I published this earlier but I may as well republish it. Let me know what you think.
Masculine and Feminine Characters: An Inquiry into Essential Forms
By Robert Lindsay
In June 1903, the Austrian philosopher Otto Weininger published a great book called Sex and Character – A Fundamental Investigation. He was 23 years old, a mere boy. The book did not receive negative reviews, but it caused little interest either.
Weininger was attacked Paul Julius Mobius, who accused Weininger of plagiarism. Depressed, Weininger left for Italy. He returned to his parents’ house in late September and stayed there for five days.
On October 3, 1903, Weininger checked himself into the building where Beethoven had died, now a small inn. At 3 AM the next morning on October 4, Otto Weininger pointed a pistol at his chest and put a bullet in his heart.
Weininger’s dramatic death quickly made him a cause célèbre in Vienna, inspired several imitation suicides and roused quite a bit of interest in the book.
It was roundly praised, even by Sigmund Freud. Freud had met Weininger the year before. Freud stated that Weininger has a striking air of “genius” about him. Ludwig Wittgenstein also praised the book and stated that it was an influence on his early writings. It was also praised by August Strindberg and even James Joyce
Weininger’s book created quite a stir, and Weininger has been accused of being both a misogynist and a Jewish anti-Semite or self-hating Jew. Both characterizations are probably innacurate.
Nearly 100 years later, Weininger’s book still has its champions, while his reputation has suffered in the era of the Political Correctness and the Cultural Left in the West. Nevertheless, Weininger’s place on the canon of great philosophers seems secure.
Weininger felt that there were two essential characters in human beings, the masculine aspect and the feminine aspect. He felt that both aspects were present in all humans.
In the chart below, I lay out scores of human characterological variables and how the Masculine and Feminine Characters represent each one.
The first five variables are by Otto Weininger, but the last 56 are by me. Please note that I don’t necessarily agree with Weininger’s five variables in total, only that it is a good starting place. I have also used the terms Masculine Principle and Feminine Principle to refer to these terms.
Characters Masculine* Feminine* Principles Activity Active Passive Consciousness Conscious Unconscious Thinking Objective Subjective Genius Yes No Productivity Productive Nonproductive Awareness Conscious Mind Unconscious Mind Energy Generative Receptive Mind Thinking Feeling Emotion Stoic Moody Tactile Callous Sensitive Humor Slapstick Irony Weather Calm Unsettled Temperature Cold Warm Graph Linear Scatterplot Empathy Poor Rich Pain Inflict Receive Confrontation Forward Withdrawal Reaction Contemplative Reactive Style Deliberative Unthinking Intensity Concentration Distraction Denial style Projection Fantasy Egotism style Narcissism Histrionic Pathology Sociopath Borderline Defense Anger Denial Ego desire Expansion Dissolution Destructive Other Self Annihilation Totalizing Self only Depression Projection Introjection Survival Self Others Reliance Self Others Criminality Dangerous Petty thief Psychopathy Violent menace Prostitute Compassion Indifference Mercy Wakefulness Aware Unaware Alertness Wide Awake Sleepwalking Planning Methodical Conspiring Morality Strict Contingent Aggression Direct Subterfuge Violence External Internal Warfare Bully Victim Hierarchy Dominant Submissive Force Blunt Subtle Texture Harsh Smooth Resistance Extreme Yielding Linear Straight Jagged Presentation Forthright Devious Surface Clear Opaque Understand Simple Complicated Logic Linear Circular Analysis Logic Intuition Strategy Straightforward Wily Movement Stiff Flowing Grain Coarse Fine Essence Sky Earth Instrument Blunt Subtle Transport Highway Stream Route A to B Roundabout Tour Autobahn Scenic route Flight Soar Flutter Hobby Monomania Dilettante Truths Multiple Singular Theory Branching Obsessive Fact Durable Momentary Interpretation Nonpersonal Personal Manichean Grey area Black and White Systematics Categorizing Noncategorizing Science Empirical Intuitive Philosophy Tough Dream State Ubermensch More common Less common Body Hard Soft Tissue Sinewy Fatty Signal Weathervane Antenna Telepathy Poor Mindreader Broadcast Subwoofer Subliminal Travel Itinerary Lark Decision Plotted Whimsy Confusion Certainty Perplexed Party Kegger Cocktail Social Optional Mandatory Sex Compulsion Choice Intellectual Paradise Boredom Bird Hawk Hummingbird Birdsong Crow Warbler Love Auxiliary Requirement Danger Physical Psychological Grudge Discard Retain Jealousy Weak Strong Armistice Reconciliation Cold Peace Storm Thunderstorm Spring Shower Bipolar Mania Depressive