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[Doctor Cringelord]

speaking of being one of the guys when I was 11 I wondered what it was like to have a penis so I took a plastic tube put electrical tape over the top and pierced a whole in the electrical tape...and you can figure out the rest. This thread reminded me of that, I don't know why I thought that would tell me.

did you keep your apparatus? might still come in handy.

 

[prplchknz]

did you keep your apparatus? might still come in handy.

no, and if I did I would have no clue where it be I'm 27 now

 

[Coriolis]

Ok I'm a girl, which makes sense. But I have no interest in makeup, talking about boys, or shopping (the sterotypical girl stuff) so what I do is I don't really talk to girls about that kind of thing. If that's all they want to talk about, then I find someone else to talk to. I don't really change who I am to fit in, I find somewhere I already fit in. And it doesn't matter if who I'm talking to is male or female as long as we're both enjoying the conversation.

Same for me. I usually try to ignore people around me who are discussing or indulging in things of no interest to me. If they press me, though, I will sometimes let them have it. For instance, if asked my favorite sports team, I will say I don't care, and the whole enterprise is a waste of money and effort.

 

[Nicodemus]

I stopped pretending a long time ago, because it disgusts me more than being excluded for being weird.

 

[Lexicon]

I never pretended to like things I didn't.. I mean it'd be part of a shaky foundation for any kind of friendly dynamic, to me. If someone's really enthusiastic about something- & I don't particularly care about it- I try not to be a buzzkill, & I'll occasionally ask questions around the topic - "active listening," I guess. Somewhere in there, I can typically dig out some part of the essence of the interest & find connections with things we're mutually interested in. Or I just listen because I otherwise enjoy that person's company, & I may playfully rib later on that I really can't wrap my head around the importance of said interest- but emphasize that I'm glad it makes 'em happy. If it's someone I don't give a shit about & for some reason *have* to be around (family/coworker/etc), then I just do the "active listening" part til I can physically remove myself. Sometimes the questions help me indirectly understand the other person in a new light, but most of the time, I'm just not there- and that's the point, at that point. I don't care to be, so I'm not.

At the end of the day, I won't lie about my interests or pretend to give all that much of a damn. It is possible to illustrate that mentality without being a jerk, too. People seem to perceive this sort of thing in terms of extremes. Either you're fake-happy-interested-an empty shell, or you're a cold-unfeeling-obtuse-asshole. There's a lot of gray area if you let go, & look around.

That said, I'm happier alone than I'd ever be if I pretended to be someone else for the sake of.. of what, even? Some vapid sense of acceptance? It has no meaning. It's about as valuable as the lies that would've fostered it. I'll take "awkward" silences any day.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

The one time I said, "I don't really care about football" turned out to be a big mistake. Everyone else in that situation, who had previously been viciously bashing one another's teams, suddenly turned on me. "Whaddya mean?" "You don't even have a team!?!" I just shrugged, sipped my coffee, and went back to my corner of my workplace.

I mean, I watch the superbowl, but I don't really watch it. We have it on every year, but it's really for my wife. I usually bury my head in a book, occasionally glancing at the score. She grew up watching it every year with her family, and I'll respect her tradition if it makes her happy. It's a few hours out of my life only once per year, so I'm not going to complain. Plus, it's a good excuse to have a lot of tasty, cholesterol filled snacks.

 

[Lexicon]

The one time I said, "I don't really care about football" turned out to be a big mistake. Everyone else in that situation, who had previously been viciously bashing one another's teams, suddenly turned on me. "Whaddya mean?" "You don't even have a team!?!" I just shrugged, sipped my coffee, and went back to my corner of my workplace.

What's so terrible about that?
Other people's confusion (especially when they're very worked up) can be very entertaining.

I mean, I watch the superbowl, but I don't really watch it. We have it on every year, but it's really for my wife. I usually bury my head in a book, occasionally glancing at the score. She grew up watching it every year with her family, and I'll respect her tradition if it makes her happy. It's a few hours out of my life only once per year, so I'm not going to complain. Plus, it's a good excuse to have a lot of tasty, cholesterol filled snacks.

D'aw. That's a good example of striking a balance. When it counts- with someone who matters. And who loves you for your differences.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

What's so terrible about that?
Other people's confusion (especially when they're very worked up) can be very entertaining.

Oh, it amuses me plenty. I like some level of conflict and chaos, I just don't like it when people try to draw me in or target me.

I relished seeing fights start in high school. I wasn't right there in the front of the crowd cheering, but I enjoyed watching from afar.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

I liked watching people lose their shit over the OJ case. I really didn't have an opinion myself. It's just amusing how attached people become to issues and how personal it becomes for them. I'm not saying I've never been that way myself, but I've learned it's easier to remove myself from conflict and enjoy the show from the POV of an outsider.

 

[chubber]

I also look at it as being an ENTP that doesn't use Ne but uses Ni. If you notice, if I were to change my first function to Ne, then, with the exception of Te, I would be exactly an ENTP. But because Te is there, above Fe, and is accompanied by a dominant Ni, that means I'm an INTJ. It also means that I'm much more schizotypal than the regular person due to the coexistence of Ni and Ti (Ni and Ti loops are indicative of Schizotypal PD, Social Anxiety, and Avoidant PD).

Chameleonism is weird.

interesting, which test did you take?

 

[Sunny Ghost]

I think I just view it as being nice and courteous. I tend to do the same in order to "be one of the girls".

One of my friend's posted as a facebook status, "You can't just walk up to people and just start talking about black holes." There tends to be certain topics that are more appropriate amongst acquaintances and strangers. Amongst those I am closest with, I can talk more thoughtfully on other topics.

I find it interesting that forum interaction is one of those few places that acts opposite of normal socializing customs. Here, we come with our ideas first. We talk about psychology and mbti and so forth. But then, there is a fluff zone, where people can then go to interact in a more buffoonery way and poke fun at one another.

Also, [MENTION=19700]Lyedecker[/MENTION], most of the guy's I know tend to not be "sport's guy's". Not all men have to be into sports. And tell them to F*** off if they try and give you crap for it. They may be more stumped because you had paraded it for so long.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Maybe the first post gave the impression I walk around in a jersey and scream "go Seahawks" all day long. It's nothing that extreme. However, when people ask me, I feign interest where none exists. Lately, my tactic has been to simply avoid these people as much as humanly possible.

As far as the thing about looking at other women.. I've stopped pretending to be a drooling hound. Now, if someone says, "ohhh damn I'd hit that" I try to reply with something more positive, less degrading, i.e. "Yes, she seems very nice" or "Yeah, she's pretty"

The older I get, the less I feel like putting on these silly facades.

 

[five sounds]

As far as the thing about looking at other women.. I've stopped pretending to be a drooling hound. Now, if someone says, "ohhh damn I'd hit that" I try to reply with something more positive, less degrading, i.e. "Yes, she seems very nice" or "Yeah, she's pretty"

this is totally the kind of redirection i was talking about. i do that same thing.

or i make a joke of it, like make a dumb comment about how since she's hot she's probably crazy, and i wouldn't hit it. (although i don't believe that hot=crazy, a joke like that can do wonders for smoothing over different viewpoints)

EDIT: after a joke like that, i usually end up feeling bad in case anyone took me seriously, and saying something like, "nah, i'm sure she's a perfectly nice woman"

 

[Sunny Ghost]

Maybe the first post gave the impression I walk around in a jersey and scream "go Seahawks" all day long. It's nothing that extreme. However, when people ask me, I feign interest where none exists. Lately, my tactic has been to simply avoid these people as much as humanly possible.

As far as the thing about looking at other women.. I've stopped pretending to be a drooling hound. Now, if someone says, "ohhh damn I'd hit that" I try to reply with something more positive, less degrading, i.e. "Yes, she seems very nice" or "Yeah, she's pretty"

The older I get, the less I feel like putting on these silly facades.

ha! That wasn't what I had pictured at all. I just meant you had probably previously always feigned interest and out of nowhere suddenly said, "No. No more. I hate it!"

 

[chubber]

Well it tends to alienate you from friends. Where do you go and get friends with the same interests?

I don't like sports and I never pretended to be interested in it. Okay maybe volleyball... but that is for a different reason

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

ha! That wasn't what I had pictured at all. I just meant you had probably previously always feigned interest and out of nowhere suddenly said, "No. No more. I hate it!"

that's about right

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Well it tends to alienate you from friends. Where do you go and get friends with the same interests?

I don't like sports and I never pretended to be interested in it. Okay maybe volleyball... but that is for a different reason

bouncing tittays?

 

[Nicodemus]

That said, I'm happier alone than I'd ever be if I pretended to be someone else for the sake of.. of what, even? Some vapid sense of acceptance? It has no meaning. It's about as valuable as the lies that would've fostered it. I'll take "awkward" silences any day.

Awkward silence is not the only alternative. Being bullied, ridiculed, exiled from all peer groups are some of the others. Men, especially boys, live in herds. If they are not your 'friends', they may very well be your enemies. Hiding is easier in larger cities than in small towns, though. Perhaps the one good thing about urbanization.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

this is totally the kind of redirection i was talking about. i do that same thing.

or i make a joke of it, like make a dumb comment about how since she's hot she's probably crazy, and i wouldn't hit it. (although i don't believe that hot=crazy, a joke like that can do wonders for smoothing over different viewpoints)

EDIT: after a joke like that, i usually end up feeling bad in case anyone took me seriously, and saying something like, "nah, i'm sure she's a perfectly nice woman"

Hot does not equal crazy except in the case of redheads. j/k

 

[Alea_iacta_est]

interesting, which test did you take?

I objectively looked at and applied the various functions in my life and deduced which ones were prominent in my lifestyle. I then took several different cognitive function tests and averaged the results of each function and placed them in order.