I am what Nietzsche would describe as an Apollonian, not a Dionysian. I naturally value order over chaos, structure over impulse, and clarity over emotional frenzy. Scripture affirms these instincts: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

C.S. Lewis once noted that civilization tends to produce two archetypes: the classical/philosophical (the Greek) and the pragmatic/administrative (the Roman). I fall unmistakably into the latter.

I am, in essence, a Roman with a PhD: A person who values law, structure, discipline, and long-term thinking. I also happen to be a competitive golfer, one of the most Apollonian sports in existence, a game defined by precision, discipline, and extraordinary self-control.

As Proverbs teaches, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). Order is not merely a preference, it is a spiritual calling.

This is a rare combination in academia. In higher education, the Dionysian type is dominant. The creative, expressive, interpretive, deeply thoughtful yet often oriented toward short-term or theoretical concerns. My instincts have always pointed elsewhere. I value action, but thoughtful, reasoned action, guided by principles, logic, and structure. “The prudent gives thought to his steps” (Proverbs 14:15).

In retrospect, the signs were always there. Writing op-ed pieces for newspapers… producing practical, no-nonsense books… doing media work… bringing structure and systems to chaotic academic departments. These weren’t anomalies; they were expressions of who God designed me to be.

Now I serve as a Director at a technical/community college and suddenly everything makes complete sense. The Apollonian personality represents perhaps 20% of the population, while Dionysian energy represents the other 80%, a living illustration of the Pareto principle: a small structured minority guiding a more expressive majority.

My life reflects this pattern. My love for clarity, logic, boundaries, discipline, and long-term vision has been consistent. And the Lord has guided each step: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:6).

I now see the purpose. God led me to earn a PhD in Instructional Systems, arguably the most Apollonian field in all of Education, rooted in design, structure, and rational order.

My God, thank You. I see it now. You revealed my true core in Your time.