II. Ne-Ti interplay
“The stronger his intuition, the more his ego becomes fused with all the possibilities he envisions. He brings his vision to life, he presents it convincingly and with dramatic fire, he embodies it, so to speak. But this is not play-acting, it is a kind of fate.”
Introverted Thinking is the rational function and the kernel of the ENTP’s inner being. As an introverted judging faculty, it is primarily responsible for establishing a clear-cut standard for the ENTP to assess the world with. However, as an Extroverted type, strangely enough the ENTP tends to rely on external cues for self-assessment. On Intuition rather than Thinking. As an Extroverted perceiver, the ENTP is more concerned with the general ambience of the environment rather than private perceptions. Thus, in order to be successful the ENTP needs to arrive at a situation where he picks up the hunch that his vision has been realized. As aforementioned, because of the ENTP’s lack of focus on external perception he is compelled to draw all of his energy into the external endeavor. As Jung commented, for this reason the ENTP tends to embody his vision. He becomes one with the essence he is currently preoccupied with. We have here a radically paradoxical notion. The generally unfocused ENTP here focuses on his vision with blazing intensity the point of becoming one with it. Essentially, unlike the judging dominant types, the ENTP does not need to focus on any one particular thing, but rather on the general scope of his environment. Thus the ENTP can easily be preoccupied with his pursuit of the entire vision whilst shifting from activity to activity whilst undertaking his project. Extroverted Intuition is often malleable and can easily be influenced by the external environment, as we mentioned it lacks the grid of judgment. The ENTP can very easily be focused on one particular task at one point and by way of external circumstances be blown away to be focused with the same intensity on something radically different. This problem can be rectified only through cultivation of Introverted Thinking, which is the backbone to his psyche. At this point the ENTP will have a clear, internal focus on his activities and will not rely on external perceptions for guidance. Because the ENTP requires changes in his environment, as an Extroverted perceiver and depends on the outward scenario due to the factor of Extroversion, he depends almost wholly on outward stimulation for his energy. Thus when the external environment is satisfactory, the energy level will likely be high where he will devote most of it to the current endeavor he is pursuing. Yet, if the environment is less than propitious, the ENTP will likely be drained. This, in the most benign of situations will force him into a situation where cultivation of the Introverted function is inevitable. This is desirable because only through fostering of our auxiliary function will we able to find the true sense of balance.
ENTP thought, despite being logical due to the Introverted Thinking factor tends to be characterized by an unsystematic, if not chaotic flavor. Throughout history, ENTPs were most renowned, more so than any other type for their chaos theories. As Bertrand Russell once proclaimed..
“Academic philosophers, ever since the time of Parmenides , have believed that the world is a unity…The most fundamental of my intellectual beliefs is that this is rubbish. I think the universe is all spots and jumps, without unity, without continuity, without coherence or orderliness or any of the other properties that governess love…it consists of events, short, small and haphazard. Order, unity, and continuity are human inventions, just as truly as our catalogues and encyclopedias.”
This is the consequence of the aforementioned lack of external grid approach to the world. Where perceptions are incepted in the form of indistinguishable and malleable particles. Such a worldview renders the principle of individuation impossible. David Hume, another well-known ENTP once claimed that nothing in the world happens by chance, yet we are not capable of understanding the true causes of occurrences we observe. Here we seem to notice the interplay of Extroverted Intuition and Introverted Thinking. The notion of how nothing happens by chance is much more germane to the latter rather than the former, as it is founded on the proposition that all events happen because they are bound to do so by a certain law of nature. Yet, the Extroverted Intuition is by the nature of itself is radically anti-establishment as it repels all notions germane to status quo, or grid of solidification. David Hume’s epistemic skepticism seems to be much akin to this notion.
He has proposed that we tend to go not by reason, but by animal faith for establishment of our beliefs. Or one could think, odd hunches that seem to vaguely relate to the external world, and only after we apply our reasoning faculties to make sense of them. Yet, reason, it appears to be is never sufficient on its own, from the ENTP perspective. Perceptions, however, are not an end in themselves as they are for the Introverted Intuitive type, but means to the end of interacting with the outer world. As Extroverts, ENTPs are doers, therefore they see imagination and logic as means to the end of achieving an external goal. As Extroverted Visionaries ENTPs tend to believe that envisioned ideas must be matched with proper actions. As Walt Disney’s claim, who himself was an ENTP seems to support such a mindset in regards to how anything that can be imagined can be done.
For the ENTP, this is not far from the truth as their visions tend to be incepted in the concrete world, for this reason it tends to be rather easy for them to apply their ideas to their external environment. Extroversion does not generate essences from within, but merely contributes to the already existing entities. Thus, the ENTP is most adept at manipulating and contributing to ideas of others. Because of their affinity with the External perception, they tend to present their thoughts with high clarity. Yet unlike the ENTJ, who tries to make his reasoning as palpable as possible, the ENTP employs a different method to have his ideas understood. He appeals to the external perceptions palpable to all of us, if Intuitive to any notable degree. Because the ENTP is more concerned with intuitions pertaining to the outer environment and not private hunches like the INJ, and they tend to approach all aspects of scenario simultaneously rather than sequentially, they tend to be apt at understanding multiple perspectives. Their attunement with the perceptions of others makes it easy for them to see how they are perceived and what they need to do in order to display exactly the kind of an image they were looking for initially.
Such a keen awareness of the perceptions of their audience, is without a doubt, a strength of communication. The larger the audience, the more comfortable the ENTP is likely to be as there will be more external perceptions for them to feed off, and incidentally, it will be easier for them to appeal to the general vibe of the environment. ‘The spirit of the times’ is most relevant to the notion of Extroverted Intuition without a doubt. As such a notion depicts the quintessence of the external environment, which in itself is abstract almost the point of ineffability, one that could be accessed only through intuitions. ENPs tend to derive their insights in a rapid and disjointed fashion, and whilst being in the process of this making connections between the ideas their imaginations have just conjured. They stand in sharp contrast to the INJs in this regard whose imagination works smoothly and gradually from the inside out. The INJ who tends to have difficulty forming connections between seemingly disparate ideas because of his need to focus on one hunch at a time stands in sharp contrast with the ENTP who processes all hunches that there could be momentarily. Moreover, because he tackles the external environment with his perceiving function, he is always able to interact with it. Unlike the INTs, the ENTP does not need to retreat into himself to process or analyze ideas, as he simply can volley them as he goes. For this reason the ENTP tends to excel at improvisation as he always has the big picture view in mind, without necessarily focusing on the particular aspects of the task he wishes to engage.
Therefore, they always tend to be engaging presenters, and are rarely capable of being stodgy as they are of being shallow. The light-hearted approach to life of the ENTP in connection to the aforementioned appeal to perceptions easily discernable by all leads them to become avid entertainers. Careers of Voltaire and recently George Carlin are a manifest cases in point. Interestingly enough, whilst appearing to lack accuracy in thought and language, their thinking tends to be very accurate due to the auxiliary Introverted Thinking function. The Introverted Thinking allows for the ENTP to focus specifically on ideas their mind has set an interest on, this is a valuable ammunition to their scattered approach to life. Many have become avid logicians and have often outdone their Intuitive counterparts the INJs. Maimonides, Russell, and Hume were the case in point. The above three can serve as emblematic of an ENTP with a well balanced Ne-Ti axis. As they not only prospered off their intuitions, but also showed mastery of logical analysis. This has given them the sense of internally derived self-assurance that many of their counterparts lacked. Due to the unstable nature of Extroverted perception, an unbalanced ENTP is unlikely to have a firm inner being and his self-image, as well as self-esteem will be greatly contingent upon the high and lows of the swings of his intuitive energy.
And of course, to even a greater extent the intuitive ambience he shall entertain as reception from the audience. Such ENTPs will greatly depend on admiration of others for their own sense of self-confidence. They will need consistent external gratification in order to be hold their own soundly. This leads them to a peculiar position of being very comfortable giving criticism, yet themselves being intensely sensitive to the criticism of others. Though clearly for different reasons than the Feeling types. The ENTP will fear the criticism of others not due to the dreaded negative emotional energy to be incurred or disharmony, but rather because it may threaten the perception of his self-competence. The latter tends to be vital due to the Introverted Thinking factor. However, after the ENTP has cultivated his auxiliary Introverted Thinking, he will likely concoct an inner standard to assess his own competence. ENTPs who make a conscious effort to cultivate their Introverted Thinking will notice themselves stepping away from the external world to embrace their own judgment. At such a point the ENTP will have most confidence in his own judgment. Being well-received will be played down significantly and the ENTP will then focus on his pure intent and strictly individualistic goals as opposed to what shall be fitting to the outer environment. Enigmatically, the Introverted Judgment tends to be utilized for external purpose by the ENTP, as the type in itself is most properly classified as Extroverted. Thus, even healthy ENTPs tend to see achievement of an inner purpose as means to the end prescribed by the vision of their Extroverted Intuition and not an end in itself. If the Introverted Thinking falls slave to Extroverted Intuition, scenarios akin to the following shall ensue: The ENTP will grasp an intuitive notion of how he must carry himself in the outer world, likely a standard for success, very similar to the one observed by the EJ types. And then, his inner being, or the Introverted Thinking will compel him to devote all of his might to the acquisition of the goal he has set sight on. And there he will not rest until the ends have been met. There can be no doubt that for such ENTPs, the ends justify the means. Truth (Ti), will be only as good as it gets them what their vision has embarked upon..
“The intuitive’s morality is governed neither by thinking nor by feeling; he has his own characteristic morality, which consists in loyalty to his vision and involuntary submission to authority. Consideration for others is weak. Their psychic well-being counts as little with him as does his own. He has equally little regard for their convictions and way of life, and on this accounts he is often put down as an immoral and unscrupulous adventurer.”
This, almost certainly, is a result of the Introverted Thinking, or the judging essence, ethics building faculty being enslaved by the Extroverted Intuition. Such an ENTP sees a good thing as simply whatever is in accord with his vision. Whatever is not, shall be deemed bad. Here he simply sees no distinction between desirable and desired by me. As mentioned in the INFP profile, the nature of Introverted Judgment without a purpose will be radically ego-centric, though the introverted judger who has found a higher purpose will likely avoid self-apotheosis. The latter is the danger that the ENP is particularly susceptible. As the Introverted Judgment is unlikely to function soundly if the ENTP is off-balance. Such individuals will likely use their keen awareness of the external environment to simply ‘pick the berries’ whilst having little concern for the interest of others and even less the amelioration of the community. This once more, is an inevitable consequence of introverted judgment turned corrupt. Manipulating the external situation will be central to his interests.
Extroverted Perception will give him a clear view of the ‘entire board’, and Introverted Thinking will allow for the ENTP to make sound logical decisions to do all that is necessary to appease the whims of his egocentric will. Such ENTPs function in this fashion because they lack a higher purpose, or they do not wish to pursue any inner virtue that transcends what befits their external environment. Accordingly they will have little interest in being as logical as possible for instance. They will only want to be logical enough to get what they are looking for in terms of external rewards.
“Since his intuition is concerned with externals and with feretting out their possibilities, he readily turns to professions in which he can exploit these capacities to the full. Many business tycoons, entrepreneurs, speculators, stockbrokers, politicians, etc., belong to this type.”
As aforementioned the ENTP is often able to put on exactly the kind of an image he needs to put on for the sake of meeting a particular external end. Thus, this appears to be a sufficient reason for why they tend to gravitate towards such fields. The character of Prince in Machiavelli, who himself was an ENTP represents such a mindset well. However, ENTPs who have developed their introverted judgment and have come in tune with the higher purpose will liberate themselves from the tyranny of the external agenda and only then will be able to come to terms with their inner being and view themselves as true individuals as opposed to mere agents of the network they are environed in. There they will be able to see a sharp distinction between the things they do to humor their outer environment and what is a true a manifestation of their inner being. There they will cease trying to be one of their personas that they’ve put on display for the sake of meeting a particular end of the outer world, but will then see personas as either irrelevant to who they are or merely means to the end of attunement with their inner being. An ENTP who has developed Introverted Thinking will truly be able to think for himself and his opinions will not be malleable by the prevailing attitudes of others and ideas that merely seem intuitive. Implausible ideas will be less likely to be accepted by such ENTPs as they will be subjected to the siege of their critical analysis.