Nikola Tesla (LII): Personality Type Analysis

Nikola Tesla was a physicist, inventor, mechanical and electrical engineer popularly known for his intellectual brilliance and achievements in the realm of electrical engineering. His inventions ushered in the beginning of commercial electricity and his revolutionary work in electromagnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries opened previously unconsidered possibilities to electricity's applications. Tesla's patents and theoretical work formed the basis of modern alternating current (AC) electric power systems, including the poly-phase system of electrical distribution and the AC motor. Tesla demonstrated wireless energy transfer to power electronic devices as early as 1893, and aspired to intercontinental wireless transmission of industrial power in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project (Tesla Tower) located in Long Island, New York. At the turn of the 20th century, Tesla's fame in the United States exceeded that of any previous inventor or scientist in American history, his name becoming synonymous with the archetypal "mad scientist".

Nikola Tesla excelled at math and science, even as young boy he was able to compute advanced calculus problems in his head, without having to write anything down. His natural talent for interpreting the world around him through mathematical and logical constructs dominated the way he processed information throughout his life. As a young man, Tesla was constantly thinking of ways to improve upon the inventions of others, often taking his "vision" of what it would look like in his head and carefully working to get every measurement exactly right. He carefully ordered his thoughts and ideas to better understand his interpretation of scientific phenomenon. Rules, statements and algorithms dictated the work of Tesla and his orientation towards logical structure was most fluent in his blueprints. This very abstract approach to dealing with planning inventions made those who worked with him reminiscent of a "da Vinci". Much like the real Leonardo da Vinci (ILE), Tesla was also heavily drawn to highly theoretical topics that sought to make sense of the world; a polymath of scientific pursuit. That said, Tesla was still able to maintain a balance of physical and mental organization. This expertise defends the argument that Tesla processed the world through abstract principles, meaning that he has Strong L+I in the Ego Block, and that as evident of his own thought process, Cautious I2 is used in service of Bold L1.

Tesla first started working as an engineer at the Continental Edison Company in Paris, where he was tasked with designing dynamos. While living in Europe, he came up with the design of his AC induction motor and built a functional prototype. When Edison discovered this, he invited him to move to America so that he could directly collaborate with him. In 1881, Tesla agreed and met Edison in New York. The two got along initially, but this brief cordiality grew into a bitter rivalry as Edison and Tesla both fought over whether DC or AC worked, respectively. Thomas Edison had built his entire company on products that used DC and he didn't want to see his company go bankrupt due to an innovation that would make his inventions obsolete. Through time, however, AC became the only system used for distributing electrical power to residential, commercial and industrial zones. Yet, in spite of AC victory later on, Tesla was still met with great obstacles that lied in the path of his dream of providing free energy to the world. In 1900, backed by $150,000 from financier J.P. Morgan, Tesla began testing of his so called "Wireless Broadcasting System" tower on Long Island, New York. This broadcasting tower was intended to link the world's telephone and telegraph services, as well as transmit pictures, stock reports, and weather information worldwide. Unfortunately, Morgan cut funding when Tesla asked for more money for conducting his own experiments for wireless energy, something which Morgan hadn't been previously made aware of and recognized as a breach of contract. Moreover, Tesla was easily used by tougher men like Edison and Morgan, he was naive towards the idea that others might take advantage of him. This suggests a lack of awareness or "blindness" matter of F, Tesla's gentle and collected nature compared to the ruthless ambition of J. P. Morgan (SLE) provide good support by contrast to Tesla's Weak and Cautious F4.

In his personal life, Tesla was emotionally detached and was deeply absorbed in his thoughts, paying very little attention to the social impact he had on others. His entrenchment in abstractions and logical thought terminated his attraction with other individuals and he showed a persistent need for social isolation. The absent-minded nature of Tesla often left him a keen interest of light-hearted social circles, Tesla would often appreciate the gesture of raising the spirits of others and keeping people in a positive mindset, though he would much rather stick to his fixated work-ethic. Despite this, Tesla was still somewhat enthusiastic in others interested in his highly articulate and insightful theories, yet he almost always failed to impress and command the attention of others. Tesla attempted to promote himself, although Tesla lacked social skills and in the later parts of his life, was widely considered to be mad. This provides good evidence for E5, being quite aware of the need to present oneself as charming and polite, but he almost always across as stoic and unreachable.

In addition to having difficulty to engage others with his inventions and new engineering ideas, Tesla became obsessed with the number three, he often felt compelled to walk around a block three times before entering a building, demanded a stack of three folded cloth napkins beside his plate at every meal, etc. His symptoms were considered by some to be evidence of partial insanity and this undoubtedly hurt what was left of his reputation. Tesla became very easily overpowered by his physical surroundings and sought to cultivate a relaxing environment where he could escape from the aggression and social pressure of reality. He also carried a great meticulousness in his appearance and dressed modestly to help moderate his physical tastes. Tesla's hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli manifested from fearing to wear specific kinds of jewelry to refusing to touch people's hands. He even once stated; "I know I am completely worn out, and yet I cannot stop my work. These experiments of mine are so important, so beautiful, so fascinating, that I can hardly tear myself away from them to eat, and when I try to sleep I think about them constantly. I expect I shall go on until I break down altogether." The following suggests bold and valued S6, in that Tesla wanted to cultivate a relaxing environment for his work, yet would periodically forget to take care of himself, thus justifying the "mad scientist" archetype even further.

Nikola Tesla was a futurist by nature and In addition to his work on electromagnetism and electromechanical engineering, Tesla contributed in varying degrees to the establishment of robotics, remote control, radar, and computer science, and to the expansion of ballistics, nuclear physics, and theoretical physics. Tesla drew parallels between existing knowledge and concepts by examining the various hypothesis of the variety of phenomena he examined. Over the course of his life, Tesla registered some 300 patents under his name, and traces of his inventions can be found in many modern-day devices, including in some unexpected places, such as remote-controlled boat toys and letter-shaped neon lights. But not all of Tesla's futuristic visions came to fruition. Some of the inventor's most far-out and ambitious dreams went unrealized, such as his vision for the wireless transmission of energy. In other cases, what Tesla invented was simply not practical enough to replace existing systems, such as the blade-less steam turbine, or was too dangerous to use, such as a steam-powered electric generator that came to be known as the "earthquake machine,". Still, Tesla's open-mindedness and curiosity in a wide range of subjects is evenly balanced with the esoteric philosophies he developed later in life, all of which is still consistent with Strong and Bold T8.

Thus far what has been mentioned about Tesla points towards L1, I2, F4, E5 and S6 and T8. In conclusion, I believe Tesla is a very good example of an LII.

To learn more about LII, click here.

If you are confused by our use of Socionics shorthand, click here.