Janusian thinking (Albert Rothenberg) is: Select all those that apply.
Yes! The Janus image accepts the importance of looking at the world and behaving in different ways. Chameleons usually find this obvious, whereas many True-to-Selfers when being honest, find this to be inauthentic, and giving up on being true to oneself. If you accept this need in principle, how do you feel about this? How do you combine your preferences with acting in this way?
Yes! The image of Janus directs us towards avoiding ‘whitewashing’ or ‘demonising’ the past and uncritically celebrating or condemning what is happening now and in the future. It implies an acceptance of both positive and negative features. For those on the True-to-Selfer end of the scale, does this seem ‘wishy-washy’ and unsatisfying, a failure to take a stance? For those who are more Chameleon-like, does this make total sense?
Yes! Janusian thinking means accepting there are valid differences, tensions and contradictions between different ideas, principles and viewpoints. It means avoiding being ‘locked-in’ to one position and exploring problems from many angles. It involves not giving in to ‘win-lose’ approaches but seeking ‘win-win’ synergies whenever possible. For those down the ‘Chameleon’ end of the scale, do you appreciate that there may be genuine tensions between different views and stances, and how you need to appear and behave in different situations?
