Check out our Podcast episodes about The Circle season 2 Personalities…
As The Circle’s two original no-frills-profile players, Antonio and Shubham share a sense of camaraderie; while the ‘I can’t believe it’s not scripted’ polarity in their talents and lifestyles ensures neither feels threatened by the other. Arguably the most emotionally guarded of all the players, Antonio never fully explains his soft spot for “Shooby,” the only player he references as more than a pawn in his game. For his part, Shubham lets us in on an instant appreciation of Antonio’s choice to represent himself through profile photos uncorrupted by staged backgrounds or fake smiles.
Entering The Circle 100% committed to being himself, Antonio is equally committed to the goal and plays of the game. A professional basketball player, he approaches The Circle as he does every game, focused on strategy. His approach to The Circle as a game of communication strategy is authentic in the way that his approach to winning a basketball game is authentic. As himself, he fully embraces the game’s terms which offer up “keeping it player” as a tactical advantage.
Antonio’s short story on The Circle plays out a tragic flaw where his no-nonsense style comes across as indifference compounded by an ultimately miscalculated “keeping it player” game plan. A Physical Explorer Core Personality forms the basis for Antonio’s unconditional commitment to living out the moment independent of any deeper meaning. Arming that core for any anticipated battle, Antonio’s well-appointed Physical Changemaker Bodyguard is available on demand when winning matters. Unfortunately for Antonio, he misses the real-time morphing of The Circle into a game of relationship building where alliances are born more of vulnerability than strategy. His blindness to the more subtle social dynamics of The Circle indicates that his Ideas Connector Bodyguard is Tempered (likely less developed and not as free to activate).
Reluctant, Shubham closes his first Influencer pow-wow with an explanation of the decision to Block Antonio. “…because we didn’t feel a strong connection to the player. Neither of us know enough about this player in The Circle.” While acquiescing to the unofficial consensus that Antonio is not all in, Shubham still mourns the loss of Antonio’s essentially authentic presence. As an Ideas Changemaker, Shubham uniquely values the unapologetic transparency of Antonio’s self-portrayal.
Shubham’s Ideas Changemaker Core Personality sets him up as the friendly neighborhood social media antagonist, participating despite himself, intent on proving his dystopian characterization of the system. Simultaneously, his Ideas Explorer Bodyguard draws him into the trap of innocence that is Catfish Rebecca; while his Ideas Connector Bodyguard provides the tools he needs to integrate all the alliances swirling around him into his personal, predictive algorithm.
Antonio and Shubham’s bromance is as unconventional as it is short-lived. Despite the absence of any obvious commonalities, the globe trotting jock and the high-tech nerd share an often misinterpreted allegiance to their unfiltered selves.
For easy reference, each character story in this series includes an UnConflict Personalities listing which mentions the Core Personalities of The Circle Players discussed to date.
- Social Explorer
- Social Changemaker
- Social Connector
- Ideas Explorer
- Ideas Changemaker (Core Personality of: Shubham)
- Ideas Connector (Core Personality of: Sammie)
- Physical Explorer (Core Personality of: Alana, Antonio)
- Physical Changemaker
- Physical Connector
(Note that the UnConflict Personality system operates in a closed loop configuration where the Physical Connector loops back around to the Social Explorer)
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