Why we think John Lennon is a Type 3

• Strong concern for his own popularity. Lennon consistently appeared concerned with how the public and media perceived him. The most famous and bold statement he ever made may have been when he said that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus" in 1966.

• Sensitive to not having his value recognized. According to Wikipedia: “Harrison offended Lennon in 1980 when he published I, Me, Mine, an autobiography that Lennon felt made little mention of him. Lennon told Playboy, "I was hurt by it. By glaring omission ... my influence on his life is absolutely zilch ... he remembers every two-bit sax player or guitarist he met in subsequent years. I'm not in the book."

• Competitive. According to Wikipedia: “Along with his estrangement from McCartney, Lennon always felt a musical competitiveness with him and kept an ear on his music. During his career break from 1975 until shortly before his death, according to Fred Seaman, Lennon and Ono's assistant at the time, Lennon was content to sit back as long as McCartney was producing what Lennon saw as mediocre material. Lennon took notice when McCartney released "Coming Up" in 1980, which was the year Lennon returned to the studio. "It's driving me crackers!" he jokingly complained, because he could not get the tune out of his head.”

• Brashly confident: Lennon presented as very assured of himself. Whether advocating for peace, expressing his viewpoints, or discussing his music, Lennon's demeanor could be a mix of cool, detached, disinterested, witty, and passionate. As an example of his confidence in his musical prowess, he wrote, recorded, and mixed the song  Instant Karma! in just one day, claiming that it would top the charts as soon as it was released – and he was right.

• Rebellious streak with always a new idea how to get attention: In a 1963 concert attended by members of the British Royal family, Lennon famously quipped, "For our next song, I'd like to ask for your help. For the people in the cheaper seats, clap your hands. And the rest of you, if you'd just rattle your jewelry." In 1969, to protest the Vietnam War, Lennon and Yoko Ono held two "Bed-Ins for Peace." These events were meant to be shocking, attention-grabbing, playful, and yet serious protests, conveying Lennon's unorthodox and rebellious approach to political activism. And John and Yoko's album Two Virgins featured both of them nude on the cover, using shock value to get attention.

• Productivity in Songwriting: Lennon's vast and influential songwriting catalog is a testament to his drive to create and achieve. As a specific example of his productivity and his ability to work extremely fast, Paul McCartney arrived at Lennon's house with the phrase "eight days a week." Over the next few hours, they composed the lyrics and melody. Later that day, this song was rehearsed and recorded by the Beatles, eventually becoming a number-one hit. 

• Commercially minded mindset and language: “We would sell our product.” Lennon was attuned to his popularity and how he could use his popularity to impact people in the way that he wanted. As an example of this attunement, in discussing the "Bed-Ins for Peace," he said, “We knew whatever we did was going to be in the papers. We decided to utilize the space we would occupy anyway, by getting married, with a commercial for peace. We would sell our product, which we call ‘peace.’ And to sell a product you need a gimmick, and the gimmick we thought was ‘bed.’”