• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

Action vs. Intention

Do you focus on action or intention more?

  • Action

    Votes: 13 41.9%
  • Intention

    Votes: 18 58.1%

  • Total voters
    31

Eldanen

Arcesso pulli gingerios!
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
697
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
Which do you focus on more, and why?

I tend to focus more on action. I often don't have a problem if the other person's intention isn't something I'd normally like. I don't care if someone does something to show off or whatever, as long as it's actually fun :).

Also, the road to hell is paved with good intentions ;).
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
We actually discussed this on vent the other evening when I was wondering if you can be a bad person if your intentions are nothing but good (and excluding psychos like Hitler!).

Action is what you're judged on, but I think that's a bit unfair. Intentions should receive some weight as well, as they're the truer judge of a person's good or bad traits, I'd think.

Some of us tend to have good intentions, but blunder around and screw up our actions so that it ends up making us look like bad people :(
 

Eldanen

Arcesso pulli gingerios!
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
697
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
We actually discussed this on vent the other evening when I was wondering if you can be a bad person if your intentions are nothing but good (and excluding psychos like Hitler!).

Action is what you're judged on, but I think that's a bit unfair. Intentions should receive some weight as well, as they're the truer judge of a person's good or bad traits, I'd think.

Some of us tend to have good intentions, but blunder around and screw up our actions so that it ends up making us look like bad people :(

:hug:

Of course, it's also arguable that we as humans cannot process intention and action separately when we see both of them and understand them in our minds. They're probably intertwined. So I don't think it's possible to judge someone solely on action or intention.
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
:hug:

Of course, it's also arguable that we as humans cannot process intention and action separately when we see both of them and understand them in our minds. They're probably intertwined. So I don't think it's possible to judge someone solely on action or intention.

I can't help but to view them at the same time.

Action is judgement and intention is the forgiveness for some, vice versa if your intentions are evil but you screw up and accidentally do something good!

To judge by actions is human- to judge by intentions is humane. I think a balance of both is needed in order to get the full picture on the person in question.
 

disregard

mrs
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
7,826
MBTI Type
INFP
Action.

Negligence is a product of choice, and if the intentions are strong enough, they will produce action!

Talk is cheap, but if you observe what the person is trying to accomplish with their words, you will have another action to judge.
 

proteanmix

Plumage and Moult
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
5,514
Enneagram
1w2
Oooh, this is a hard.

A "good" intention is dependent on interpretation of the recipient and the outcome. Good outcomes have come from bad intentions and vice versa.

Truly knowing someone meant well or wasn't purposely trying to cause harm usually softens the blow of a bad outcome. If I had to say which one I focused on more, I think actions would slightly edge out intentions because a bad intention can pan out to nothing but once it's done, it's done.
 

Eldanen

Arcesso pulli gingerios!
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
697
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
Oooh, this is a hard.

A "good" intention is dependent on interpretation of the recipient and the outcome. Good outcomes have come from bad intentions and vice versa.

Truly knowing someone meant well or wasn't purposely trying to cause harm usually softens the blow of a bad outcome. If I had to say which one I focused on more, I think actions would slightly edge out intentions because a bad intention can pan out to nothing but once it's done, it's done.

I think we have a Catch-22 situation here, hehe.
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
7,914
MBTI Type
INTP
Well action is easily observable, we can only theorize about what someone's intentions were. So I'd focus more on action.

But so we can find out what causes people to act in a certain way, we need to learn about intent and why people intend to do certain things.
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
3,166
MBTI Type
INFP
Intention. If I am motivated to do something that isn't in accord with my values, there is something wrong with me. So, I can't cut any slack with my intentions.
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w4
I agree with whatever.
I don't judge people based on their actions alone (not that I go around judging people).
Their intentions have weight also.
It's tough to fault someone who's doing the best they can.
 

LucrativeSid

New member
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
837
If you're asking which one I prefer to focus on when it comes to judging someone else, I'd say action, but only because I have to pick one. They are both helpful, but I'm not empathetic enough in most situations to value intentions more than actions. At least actions speak for themselves.
 

kiddykat

movin melodies
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Messages
1,111
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
4, 7
Some of us tend to have good intentions, but blunder around and screw up our actions so that it ends up making us look like bad people :(
Totally agreed.

Some peoples' actions are just for 'show.' Though with the best intentions, some people come off the wrong way at times, due to their inability to effectively get their point across. In my experiences, it's the little things that count most. For me actions + intentions are important, however, I think intentions weigh more heavily. It reveals the true nature of a persons' sincerity. That's just my opinion. Everyone has their way of seeing things.
 

Shaula

Te > Fi > Ni
Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Messages
608
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
4w5
Both. I think we need to weigh intentions and actions against each other to measure a proper response to the situation. However I always fallback on the notion that we are all going to be dead someday. So in the end, we all loose no matter what we do or think. XD
 

01011010

New member
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
3,916
MBTI Type
INxJ
Is this in reference to perceived negativity?

If so, I suppose both are important if a situation is directly affecting me. Though, most people's "morals" or lack thereof do not move me either way.
 

Magic Poriferan

^He pronks, too!
Joined
Nov 4, 2007
Messages
14,081
MBTI Type
Yin
Enneagram
One
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
If there is any such thing as good and bad, then it is surely defined by consequences. That is to say, something can only be judged on value based on it's impact on the state of things. Therefore, actions are more important. If you think you can figure out someone's intent, that can be helpful, but only for the pupose of learning how to persuade them and predict their future behavior. In the end, the importants of all of this falls back on the actions of a person sooner or later.

So a person's intents a somewhat relevant in determining their value, but it is substantially less important than their actions.
 

LucrativeSid

New member
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
837
Let's say someone barrows money from me, intends to pay me back, and fails to do so. Either their intention was weak or completely fake, or they truly tried to do it and just couldn't. In my opinion, if you actually intend to do something, you at least TRY. Trying is action. Action directly indicates intentions. So this is another reason why I prefer actions. It's a case of proof over claims.
 

pippi

New member
Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
735
MBTI Type
xxxx
I always want to know the reasons why people do things so I'm interested in intentions.
 

kiddykat

movin melodies
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Messages
1,111
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
4, 7
How I see it is intentions cause action or inaction. The underlying reasons behind it is what intrigues me.
 

The Ü™

Permabanned
Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
11,910
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Let's just say that if a person's ill intentions somehow turn out to be a beneficial outcome toward me, it will be a double dose of enjoying the action towards me as well as the person's dismay for a foiled plan.

Yes, I pay more attention to actions. Some of the worst things imaginable are done with the best intentions.
 
Top