I recently read a fascinating article that reveals a finding from Darren Stanton, a human behavioral psychologist, on the topic of “toast technique” (how you apply spread on toast!) and what it says about your personality. Stanton said, “In the seemingly mundane act of putting a spread on toast, layers of our personality are unveiled. Some spread with precision, others with spontaneity – how we spread mirrors our resilience, patience, and attention to detail. This seemingly simple task becomes a canvas of our subconscious, revealing traits we might not even be aware of.”
According to Stanton, there are multiple categories of types of spreaders, here are a few:
- Glider – Those who glide their knife over the bread for an even spread. Gliders, which are the most common, are easy-going, laid-back people who are calm in nature, unphased by change.
- Total Coverage – Those who spread right up to the edges. These are very methodical people.
- Clumper – Those that don’t spread evenly. These people are sporadic and think outside the box.
- Crust Avoider – Those who never spread to the edges. These people are procedural and perfectionists.
- Barely There – Those who use minimal spread and leave gaps. These people tend to live in the moment and are generally “outdoorsy.”
- Double Sider – Those who spread on both sides of the bread!
Stanton reveals that the “Double Sider” type of spreader is the most unique type. They are generally creative people who use the abstract side of their brain. Double Siders do not mind standing out from the crowd and they love to enjoy life to the maximum. In psychology terms, these people are “internally referenced,” meaning that they trust their own instincts on decision-making, rather than following what everyone else is doing.
My friends, as I read about this seemingly whacky, yet hilarious topic, I could not help but think how the Jewish people are like the Double Sider spreader type. We are the most unique nation. We do not mind standing out from what everyone tends to be doing. We are an internallyreferenced people. We look at the Torah as our guidebook and follow in the ways of Hashem. And most importantly, we love to enjoy life to the maximum.
Whereas the rest of the world focuses on one side – gashmiyus, artziyus, and physicality – we understand that there exists another side, a deeper dimension of this world. There is a holy and spiritual component to our lives as well, that we are meant to fuse with the physical.
“And Yosef was in Egypt” (Shemos 1:5) teaches us this message. We can be in Egypt, in a place of impurity and physicality, yet be a Yosef HaTzaddik. We can live on This World, but live a Next World type of existence. We can be spiritually-physical people. We can live as human-beings with a holy mission and purpose. We can be Double Siders.
Have a holy Shabbos!
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