blood-cellsNo, I’m not talking about family, I’m talking about blood type.

Japanese have a fascination with blood type in the same way many Americans are into astrology. Granted that that astrology is also popular there, but I’m not going to get into that right now.

It’s believed that a person’s blood type also determines their personality, and so there are four personality types based on if a person is an A, B, AB or O.This in it’s own way is more interesting than astrology (not  more believable, IMHO) because it is more set in stone, and doesn’t have the complexities that astrology does. With astrology you have things like ascending signs, and the position of the stars at the time of your birth, and where they are now, that supposedly give and insight into your state in the universe at any particular time, whereas with blood types, it’s very specific, and no room for minor differences.

Here’s a quick rundown (source):

Type A: Calm, composed, levelheaded, and very serious. They have a firm character, and are reliable, trustworthy, and hardheaded. They are shy, introverted perfectionists.

Type B: Curious, bright, cheerful, enthusiastic, independent, sensitive, and unpredictable. They can also be superficial, unreliable, selfish, unpredictable, indiscreet, lazy, and impatient.

Type AB: Sensitive, considerate, careful, and efficient. They can also be strict, moody, easily offended, critical, and standoffish. They are the split personalities of the blood groups. They are considerate of other people’s feelings and deal with them with care and caution. On the other hand, though, they are strict with themselves and those close to them. They, therefore, seem to have two personalities: one for those “outside,” and another for people on the “inside.”

Type O: Outgoing, expressive, and passionate. They are highly motivated, natural leaders. Creative and popular, they love to be the center of attention and appear very self confident. Type 0 personalities can be carefree, generous, independent, flexible, idealistic, goal-oriented, athletic, competitive, and adaptable. They can also be clumsy, flighty, jealous, greedy, unreliable, obsessive lover, vain loudmouths.

Now my girlfriend is a type A, which on the whole seems to suit her, but there are some things that don’t fit. I have no idea what blood type I am, and she is very afraid that I might be a type B. I do fit the B type fairly well, but I also have traits of the others.

There have been cases of blood types being used for job discrimination, and if a man is a type B, he may want to keep it to himself, and women are leery of type B men.

Personally, I don’t buy into such things, but I find it interesting that others do, and how ideas such as this, with no real scientific basis can be so widely believed and accepted. I’m not just picking on Japan, Americans have their share of things like this as well, and the Blood type personality belief is not limited to Japan, but if you ever plan on visiting there, don’t be surprised if it comes up early in a conversation, and how you may be judged depending on your answer.

For more info here’s the wikipedia entry.

Update: this is the most popular post on my blog, though I have no idea why…