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[INFP] Cynical INFP's

Joehobo

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
293
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Cynicism in INFPs is more of the rule than the exception, just saying :p

Not that they're always cynical, but Fi+Si seems like some double whammy of their universe always weighing down on their shoulders..... it's quite a confusing thing to witness.

Holy crap your avatar freaks the shit out of me! In a very intriguing but scary way! LOL.

Well, there certainly is no arguement there haha, but there appears to be a few exceptions where people have not reached that "threshold".

It does seem to be, with Si feeding past experiences and perceptions on a matter without Ne feeding new possibilities it leaves the judging Fi stuck with the same information I guess that would be the case?
Hm, why is it confusing to witness?
 

lunalum

Super Senior Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
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2,706
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ZNTP
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7w6
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sp/so
Holy crap your avatar freaks the shit out of me! In a very intriguing but scary way! LOL.

Well, there certainly is no arguement there haha, but there appears to be a few exceptions where people have not reached that "threshold".

It does seem to be, with Si feeding past experiences and perceptions on a matter without Ne feeding new possibilities it leaves the judging Fi stuck with the same information I guess that would be the case?
Hm, why is it confusing to witness?

Sorry I forgot to change it after Halloween :p

And yeah, pretty much. It's confusing to witness because it looks something like willing self-destruction.... you're having all these strong negative judgements and you don't want to shake them away? That's at least what it looks like with the Si thing, and Fi has that "don't do anything that will even get close to messing with the sanctity of my inner ideals or I'll kill you" look to it.
 

Joehobo

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Sorry I forgot to change it after Halloween :p

And yeah, pretty much. It's confusing to witness because it looks something like willing self-destruction.... you're having all these strong negative judgements and you don't want to shake them away? That's at least what it looks like with the Si thing, and Fi has that "don't do anything that will even get close to messing with the sanctity of my inner ideals or I'll kill you" look to it.

Certainly in keeping with the spirit. :)

LOL.. nicely put. Actually, I get where you're coming from with it too. It really can come off as self destructive, like cutting our own Achilles heel. I think on the INFP side that suffers from this however the reasoning can vary, some just aren't really that aware of it, others are having a strong emotional reaction they don't have the willpower to overcome even if they try, and others just that jaded that it gives them a short term sense of fulfillment or satisfaction from being self destructive. Or heck, a combination of it all if that is even possible.

From my own experience, it was my inability to take responsibility for my own emotions, and allowing my emotions to control me. It's hard to detach from that I have to say.

Unfortunately for the other party as you said.. they gotta put up with all the negative judgements and hypersensitivity. I bet that can get pretty exhausting huh?
 

Chickadee

New member
Joined
Oct 13, 2012
Messages
25
MBTI Type
INFP
Tough love huh? How would that exactly manifest itself in your behavior? Cold is cold, tough love is just chewy haha. Congratulations, with the good vs evil you match up to the stereotype of INFP. :p I really agree with that philosophy. Although man does the most horrific things, people would not be so traumatised by such actions if they did not have some inherent goodness in them, would you agree? Wow, you seem to have reacted well to cheating and such. I've seen that actually break people. Perhaps in circumstances like that people don't necessarily deserve your trust, but perhaps with more long term and serious things which just become tiresome.. some compromise would be good? Atleast that is my own view on the matter.
I agree that compromise would definitely be good in situations of boredom or very serious commitment (as in marriage). My current relationship is still going on after a few bumps and bruises (and it's actually making it much stronger!) I can't go into detail with my current relationship, but there was a bit of a surprise for me that requires a great deal of trust and understanding from me (where typically I watch out for me first) it is forcing me to compromise and perhaps not be so selfish in relationships. It's forcing me to not be as clingy and be more of my own person and stand up for myself. In every way this relationship is making me a better person - which I've never experienced before. Usually I am the one propping the other person up. Why I bring this up is because my "tough-love" and "empathy" are going to probably change a lot in this relationship because of all the factors and all of the good things on the table and just the strange situation I've found myself in - yet a strangely good situation in so many ways....

Bottom line though: although my trust and understanding is being pushed to its limit, I am realizing, that trust and understanding is STILL there, strong against everything. My trust isn't being betrayed, but it's in a sink or swim situation, and it's swimming! I'm trusting myself much more and I'm very happy.
 

eclecticreject

New member
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
25
MBTI Type
INFP
No I wasn't always cynical. In my memory I was a wide-eyed, naive, idealist as a child, but after your soul gets crushed repeatedly over time, cynicism starts to creep in.

I think cynicism for INFPs allows us the best of both worlds: you get to express your idealistic side and bemoan society's failure to live up to your ideal, while at the same time avoiding coming across as some pathetic sad sap. I guess what I'm saying is, it's not just a reflection of our attitude to life but also is a socially acceptable form of authentic expression of self.

Cynicism + sarcastic humour is even more epic, because it's just generally awesome, and because, in reality, I'm only ever half joking; although people rarely work this out.
^^^This, especially the bolded.
 

Paige93701

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Feb 20, 2014
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15
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INFP
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4w5
Yes I'm a cynical INFP especially when it comes to my view on people and society.....
 

Curtis B

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Feb 5, 2014
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sx
I believe that I can be very cynical, but at other times, very optimistic.

My cynicism seems to be more inwardly directed, towards myself, my actions, etc. sometimes if I'm in a mood, it becomes more outward and I become very pessimistic about other people. I've been trampled on many times, but I still have some hope in the good of others, it just wanes sometimes.
 

Curtis B

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Hey guys, just made a connection to a book I'm reading. My guess is many of you have read it.

Catcher in the Rye. Holden Caulfield, the main character is an INFP, ALSO, he is about as cynical of a person as there is.

Just putting it out there :p
 

Cygnus

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Feb 10, 2014
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1,594
You just can't listen to the Keirsey websites. They'll act like every SP is stoned off his ass on top of the Eiffel Tower while all the NFs are magical pandas with not a trace of potential for pessimism in their minds.

That's because the Keirsey temperaments are subjective archetypes forcibly banged into a new personality system like round pegs into square holes. (I'm so old)
 

Schadenfreude

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Feb 26, 2014
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I have the ability to envision a worst case scenario for virtually everything. I spend so much time thinking of every little thing that could possibly go wrong that, before I know it, the day is over and I've accomplished nothing. However, my negative outlook on society/humanity as a whole doesn't always result in disappointment. For example, if I am forced to attend a social event against my will, if an anvil doesn't fall from the sky and dent in my skull, then in some form it surpassed my expectations. xD
 

Noll

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I tend to. Though I know it's ridiculous in the end (through a rational viewpoint), me being cynical or misanthropic is just me being caught up in my emotions and feeling mistreated. I say and feel a lot of things I don't mean. Too much perhaps.
 

TaylorS

Aspie Idealist
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Aug 6, 2007
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INFP
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Archetypal cynical INFP: George Carlin.
 

TaylorS

Aspie Idealist
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Aug 6, 2007
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"At the heart of every cynic is a disappointed idealist."
That is exactly the line by him I was thinking of, he just had an oozing aura of a being a disappointed idealist.
 

lecky

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Dec 2, 2007
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sx/sp
Yes I am what one would describe as cynical and definitely without a doubt sarcastic. I could do without the cynicism, but I love my sarcasm.
 

Eluded_One

Building muscle memory in my brain
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sp/sx
Archetypal cynical INFP: George Carlin.

Can you please tell me why George Carlin would be typed as an INFP? I'm really curious. I'm not trying to badger you or anything. He's commonly typed as ENTP. My Ne kicks in whenever someone says something that doesn't fit the norm.
 

SpankyMcFly

Level 8 Propaganda Bot
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Nov 19, 2009
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Greetings. This is my first thread, yay me. :whistling: I half wish it was on something a little more positive but oh well.
Feel free to share your own experiences here on this, do you as an INFP experience a disturbing amount of cynicism in your life - either from within yourself, or other people in their views on you?
Please give reasons as to the whys, what and hows. I'm curious to see how people deal with this if it is present within your life and how it manifests itself in your day to day living especially in regards to interpersonal relationships.

Looking forward to see your replies, any input would be nice especially perspectives from types other than the INFP type and how they see them. :)

Sorry if there is an old thread covering this, I am new here still and didn't want to revive any old ones.

Inside every cynical person there is a disappointed idealist ~ George Carlin
 
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