The Ü™
Permabanned
- Joined
- May 26, 2007
- Messages
- 11,910
- MBTI Type
- INTJ
- Enneagram
- 5w6
- Instinctual Variant
- sp/sx
There is a lot of talk that Sensors are shallow and Intuitives are profound. I'm here to examine how both cognitive functions can be "shallow."
Sensors are generally perceived as materialistic and overly concerned with physical appearances. But let's look deeper into them. Sensors live in the physical world, which means their mental activity is predominantly directed into the environment. I think they are more likely to display a certain seriousness about life than an Intuitive probably would.
For example, I actually think it's likely to be an SJ who is more concerned about global warming and issues about morality and so forth. They have an extremely realistic perspective on things. Their Sensation directs them into worldly here-and-now concerns, and their Judgment provides them a lifestyle that looks at future consequences. So the SJ is everything but shallow because they take things seriously (sometimes at the expense of becoming uptight).
Sensors take life seriously, and are aware of what is worldly. Even SPs take life seriously. SPs take fun seriously, and isn't fun a part of life? Who knows? Maybe the whole purpose of life is to enjoy it. I see SPs also show concern for the environment, as well -- for example, I believe the hippie cultures are largely an Extraverted Sensation population.
Intuitives, on the other hand can be incredibly shallow. An example is the tendency for ENxPs to make jokes about worldly concerns, which is probably what makes them such great comedians, and often insensitive and uncaring about more worldly matters, such as political correctness. A dominant Ne could also be quite flighty. They tend to come up with a lot of ideas, but bringing them to reality is more of a challenge unless developed. Of all types, I think it's the Ne that is most likely to trivialize. Satire and "shocking" others, after all, does seem to be more Ne than not.
An Ni can also be quite shallow in terms of having their minds in reality (unless developed). An Ni's prophetic mindset leads him/her to look at the possibilities of all situations, which may or may not be true. Just because your think prophetically doesn't mean you're always going to be right. And so, by itself, Ni can be quite shallow in its unwillingness to experience, particularly if they are skeptics rather than optimists. An Ni who is also a negative thinker could be quite cynical, asking, "What's the point?"
So there you have it, I think that a Sensor is deep in some ways and an Intuitive is shallow in some ways.
Sensors are generally perceived as materialistic and overly concerned with physical appearances. But let's look deeper into them. Sensors live in the physical world, which means their mental activity is predominantly directed into the environment. I think they are more likely to display a certain seriousness about life than an Intuitive probably would.
For example, I actually think it's likely to be an SJ who is more concerned about global warming and issues about morality and so forth. They have an extremely realistic perspective on things. Their Sensation directs them into worldly here-and-now concerns, and their Judgment provides them a lifestyle that looks at future consequences. So the SJ is everything but shallow because they take things seriously (sometimes at the expense of becoming uptight).
Sensors take life seriously, and are aware of what is worldly. Even SPs take life seriously. SPs take fun seriously, and isn't fun a part of life? Who knows? Maybe the whole purpose of life is to enjoy it. I see SPs also show concern for the environment, as well -- for example, I believe the hippie cultures are largely an Extraverted Sensation population.
Intuitives, on the other hand can be incredibly shallow. An example is the tendency for ENxPs to make jokes about worldly concerns, which is probably what makes them such great comedians, and often insensitive and uncaring about more worldly matters, such as political correctness. A dominant Ne could also be quite flighty. They tend to come up with a lot of ideas, but bringing them to reality is more of a challenge unless developed. Of all types, I think it's the Ne that is most likely to trivialize. Satire and "shocking" others, after all, does seem to be more Ne than not.
An Ni can also be quite shallow in terms of having their minds in reality (unless developed). An Ni's prophetic mindset leads him/her to look at the possibilities of all situations, which may or may not be true. Just because your think prophetically doesn't mean you're always going to be right. And so, by itself, Ni can be quite shallow in its unwillingness to experience, particularly if they are skeptics rather than optimists. An Ni who is also a negative thinker could be quite cynical, asking, "What's the point?"
So there you have it, I think that a Sensor is deep in some ways and an Intuitive is shallow in some ways.