[SolitaryWalker]

Introverted Sensing:
Introverted Sensing is the tertiary function of the INFP. Commonly referred to as the ‘child-like function’. It is often strong enough to have a say consistently throughout the life of the mind of an INFP, unlike the inferior Extroverted Thinking. However, not strong enough to profoundly influence the Introverted Feeling and Extroverted Intuition. It is more difficult to emancipate Introverted Sensing from the grips of Introverted Feeling than Extroverted Intuition. Introverted Sensing is primarily oriented towards concrete information, which is to be acquired through mere recollection-or memory. Unlike Extroverted Sensing, Introverted Sensing primarily focuses on information needed by the individual, and not information needed for the group. As well as the individual’s most cherished memories, as opposed to those to be most cherished by the group. (For this latter reason Extroverted Sensors (ESPs) tend to be more fraternal than other types. They focus primarily on group activities which will lead to memories to be cherished.) Introverted Sensing is the most nostalgic of all functions. As its primary focus is memories that were important to the individual. Being a serf of Introverted Feeling, first and foremost, as well as Extroverted Intuition—the Introverted Sensing will pinpoint only the facts that the Introverted Feeling deems important, and those that Extroverted Intuition decides are worthy of speculation. Thus, the INFP with a low self-esteem often easily invokes memories that are unfavorable, and with the high, those that are favorable. As we see that the Introverted Sensing is often entirely at the disposal of the Introverted Feeling. A healthy Introverted Sensing will lead the INFP to make another step towards attunement with Extroverted Thinking, as Introverted Sensing is the function closest to their inferior. Thus, when an INFP with a highly developed Introverted Sensing attempts to reminisce or think about concrete facts and procedures, the invokation of their Thinking faculty follows as an entailment. Memories are often a reliable path towards connection with the Inferior Extroverted Thinking for the INFP. Introverted Sensing is not merely a perceiving, or information collecting faculty, but is also a function that makes us in tune with the concrete world. Individuals with a strong Sensing function tend to be highly pragmatic. For this reason, we notice as David Keirsey has, that Sensing-Judging individuals, or those with a dominant or auxiliary Introverted Sensing tend to be the supreme logisticians. This is because of their close attunement with the concrete world. Hence, ISTJs tend to be keenly aware of how the practical world works. Sensing and Intuition are perceiving functions, ones that focus not on a specific problem like Judging functions do, but the environment by and large. Introversion is an attitude most concerned with what is needed for the subject. Sensing is most concerned with the concrete environment. Therefore Introverted Sensing is most keenly aware of our concrete environment and the knowledge that we need to interact therewith. An INFP with a highly developed Introverted Sensing will make a big step forward towards accepting the world for what it is. As at that point they will also have developed the Extroverted Intuition. Hence, the two sound perceiving functions will allow for them to overcome one of the most significant problems INPs tend to be faced with. Or that of collecting only the kind of information the Introverted Judgment deems fit. Hence, if an INFP can collect information in a truly objective fashion, they will overcome the dilemma of being disconnected from the world and being locked in the museum of their own reveries. After this has been accomplished, the INFP should be in the position to progress towards development of Extroverted Thinking. At this point the INFP will be ready to not only perceive the world for what it is, but also make judicious impersonal assessments of the external environment.

Moreover, this will lead to a decline in inner conflict within the mind of an INFP, as the discrepancy between what the INFP grudgingly accepts as the truth, and what they feel should be true will decline. Introverted Sensing will give the INFP more grounding in the real world, one that they truly wish to harmonize themselves with, not the one that their minds have concocted to replace. As implied before, this happens by virtue of Introverted Sensing being in close tune with the concrete world. If the Extroverted Thinking has developed as an entailment of cultivation of Introverted Sensing, the INFP will likely be able to view the world with a sober eye. Though clearly, Introverted Sensing is more than half of the battle, as there the INFP will be in the position to avoid being stuck in the museum of their own reveries which only push them further from the external world. Extroverted Thinking is only necessary to cement their efforts of getting out of the position where they were 'stuck in their own head'. At that point they will likely be able to harmonize themselves with the world as it truly is, and at this point they will be devoid of much inner conflict. The inner conflict follows as a consequence of an INFP having disregarded the external realities in favor of bending the picture to the extent where it would be easier to harmonize with, and the INFP eventually discovering that their attempts to harmonize can not be thought of as legitimate for this reason. Because they only think they have harmonized themselves with the world, but only harmonized themselves with their illusory vision of the world. In order to find true harmony, the INFP must obtain a realistic view of the world, and there is no better way to start this than by attempting to cultivate Introverted Sensing. The most down to Earth and common-sensical function one can encounter. Only this, and not many of their sentimental illusions will pave their way for inner peace. The only true goal in life of an Introverted Judger.


Inferior Function: Extroverted Thinking

Thinking, as is well known tends to be the least developed function of the INFP. It is appropriately referred to as the shadow of the INFP. For this reason, we notice that the INFP has difficulty performing Thinking oriented functions. They often struggle to assess the situation from an impersonal, rather than personal standpoint. See what needs improvement, as opposed to what is most desirable. INFPs tend to find mechanistical views of the world to be particularly loathsome, exactly the kind that Hegel was fascinated with and Kierkegaard repulsed by. Thus, INFPs often have difficulty delivering criticism because they are unable to see things from the standpoint where events simply need to take place because they are part of the system. Where they are guided by an impersonal design, rather than personal will. The INFP will also have difficulty making tough-minded decisions as they tend to equate this with sabboutaging their own feelings, and when forced to make a decision that will likely hurt someone else, they, believing that everything that happens in the world as a result of personal will, will tend to think that not the decision itself hurt the other person, but they personally have because they were involved in it. They would have difficulty seeing the situation in any other fashion, as beforementioned, in every activity they engage in, they prefer to be involved in with 'all their might', with all of their passions intact.

Their behavior often displays itself as the maladjusted Extroverted Thinking, which is what this is in mere essence. The most notorious dilemma the INFP tends to be afflicted with in regards to the malfunctioning Extroverted Thinking is one outlined by the Hegel’s master-slave dialect. We know that Introverted Feeling is the strongest function of the INFP. Extroverted Thinking, the weakest, respectively. Thus, the Extroverted Thinking will be most obedient to the functions ranked higher, and primarily to Introverted Feeling. The INFP primarily relies on Introverted Feeling for the construction of their worldview. Thus, when a notion contravenes their value system, as previously mentioned, INFPs tend to get irate. That is to be attributed to their inferior Thinking faculty. They cannot separate the criticism of their idea from their personal identity because it accesses their feelings directly. Thinkers tend to be able to separate attacks upon themselves into those that are descriptive of their character, and those that are not. They accomplish this in virtue of their impersonal approach to life, as they treat the matters they think about as mere objects to make discoveries in regards to. INFPs are unable to do this because they are unable to separate their feelings from their objective perceptions. Due to this inability, and their unconscious use of the Thinking faculty, they often wish to see the world conform to the way they feel it should be. Intellectually, they hear a dim voice from the background of their psyche pointing out the logical essence of their situation, yet it is often overwhelmed by the despotic tone of their superior Introverted Feeling faculty. The master-slave relationship between the Introverted Feeling and Extroverted Thinking is analogous to that of Introverted Feeling and Extroverted Intuition. The Introverted Feeling only accepts logical explanations that are favorable to itself, and those that are not favorable are either disregarded completely or adjusted to whatever extent necessary to satisfy the agenda of Introverted Feeling. Or in other words, here the INFP will befool him/herself into believing that reality is either something they need not take interest in, or it is exactly the way they want for it to be. Thus, after the INFP has become dogmatic in their opinions, Extroverted Thinking, the most servile lackey of Introverted Feeling will be utilized to pass off what the INFP feels to be the truth as a logically sound argument, which they shall impose on others in a very common-place TJ fashion. Until the INFP has gained conscious control of their inferior function, the self-imposed delirium will not cease. When highly stressed their much neglected impersonal thoughts will haunt them in a form of their unconscious impulses that they neither wish to deal with nor understand. Moreover, it should be noted that INFPs, despite their intellectually adaptable mindset (NP) tend to be rigid in explorations of impersonal ideas because Extroverted Thinking is a J-oriented faculty. For this reason, they may experience difficulties in rapidly subject-changing NTP oriented discussions of ideas, and if their impersonal views are to be changed at all, they must be changed gradually, as characteristically of a typical Judging mindset. For this reason also, INFPs prefer structure when dealing with impersonal matters, as unlike the Introverted Thinkers, they are unable to improvise. Many of the problems above can be rectified through conscious use of Extroverted Thinking. At that point the INFP will be able to recognize impersonal ideas for what they truly are, uninfluenced by their feelings and act in accordance to what is most sound. Not in accordance to what they, or anyone else may feel is desirable. Until then, they will have to rely on the Fi-Te axis(going merely by their feelings that ‘feel logical’), the unreliable reasoning that they have. Or the Ne-Te axis, which is to be preferred, as when the INFP extroverts, their Intuitions connect them to logic. Or finally, the storage of concrete information having derived from Introverted Sensing. With that procedure, the INFP will merely memorize how impersonal decisions are to be made. As an NP, the INFP finds this one the least desirable of the three. The most favorable way is likely the second, that of the Ne-Te axis, as this is the most intuitive approach and requires the least conscious attunement with their inferior function. However, the ‘Si method’ is likely more conducive to the overall growth of the INFP. Introverted Sensing links the INFP to their Inferior function because it is adjacent to it. Thus an INFP who has mastered Introverted Sensing will be more comfortable with their Extroverted Thinking as the two are intimately intertwined. The INFP shall not make a conscious effort to this, but merely will be successful at this as soon as their Introverted Sensing has developed naturally. At that point, they will also feel their Extroverted Thinking enter the sphere of conscious use. Naturally, the INFP will be most comfortable with ‘the feels logical’ Fi-Te method. However, the most sound approach to the matter would be the Intuitive. First, cultivating Extroverted Intuition, and afterwards the INFP will feel in closer affinity with Extroverted Thinking than with their primary Introverted Feeling.