Bono’s Personality 1 Running head: EVALUATING BONO’S PERSONALITY The Fly Evaluating the Personality of Paul Hewson (a.k.a Bono) Brian Berry Box 31 Atlantic Baptist University PS2033 Dr. Edith Samuel November 24, 2008 Bono’s Personality 2 Abstract The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyse the personality of Paul Hewson, better known to the world as “Bono” As one reads through this paper he or she will see how the different aspects of Bono’s personality mesh together to make him the person he is. One will also come to understand how aspects of Bono’s personality relate to the ideas of certain personality theorists. Bono’s Personality 3 The person whose personality will be discussed and analyzed from multiple perspectives is none other than Paul Hewson, better known to the world by his stage name, Bono. He is best known for his participation in the band U2 as their lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitar player for the entirety of the band’s existence (from 1976 to present day). He is also known as of lately for his humanitarian work with the “One” campaign to try to eliminate poverty in Africa. Bono has been known to be very outspoken on issues that he deems important such as this crisis of poverty in Africa and his dream to see that become an actual non issue by eradicating poverty altogether. (Maddy Fry, Bono Biography http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/ ) Like everyone else in this world the personality of Paul Hewson (Bono) began to form at birth. Paul Hewson was born on May 10, 1960 (www.atu2.com/band/ ) to Irish parents in Ballymun, a suburb of north Dublin, Ireland. (Fry, Bono Biography http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/ ) He was child number two in that family, (Three Chords and the Truth, Bono’s Biography, www.threechordsandthetruth.net/u2bios/u2bonobio.htm ) and is an excellent example of how Alfred Adler’s concept of birth order actually works. Adler states that each child that is born into a family is treated and acts differently in specific roles depending on birth order, in Bono’s case, the one who is born second is the one who is extremely ambitious because he or she is making a valiant effort to catch up to and overtake the older sibling’s dominance. (B.R. Hergenhahn, Matthew H. Olson, Ken Cramer (2003) p Bono’s Personality 4 93). This is quite true in the case of Bono where he most definitely rose above his older brother’s dominance of the family as he has accomplished much more on a worldwide scale than his brother has. If his older brother did anything of any significance that is close to the worldwide contribution of Bono then the world does not hear of it often, if ever. (Three Chords and the Truth, Bono’s Biography, www.threechordsandthetruth.net/u2bios/u2bonobio.htm) Religion has played a large part in the personality of Paul Hewson (Bono). Although his worshipping ways may be a deviation from the normal church going Christian, he has indeed been born again. His parents were both believers in Jesus Christ as well. Bono’s father was Catholic and his mother was Protestant. Naturally, they shared their faith with their offspring. This was an interesting combination of parents for an Irish boy to have at that time in history when the Protestants and Catholics were having a major dispute over which denomination would become dominant in Ireland. Due to this massive nationwide argument Bono became very dissatisfied with the Church due to the way that it operated, it seemed to him that it operated to take care of its own and did not focus as much on reaching out to those in need. (This would fuel his desire for the “One” campaign later on in life). Bono continues his Christian faith to this day although it is not the most conventional form in the way that one would go to Church every week since Bono was not a proponent of organized religion. (Fry, Bono Biography Bono’s Personality 5 http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/) However, Bono’s views on religion do resemble those of Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and also Erik Erikson who says, according to Hergenhahn, Olson and Kramer, that “Religion is something everyone needs. For centuries humans have used religion as a means to make the events in their lives more understandable and thus less threatening. Without it, the lives of millions of people would be filled with uncertainty...A key function of religion is to provide a shared world image. For only a reasonably coherent world provides the faith that is transmitted from parent to child in a way conductive to hope” (Hergenhahn, Olson, Kramer (2003) 147) This faith in Jesus Christ which was passed down successfully to Bono from his parents has helped Bono get through some tough situations at an early age. For example, he had the unfortunate experience of witnessing his mother die while they were at a funeral for another loved one. (Fry, Bono Biography http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/) On stage Bono and the rest of U2 are known for their highly energetic concerts and their genuine love for the audience. The high energy is spurred on because of the extraverted onstage personalities of Bono and the rest of U2. Research shows that extraverts have a greater chance at having a great day at work. Who wouldn’t have a good day at work if he were in a band?! (Cheryl Walker, Extraverts Experience More Positive Work-Family Bono’s Personality 6 Connections, (2004) Wake Forest University http://www.wfu.edu/wfunews/2004/013004e.html ) This extreme friendliness with the audience and extreme extroversion on stage has been shown many times throughout their many years on the road entertaining fanatics of their art form. Bono in particular has played and continues to play a large role in extending U2’s love for their audience out toward their fans. There have been countless times during concerts over the years where he would go out into the crowd while performing and pull someone from the audience to dance with the band, get filmed with video cameras (this particular aspect was especially popular during the Zoo TV tour in 1991), get sprayed with beverages if he or she wanted to, or just to be hugged. Reasons for this extraversion may transcend the need to merely get the crowd going and make sure everyone is having a good time. If Carl Jung and Bono had shared therapy sessions together, Jung may have described him as a sensing extravert. (Hergenhahn, Olson, Kramer (2003) 65) This extraversion could also be used to draw people in who are like minded and feel free to let it all hang out. Another anterior motive for this extraversion on stage and getting the crowd involved so much could be so that Bono could fulfil the need for love and belonging. This need would be on the third in the gradual succession of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. (Hergenhahn, Olson, Kramer 2003 p 409). As a teenager Bono had a close relationship with his mother until a fateful day in 1974 when his mother died Bono’s Personality 7 randomly of a brain haemorrhage while the family was attending the funeral of another loved one. The loss of his mother was a devastating effect on Bono for years to come. Since he was not overly close with his father due to the reason that they tended to argue about whether it was right for one to follow his dreams or not. Still bearing in mind that Bono was very close with his mother, who for his entire life up to that point had provided Bono with the love and affection required for his belongingness and love needs. Bono’s father also tried to do his part but their relationship became very strained. This was due to multiple arguments that Bono and his father incurred after the death of his mother over whether or not Bono should follow his dream and become the front man of a band (Fry, Bono Biography http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/). These frequent arguments with his father could have lead to what Adler refers to as an assertiveness drive. This happens when a certain need is not being met in one’s life. In Bono’s case at that time, that particular need would have been love and belonging (C. George Boeree, Alfred Adler (1997, 2006) http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/adler.html) Bono realized that he had no more options for having this need for love and belonging met through family, so he (along with the rest of U2) turned to the millions of fans around the world who love and appreciate what he was and is still accomplishing in the world of good music. To that end Bono was able to finally satisfy that need. That need was further satisfied when he was Bono’s Personality 8 married to his high school girl friend, Alison Stewart in 1982. (Three Chords and the Truth, Bono’s Biography, www.threechordsandthetruth.net/u2bios/u2bonobio.htm) Thus Bono was one step closer to the possibility of becoming one of the few people in the world to achieve some form of self actualization. Paul Hewson’s outspokenness attribute of his personality has been well documented, this had developed since he was an adolescent in school and continues to this day to be a fixture in the personality of Bono. (Fry, Bono Biography http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/) It has been helpful in some situations and hurtful in others.