No Wonder I Like Rice

I've had this discussion a few times in the past months, figured I'd post my opinion publicly.

When thinking about temperaments, I don't think that certain cultures can claim more or less of any one temperament.  I think INTJ's are 1%'ers across the board, the same percentage in America as in Africa.  I think ESFJ's are always 12%'ers across the board, the same in Brazil as in France.

I think what throws people are differences in cultural priorities.  For instance, it would be easy to think that Asians are most often introverted, and most often abstract (N, vs. S).  I believe that is just a function of the priorities of Asian parents.  Introversion is prized much more highly than extroversion in Asian cultures.  Thinking before you speak, controlling your emotions, these are qualities that are extolled in those cultures and in Asian religions.  So Asian parents stress these virtues to their children, which tempers the extroverts.

Education is also highly valued in Asian cultures.  Ignorance is not bliss.  Asian parents push their children to do well in school.  Extreme focus is valued, hard work is valued.  Hence Asian children are very driven and do well in school.  This could be why it's easier to assume they are all abstract.  Also, introspection is prized in Asian cultures.  I think that cultures with religions that are based more on mysticism or higher knowledge are less fearful of introspection and abstract/intuitive thinking.  So while the children are the same percentage of temperaments as they are here, as a group, they are pushed towards qualities of introversion and introspection.  

Conversely, in America, extroversion is prized.  We're a nation who encourages putting it all out there, sharing your feelings with the group, standing up for yourself, shouting from the rooftops.  In America, introversion is looked upon as a negative.  A problem to be fixed.  Introverted children have something wrong with them.  They need to be "brought out of their shells".  People probably don't even know why they think introversion is bad.  It's ingrained in our culture.  

In America, sensory awareness is prized.  Intuitive knowledge is something to scoff at. If you can't see it, hear it, touch it, it ain't gonna fly around here.  Introspective folks are looked at as "artsy freaks".  Introspective people are encouraged to go to counseling.  And if you're introverted AND introspective, you're in some deep doo-doo.  I believe that's why in America especially, introspective and/or introverted people are so often hidden, having learned at an early age that they better pretend to be the inverse of their natural instincts, just to get by.

My daughter's natural qualities would be highly praised in Asia.  In America, she will always be on the outside, while the extroverted sensate girls get all the praise, and she just gets called "shy" and "strange".

There's more to come here, as I think this concept through.  This is just my first pass.