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[NT] NT problem causing or problem solving?

Nocapszy

no clinkz 'til brooklyn
Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
4,517
MBTI Type
ENTP
Living in suburbia, I've had very few environmentally induced troubles. Almost every issue I've ever been involved in was my design.

I suspect many others are the same way. Especially NTPs.

I think I know why.

It's not that we enjoy the problem itself, but rather that we most enjoy ourselves when coming up with a solution for a problem. If there is no problem, we can't enjoy ourselves so we make one so we can.

I think this is less applicable for the NTJs as they're more likely to set their sights on a larger goal, which ordinarily requires fewer petty issues so the end can be focused on.

What do y'all think. I'm not sure if this is an established understanding, but I realized recently, that I create problems for myself on purpose, social or not. I'm not a masochist, I just like puzzles.

The more at risk the better, because it means I've got to come up with just the right answer or it all might go to hell. That might go to partially explain why ENTPs are often risk-takers too. To a situationally defined cap of course... I'm not self destructive either.
 

Ezra

Luctor et emergo
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Dec 12, 2007
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534
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sp/sx
It depends what you mean by 'problem'.
 

Nocapszy

no clinkz 'til brooklyn
Joined
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Messages
4,517
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ENTP
Not really. Most anything that needs fixing -- from unsolving a rubiks cube to intentionally getting lost on the highway.

But this was inspired by those who cause social problems. I don't think many of us profit from the conflict itself.
 

cafe

Well-known member
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My NT seems to be content with theoretical problem solving. It plays out in his constant absorption and analysis of current and historical events, especially in the area of domestic economics and politics. :coffee:

Of course he does have a wife and four kids to live with and support so probably dealing with theoretical problems is a big relief. There's certainly no need to make problems for entertainment purposes. :run:
 

nemo

Active member
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
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<3
Oh, I definitely relate.

It's gotten me in a lot of trouble in the past. But I'm not malicious or anything, just curious about people. I generally don't entirely take others at their face value -- or, at least, I don't often believe what I'm being told is the whole truth -- so I like to carefully create artificial situations and study how they react in them. I think intentions are often louder than words.

... I dunno what else to add. I feel like I could've written the original post myself. This has been a very big theme with me, and one that the people around me have appreciated or opposed in varying degrees.

But I'd agree that this is an NTP thing, probably slightly more ENTP due to relative facility with Fe and all that.
 

Garivande

New member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
26
MBTI Type
INTP
I'm INTP and I certainly wouldn't create any problems just for the sake of solving them later.

But perhaps it's the "I" and/or "P" that ensures that?
Like the cafe husband, I'm quite content with solving theoretical problems. Which I might invent myself... ah... which suddenly answers the question with a "yes"...
I'm not only an introverted thinker, I will also contradict myself every time I come up with a new angle...
 

SillySapienne

`~~Philosoflying~~`
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
9,801
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Living in suburbia, I've had very few environmentally induced troubles. Almost every issue I've ever been involved in was my design.

I suspect many others are the same way. Especially NTPs.

I think I know why.

It's not that we enjoy the problem itself, but rather that we most enjoy ourselves when coming up with a solution for a problem. If there is no problem, we can't enjoy ourselves so we make one so we can.

I think this is less applicable for the NTJs as they're more likely to set their sights on a larger goal, which ordinarily requires fewer petty issues so the end can be focused on.

What do y'all think. I'm not sure if this is an established understanding, but I realized recently, that I create problems for myself on purpose, social or not. I'm not a masochist, I just like puzzles.

The more at risk the better, because it means I've got to come up with just the right answer or it all might go to hell. That might go to partially explain why ENTPs are often risk-takers too. To a situationally defined cap of course... I'm not self destructive either.
I'm not certain, but I think this might also have something to do with having testicles.

Reading your post reminded me very much of my ex, thanks. :smooch:


I guess boredom and predictability can lead one to :17425:
 

nightning

ish red no longer *sad*
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
3,741
MBTI Type
INfj
I've notice this with my INTP supervisor... He enjoys coming up with theories and experiment ideas for testing... except none of the gets carried out very far because 2 weeks later he comes up with something else.

INTP supervisor: theory theory theory... hmmm based on that perhaps we should try this.
collaborating INTJ prof: from a pragmatic point of view... we should continue using the other process.
supervisor: No, we're addressing a different question.
collaborator: *thinks the old ideas shouldn't be shelved so quickly but didn't say anything*
supervisor: *continues with coming up with new study*
Mouse: There's problems with the study design relating to time.
supervisor: Oh right... Well we can change it this way...
INTP biochemist: Do we have the kinetics data for the compounds? I don't think it follows pharmacokinetics of regular drugs...
supervisor: That's interesting. No we do not have kinetics data, and it will be close to impossible to obtain with what we have... But we do know that...

...

1hr later... we pretty much ended up using the same design as what I originally came up with. :doh:

That's a bunch of NTs for you...
 

cafe

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It always has to be their idea or they at least have to feel like it is.
 

Grayscale

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Joined
Dec 20, 2007
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1,965
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ISTP
i generally refuse to believe that there is any situation im incapable of traversing, and i find the mere suggestion to be borderline repulsive, enough so that i will purposefully fuck myself over just to completely eradicate it.

i consider myself a highly capable person and whenever i hear "you cant..." the unstoppable tumult of thoughts that follows is "i cant? fuck that... i can, i will, get out of my way and watch me!"

the ability to do what i want is very much a part of my personal sense of freedom. the problem with this is that i can't actually do everything (duh) and i will often attempt what i cant do well, do it poorly, and become somewhat of a detriment to myself.

overall, i dont think a revision in my approach is in order since i can come through 99 times out of 100. i like and am very good at problem solving, so it's almost like a hobby of mine. :)
 

Nocapszy

no clinkz 'til brooklyn
Joined
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4,517
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ENTP
I'm not certain, but I think this might also have something to do with having testicles.
I doubt it. I know chick'ns (see what I did there?) that do the same.

Reading your post reminded me very much of my ex, thanks. :smooch:


I guess boredom and predictability can lead one to :17425:

Uhm... like I said, being NT doesn't mean we're masochists, just some of us like to fix things. If nothing's broken, that's a problem. The solution is to break something. Then we have to fix that. That's two in a row. Talk about NT efficiency.

Or wait... that seems kind of backwards...
 

SillySapienne

`~~Philosoflying~~`
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Yeah, you're right.

These chicks totally hate living in the burbs. (Actually, the passenger seems to feel/express a premature boredom of ho-humderum)

Suburban_neighborhood.jpg
 
S

sammy

Guest
I know an NT male who likes to create relationship problems to solve, especially when on the brink of losing their mate or friends :blink:

He's not very emotionally mature though, to be honest (this is not just my opinion but of many other people who are close to him). When he's creating problems to solve in a more theoretical manner and less to play games with a person's mind or emotions, I find his abilities to solve things a great asset. He finds a lot of amusement in tricking people into acting or saying something in a given situation (which he will create artificially using the person's real fears, for example).
 

Nocapszy

no clinkz 'til brooklyn
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Messages
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ENTP
I know an NT male who likes to create relationship problems to solve, especially when on the brink of losing their mate or friends :blink:

He's not very emotionally mature though, to be honest (this is not just my opinion but of many other people who are close to him).
These two things usually go hand in hand.
 
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