No, not the Big Five model of personality traits that we use as a central part of our fundraising to divide folks on their innate traits and match message to audience.

Unfortunately, the Big Five isn’t the most popular, well-known Personality test.  It probably needs a new PR agent.

Ever heard of Myers-Briggs?  Almost certainly.  (See our post Beware of Junk Science for our take on Myers-Briggs.)

How about the DiSC model, otherwise known as the green/red/blue/yellow thing?  Probably.  And if you’re a Swede, almost certainly.

This DISC, people-are-colors thing was the basis for a best-selling business book in Sweden, called Surrounded by Idiots.  The irony is dripping since the author is a fraud in every sense of the word.  And yet he sold hundred of thousands of copies.

How? Well first, a word about the “science”.   The people-are-colors “personality theory” was theory-less, always a big red flag for work you’re being asked to take seriously and make business decisions on.

The original non-theory theory came from a book written in 1928 called Emotions of Normal People by an American psychologist, William Marston.  He posited that behavior is influenced by “psychonic energy” and it’s transferred through a web of nerve cells that he called “psychons”.  The 4 colors describe variation in the psychonic network.

As a general rule if your theory is predicated on made up words that read like a Star Trek episode then you’re in the realm of pure speculation, at best.  Marston’s “theory” almost died a quiet death and were it not for modern-day hucksters, would have because Marston left the field of psychology and became famous with his creation of Wonder Woman.  He did have a flair for make-believe.

And now back to Erikson, our modern day fraudster.  He lied about his academic pedigree– he has none– while routinely describing himself as a scientist.  He also oddly claims, intermittently, he is all of the colors, which probably blends to some weird shade. .

In an age where publishing and self-publishing and creating one’s own “platform” in the social world is a low, no-barrier to entry event it raises the chance for fraud and hucksterism exponentially.  Misinformation, disinformation abound.

Popular, easy to get, fun and interesting don’t necessarily equate to good, accurate or useful.

Kevin