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Different Kinds of Absolutisms

Absolutism?

  • E - yes

    Votes: 3 13.6%
  • E - no

    Votes: 5 22.7%
  • I - yes

    Votes: 4 18.2%
  • I - no

    Votes: 7 31.8%
  • S - yes

    Votes: 1 4.5%
  • S - no

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • N - yes

    Votes: 6 27.3%
  • N - no

    Votes: 14 63.6%
  • T - yes

    Votes: 2 9.1%
  • T - no

    Votes: 7 31.8%
  • F - yes

    Votes: 5 22.7%
  • F - no

    Votes: 5 22.7%
  • J - yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • J - no

    Votes: 2 9.1%
  • P - yes

    Votes: 8 36.4%
  • P - no

    Votes: 9 40.9%

  • Total voters
    22

nolla

Senor Membrane
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
3,166
MBTI Type
INFP
I'm talking about strict rules of any kind that forbid something in your life totally. Are you vegetarian, are you not having sex till you marry, not drinking, not eating certain meat... Anything that draws a definite unbreakable rule in your daily life.

To make this clear, I am not really talking about rules that are given to you by religion or some other organization. I mean absolutism that YOU have decided for yourself.
 

placebo

New member
Joined
May 11, 2008
Messages
492
MBTI Type
INFP
Never kill myself, that's it I think. Lol how morbid.
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
3,166
MBTI Type
INFP
Maybe I should explain the reason I am asking this.

I've met people with many kinds of absolute rules. Sometimes they define their whole life on a single rule, and this has puzzled me. Maybe because it is so black and white. Back in the day when I didn't basically drink at all, I had attitude against people who drank a lot. I thought they are wasting their lives and causing trouble to other people. After I started seeing more shades of gray, the rule lost it's meaning.

I observed similar black n white attitudes among the other types of absolutists and this has led me to assumption that such rules are not healthy, or they might be the result of less healthy mind. If I am right, there should be no clear correlation between absolutism and MBTI functions.

What do you think?
 

placebo

New member
Joined
May 11, 2008
Messages
492
MBTI Type
INFP
It kind of depends what the person's reasons are for it I think.
I mean, if it's a rule you have because you look down on it, sometimes I think those people shouldn't judge something they don't understand. I hate the self-righteous. But if you have maybe really personal reasons about it--like there's some kind of personal pain associated with whatever you have a rule against--then that's more understandable.
 

MacGuffin

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
10,710
MBTI Type
xkcd
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I'm pretty sure everyone has an absolute in their life: they won't have sex with an immediate family member, kill children, torture animals, steal food from the starving, set the elderly on fire, I could go on and on...
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
3,166
MBTI Type
INFP
I'm pretty sure everyone has an absolute in their life: they won't have sex with an immediate family member, kill children, torture animals, steal food from the starving, set the elderly on fire, I could go on and on...

Those are rules set by society (and pretty surely very universal morals). They are not really related to this. Come on, you know what I'm talking about.

But if you have maybe really personal reasons about it--like there's some kind of personal pain associated with whatever you have a rule against--then that's more understandable.

Well, if someone doesn't drink because he knows he will beat his wife and kids, then it is basically common sense and not directly related to my question. (But, in fact, if he beats them he is not healthy, so it could be indirectly related)
 

placebo

New member
Joined
May 11, 2008
Messages
492
MBTI Type
INFP
Those are rules set by society (and pretty surely very universal morals). They are not really related to this. Come on, you know what I'm talking about.



Well, if someone doesn't drink because he knows he will beat his wife and kids, then it is basically common sense and not directly related to my question. (But, in fact, if he beats them he is not healthy, so it could be indirectly related)

Oh yea, I was also thinking a little more indirectly, such as knowing someone who died of alcoholism or having an abusive alcoholic parent or something (so it's a bit of a psychological thing). Also, for reasons such as personal health might be understandable--such as being vegan, or not smoking.

But I guess, like what I said, it's sort of limiting to create such a strict rule. Though, I'm sure some people do grow out of it like you. I almost get the sense that it's like the person is concentrating all their fears or insecurities about life on that one rule, and if they can keep that rule, they are doing 'good' in their lives.
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
3,166
MBTI Type
INFP
I almost get the sense that it's like the person is concentrating all their fears or insecurities about life on that one rule, and if they can keep that rule, they are doing 'good' in their lives.

Yes! This is very close to how I see it. It is like, I have seen that "this thing" is bad. And I will not have another opinion about it. Then it all comes down to avoiding "the bad" but while doing so, I allow myself to be blind to the other "bads".

Oh yea, I was also thinking a little more indirectly, such as knowing someone who died of alcoholism or having an abusive alcoholic parent or something (so it's a bit of a psychological thing). Also, for reasons such as personal health might be understandable--such as being vegan, or not smoking.

Ah, yeah, health as a motive is really hard to categorize here. It is partly a creation of society, partly fashion and partly of real heath advice. I still don't know if being a vegan is good or bad for health. All I know is that people have eaten meat basically forever, and this is why I don't feel no reason to go vegan. On the other hand, I smoke. And I know it isn't good. So, it is very difficult to include health in this "theory".
 

Gauche

New member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
333
Well, im enfp and answered YES, but it could have been a little bit misleading. You know, I have some convictions based on my religion, but damn, I won't call myself absolutist. I do not judge persons about what they do or do not. It's their thing. At best, I can friendy advice them, if they are willing to be adviced. But I respect what they do, they probably know what's best for them, subjectively, you know. I'm not their mother to preach them.
 

Kasper

Diabolical
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
11,590
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
There's nothing I wouldn't do because a strict rule I set myself. There are plenty of things I morally object to but I need not set any rules there because I don't want to do them.

For example, I'm vegetarian by choice, if I were to decide one day that I really wanted to eat meat I'd do it, it'd prolly make me ill but the only reason I don't eat meat is because I don't want to. Life isn’t black and white, I set no absolutes.
 

Anja

New member
Joined
May 2, 2008
Messages
2,967
MBTI Type
INFP
I think I've said before that I believe that there are certain natural laws. Break 'em and I'm goin' down. Either slowly or quickly; Either alone or draggin' others along.

It's in my nature to be flexible, experimental, playful. I am neither unable nor unwilling to make exceptions depending on circumstances. I try to inform myself of my choices and the consequences of each. And experience has been a good, if stern, teacher of that.

My life's job has been to discover the boundaries of healthy living in all life areas and to work to allign myself with what my particular limitations/possibilities are.

Simply put, to live well and grow to my potential. And to have a lot of fun in the process! :smile:
 

kiddykat

movin melodies
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Messages
1,111
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
4, 7
Depends on the situation. To say no to absolutism is absolutist in itself.

My Absolutism: To walk away from situations/people who bring me down, not up (disrespect, abuse, etc). My sanity and identity mean much more to me than to try and sit there and "fix" a problem with people who blatantly don't give a damn. If someone disrespects me, I don't give them the time of day. But if it's because they've been hurt and they're not directly taking it out on me, then I can somewhat understand (to a certain point).

Another one: To stay true to myself, no matter what.
 
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