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[MBTI General] Morality in NTs

entropie

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You know, I have that discrepancy with my MBTI type from day one. In which I when starting to get intrested in MBTI I read about the NF type being the one who are grounded in morality.

I can sign that statement, cause living together with a NF for 4 years now showed me how many things there really are happening in the real world that do hurt people and could be done way better.

It's often those little things and you prolly all know what I mean, when someone gets pissy at the other in the line at the shopping market and the others one reacts pissy aswell. So there is no mutual understanding between people, people rather think their opinion is the only right one and everyone should feel that too.

So with morality I dont even mean the common understanding in a loyal or military sense only, I mean to have the ability to to some degree anticipate others thoughts and empathize with them.

---------------------

In the four years with my girlfriend I learned much about that. I too was able to calm her down a bit about different things that otherwise would her made be sent to prison by the police for comitting murder :D.

So nowadays I might claim that I have developed a finer sense for the life of others and I am more careful when judging their reactions towards me, if there isnt more behind it. Meaning, I dont think of myself as the center of the universe no more, like many people do with their opinions.

But this kind of attitude ( you may have better words for it, I suck at human ethics / philosophy ) was inspired by my girl, but not created, it was always there.

So do you think, the term morality in its widest sense, does necessarily need someone to be NF to have it ? Or would you agree that the respectful way to live together with other human beings and have an open mind and imagination for their worldview is a thing every reasonable man can posess ?

( Dont pick on me, I am way out my league with that topic :D )
 

INTP

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whats morality in its widest sense?
 

entropie

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In its first, descriptive usage, morality means a code of conduct or a set of beliefs distinguishing between right and wrong behaviors.

not that but

In meta-ethics, a key issue is the meaning of the terms "moral" or "immoral". Moral realism would hold that there are true moral statements which report objective moral facts, whereas moral anti-realism would hold that morality is derived from any one of the norms prevalent in society (cultural relativism); the edicts of a god (divine command theory); is merely an expression of the speakers' sentiments (emotivism); an implied imperative (universal prescriptivism); or falsely presupposes that there are objective moral facts (error theory). Some thinkers hold that there is no correct definition of right behavior, that morality can only be judged with respect to particular situations, within the standards of particular belief systems and socio-historical contexts

but that !

--------

So in that meaning morality is a fluent term, which is defined by the according situation, which goes back to the asumption at the root that it is necessary to respect and understand others.

What I meant would be to ask myself how far an understanding to respect others would be developed in a NT and why it could be even there.

To me in the most rational sense its crucial to have for a peaceful living with others, but if it were only that I wouldnt be fascinated about other peoples perceptions of the world and wouldnt want to get to know them.

So there is a scientific intrest too, I just cant clearly say what motivates this curiosity.
 

Oaky

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Know that the next person that you treat with unkindness too has problems in their life. It is therefore an unwise choice to make.
 

nanook

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its said that women and men have different ideas of morality. the same is true for (other) types (i picture gender as a modulating function of all the well known cognitive functions (s,n,t,f), but it's also a typology in it self).

we care about different aspects of how we should get along.

its said that men care about rules in a football game or in law, and breaking rules is indeed sometimes somewhat amoral. it is said that women care about making exceptions to the rules (for the sake of subjective needs of the one who may have broken the rules) and not making any exceptions ever is indeed somewhat amoral. these are not literal descriptions or female or male morals, but ideas, meant to get your associations going...

also morality is developed in stages. (which makes any attempt to give literal examples futile anyway)

actively anticipating the moral ideas (the sub-lines of the developmental line of moral intelligence) of other types would probably be a rather high stage of moral development. in western history, such high stages had not been achieved by big populations until the 60ies, when both female and male gender roles evolved (in a 'rather big' cultural elitist/trendsetting 'minority') to the first stage that makes such an attempt.

typology is no excuse for being an amoral thinking type ;)
 

entropie

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That's good, thank you.

I maybe hunting an invisible sheep, as in I try to find the roots to morality. I think in the end morality isnt even the right word, cause it can be more understood as a code of conduct.


I have tried for all my life to treat people fair and accept them for whom they are. That's a rather difficult thing to do long term. And I am now at the point in which it intrests me, what the roots are of such a mindset.

there are many answers, like for example the way you were raised, what you experienced, the chemical balance of neurotransmitters in your brain, but they all do not give a really satisfieing answer, therefore I dont concern with them too deeply, I rather looked for a big picture.

I dont think I quite know myself what I am looking for :)
 

Siúil a Rúin

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There are a fair number of discussions about morality on the INTJ forum to the point that it appears some degree of preoccupation with it. MBTI places it in the domain of Feelers or at least Fi. Morality can be arrived at through different paths. Some of these paths focus on reason, but it tends to require a kind of holistic thinking.

The concept of the individual acting against the world is a very Western European concept. Most of the positions defined as "immoral" are placing the well being of self as priority over everything else even if this results in socially destructive behaviors. I would argue that many "immoral" positions require an irrational process of dismissing elements that are acting upon its systems. By discounting the interconnectedness of mankind in favor of ensuring only the needs of self, the eventual outcome is likely the destruction of self. The most striking, large scale example of this is the way in which the corporation acts only in self interest as a parasitic entity that will consume and destroy its resources and in the end destroy itself. That is our model of reason in modern society that is used as an antithesis to morality, and it is irrational to its core.

There are numerous ways of defining "self". From what I understand of it, the basic foundation of sociology analyzes various levels of the "self". The individual is one level, but the family, community/tribe, etc. continuing in the large spheres of social constructs all define the individual. Morality has a great deal to do with how self is defined, how large the circle of self is seen as comprising, how many others it encompasses, and the processes through which the well-being of those within that circle are ensured.

The leaders of morality in our world like Mother Teresa and Ghandi distill it down to the idea of increasing the circle we count as self to embrace all of humanity.
 

runvardh

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NT morality is less surprising than shallower descriptions make it out to be; but I've experienced this first hand in my daily living.
 

jenocyde

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I just treat people the way I want to be treated. That's as far as my conscious morality goes, but it encompasses a lot.
 

sculpting

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I have noticed that being around IXFJs seems to very much increase the Fe level of ENTP men.

I dont know why but it appears externally to almost amplify the Fe way they interact with others. When the pair interacts, you can almost see the interaction and how each becomes more and more engaged as they exchange happy Fe vibes.

So maybe you always knew logically what you should do, and had a rudimentary sense of Fe, but you and your girlfriend sort of help grow/develop and strengthen each other's Fe and become more caring to everyone around you in the process???

I dunno, I am Fe blind, just a guess. I can see how this would be the same for two Fi users as well.
 

Moiety

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I don't really get the question here. Whether or not NTs naturally understand what morality means?

I'm confused.
 

BlueScreen

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ENTPs are meant to be one of the most perceptive about people of all types. I wouldn't draw a line at NF. I think morality in that sense just comes down to intent. If you see a reason to do it, or learn something that puts it into your system of understanding, you can be amazing at it. There are a lot of ENTPs that have gone a lot further than ENFPs in terms of moral crusades. When it comes to helping charities and involvement in community, many ENTPs I know are brilliant. Seem to have far more of the activist gene in them than us. If you say protest to me, I just think of silly things like taking "save the whales" signs to workplace protests.

An INTJ I know holds far stronger moral values in some areas than me. Takes a stand on things, like refusing to steal things off the roof of the nightclub even though he was taller and they were awesome.
 

CrystalViolet

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Morality to me is not some thing you can impose on people, but some thing that comes from within. It's the ability to take a rule or law and judge whether it is reasonable and just. It's not about doing it just because everyone else does it. Which, some times, means I treat the law with a grain of salt at times. I give the appearance of being a law abiding citizen because most laws and rules make sense to me. The ones that don't, I disregard. Morality is also about having scruples. You know respecting other people. For me, that's things like treating other co-workers well, not dobing them for some minor indiscretion to lead the attention away from yourself or covering your butt. It's also things like pulling your weight with the work load. In short, Jenocyde said it right, do onto others what you want done onto you.
 

Qre:us

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The concept of the individual acting against the world is a very Western European concept. Most of the positions defined as "immoral" are placing the well being of self as priority over everything else even if this results in socially destructive behaviors. I would argue that many "immoral" positions require an irrational process of dismissing elements that are acting upon its systems. By discounting the interconnectedness of mankind in favor of ensuring only the needs of self, the eventual outcome is likely the destruction of self. The most striking, large scale example of this is the way in which the corporation acts only in self interest as a parasitic entity that will consume and destroy its resources and in the end destroy itself. That is our model of reason in modern society that is used as an antithesis to morality, and it is irrational to its core.

There are numerous ways of defining "self". From what I understand of it, the basic foundation of sociology analyzes various levels of the "self". The individual is one level, but the family, community/tribe, etc. continuing in the large spheres of social constructs all define the individual. Morality has a great deal to do with how self is defined, how large the circle of self is seen as comprising, how many others it encompasses, and the processes through which the well-being of those within that circle are ensured.

The leaders of morality in our world like Mother Teresa and Ghandi distill it down to the idea of increasing the circle we count as self to embrace all of humanity.

This is a very holistic way of looking at morality. And, one I perscribe to myself.

I don't think you can look at morality as something self-contained within an individual, without considering, as toonia pointed out, all other relevant players within the system in which the individual resides.

For me, each moment is chock full of potential, and my action, reaction, inaction, will set off an unique domino effect. Thus, it is up to me, living moment to moment, to be conscious of how my actions at any given moment affect not just the progress of myself, but, any other things connected (likely to be connected) to it, as far as my mind can conceive or anticipate. And, to note the degree of energy expended by my action/reaction, or conserved by my inaction.

I've said previously on this board, that I'm not nice just because being nice is...nice. I'm "nice" when I know that there's someone, some thing, that will benefit from my kindness.


A simple example that I've faced in rl:
In a large group, if a newcomer arrives, and everyone is jumping in to say "hello" to the person, I'm not going to extert the action (energy) to add in my little greeting, lost amidst all others.

However, if we're in a large group, and a newcomer arrives, and it seems no one noticed them, or acknowledged them, I will make it a point to greet that newcomer and welcome them.

I do not like having "what-ifs" in my life. If I come upon a situation, and my internal evaluation points to someone or something that needs "help", I am not the type to initially think, "oh, they'll figure something out, or someone else will come and help them".....if I do this, it bugs me for the rest of the day, wondering, "what-if"...did the help arrive?

Everything is this world is far more inter-connected that we can conceive, it's a shifting of energy, all within the system, to maintain a sort of balance. If I see a toppling of the balance, in what my value judgement has evaluated to be the "negative" end of the scale, I cannot help but step in.

Be it, stopping the car, because a family of geese, unknowingly started to cross a busy intersection, so one can hold up traffic from both ends, until they cross, and giving the runt of the litter a little bump on the tush because it couldn't go over the sidewalk ledge, to seeing an unwatched toddler in the mall, somehow getting herself on an escalator, her chubby fingers dangerously close to the teeth of the revolving stairs, and plucking her out of there, to a person who one can tell does not know how to read English, and cannot speak it, trying to ask about the meats served in a restaurant, with a frustrated server, and so drawing a cow, chicken, pig or fish on a napkin, showing them to X off which they do not want....whichever way, life is full of potential interactions, "worlds" colliding, even if for a passing moment.

If in those moments, I can do something, that changes the course of the domino effect it will unfold, to something I evaluate as "positive"*, anticipating all likely ripple effects to it, as far as I can conceive, I will act. I cannot not act.

*positive, in the simples way to me is evaluated as:
result+energy expenditure > lack of result + energy conservation

The > of course, is subjective to me.

Karma is dharma. It's all cause and effect, and I'm just one node in that chain of cause and effect, and as that node, my orientation will determine the activation of a whole intricate web/system filled with nodes, attached by pathways. So, when an effect from some other node(s), comes and collides with my node, my reality; then, for that moment, it is my cause, and then, I determine its effect, and on it goes. From me, to those around me, to my community, to society, to the global world, and beyond.

And, that to me, is how I practice my morality, not because I'm NT, but because I'm human, who cannot fight determinism (the global cause/effect of the world), but do have free will, from moment to moment, when a piece of reality arrives at my node, and I have the choice then to act, not act, or react according to my capability and capacity.

I personally don't think it's type dependent, but, individual dependent; this knowing/understanding/acting of "morality".
 

FDG

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F people are generally better at morality-related stuff than T people, given an equal baseline level of psychological health.
 

Shaunward

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I'm a moral-relativist. I believe morality is subjective and ultimately a matter of personal preference. I don't subscribe to the notion that there is a universal code - that anything is truly "right", "wrong", "good", or "bad".

That being said, I exercise my morals as I do my preferences. Just as say, I don't like sea-food, I don't like specific actions. I use what socio-economic power I have to discriminate against people who go against the grain of my morals and aid those that generally promote them or live by them. In that sense, I can come across as devout in my beliefs, even though I know they're ultimately subjective.
 

Begoner

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In my opinion, to the extent that (stereotypical) NF morality differs from NT morality, one is rooted in feelings while the other is predicated upon reason. For example, if there was a runaway trolley that was going to kill five people and the only way to avert that catastrophe would be to push an obese man in front of the trolley (thereby stopping it but killing him), an NT would be more likely to make the correct decision. On the other hand, when it comes to dealing with everyday emotional situations, NFs are more adept than NTs.

When one thinks of morally virtuous people, one might think of Mother Teresa, who exemplifies compassionate, NF-based morality. On the other hand, Bill Gates, as a philanthropist, used NT-based logic to determine how to best help people. And, of course, he did far more good than a hundred Mother Teresas could have done -- yet he is seldom seen as a moral paragon. The problem isn't that NTs aren't moral, but that our concept of morality is founded upon emotion rather than reason.
 

Not_Me

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If not for social cooperation, there would be no reason to even have morals. Actions which enhances social cooperation are deemed moral. Actions which detracts from it are immoral.
 

nanook

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i understood what FDG meant. i hope i speak for all NF when i say: no need to illustrate it any further. :D
 
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