Think of someone you love very much. Think of all the qualities and characteristics that you love about this person. “Asked on the Line” conducted 42 random informal interviews with men in blue and teachers of the Prison University Project (PUP), and asked, “Among the qualities and characteristics of a person you love very much, which do you also possess?”
Some had immediate answers, but others had to think about the qualities that they like about themselves—that they also see in a person they love.
For mainliners, 90 percent focus on aspects of personality. Class, charm, and charisma are shared between Phil and his loved one. Dexter and a person he loves “can love unconditionally.” Michael and a person he loves are thoughtful, understanding, and accepting, while Touly and a person he loves are both “patient people.” Other popular personality traits men share with someone they love include kindness, compassion, loyalty, an “outgoing personality,” and a “loving spirit.”
Moreover, 10 percent of mainliners loved the abilities or talents they share with their loved ones. “My baby sister and I are so much alike,” said Ke. He and his sister are both competitive and persistent. Among other talents: artistic abilities in music or the visual arts, “academic intelligence,” and athletic ability.
Among PUP teachers, 60 percent like that they share personality traits with a person they love. Sarah shares “silliness” with a person she loves. Julia likes that she and a person she loves have a “sense of humor.” Iris shares in empathy and creativity with the person she loves, and Diana shares in kindness, optimism and a “nurturing attitude” with a person she loves.
When it comes to abilities or talents, 40 percent of PUP teachers share them with a person they love. Jillian and a person she loves are passionate in a “pursuit of a mathematics education.” Joe and a person he loves “advocate for the developmentally disabled.” Lisa likes that she and a person she loves both “act on what we believe in.” Kony shares “musicality” with a person she loves, and Christina has “the ability to focus on the needs” of one another.
