Opinions And Emotional Orientation

During Manse Everard's interview for a job with the Time Patrol:

"'...would you mind grasping those knobs on the arms of your chair? Thank you. Now, how do you react to physical danger?'
"Everard bristled. 'Look here -'
"Mr. Gordon's eyes flicked to an instrument on his desk: it was merely a box with an indicator needle and a couple of dials. 'Never mind. What are your views on internationalism?'
"'Say, now -'
"'Communism? Fascism? Women? Your personal ambitions?... That's all. You don't have to answer.'
"'What the devil is this, anyway?' snapped Everard.
"'A bit of psychological testing. Forget it. I've no interest in your opinions except as they reflect basic emotional orientation.' Mr. Gordon leaned back, making a bridge of his fingers. 'Very promising so far...'"
-Poul Anderson, "Time Patrol" IN Anderson, Time Patrol (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 1-53 AT p. 3.

Notes:

(i) I try not to present lengthy quotations but sometimes they are necessary to cover the issue at hand.

(ii) Bridges symbolize transitions. Gordon makes a bridge of his fingers at this transitional moment for Everard. James Blish's "Bridge," about a bridge on Jupiter, is about the discovery of antigravity which is a bridge to the stars.

(iii) Mr. Gordon wants emotionally stable recruits but does not care whether they are nationalists, internationalists, communists, fascists, misogynists or feminists. Guarding history transcends all these disagreements.

(iv) In the combox for "Go!", Sean writes, "...however much some Time Patrol agents disliked Cromwell...," but some might like him and surely many would be neutral. The Patrol would have recruited people with every conceivable opinion. Indeed, agents sympathetic to Cromwell might be best placed to guard his Protectorate.

(v) Anderson's The Corridors Of Time presents a different scenario with two opposed time traveling groups, the Rangers supporting the Roundheads while the Wardens support the Cavaliers.