[INTP] INTPs: are you obsessed, by default?

[JocktheMotie]

Here's a question for you INTP's. Do your friends and family know about your interests? Mine would be shocked to find out just how much I read and research topics because I never feel the need to inform them.

They know very little to be honest. I have so many books on weird crap, mostly physics stuff, but I never really talk about things with my friends or family because I think I'd just get funny stares. And I think they'd rather not know or be bored, I mainly keep all of my interests to myself.

GF found my dry/erase board with a general relativity problem [I was reading Einstein's section in On The Shoulders of Giants and following along with the math] and asked what the hell it was. I responded as if she had found a porn collection: evasive, lots of "uhhs," and an offer if she wanted me to calculate how much space curved around her. Heh....

 

[Shimmy]

They know very little to be honest. I have so many books on weird crap, mostly physics stuff, but I never really talk about things with my friends or family because I think I'd just get funny stares. And I think they'd rather not know or be bored, I mainly keep all of my interests to myself.

GF found my dry/erase board with a general relativity problem [I was reading Einstein's section in On The Shoulders of Giants and following along with the math] and asked what the hell it was. I responded as if she had found a porn collection: evasive, lots of "uhhs," and an offer if she wanted me to calculate how much space curved around her. Heh....

Whahaha, I can totally imagine that. I often have plenty of Ebooks/PDF files/Spoken books about the weirdest subjects on my computer. How am I to explain to somebody that I'm interested in multiple dimension theories or NLP when I study something practical like business management.

EDIT:

On that note. MBTI and psychological personality is one of the few interests I actually tell a lot of my friends about. So far everybody has picked up the subject after I told them about it. I am proud...

 

[Alwar]

How many of you rip science videos from YouTube and meticulously archive them on your PC/Server?

 

[jellyfish]

...I must be the only INTP in the world who hates math.
I like science but god damn do I hate math.

I'm more of a literature kind of girl.
But yes, I find one author I loooooooove and check out all their books from the library and read them the day I get them. Next comes biographies, miscellaneous facts learned from interviews and book reviews and interpretations of the book.
I'm like this with writing projects as well.
I spent a family vacation writing up a twenty-page story once. The vacation was six days long... What I did was write and edit. It was in a forest, so it was a nice experience.

My family and friends have NO idea just how weird I am...
My brother tells everyone he comes into contact with, including doctors and cashiers, all about his scientific interests, which include chemistry, astronomy, and many more that escape me at the moment... If I didn't know him better I'd think it was pretentiousness (which actually is a word... every time I write it I cringe because it sounds like it's not one). But he's honestly that obsessive, though he's not an INTP.

 

[Salt n' pepper]

...I must be the only INTP in the world who hates math.
I like science but god damn do I hate math.

I'm more of a literature kind

I know another one. He's not terrible at math, but he dislikes it and he thinks he's terrible at math.

 

[Orangey]

I know another one. He's not terrible at math, but he dislikes it and he thinks he's terrible at math.

That's like me. I am the person who enrolls in a higher level math course, never (and I mean never) shows up to class or turns in assignments, and still pulls an overall C grade. Then I use that C grade to tell myself that I'm naturally terrible at math (even though I got a C in freshman comp, but still think that writing is one of my strengths). So I have avoided it for many years, even though I did well on the math portion of the GRE (which I didn't really study for) and generally have no problem understanding concepts.

As for obsessions, my whole life can be described in terms of periods of obsessions. I find something that I like, and I can't stop thinking, talking, or reading about it until I am completely over it. And that usually doesn't happen for a while. I remember when I was little, I was obsessed with (and this is in chronological order) whales, dinosaurs, dogs, insects, playing oboe, playing trumpet, Tarantino films, obscure supernatural thriller films, Final Fantasy, Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Rings languages, 3D character modeling, concept painting, Critical Theory, and MBTI. There is almost never an absence of obsession. And that doesn't include all of the infatuated obsessions I've had about other people.

 

[Owl]

Is Alpaca an aspie INTP?

 

[Shimmy]

I know another one. He's not terrible at math, but he dislikes it and he thinks he's terrible at math.

Me? So that makes at least 3 INTPs in the world who don't like maths. Maybe it's not such a crazy thing after all.

 

[alpaca]

Haha, probably more like OCD. But I did notice that people get obsessed just like I do, so it's not just me. I think I have too much interpersonal skill to be an aspie

 

[Grungemouse]

...I must be the only INTP in the world who hates math.
I like science but god damn do I hate math.

I'm more of a literature kind of girl.
But yes, I find one author I loooooooove and check out all their books from the library and read them the day I get them. Next comes biographies, miscellaneous facts learned from interviews and book reviews and interpretations of the book.
I'm like this with writing projects as well.
I spent a family vacation writing up a twenty-page story once. The vacation was six days long... What I did was write and edit. It was in a forest, so it was a nice experience.

My family and friends have NO idea just how weird I am...
My brother tells everyone he comes into contact with, including doctors and cashiers, all about his scientific interests, which include chemistry, astronomy, and many more that escape me at the moment... If I didn't know him better I'd think it was pretentiousness (which actually is a word... every time I write it I cringe because it sounds like it's not one). But he's honestly that obsessive, though he's not an INTP.

I was a serial D-grader in compulsary math, and I'm doing English & creative writing for degree. A real practical subject, unlike those artsy fartsy types like Astrophysics and biochemistry.

 

[Eric B]

Berens in the Temperament book did say that when stressed, the NT "obsesses", and this would seem to be tied to their need of mastery and competence.
So this is why I believe Keirsey was looking at the wrong things when he connected the NF to the ancient Choleric because of their tendency to erupt in emotion at times. The NT is the one that sounds more Choleric in its drives. (And Keirsey's view has apparently supported stereotypes of NT's being vulcans or robots).

 

[SilentStream]

Obssessions are what I live for. If I'm in an inter-obsession faze I'm very mopey.

I get embarrassed all the time about what I read. At university I sneak into the library, make sure no-one I know is around and then quickly borrow my books at the self serve counter so no one knows. My family knows this about me to a certain extent, but friends at uni have no idea. For example, I'm interested in education, learning styles and unschooling at the moment.

 

[Xander]

Anyone else feel bored when they're NOT obsessed?

As for the whole knowing stuff and having no one to talk to, that's how I ended up here. There's few people who's interests match mine, just one thus far in fact. Hence forums are a nice outlet for a while.

Oh and in regard to obsession, I'd have thought that's when I start to think "I don't care if I am up all night, I HAVE to just try one more adjustment to my memory settings!!".

The question is, has anyone found a decent reliable way to snap an INTP out of the obsession? My wife would be most grateful for such a trick me thinks

 

[Shimmy]

The question is, has anyone found a decent reliable way to snap an INTP out of the obsession? My wife would be most grateful for such a trick me thinks

Substitute with other obsession? Twist neck of said INTP with 180°? Chain said INTP up to the radiator, out of reach of computers and books?

 

[Xander]

Substitute with other obsession? Twist neck of said INTP with 180°? Chain said INTP up to the radiator, out of reach of computers and books?

That would be instruction would it not? I mostly react to such enforcement with resistance before I even draw breath or have chance to think.

It needs an element of... cunning. The sort of cunning where you do exactly as your mother requested without even realising how badly you just got played and what's more not even minding after you've found out.

Oh and before some smartarse tries the obvious, brain rules everything. Sex does not work through focus/ obsession.

 

[JocktheMotie]

That would be instruction would it not? I mostly react to such enforcement with resistance before I even draw breath or have chance to think.

It needs an element of... cunning. The sort of cunning where you do exactly as your mother requested without even realising how badly you just got played and what's more not even minding after you've found out.

Oh and before some smartarse tries the obvious, brain rules everything. Sex does not work through focus/ obsession.

It does have to be pretty subtle. I think we can sniff out coercion almost instantaneously. Show us why it could be interesting and have it pique our curiosity, and we'll probably do the rest.

 

[Xander]

It does have to be pretty subtle. I think we can sniff out coercion almost instantaneously. Show us why it could be interesting and have it pique our curiosity, and we'll probably do the rest.

Oh great.. now all I can see is Cesar Millan saying "engage the nose and the mind will follow". Kinda nice how the type known for their grand intellectual pursuits is also the most dog like...

 

[Salt n' pepper]

Oh great.. now all I can see is Cesar Millan saying "engage the nose and the mind will follow". Kinda nice how the type known for their grand intellectual pursuits is also the most dog like...

"I'm the pack leader. I'm calm and assertive. Shh."

 

[JocktheMotie]

Oh great.. now all I can see is Cesar Millan saying "engage the nose and the mind will follow". Kinda nice how the type known for their grand intellectual pursuits is also the most dog like...

I think all types have their "hooks" that can be used. But it is a good connection

"I'm the pack leader. I'm calm and assertive. Shh."

"Tsszt!"

 

[Xander]

"I'm the pack leader. I'm calm and assertive. Shh."

ENTJ.... calm and assertive... is this something someone described you as or something you picked up :winkwink:

(My father's an ENTJ... he'd say he was calm and assertive.. our dog disagreed... more assertive and assertive. Calm got shot when it didn't do as it was told.)