work, manifest their social needs, not to take their job as heavy cross but an opportunity to communicate and demonstrate their best qualities – tolerance, sympathy, aspiration to smooth conflicts and avoid volitional pressure on people. 
       Dumas appreciate support of their partners in business issues. The need a partner who will recharge them with his/her business activity, suggest ideas for easier success, arise interest to business, rescue from a routine work flow, teach to add diversity and investigative impulse into any activity. Though most people of this type are creative personalities with various practical skills (especially in areas connected with people, health and nature), they have certain difficulties while offering their services to employers. Alas! Their places are often occupied by less talented but more demanding, pushy and self-confident people. 
       In financial issues Dumas are not particularly fastidious and nagging; can rejoice in small things and take pleasure in them. They need a partner who won’t pay too much attention to material welfare either, the partner who can earn money without extra efforts, can value other sides of life and see perspectives of business undertakings. With such a partner Dumas will feel more confident and comfortable and their business activity and practicality will not only grow but favor. 
       Dumas also seek support of someone able to guess, see positive opportunities of events, situations and competence of people, those who have inexhaustible interest to life, understanding essence of things, cognition of the new, changes, creative growth and development. Dumas happily receive various knowledge about the world, get infected with inspiration and desire to create. With appearance of the person who can give all this, who unselfishly shares his/her ideas, values and openly recognizes abilities of partner, Dumas’ life obtains new colors and extra pleasures. Therefore they often choose a passionate person living bright, active life, free of stereotypes. Dumas are ready to share richness of their sole, their subtle perception of sensational sides of life, take care and warm up with the joy of being. Dumas who value their world perception, freedom of self-expression are inclined to give freedom others. Being able to stick up for themselves and protect their own space with the help of emotional and willful outburst or an emotional tension, they still prefer to solve divergences peacefully without dictating their conditions to other and try to accept others as they are. 
       In childhood Dumas are more often accommodating and calm. They can be very affectionate with their family and need reciprocal acceptance. Though they can enjoy being on their own.  In very young age they learn to recognize feelings of others; indifference of close people hurts them and makes them doubt their own necessity, SEIs may withdraw into themselves and receive necessary pleasures through food, sleep and idleness.        It is very important to foster their interest in study and excite their curiosity. Young Dumas will learn eagerly but may have problems with discipline and order. Democratic and creative atmosphere at school will suit them best; though even in ordinary school they easily cope with their school obligations and learn well. 
       Hobbies and enthusiasm are very important for Dumas. They have wide range of interests: love painting, singing, playing musical instruments, fancy-work, dancing and taking care of animals. They only avoid result-oriented sports. Wisdom of parents will let their Dumas-children idle ably; setting frames that help them understand what is allowed, what to learn today and what they will need in the future. Dumas’ inclination to live “here and now” is balanced with the aspiration not to distress their parents. Therefore adults should help their kid find harmony, a golden mean,  of these conditions so that s/he  felt happy and  didn’t upset family and friends.       In their study Dumas as sensory individuals will appreciate if abstract information is supplied with specifics about “how something looks, how it feels or tastes”.  And natural playfulness and charm inherent to young individuals of this type bring a lot of joy to their parents and let Dumas find true friends. They fall asleep with delight, eat with delight, sincerely express their feelings and like playing. In high school and University Dumas usually know how to comfortably organize their environment and enjoy themselves. Irrationality allows them flexibly adjust to learning process – they manage to study well, relax and even slug. SEI’s hobbies and simple life pleasures help them master new knowledge and receive good grades. Dumas easily find contact with their schoolmates. Friendship and companionship are another reason to enjoy their study. 
       A democratic and creativity-oriented school will help Dumas reveal their talents, who are magnetized by a special exploratory spirit. Jokes, carelessness and openness stimulate their study. Dumas have a hard time if accused of mediocrity or ineptitude. It’s the worst way to make them study. Whereas fair estimation of their talents and achievements can stimulate their progress and   shape future intention to succeed. Close relations with their teachers, so much  treasured by Dumas, are also of great importance. SEIs find child-rearing practices a very pleasant activity. Disapproving of control and volitional pressure, they prefer to built close and democratic relations with their children. On the other hand excessive  democracy may be also destructive since some children need a firmer hand, more discipline and authority. Dumas give to their children maximum freedom in development. Whatever happens, whatever harm was done by a child, they will first try to understand a child and speak to him/her calmly and softly. Dumas are also caring parents. The love of such parent is expressed by sincere feelings,  constant support and tireless care in practical things. Dumas, who have a refined aesthetic perception of life, softly introduce their children to beauty; support  their hobbies and interests, try to develop their talents. 
       Family holidays are Dumas’ favorite area for spontaneous creativity, they are prepared to any unexpectedness Unconstrained fun, warmth, small talk and delicious food will be offered to guests, Dumas know how to please their friends and enjoy themselves.  In a company of friends Dumas display their best qualities. They like communicating, get-togethers, careless merry-making; enjoy helping people, feeding them with delicious food, curing and taking care. Naturally their friends appreciate kindness, easy-going character and warmth that Dumas readily share with them. In a conflict situation Dumas can reconcile enemies standing neuter and remaining complacent to the disputants. Dumas are  often well-aware of love affairs  of their friends who  come for advice and support. Dumas’ tactfulness  allows them to make many friends and maintain friendship throughout all their life. It’s nice to come and see them, warm up your soul, enjoy the company of a sensitive and wise interlocutor, have fun and relax. People turn to representatives of this type – Dumas can make you laugh, give support and cheer  with  tasty food, hedge round with care and sincere hospitality, friendliness and soft participation. Communication with Dumas is a real holiday, mutual pleasure and exchange of positive energy. 
       Dumas are creators of warm friendly atmosphere, free and easy communication. These people  seek and find their inner harmony and harmony with the surrounding world – quite a rare quality in our world of fights and achievements. Associating with people Dumas give out their warmth and care, comfort and tactfulness. Their wisdom  is  special, it is based on safety in relations, love to any being,  acceptance of their feelings and sensations, close contact with their inner self and the world. Their optimism, sensibility, subtle and lively perception of beauty in all its manifestations help Dumas live in all complexities of reality. With their approach to life Dumas realize a life model of a democratic society, ethics of which lies in the freedom of world view, peaceful coexistence, good neighborhood and respect to values of the otherwise-minded.

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