Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Double Birth Order of Glenn Beck

                                             Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck is an author, editor, inspirational speaker, and talk show host
on the Fox network. He has been described as right-wing conservative
and a major supporter of the Tea-Party movement.  This man seems to
have it all so it was time to find his birth order so we can see the
characteristics that made for his success. The research for the
information on his siblings was not an easy one. I knew he had an
older sister but who knew he had another much older sister?


Early Years
Glenn was born February 10, 1964 in Everett, Washington, his sister
Michelle is two years older.  At age 13 his parents divorced and Glenn
and Michelle moved from Mt. Vernon to Summer, Washington. Two
years later in 1979 his mother died in a mysterious drowning incident
in Puget Sound.  No one is sure if it was an accident or a suicide.  After
the death of his mother, both he and his sister Michelle moved back with
his father, stepmother and step siblings, as his father had remarried. Glenn
was 15 at the time.  One of his step siblings committed suicide and another
died of a heart attack. I do not know if they were older or younger than 
Glenn and Michelle. The siblings in this new step family would have little affect
on Glenn since he was already 15years old. My quest for all of his siblings
may have ended here but for a story Glenn told about his childhood. Glenn
tells the story about the day his older sister played hooky.  He said, “My
other sister and I were a little surprised when my dad picked us up and we
went looking for our older sister…” Now we know there were two girls and
a boy in the original Beck family.

Search for his oldest Sister
I knew from watching his show that he demonstrated multiple characteristics
not clearly any one birth order so the search for the oldest sister was the
answer. I reasoned that after the divorce she did not go to Summer, Washington
with Glenn and Michelle. That year, 1977, may have been her last year in
high school or she may have already graduated.  My first search was at the
Tacoma Public Library for a copy of his mother’s obituary.  There it listed her
children, Michelle, Glenn, and Coletta of Mt. Vernon, Washington.  My suspicion
that she had stayed in Mt. Vernon was right.  Following a number of calls to
Mt. Vernon High and the local library I found her picture in the 1976 yearbook.
This makes her date of birth to be 1958 making her 4 years older than Michelle
and 6 years older than Glenn.

Birth Order Designations
The Beck family demonstrates what is known as a “family within a family”.
Four school years separate the oldest sibling from the next group of two giving
everyone a Double Birth Order.

Coletta      One/Only          Double Birth Order (The 4yrs gave her more time
                                            alone with her parents like an Only child.)
       4yr Gap
Michelle  Two/One           Double Birth Order  (The oldest in the second family)
Glenn      Three/Two         Double Birth Order  (Third born but second in the
                                                                         second family and the only boy)

Birth Order Characteristics of the Second Born
The second child likes to control his own space and does not want to be told
what to do.They usually have a more outgoing personality than their older
sibling.  If the older sibling is doing well in school then they will concentrate
on athletics or anything different from their older brother or sister. They can
be very competitive and don’t give up easily. Making a lot of money allows
them not to be told what to do. In 2009 Beck made 21 million dollars true to
his second born characteristic. Some twos may be called rebels if you think
personal responsibity, low debt and limited government are rebel ideas, then
he fits.

Birth Order Characteristics of the Third Born.
The third born sees life very differently than the second born.  He is not very
competitive but sees life in more humanitarian terms.  He loves helping others
and sees the bigger picture. They are artistic, spiritual, creative and very 
sensitive.They love working with groups of people as they understand everyone
easily. Sensitivity to those around them gives them lots of friends and an air 
of being very happy. The truth is they are laughing on the outside but crying 
on the inside.They do not like to expose their inner feelings. They are open to 
the world around them and that includes drugs, alcohol and religion. Religion is
now central in Glenn’s life.  He converted to Mormonism which he accounts for 
his cure and is now a recovering alcoholic, drug addict and substance abuser.
As the first born boy with two older sisters Glenn is in a unique position to act 
at times like a Firstborn. Acting like a Firstborn may make him look stronger 
than he really is and since it is an act, he may overdo it. .


Work
Glenn is a blending of these two birth orders and we can see that in his work
history. His first job was at age 13 when he won a contest to be on his hometown
radio station KRBC. In high school Glenn began working regularly on a part-time
basis for a radio station in Seattle. He would do the midnight show on Friday night
and would have to take the bus to Seattle.. He often would sleep at the station
during the weekend shows. As a second born the money would be important as
a way toward independence. The radio gave him a stage from which to perform, 
a third born characteristic. He had numerous radio jobs over the years and the 
only pattern was one of going from job to job after being let go. Maybe he didn’t
like management telling him what to do?  A second born trait.

Political Views
Beck considers himself a libertarian; he says every day he is fighting for individual
rights, a trait consistent with a second born. Second borns don’t want anyone
telling them what to do.  As the third born he has an almost religious zeal for
getting everyone educated in the matter of fiscal responsibility.  He wants
everyone to be able to control their own life by living within their means, another
number two trait.

Blended Birth Orders
This blending of birth orders makes for a very interesting person.  Time
Magazine thought so in 2009 and named him The Most Interesting Personality.  
Understanding this blending of the second and third born traits will give you a 
better picture of the “Real” Glenn Beck. His third born characteristics gave him
a different and open view of the world. It cost him his first marriage and almost
cost him his life with alcohol and drug additions. His second born trait of wanting 
to control his own world gave him the strength to kick his habits. His third born
side helped as he sought out religion as a solution. This combination of the
 two/three double birth order, shows a strong independent person who is 
dedicated and cares deeply about others.

For more information about Double Birth Order you can get my book
Life's Fingerprint: How Birth Order Affects Your Path Throughout Life
by Dr. Robert V.V. Hurst or visit my website www.mybirthorder.com