[MBTI General] Sentimentality, memory, seasons, et al...

[Fan.of.Devin]

I recall reading somewhere that for NT's, most specifically INTP's, sentimentality is more often tied to tangible places, things, and times in one's life, rather than to people one knew.
For example; the ambient noises, sights and architecture, smells, and other things you would associate with specifics places. The essence of what makes a concrete and memorable "location", if you will.

I find myself very attached to locations, even fairly mundane ones. I think my interest in urban exploration must be related somehow.
I can also name the first time I listened to any given album or song, saw a movie, played a video game, etc... I also relate very strongly to the specific time of the year when I did, seasonally speaking, and I often try to cyclically seek out the same media I've listened to at various points in the past. I'm currently going into kind of a "fall music" mood, for instance.
I've definitely noticed that particularly memorable media nearly always seems to evoke memories of the place and time when I first experienced it.
Ditto for other things like activities or foods, too.

Do you find this to be the case for yourself?
Do you think this is an NT phenomenon?
Am I just nuts?

 

[Misty_Mountain_Rose]

I recall reading somewhere that for NT's, most specifically INTP's, sentimentality is more often tied to tangible places, things, and times in one's life, rather than to people one knew.

Things rings true for me. When I look back at times in my life, the divisions where I've mentally chopped them into logical blocks of time, they're organized by things like activities I participated in, house I lived in, music I listened to, etc. I can barely recall names and faces, but I know what their furniture looked like in great detail or remember that it was a cool, fall evening or some other 'environmental' stimulus.

 

[coconut]

I think maybe I do that.

They say cats become attached to places rather than people. I wonder if there's some relation?

 

[ReflecTcelfeR]

Yeah, that's something major. I not only use it to remember first experiences or experiences in general, but I'm trying to apply it towards studying.

 

[Mr. Sherlock Holmes]

No, I remember people more. Probably. But only the really important ones.

 

[FlamingMask]

I definitely remember certain places and link them with specific moods and times in my life. However, I usually don't remember small events like the first time I did or saw some media. However, a "sense of place" has always been very important to me and though I do remember people from different times, certain locations and their ambience have always left deep impressions on me. This part of my personality (or tendency) is something close to me and ever since reading An INTP Profile I have associated it with Introverted Sensing. I think for the most part, that is what you are describing, which makes sense as a Tertiary function of INTPs.

An excerpt from the link:

Introverted Sensing often plays an important role in the private world of the INTP. When he visits a place, whether new or already known, his Si function gives an overriding concern for the atmosphere or mood of the place. In his subconscious, he connects the present experiences of his surroundings with memories of his past, sometimes deep past. A sense of history, of universality, is almost always invoked. When on holiday, the INTP wants to experience above all the ambience of each location. Specific details in the present are relatively unimportant and will not be well remembered. However, the atmosphere or mood will be remembered long after, as though it were a solid object. Since people encountered on a holiday usually count as details, unless more personal contact develops, the INTP tends to be drawn more to lonely, isolated places where atmosphere is less disturbed. Nevertheless, the presence of people does add its own ambience which can also be appreciated considerably. The net result of this concern for past experiences and of mood/atmosphere is that INTPs belong centrally to those types referred to as melancolic. The INTP melancolic is typically drawn to wild polar expanses, to mountain ranges and all places on the edges of civilisation. Whatever his particular yearning might actually be, it has a common root. The homeland of the INTP's psyche is a small and cosy community, isolated in the middle of a vast expanse of wilderness.Introverted Sensing often plays an important role in the private world of the INTP. When he visits a place, whether new or already known, his Si function gives an overriding concern for the atmosphere or mood of the place. In his subconscious, he connects the present experiences of his surroundings with memories of his past, sometimes deep past. A sense of history, of universality, is almost always invoked. When on holiday, the INTP wants to experience above all the ambience of each location. Specific details in the present are relatively unimportant and will not be well remembered. However, the atmosphere or mood will be remembered long after, as though it were a solid object. Since people encountered on a holiday usually count as details, unless more personal contact develops, the INTP tends to be drawn more to lonely, isolated places where atmosphere is less disturbed. Nevertheless, the presence of people does add its own ambience which can also be appreciated considerably. The net result of this concern for past experiences and of mood/atmosphere is that INTPs belong centrally to those types referred to as melancolic. The INTP melancolic is typically drawn to wild polar expanses, to mountain ranges and all places on the edges of civilisation. Whatever his particular yearning might actually be, it has a common root. The homeland of the INTP's psyche is a small and cosy community, isolated in the middle of a vast expanse of wilderness.

 

[Thalassa]

It's not an NT phenomenon. I also have nostalgia strongly tied to places, buildings, and seasons (specifically autumn for many things, but other seasons too)...also music is hugely tied to my memories, so I guess we could classify that under "ambient noises"...and smell is the strongest human tie to memory, so that's a given.

 

[Qlip]

I've never really lived in one place for long.. the only thing I really get sentimental about is vintage electronic equipment. Scents evoke reactions from me, but the ones that do are a bit more strong than sentimentality. I do have a couple of songs that are sentimental, but not many.