[INTP] The Chameleon INTP

[Tallulah]

I disagree, whenever I see a INTP try to act "ghetto" when in reality he is a nerd, I laugh inside and then victimize them make them do stuff for me. I love socionics and mbti, it helps me control those NT NF types.

Ha, well, I will say that my chameleon tendencies don't go quite that far.

 

[Eruca]

I disagree, whenever I see a INTP try to act "ghetto" when in reality he is a nerd, I laugh inside and then victimize them make them do stuff for me. I love socionics and mbti, it helps me control those NT NF types.

Dont be hatin 'cos im down with da streets!

Is that how the cool kids talk nowadays? I may have it mixed up with orkish.

 

[Athenian200]

About 60% of INTPs seem to do this, although I've seen it from other types.

I personally never do this in public as I have a particular persona I try to project, although sometimes you can catch me doing it one on one with someone I like, where I'm less afraid to let my persona down and let myself adapt to the other person.

 

[SolitaryWalker]

uh...you don't know what the hell you're talking about bluewing.

Ah, illustrious one!

Really!?

Can you refute the argument that those who fail to use Thinking properly, or dispassionately analyze a given problem will not have a clear idea of what the problem is, or what the solution to such a problem may be?

The only way to refute this argument is to show that some kind of a magical force exists that leads us to have answers to problems without doing any work to get such answers.

There is no doubt in my mind that you have JUST the RIGHT feel to solve this problem! I shall put my faith in you with no consternation at all!

Trust the Feel, feel do not think my friend!

 

[Athenian200]

Ah, illustrious one!

Really!?

Can you refute the argument that those who fail to use Thinking properly, or dispassionately analyze a given problem will not have a clear idea of what the problem is, or what the solution to such a problem may be?

The only way to refute this argument is to show that some kind of a magical force exists that leads us to have answers to problems without doing any work to get such answers.

There is no doubt in my mind that you have JUST the RIGHT feel to solve this problem! I shall put my faith in you with no consternation at all!

Trust the Feel, feel do not think my friend!

BlueWing is being sarcastic and mocking erinavery because he doesn't think she has any sound reasoning behind her opinions and is just expressing an arbitrary value judgment. He seems to find it necessary to point this out wherever he sees it and discourage it.

 

[Spamtar]

I think you all are right. ;-) lol.

Just being coy; actually the cloaking device doesn't come on as much on internet postings.

I would say it is mostly defensive although not necessarily. We like to take our book learning/brain stewing and experiment on or amongst live people too. Seriously INTPs are in the substantial minority and can't be ourselves all the time*. I would say it differs from the mirroring of the E types in that it drains our energy. We need time alone to recharge after prolonged or multiple exposures. Another alternative is to take on an acting role. I often act as an ESTP when I meet a similar social group that I see more often than on the spur encounters, thus maintain some form of consistence and congruency while in guise. Often mirroring is also not appropriate if the target is a complete introvert, of an extreme different background (i.e. hood rat/cowboy/catty mean girls etc... although we can be quite flexible). In those instances stepping into a different role or character type (often either a complementing one or an invisible one) comes into play.

At the same time it can be fun. It is like the movie Ghost where Patrick Swayze steps into Whoopi Goldberg. Most often it is not planned, their usually is no outward motive, it just happens...and it works. The mirrored individual is usually very happy.

With me it is more of a social tool and at other times I choose to be myself even if it is in front of people. (i.e. at work (I work for myself but have to deal with people sometimes) at home or in my writing.

*probably a good thing too, I never been in a space with so many other INTP, hearing them debate amongst each other (regardless of the fact it is internet/virtual) it almost caused an internal short circuit lol.

My motto: There is a time to be yourself and a time to be someone else.

 

[the state i am in]

intp chameleons:
Ti- get a sense of the game, know how to maneuver, cause, setup, what will lead to what
Ne- connect a specific idea to new possibilities, keep options open, go with the flow, locate intersection
Si- recognize specific concrete representations and DEFAULT states, deviations from normativity
Fe- occasionally focus on others, construct web of relationships between things, holistic maps

they obviously do it in a different way than fjs. fj is way more roundabout, we consciously control our expression but have less control of our sense of the game itself (Ti), and our perception is more focused on past experience and future projection rather than individual maneuverings and all the information currently present. tp is more unconscious in its mirroring and subtleties, which it often uses only when it is the best way to play the game. when it requires more conscious effort or is not as smooth, or when the tp has to work at it more or offer more direction and more input rather than just being responsive, they can get pissy. whereas fj can get pissy when it has to be logical and take responsibility for its actions, for using improper methods or being manipulative, or having their expressions fail miserably.

 

[Fluffywolf]

If I was to be 'true' to my cognative functions non stop. I wouldn't have much of a place in society. And I don't think many other INTP's would either. It's pretty natural for INTP's to develop chameleon skills in order to function in places without breaking a sweat. Most INTP's may not even realize this. Faking (a well devellopped) Fe is also a great way to climb the coorperate ladder.

Altho from experience I find it's best to try to keep chameleon abilities out of ones personal life.

 

[Spamtar]

intp chameleons:
Ti- get a sense of the game, know how to maneuver, cause, setup, what will lead to what
Ne- connect a specific idea to new possibilities, keep options open, go with the flow, locate intersection"QUOTE]

Yes for the more adept chameleon the T part of us is able to recognize (at some level) it is a game.

The N and P mix make it more natural and timeless.

The I is what motivates us to blend in as opposed to "being ourselves".

These abilities are not perfect if we hit a subject we know very little about and the target audience knows/or think they know, much about. I don't know about prissy, but I get frustrated when the target audience changes the subject to sports, especially football. With these sport fans (and what makes it worse more and more women are becoming sport fans) it can be almost impossible to cut the thread/change the subject.

Regardless of what the topic of conversation is, if the INTP stays to long where he is a fish out of water they will be generally discriminated at best as an antisocial nonparticipant or highlighted as a bullsh*ter at worse.

For these reasons as an INTP I actually prefer large groups/large parties as opposed to small parties, especially those in large confines. If your planning a big party for a INTP make it one with lots of separate tables/walls/rooms nearby separate related venues or other nooks and crannies for us to hide/blend into.

The reason is because bumping between groups is usually necessary for me to keep it fun and entertaining both for myself and target audience. In fact often I become the life of the party bumping around and changing venue hops. It might be fun and exciting for my companions/audiences, but the real reason is for breaks from the energy sucking chameleon morphing.
Also as the above poster noted being able to understand the game to the point where you can and channel outward feelings in yourself or to understand and elicit feeling in others will make you both even more successfully in the social world events as well as the corporate ladder. Also controlling the conversation not by talking but by cutting and awakening the conversation threads both keeps things fresh and make you a valuable asset. Both activities casts a wider more intricate net.

 

[Lucky_Rabbit]

i can "chameleon" all the way until im upset (which is getting easier every year). shouldnt intp's be able to keep it going as long as they need it or do we lose it like a temporary invisibility cloak

 

[Spamtar]

I for one lose it sometimes in the middle of a morph. In general however it is not an absolute loss rather a temporary blip. It acts as a warning light. Generally there are 3 valid options when this happens.*

1) focus more strength/willpower in maintaining the morph
2) eject/don't stay the course
3) switch roles/switch courses in mid stream/more extreme switches are often better in that it confuses the target(s). Also subtle and intricate role modifications are much more difficult in times of weakness when the emperor's(your) clothes suddenly vanish. Taking on a new roll may also be easier/more fun than another particular taxing role which is causing you to wane or otherwise not giving you what you want from the interaction .

* other options are available but most of them are either invalid, ineffective or merely a modification of the above 3

 

[Unique]

again with the intp ego ?

Oh it's hardly ego

Imagine finding it so hard to fit in that you literally mimic those around you rather than being yourself

Back in high school my mirroring was ridiculous, I was so far into some "ESTP" character I was putting out that people believed that's who I actually was

People only liked me cause of the mirror, as soon as my introversion ran out of "social voodoo juice" it was back to being relatively unliked

These days I try to be myself but often I'll catch myself saying the same phrases and doing the same body language as those around me

It's a sort of defense mechanism for me, not many people like the real me and I worked that out quickly

 

[Little_Sticks]

^ Regardless of types and type reasoning, I was like that exactly as a teenager until about high school. Then I just didn't care anymore and all the friends I had, wondered why. It was all a game I didn't want to play anymore; that's why. Being somebody is a chore.