SJ's and tradition.

[Athenian200]

What sort of institutions do you value, and how would you describe your reasons for valuing them? Can you think of any situation that would cause you to reevaluate your loyalty to a given tradition or institution that is generally accepted? How was your internal standard of what is right formed over time? Do you feel that you know where it came from, or does it just seem to have existed within you all along?

Also, can you describe in some detail what you would probably do during a typical day at work/school without describing a particular day?

[Shimpei]

Originally Posted by athenian200

What sort of institutions do you value, and how would you describe your reasons for valuing them? Can you think of any situation that would cause you to reevaluate your loyalty to a given tradition or institution that is generally accepted? How was your internal standard of what is right formed over time? Do you feel that you know where it came from, or does it just seem to have existed within you all along?

Also, can you describe in some detail what you would probably do during a typical day at work/school without describing a particular day?

It's not tradition itself that I value. It's structure (i.e. time structured) which is based on careful planning. That doesn't mean I'm inflexible but I really don't like those surprises/changes that cross my previous plans. I'm adaptable and I've learnt to go with the flow in some respect.
As for loyalty to any tradition or institution - I respect authority when it doesn't break any major human rights/values.
Tradition can easily grow into ritualism and formalism and I really despise these things.

[Sahara]

Originally Posted by Shimpei

It's not tradition itself that I value. It's structure (i.e. time structured) which is based on careful planning. That doesn't mean I'm inflexible but I really don't like those surprises/changes that cross my previous plans. I'm adaptable and I've learnt to go with the flow in some respect.
As for loyalty to any tradition or institution - I respect authority when it doesn't break any major human rights/values.
Tradition can easily grow into ritualism and formalism and I really despise these things.

I'm so glad you said that, this stereotype image of the SJ being all traditional, has made me so confused about my best friend who is an ISFJ, she is about as untraditional as you can get, was a traveller, a hippy, an anarchist, all those things that SJ's are not described as.

So it's totally possible for an SJ to create their own traditional twist on life?

[FDG]

The old FDG's adagio says, every SJ that doesn't behave like a stereotypical SJ will be erroneously typed as such by the haters. That's the source of the negative stereotype.

[Athenian200]

Originally Posted by Shimpei

It's not tradition itself that I value. It's structure (i.e. time structured) which is based on careful planning. That doesn't mean I'm inflexible but I really don't like those surprises/changes that cross my previous plans. I'm adaptable and I've learnt to go with the flow in some respect.
As for loyalty to any tradition or institution - I respect authority when it doesn't break any major human rights/values.
Tradition can easily grow into ritualism and formalism and I really despise these things.

You actually sound far more unconventional in your views than I do. Let me supply my own answers to my questions.

What sort of institutions do you value, and how would you describe your reasons for valuing them?

I value the more secular institutions, and I do so because this ensures community cohesiveness and contributes positively towards all of the individuals served by the institution.

Can you think of any situation that would cause you to reevaluate your loyalty to a given tradition or institution that is generally accepted?

Yes. If it no longer served it's original purpose adequately, and/or no longer benefited the individuals in it whom I valued, I would change my approach.

How was your internal standard of what is right formed over time? Do you feel that you know where it came from, or does it just seem to have existed within you all along?

It was formed from careful study of the issues involved from several sources, and seeing what sort of agreements existed in those sources. Eventually I was just able to see inconsistencies with my idea of what is correct. My awareness of spelling, grammar, and syntax is one example. It was partially innate, as things seem to "hit" me in a certain way as being potentially reasonable or unreasonable. But I prefer to research and explain why something isn't reasonable.

Also, can you describe in some detail what you would probably do during a typical day at work/school without describing a particular day?

Yes. I'll describe my typical behavior last year as an example. I would set my alarm for 7:00am, and hit the snooze button about three or four times until it was between 7:30 or 7:45. First I would take a shower lasting between 50-70 minutes, and get dressed, being careful to remember to put on my I.D. badge. Then I would go to the refrigerator, and get a breakfast sandwich from the freezer, folding it in a paper towel and cooking it for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. While cooking it, I would take a package of peanut butter crackers and place it in my backpack. I would then go to the stereo and play the same CD I played every morning, skipping to track 2. I would then sit and wait for my mother to show up, and she usually appeared between 8:42 and 8:46, and I became anxious if she appeared before or after those times. Then I would take my backpack, and go to school.

Note that I only behave like this when I have outside commitments, and I'm usually less predictable when I don't have a specific goal in mind. It's the schedule that makes me rigid, I become obsessed with time, procedure, and schedules when I have a specific place to be.

My assumption was that all J's had this tendency, and I wanted to see how SJ's differed from NJ's in their approach to traditions and institutions.

[Shimpei]

Originally Posted by Sahara

So it's totally possible for an SJ to create their own traditional twist on life?

Absolutely. But anyway, who isn't like that?

[Sahara]

Originally Posted by Shimpei

Absolutely. But anyway, who isn't like that?

MBTI Stereotpyes?

[Shimpei]

Originally Posted by athenian200

Yes. I'll describe my typical behavior last year as an example.

It seems I'm a bit more spontaneous than you. But I put it down to the fact that I have two little kids I have to adapt to on an almost minutely basis.

[cafe]

My brother and his wife are religious SJs and though they can sometimes stick to orthodoxy and convention for it's own sake, the thing about traditions they seem to get into are of the celebratory type. Birthdays are always remembered and acknowledged. Christmas celebrations are attended to with shopping done in advance to get the best deals on gifts. These things are about family and making one another feel loved and appreciated and the children feel life is predictable and secure.

They are not mindless drones doing things because that's how they've always been done. They are trying to make life special and nurturing for the people they care about. I admire it, though I'm not so good at it myself. I'm not that great at planning ahead.

[Shimpei]

Originally Posted by cafe

Christmas celebrations are attended to with shopping done in advance to get the best deals on gifts.

That sounds familiar. I mean ... last year I bought the Christmas presents for my girls in September.