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Grasping Functions

Which functions are easier to understand?


  • Total voters
    25

Kasper

Diabolical
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
11,590
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
Interesting thing I heard once which I want to explore for accuracy:

Theory is introverts can understand introverted functions better/quicker/more naturally than extroverted ones and vice versa for extroverts.

As an extrovert who finds Fi mysterious, Ni voodoo-esque and Ti hard to explain and yet can grasp Se without using it the concept works, I had assumed extroverted functions were simply easier to grasp until some introverts told me that wasn't the case for them.

So, what functions do/did you struggle to get your head around?
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
7,263
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
I understand Ne, Ti, and Fe. I have no idea what Te is, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with buildings. The S-family I don't understand at all. Si? Se? Am I in Spanish class? And I don't really get Si v. Fi. If Se is the way you feel outside stuff like the floor, wouldn't Si be the way you feel your feelings? But isn't that Fi? Fee Fi Fo Fum, less function, more...tequila.
 

Snuggletron

Reptilian
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
2,224
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
10
I guess I understand them all equally on the same level.
 

BlueFlame

New member
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Messages
181
MBTI Type
ENFJ
Enneagram
3w2
Si is a complete mystery to me. It doesn't matter what descriptions I read...just doesn't compute. Other than that, Se is always kind of fuzzy and I can't tell the flipping difference between Te and Ti How do you think outside of your body? Sounds like Black Magic to me.
Witch hunt, anyone?
 

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
7,626
MBTI Type
INFP
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4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
The functions I have a hard time grasping:
Ni, Si, Te & Fe. Basically, my inferior functions and the ones I supposedly don't use. Ne, Se, Fi & Ti are easy for me to understand.

Ni is always described as being psychic or something retarded like that, so I figure the descriptions are poorly written, but no one seems able to differentiate it from Ne very well without getting convoluted. The best I can make of it in simple wording is looking inward for a new possibility/meaning, instead of outward for many new possibilities/meanings.

Si seems strange to me because I use it in the tertiary mode which is sort of frivolous, and it tends to make me see it that way....but I know that is not correct; from reading Jung, Si is quite complex. I generally find the Pi functions hard to grasp, since I associate perceiving with external information. Reading Jung helped some, but they just don't ring as clear as other functions.

Te & Fe are odd to me, because reasoning outwardly and using external criteria is backwards to my mind. I suppose I can get my head around them, but it's just a foreign concept.
 

Tamske

Writing...
Joined
Oct 22, 2009
Messages
1,764
MBTI Type
ENTP
There is this one function called Ni. Whenever I try to describe it, I end up with Ne or Si.

I have a theory. There are only seven mental functions: N, Ti, Fe, Si, Te, Fi and Se. (presented here in the order I use them) People split N up in Ne and Ni to make things symmetrical and the theory more beautiful; but really they are one and the same.
Or they are linked this strongly you can't discern them.
 

Lacey

New member
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
392
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Well, I can't really claim to understand any of the functions that well, but:
People split N up in Ne and Ni to make things symmetrical and the theory more beautiful; but really they are one and the same.
Or they are linked this strongly you can't discern them.
My brain likes to put Ni and Ne into the same thing too.

It kind of does that with Se and Si sometimes too, but to a lesser degree. Even though that doesn't really make sense, because they are pretty different. :thinking:

I feel like I do a better job understanding Fi, Fe, Ti, and Te.

Or maybe I think I understand them, but I don't really. :blush:
 

Illict91

New member
Joined
Sep 19, 2008
Messages
30
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
I selected the "Extrovert: No discernible difference" section as a vote preference.
Have a complete understanding of all the eight functions, it's difficult to recognise Ne or Fi within my own personal usage.

It is too vague to classify the ease of using all four Extroverted functions compared to all four Introverted Functions.
 

BlueScreen

Fail 2.0
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
2,668
MBTI Type
YMCA
I think my judging functions might be easier for me to understand than my perceiving functions. Perceiving functions just take a whole lot of stuff in which I can sort of see a pattern to, judging functions I actually make decisions using and interact with. They define me more.
 

VagrantFarce

Active member
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
1,558
There is this one function called Ni. Whenever I try to describe it, I end up with Ne or Si.

I have a theory. There are only seven mental functions: N, Ti, Fe, Si, Te, Fi and Se. (presented here in the order I use them) People split N up in Ne and Ni to make things symmetrical and the theory more beautiful; but really they are one and the same.
Or they are linked this strongly you can't discern them.

Try these posts on for size, see if they fit :)

The difference really just seems to be where meaning and context are thought to emerge from:
  • Ni-types think of meaning and context as defined by the assumptions we take into the world -the perspectives we choose to hold as individuals. You change the meaning of reality and the possibilities available to you by allowing yourself to "look" at things in a different light - to actively ignore what simple observation suggests.
  • Ne-types think of meaning and context as defined by what we observe in the world - the web of connections that are just already there. To change the meaning of reality and the possibilities available to you, you have to allow yourself to be open to what observation suggests, and to not be arbitrarily dismissive of possibilities at first glance.
 
P

Phantonym

Guest
I voted for the "nonsensical" because, well, I don't really care about the functions that much anymore. I don't struggle with understanding them, I've moved way beyond that already. For me, trying to put into words what I think they are is equally nonsensical. I just enjoy accumulating knowledge about them without the pressure of putting it into some concrete form.

As much as I've read about the functions and read what other people perceive the functions to be, I've gathered that nobody really knows what they're talking about or rather, they only think they know and there can never be consensus. The functions are open for individual interpretation and whatever you think they are, they are and, overall, it doesn't really matter anyway because there are far more important things to ponder about.
 

thisGuy

New member
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
1,187
MBTI Type
entp
i get how NeTi, Te, Fe, Si work

i tried dissecting Ne but got crazy lost in my own head...had to quit doing that cuz the world needed some of my attention too
 

Charmed Justice

Nickle Iron Silicone
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
2,805
MBTI Type
INFJ
I voted for the "nonsensical" because, well, I don't really care about the functions that much anymore. I don't struggle with understanding them, I've moved way beyond that already. For me, trying to put into words what I think they are is equally nonsensical. I just enjoy accumulating knowledge about them without the pressure of putting it into some concrete form.

As much as I've read about the functions and read what other people perceive the functions to be, I've gathered that nobody really knows what they're talking about or rather, what they think they know does not really convey in text and there can never be consensus. The functions are open for individual interpretation and whatever you think they are, they are and, overall, it doesn't really matter anyway because there are far more important things to ponder about.
Yea, this is where I am. I just bought the book Deep Typing, but at this point, it's simply for kicks and I'm basically just amassing information. Like Tamske, the most difficult functions for me to discern a difference between are Ne/Ni. I'd like to say I most easily understand Ti, Se/Si, and Fe. The more I read about them, the less difference I see between them. They seem ubiquitous in us all, and impossible to measure. The functions are god.
 

Eric B

ⒺⓉⒷ
Joined
Mar 29, 2008
Messages
3,621
MBTI Type
INTP
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548
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sp/sx
There is this one function called Ni. Whenever I try to describe it, I end up with Ne or Si.

I have a theory. There are only seven mental functions: N, Ti, Fe, Si, Te, Fi and Se. (presented here in the order I use them) People split N up in Ne and Ni to make things symmetrical and the theory more beautiful; but really they are one and the same
Wow, that's just what I thought when I first heard of Ni.
I think, as someone else said, it's just inadequate descriptions.

The way I understand it now; Ne starts from external objects, and branches out multiple possibilities or connections from them, while Ni starts with a bunc of things, including symbolic meanings, and draws them to an internal conclusion. In both cases, you have a focal point, where multiple things converge, howver, the convergences run in opposite directions, and in different locations (i.e. internal or external).

Overall, even as an introvert, I think introverted functions are harder to understand, because of the fact that they are internal, which is harder to "see" and differentiate than the external world. I would say Fi and Ni are the hardest to explain and hence, the poor definitions and misunderstandings about them.
 

Zarathustra

Let Go Of Your Team
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
8,110
There is this one function called Ni. Whenever I try to describe it, I end up with Ne or Si.

I have a theory. There are only seven mental functions: N, Ti, Fe, Si, Te, Fi and Se. (presented here in the order I use them) People split N up in Ne and Ni to make things symmetrical and the theory more beautiful; but really they are one and the same.
Or they are linked this strongly you can't discern them.

Well, I can't really claim to understand any of the functions that well, but:
My brain likes to put Ni and Ne into the same thing too.

Hmmm... two Ne users who can't figure out the difference between Ni and Ne. What a surprise...

Tamske: your theory is crap. Just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Here's a hint: look at my avatar. That's Ni. Not Ne. That much should be obvious.

I put it this way once: "Ne is like a camera, Ni is like the light."
 

sculpting

New member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
4,148
Hmmm... two Ne users who can't figure out the difference between Ni and Ne. What a surprise...

Tamske: your theory is crap. Just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Here's a hint: look at my avatar. That's Ni. Not Ne. That much should be obvious.

I put it this way once: "Ne is like a camera, Ni is like the light."

What do you see when you look at your avatar?

As an Ne-Monster I dont notice what it is or even care-I notice the pattern in the lines and question where does each line go? But almost immediately shift to look at all of the lines at once and capture the meta pattern of where do all the lines go? Then I shift back to the center and then retrace the line patterns capturing the perpendicular intersections.

Oh wait that’s a guy isn’t it. Then I use Si to see oh, dude the lines are flames and there are eyeballs everywhere and he is wrapped around a planet. WTF? Then I go all happy NeFi cause I do like the little galaxies. They are kinda cute!

I am especially drawn towards the back where the lines disappear-I feel a very strong urge to “keep looking” over the horizon to continue the pattern and identify possible permutations and predictions based upon the part of the pattern I can see.

Same thing in the upper corners.

Also-there is an illusion of depth as the lines curve-I am intrigued by that and want to understand it better. To touch it and trace the depth for lack of a better word.

(This could be Fi contamination into Ne. I think Fi is meant to mirror exceptionally complex data sets-ie people. I just use it for other shit cause people suck)
 

AphroditeGoneAwry

failure to thrive
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
5,585
MBTI Type
INfj
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451
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sx/so
There is this one function called Ni. Whenever I try to describe it, I end up with Ne or Si.

I have a theory. There are only seven mental functions: N, Ti, Fe, Si, Te, Fi and Se. (presented here in the order I use them) People split N up in Ne and Ni to make things symmetrical and the theory more beautiful; but really they are one and the same.
Or they are linked this strongly you can't discern them.


:laugh: Ni does exist. It's just illusory and effervescent. When I use it out loud, people either think I'm baked, or that I don't know what I'm talking about.

What a fun thread........I'll be back.
 

Lacey

New member
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
392
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Sorry, Lacey, the perturbance displayed was aimed at Tamske, not you...

I'd never (intentionally) hurt an NFP...

:hug:
Haha, no worries. :hug:

Your comment just got me thinking...

I said that I don't really understand Ni, but that's your dominant function as an INTJ. I mean, that must be pretty frustrating for you to hear: "I don't really understand how you think."

I don't "get" Ni at the moment, as far as I can tell, so my brain likes to shortcut it and lump it in with Ne...it's sad how that can be my first instinct sometimes...you know, oversimplifying things.

On a wider scale, going away from functions and into real world stuff...there are tons of viewpoints/ways of thinking/lifestyles I don't understand, meaning that there are plenty of people I don't understand.

I'm held back by my ignorance and limited perception.

It really frustrates me.

I'm working on it though, I promise. :yes:
 
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