Instincts Metaphor

[Costrin]

So I came up with this metaphor that I think describes the instincts pretty well. Note this is a supplement to more in depth descriptions.


Imagine a spider web (don't run away please!). A giant spider web. With lots of spiders. Something like this (not for the arachnophobic).

Anyway, each of those spiders represents a person. Each strand on the web connects a person to all other people that person knows. And the web as a whole represents society.

Insert instincts here:

Social types want to be connected to the web as a whole and know what's happening on a macro level.

Sexual types want to maintain and strengthen the individual bonds between two people. They want to know what's happening on a micro level.

Self Preservation types want to tend to and take care of the people. Making sure they're safe, secure and healthy. They care about what's happening on a personal/individual level.

Each type serves a role in the web. So types make sure that each spider is and there are no gaping holes. Sx types make sure that each individual strand is secure, and Sp types make sure that each individual spider is healthy and comfortable.

 

[INTPness]

I like the analogy, with one exception. I am not a social type but I still very much want to know what is happening on a macro level (N's are "big picture").

While I derive a lot of personal satisfaction in my conversations with my few closest "spidey friends", I am still very interested in how the entire web is holding up - I want it to be strong, I want to be informed or alerted if anything is going wrong on the far end of the web (other side of the globe, in human terms) because I believe I can help in certain ways, help come up with solutions, etc. And this might be contradictory, but I'm just not that interested in walking around and talking to all those other spiders. I care about them all and all of their well being and how OUR web is holding up and how we might improve how we take care of the vast web, I just don't have the time or the desire to meet 'em all. They'll be fine without me and I'll be fine without them, but I still want them to prosper.

So, I don't know. I'm VERY interested in macro-level happenings. I just don't have time to develop intimacies with all the individual micro's that make up the macro.

 

[Costrin]

I like the analogy, with one exception. I am not a social type but I still very much want to know what is happening on a macro level (N's are "big picture").

While I derive a lot of personal satisfaction in my conversations with my few closest "spidey friends", I am still very interested in how the entire web is holding up - I want it to be strong, I want to be informed or alerted if anything is going wrong on the far end of the web (other side of the globe, in human terms) because I believe I can help in certain ways, help come up with solutions, etc. And this might be contradictory, but I'm just not that interested in walking around and talking to all those other spiders. I care about them all and all of their well being and how OUR web is holding up and how we might improve how we take care of the vast web, I just don't have the time or the desire to meet 'em all. They'll be fine without me and I'll be fine without them, but I still want them to prosper.

So, I don't know. I'm VERY interested in macro-level happenings. I just don't have time to develop intimacies with all the individual micro's that make up the macro.

Yeah I shoulda phrased that better (and I considered taking it out but figured I'm lazy enough to leave it in lul).

'The web' can actually refer to just a section of the whole global society. An So type is only concerned on what happens in their own community, but different people will define that differently, whether it is their hometown, country, organization, forum, school, circle of friends, the whole of humanity or whatever.

The big thing with So types is the feeling of being connected. They want to be personally connected to what is happening, or rather to the people involved. By wanting to know what is happening on a 'macro level', they want to know all the connections between all the spiders. They do this by one, forming direct connections with other spiders to increase their area of influence, and two, relying on other spiders to tell them about the connections that they see.

What you're describing seems to be something else from what I had in mind, now if only I can eloquate (I do believe I just made up a word here)that sufficiently. Being tired doesn't help. Anyway, yup.

 

[Wonkavision]

I can dig it, Costrin.

Good job.

 

[Jaguar]

Which means the web is only as strong as its weakest strand.
I like the metaphor.

I'm an SX.

 

[JustHer]

Why must this metaphor utilize something disturbing like a spider web

 

[BlahBlahNounBlah]

Looks like I'm typed correctly. sx/sp

 

[Jaguar]

Why must this metaphor utilize something disturbing like a spider web

Spider webs are disturbing?

 

[BlahBlahNounBlah]

Spider webs are disturbing?

That's what I was thinking! It definitely caused a moment. I even clicked on the link to see if it was full of creepy-crawlies, but it just looked like netting. But I tend to be surprised by what disturbs people. Unless it's obvious, I never know.

 

[BlackCat]

Which means the web is only as strong as its weakest strand.
I like the metaphor.

I'm an SX.

That's overwhelmingly obvious.

 

[Jaguar]

That's what I was thinking! It definitely caused a moment. I even clicked on the link to see if it was full of creepy-crawlies, but it just looked like netting. But I tend to be surprised by what disturbs people. Unless it's obvious, I never know.

I don't care for spiders, but I have always found webs interesting.
They're like a symbolic work of art.

 

[sofmarhof]

this

That is great. I want to go there!

 

[Nonsensical]

I love it, Costrin. Maybe it's an Ne thing, but for me, this crystal-clearly explains and defines how different societal aspects manifest in a society. I can't think of a better metaphor.

 

[speculative]

So I came up with this metaphor...

Interesting approach. The SP description does not seem to stick with the web metaphor. I usually prefer the descriptions that keep the instincts based on survival, since these concepts are supposed to be at a lower level than even the types themselves. It seems like the web metaphor could still fit with the survival focus, since spiders use webs for protection and to gather food. (And some of them look neat too... )

 

[Costrin]

Interesting approach. The SP description does not seem to stick with the web metaphor. I usually prefer the descriptions that keep the instincts based on survival, since these concepts are supposed to be at a lower level than even the types themselves. It seems like the web metaphor could still fit with the survival focus, since spiders use webs for protection and to gather food. (And some of them look neat too... )

Well I think it fits. It could be further refined though, but that's what more in depth descriptions are for imo.

 

[speculative]

Hmm... thinking on this further, maybe the instinctual variant web metaphor for SP could include something like, "SP is focused on the web itself, making sure it is large enough to provide shelter and catch food." SP seems to be centered around security; spider webs are spiders' homes, so that would seem to fit the metaphor pretty well.

 

[/DG/]

Nice metaphor. I like how you basically sum things up in around one sentence each. Very helpful.

 

[Costrin]

Nice metaphor. I like how you basically sum things up in around one sentence each. Very helpful.

Yup. Originally the thread was gonna be "Short Descriptions of the Instincts", then I came up with this metaphor in the process of doing that.