Are strong "Thinkers" prone to being a risk to themselves?

[Bella]

Originally Posted by Jack Flak

In general, I don't think so. But STJs seem rather defenseless against strong emotions. They can do serious damage in short order.

Watcha mean? We become overwhelmed because we don't know what to do with them?

[Haphazard]

What is a 'strong thinker', exactly?

[entropie]

Originally Posted by disregard

If you fail to deal with your primary emotions

whippersnapper..

[Jack Flak]

Originally Posted by Bella

Watcha mean? We become overwhelmed because we don't know what to do with them?

I don't know if you know what to do with them or not, I just notice the results. Confusion, depression and/or rage.

[Bella]

Originally Posted by Jack Flak

I don't know if you know what to do with them or not, I just notice the results. Confusion, depression and/or rage.

There is actually quite a lot of that, yes.

[INTJMom]

Originally Posted by Beat

Do you think so? Emotionally and mentally speaking, that is.

Perhaps anyone can be a risk to themselves if their life is too severely out of balance.

[Morgan Le Fay]

Originally Posted by ajblaise

What do you mean by "acknowledge their feeling side"?

Hehe! Classic T question.

Originally Posted by dissonance

Strong thinkers or weak feelers?

Same thing. Strongly differentiated thinking precludes the development of a mature feeling function, or so the books tell me.
Thinking seeks to eliminate personal values from the decision-making process, i.e. the opposite of what feeling seeks to do. Over time, this tends to lead to a dulling or weakening of the feeling process, an inability to recognize what one's values are in a given situation.

This is a problem for me. I find decision-making very difficult in my personal life, because from an objective stance it can be difficult to determine which outcome is more favourable. I can go through an endless iteration of "on the one hand, x, other the other hand, y, but on the other hand....". Is x > y? Sometimes, I have no idea if there are no objective criteria to guide me. When I finally make a decision, I always end up second-guessing myself and wondering if I've done the "right" thing and usually conclude I haven't. But I'm amost certain I would feel that way whatever I decided. I see this, along with weak rapport with others, to be major problems for the overly differentiated thinker.

The "danger" lies in making the "wrong" decision in important matters - i.e. the decision which doesn't accord with one's value system. Because the latter is there all the time, lurking in the shadows, and will leap out and bite you in the butt when you don't expect it. The trouble is, when I try to project myself into a future which is contigent on a certain choice, it (my internal value system) remains infuriatingly silent. The best analogy I can think of is: it's like a kid you ask if it wants to go to the zoo/park/cinema/whatever. The kid says, "Sure, why not?" but really he's tired and just wants to stay at home, but he doesn't know this, 'cos he's a kid. Then the minute you get to the zoo/park/cinema/whatever, he starts balling his eyes out and says he wants to go home. Bloody kids! That's why I don't have any.

Does anyone else identify with this? (not the paedophobia bit, the emotional-retard bit) How have you developed strategies to help with making the "right" decision?

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Originally Posted by Beat

What about the whole internal feeling thing and not knowing how to express/vent properly? Or is this what you mean?

The effects of lack of feeling can express themselves in a variety of ways. This is how I am coming at it though:

Say you group people into four categories (like Jung): Thinkers, Feelers, Intuitives, and Sensors. I would say that the Feelers are the most likely to have a satisfying life. What is more is that each of the other three groups will increase their satisfaction if they can sufficiently develop their feeling function. This is because Man is inherently a social creature. People in general get a lot of satisfaction from their relationships and from living according to their values. Feelers are the most aware of this, and that is why I'd say they are most likely to have a satisfying life.

The flip side is that someone without a developed feeling function will become increasingly more dissatisfied with their life over time. This can manifest in a variety of ways anger, depression, addiction, materialism, etc.... However it manifests itself though, it won't be healthy. Overall I think it's important for everyone to develop their feeling function.

[Giggly]

I tested as a strong feeler and all I know is that I love strong thinkers.

I feel that they compliment me.

[LostInNerSpace]

Thinking tightropes is pretty scary sometimes. Makes me dizzy just thinking about thinking them.