A sarcastic socialite

There's this Life Style Inventory personality test I took a couple of weeks ago at the urging of a coworker. The fact that someone urged me to do it slanted the test in a positively negative way. There are truths to it though. However, the advice on how to proceed is antithetical to my philosophy on life.

My nature is to be oppositional, argumentative, non-confrontational, skeptical and cynical. No wonder I can't get a date, huh? Nah. I can get one, but I'm too much of the above to accept. I've known this all my life. It's part of who I am. My mother is constantly admonishing me for being so "philosophical". A career in law is probably in my future. How I go from here, suggested by the LSI, is a little too schmaltzy for my taste.

Most people don't change from sheer force of willpower. Some aspects of our personality are inextinguishable. It takes a life changing experience to shake us of our habits. It took me going to France to realize that, for better or worse, the French philosophy of life is my own. Family and friends above all else. When you're on break, you're on break. When the clock hits 5, it's time to go back to your real life. Good food is integral to a good life. Don't accept everything everyone says. Being challenging is a good way to test potential relationships.

This whole socialite escapade is a challenge on that nature. You see I like to be challenging and be challenged. But the challenge should be organic, not a 12-step program into becoming a changed woman. This LSI thingy says exactly that. From the text, emphasis mine:

"LSI Prescription for Change is a results-oriented companion exercise to the LSI. Using it, you first accurately pinpoint thinking and behavior that may be blocking your effectiveness and then complete a worksheet that provides a practical, detailed "prescription" for changing self-defeating behavior. "

Results oriented? Prescription for change? Was this test constructed by AA? People are adaptive. That's why the theory of evolution is so convincing, not only scientifically, but socially. We adapt behaviors in order to help us survive and we all come to different conclusions. Barring actual self-defeating behavior like alcoholism, prejudice, being abusive, etc - what is so wrong about being imperfect?

My close friends aren't my close friends because I am a ball of positivity who will tell them everything they do is BRILLIANT! They are my friends because I provide encouragement AND realism. I ask questions. I want them to succeed, so I ask them questions. The whys. The hows. The whats. This test would have you believe that I'm an empty shell of a person with no close friendships. Bully!

Anyway. Sorry for that digression. My point. My philosophy on life is that people are perfect in their imperfections. Change is organic; it cannot be actuated through force. And if I am to take the advice of this test to accept people for who they are (which I do), then so should they. LSI should accept me for my sarcasm, cynicism, skepticism and social awkwardness.