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[ENTJ] ENTJs, Did you ever really want power?

juggernaut

Permabanned
Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
1,009
So I've been thinking about the posts regarding power and ENTJs, and I'm wondering how much difference exists within the type regarding the actual desire for it. I can say, unequivocally, that there has never been a single moment of my life where I've actually wanted power. I have always bucked against the exertion of power/control over me from the outside and anyone who's tried quickly found out what a bad idea it was, but I have never had the desire to push around or dominate others. I don't like being in positions of leadership or in any sort of spotlight and would be content to spend the rest of my days just doing my own thing. I will never intentionally start trouble with anyone, but I will end it (ruthlessly, if necessary). I don't care what other people do with their lives or what they think I should be doing with mine, as long as they keep it to themselves. Unless I'm forced into a situation with someone where my own well-being is at stake, I absolutely do not care what that other person is doing. I guess what I'm wondering is am I the only ENTJ who couldn't care less about having power over anything other than my own life?
 

blanclait

New member
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
Messages
305
MBTI Type
ENTP
My friend is like that too. She doesnt really care about dominating others.


on the otherhand I love power. But I prefer to play from the backstage.
 

chegra

New member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
132
MBTI Type
INFJ
Well I don't care to dominate over anyone, not really my style(more on the charming side).
I don't care for power as you can point to me and say I am the man, (makes for an open target).

But yea, secretly I would like to be pulling the strings of everything, not just for the sake of pulling them, rather to have more control over what I can do.

I will find the more money/power I have the more autonomy.

So, I think its about freedom in any case. Not just to say look at me I have power, aren't I great.
 

Valiant

Courage is immortality
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
3,895
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I can identify with this a lot.
If events are going down a path that I see as disastrous, I will take control. I don't like being the one commanding people, as you said, I would rather be doing my own thing. If I have to choose between being boss or bitch, though... Then I will be ruthless. But only out of necessity and keeping my pride intact. If someone tries to gain a certain amount of control over me in a non-intrusive and polite way, and that person being more knowledgeable about what we are doing or such... I don't have a problem with that.
I tend to have a problem with ESTJs and some ESTPs of low intelligence who in their arrogance think they know more than they do, running around with a bad attitude making everyones' day worse.
Being an employee/part of a team shouldn't feel like being investigated by Internal Affairs. The process-oriented types tend to interfere and watch over peoples' shoulders way too much when it is not needed or wanted. Sometimes even when it seems offensive :jew:

If I am in a situation where an ESTx is causing trouble, I remove them from their position and take it, or leave. Suffice to say, it isn't reasonable to question some authority, for example if an annoying ESTx has his own company and does poorly.
What I am saying is more applicable for strictly social gatherings or organizations where no-one owns the establishment , etc.

Anyway. I don't want power unless it's necessary in order to get things done or save myself from being mentally abused by some EST.

So I've been thinking about the posts regarding power and ENTJs, and I'm wondering how much difference exists within the type regarding the actual desire for it. I can say, unequivocally, that there has never been a single moment of my life where I've actually wanted power. I have always bucked against the exertion of power/control over me from the outside and anyone who's tried quickly found out what a bad idea it was, but I have never had the desire to push around or dominate others. I don't like being in positions of leadership or in any sort of spotlight and would be content to spend the rest of my days just doing my own thing. I will never intentionally start trouble with anyone, but I will end it (ruthlessly, if necessary). I don't care what other people do with their lives or what they think I should be doing with mine, as long as they keep it to themselves. Unless I'm forced into a situation with someone where my own well-being is at stake, I absolutely do not care what that other person is doing. I guess what I'm wondering is am I the only ENTJ who couldn't care less about having power over anything other than my own life?
 

chegra

New member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
132
MBTI Type
INFJ
Anyway. I don't want power unless it's necessary in order to get things done or save myself from being mentally abused by some EST.
lol.

I have this theory that power goes to the ESTJ head. They turn into different people.
 

Ezra

Luctor et emergo
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
534
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I guess what I'm wondering is am I the only ENTJ who couldn't care less about having power over anything other than my own life?

on the otherhand I love power. But I prefer to play from the backstage.

I'd say I was an amalgamation of these two. It depends on my mood, and the company I'm in.
 

norepinephrine

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
402
MBTI Type
INTP
I'm not an ENTJ, and I don't want to derail this thread, but had an interesting conversation earlier today with an ENTJ when I was teasing him about the red dye in red velvet cake causing cancer. (Yes - chocolate cake for breakfast, and yes - it is a Bill Cosby sketch. Now go away.)

He's not someone I see as wanting power, but has just naturally acquired it as a result of what he is and who he knows. I think all he's ever wanted is the freedom to make his own decisions.

Anyway, he said he wasn't afraid of dying (not that either of us are particularly threatened by red dye) - he'd done pretty much everything he wanted to do in life. But the only thing he'd like to experience before dying is the one thing he'd never done - doing nothing. Just bullshitting with people, giving up home ownership and living somewhere where all the basics are someone else's responsibility, traveling without needing to set up a line of command to take care of business...

IDK. I think I'd give that six months - a year at the most. But does any of that strike a cord with you ENTJs if you think about yourselves in your mid-fifties?
 

Kangirl

I'm a star.
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
1,470
MBTI Type
ENTJ
I like and gravitate towards positions of leadership. If there's a reason to want to be in charge/to have power, then I want it (i.e. usually there's some task to be accomplished), if there's no reason other than ego or what have you, I'm not interested either way.

I also don't have a problem working in a subordinate position as long as I respect and trust the person above me. If I don't respect/trust them, then it's always a nightmare for both parties.
 

Frank

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Mar 13, 2008
Messages
689
I don't really desire power at all. What I do desire is to have competent people working for me that I can delegate to and know that the job will get done to my satisfaction. Even though this is a form of power it does not manifest from the desire for it. It is more the result of wanting to take my ideas and create organizations to fulfill my visions. From my first "gang" at six years old to my current business venture, this has always been a driving force in my life.
 

527468

deleted
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
1,945
It reminds me of the idea that one ENTJ wants to be in the position of being potentially powerful or knowledgeable enough to lead, for if and when they need to show dominance, they have a contignecy set of tactics, by that point in time, that give fair way more than others can provide. Some like to make sure there is trust given to them as the potential leader.
 

LucrativeSid

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Oct 20, 2007
Messages
837
If you want power for it's own sake, then what is it that you actually want? To feel less insecure, perhaps? I can only see power as a secondary goal, a means to some other end. ENTJs are often type 8s on the Enneagram. 8s, 5s, and 2s are power seekers. We all have some key motivations that don't look too pretty on their own, especially in the beginning of life, but once a person has broken free of the negative aspects of it they move into a healthy and beautiful way of living. (Ideally.)

I think you'd have more fun studying the Enneagram in regards to this question, because there could be type 9 ENTJs or type 8 ENTJs and they'd have very different motivations. 8 - Enneagram Type Eight: The Challenger My apologies if I'm just taking up space and you already know about this or don't care! I'm still hitting the submit button, anyway. ;)
 

juggernaut

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Mar 22, 2009
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1,009
Actually that's very helpful. I just did the enneagram thing for the first time for another thread, and sure enough...8, 5, and 1 were my numbers. Right in line with what you're saying, and it did provide a lot more insight.
 

sunset5678

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Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
145
MBTI Type
XNTJ
I've never really wanted power personally, but I get an exhilleration out of
defying limits...I was intelligent for my age, but I dressed and acted like any
other girl when I was younger to defy the sterotypes that brainy people we-
re 'nerds' or didn't know how to go to parties and have fun, and also the oth-
er way around to prove that people that knew how to have fun could still
have brains. The part in the Wicked song Defying Gravity where she says "To
those who ground me" gave me the chills for some reason I couldn't exactly
put into words but understood the first few times I listened to it. I miss the
days where my group of friends and I were always running around together
getting into mischief or engaging in conversation about books we read, music
preferences, computers and general intellectual babble but now I'm pretty
much down to one close friend because everyone's moved away, got new
jobs, been married and got busy, etc. Isn't it funny how twenty-something
life is all fun and games for a while then its like bam, here's reality. Sometimes
when I'm disatisfied with life and other things when stuff goes wrong or oppor
tunities seem to slip through my fingers or just don't seem to be turning out
right, I try to convince myself that I should be wanting power because it'll fill
the gap but then I remember what happened to people I knew who forced
power over their environment and people in it and how they ended up being
completely alone and started cheating to get ahead on things then started to
fail when no one was around to bail them out. I just remind myself at least I
know what life's like now. :huh:
 
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