SoraMayhem
defying your expectations
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2012
- Messages
- 344
- MBTI Type
- INFP
- Enneagram
- 4w5
- Instinctual Variant
- so/sx
I'm not sure why INFJs would be considered private. Fe is more self-disclosing than Fi.
Well then we can probably rule out INTJ.
So what can't we rule out then with this information?
INTP's aren't very private.
So maybe I'm a quadritype.
INTX-->INFX
I'll look more at INFJ, it just doesn't seem as much like me. But then as you say, they are hard to describe and pin down. And I am so different from my INFJ pagan friend that it's hard to believe we are the same type. We come to many of the same conclusions but in totally different ways. And she tells me my brain works like a computer. (And I was able to fix her computer the other day despite knowing very little about techie type stuff). She goes on these poetic monologues about spirituality and reality, and even when it is very organized, I'll condense it into one or 2 statements and automatically deduce the underlying principles without any reference to the human element. We are actually a great team this way and plan to write books together. She knows a lot of information and discusses it with me, and we bounce ideas off each other, and I organize it into a framework and expand upon it, and she applies it to the social sphere. (I know I said I do this with ethics, applying it to the social sphere, but in a rather impersonal way, and really just because of the nature of the subject of ethics). This is another reason I thought INTP- it looks like my dominant Ti and inferior Fe complimenting her auxiliary Fe and tertiary Ti. And as far as the other functions are concerned I just think I have atypical development, but I suppose it could be the case that we are the same type with radically different expressions and development of the functions (as well as life experiences).
Ok, here is the link again to the specific profile I found that describes me well:
http://www.personalitypage.com/html/INTP_per.html
I copied it to a word document and highlighted things which were particularly accurate and some which were not so accurate. Because I have developed Ni, for whatever reason- either I just do or I am actually INXJ, my memory of specifics in the past is kind of fuzzy and consists of general impressions. So I remembered it as being far more accurate than it is. But it's still pretty darn accurate. So here are the highlighted passages and my elaboration/explanation (in sections because it's long). If you want the full paragraphs and sentences in some cases instead of snippets, you can just open the link in another tab.
Primary Axis: Introverted Thinking - Extraverted Intuition
For here is the central goal of the INTP: to understand and seek truth.
This could be argued for Fi as well as Ti, but this is pretty much my goal in life. It is above everything, and everything contributes to my sense of what is true, both objectively and subjectively (because ultimate reality is composed of both- it would be illogical to ignore either. Most of the time I focus on the objective however, because I am primarily analytical.) I want to attain enlightenment.
The INTP is not interested in experiences themselves but is far more fascinated by concepts.
Not so much, but this is because of my sense of detachment.
...most primary interests of an INTP are things which he cannot fully understand, usually because they are highly complex or have some exotic, mystical element that does not yield to analysis.
Exotic and mystical? Like my spiritual ideas and philosophy? Yes!
This is the real reason why INTPs are drawn to complexity: anything simple is too quickly understood and cannot hold the fascination for long. Similarly, proficiency in any area (which requires continual practice after understanding) is not such a driving force as it might be for NTJs, for example.
Not so much, but I don't know. I really want to excel at things, but practicing is boring. I don't really lose interest in things after I've understood them. I like knowing things, and understanding things is beautiful.
The Ti-Ne axis leads to a curious overriding desire to observe from a detached position, indicating the preference for intuitive perception with respect to external things.
Yes. I feel such a strong need to detach from things, it's really abnormal and causes me to not really engage in life. It's a continual struggle to get myself to just live in the moment. When I do, I really enjoy myself. I can't take any pleasure in the idea of "losing my inhibitions" because that would mean operating unconsciously and letting my analytical mind go, which I can't do. I don't get drunk for its own sake. I like being kind of tipsy, but I've never done anything drunk that I wouldn't do sober, nor do I have the desire to. I find it hard to just relax and let go. I feel I need to be objectively aware of and in control of my actions at all times. I have kind of a fear of being unconscious.
The INTP enjoys speculating about how a news item (for example) might be received by other people or how a point of view might offend certain types of people and be supported by yet other types; but to have a point of view of his own rarely seems relevant!
Maybe. I never watch the news because it's just depressing and mostly irrelevant to my life. I don't like getting involved with human drama. I have a few things I care about, but I don't like hearing about negative things in relation to these things all the time. If something is triggered (Fi style) I will respond, but I won't enjoy it. When I have an opinion based on how things "should be," I always take an analytical and logical approach and argue in an objective style. I don't make it my primary business in life to have opinions based on judgments. So...I guess the point is that I detach from the news. I mean, I do have a value system; I just don't spend a lot of time there.
End of part 1.
Now I'm not sure why you came across as more J than P before. Ti is a judging function, and it does tend to come out as J in a more detached and philosophical mode. Let's call it JI like some people do.
I personal identify with a lot of what you're saying there. The Enneagram reveals that this detachment is really procrastination on a profound level. The MBTI will not tell you this. When you detach it's an excuse never to "get your life going," although you may think to be accomplishing something. But thousands of pages of perhaps excellent truth-seeking have actually gotten you no closer to the truth because it doesn't lie in any of those thoughts and words. It lies in getting out and interacting with reality, not hiding in the coven.
None of this says what type you are, but type-searching is just another form of procrastination. Let's say you are INTP with developed Ni. Now go and do something useful and practical with this knowledge.
Interesting, both greenfairy and Mal+ are probably INTPs with well developed Ni, making the tritype theory a more likely possibility.
Do you have any good links about tritype theory, or is it still only in the minds of people like us?
And what is your tritype again, if you have one?
I have another thought. What is I'm a closet extrovert? Up to age 7 I was very friendly and sociable, even to strangers. If there were other kids for me to play with, I would. I've always had a good imagination, but other kids liked it and thought I was fun. Then we moved and people thought I was weird. It was then that I started acting like an introvert, because I decided people didn't want to interact with me. But in my imaginary world I'm always popular and surrounded by a group of people. And I'm always energized when I interact with others. I only really feel like I need time alone to think about my ideas. It's just that being a little bit socially slow, and acting like an introvert, sometimes I'm awkward and I worry about what other people think of me. That's the thing that gets to be stressful, not the interaction itself. I like groups and parties, when I can put psychic shields up.
Also could a closet extrovert become Ni dominant?
I think it's entirely possible to fluctuate.
My new thought: my cognitive functions look a lot like INFJ. So I'm a potential closet extrovert, Ni dominant, F and T working together as appropriate to the situation, who most closely identifies with INTP. In other words a mystery. Which my Ti is compelled to figure out. Why don't I just choose a type and be done with it you ask? Because no matter which type I choose, someone is going to say I don't fit the type. Because I don't really fit any type. I guarantee if I was to pretend to be INFP and get on the INFP forum I'd be pissing people off right and left and they'd tell me to go to the NT section after awhile. And if I pretended to be INFJ I'd be hurting their feelings all the time and telling them to relax and not make everything so personal, and to stop judging. This has been my experience in real life anyway. So right now acting like INTP and not being convincing to some people is the best I can hope for.
I think it's entirely possible to fluctuate.
My new thought: my cognitive functions look a lot like INFJ. So I'm a potential closet extrovert, Ni dominant, F and T working together as appropriate to the situation, who most closely identifies with INTP. In other words a mystery. Which my Ti is compelled to figure out. Why don't I just choose a type and be done with it you ask? Because no matter which type I choose, someone is going to say I don't fit the type. Because I don't really fit any type. I guarantee if I was to pretend to be INFP and get on the INFP forum I'd be pissing people off right and left and they'd tell me to go to the NT section after awhile. And if I pretended to be INFJ I'd be hurting their feelings all the time and telling them to relax and not make everything so personal, and to stop judging. This has been my experience in real life anyway. So right now acting like INTP and not being convincing to some people is the best I can hope for.