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worst type for the military

Scott N Denver

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I was reading a discussion on INTPcentral about INTP's joining the military. Several INTP's who had spent time in the military said INTP was probably the worst fit. Which got me wondering

What is the worst type [as in worst fit] for the military?

My top 4: INFP, ISFP, INTP, ENFP

INTP: "This makes no sense and is poor Ti", but at least they are T's
ISFP: "My values tell me not to hurt alive things, I'm gonna go tend to my plants now", but at least they are S's.
ENFP: "If we just thought outside the box and were willing to try this new cool idea I'm sure everything would be great" but at least they are E's
INFP: The military is generally considered an ESTJ environment, or perhaps ISTJ. "My values tell me not to take life, now I'm gonna go sit underneath a tree by myself and contemplate the meaning of life"

I've gotta go with one of the I_FP's personally.
 

nomadic

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I think NF's can get caught up in it pretty good, as long as the military brotherhood is believable and real.
 

Scott N Denver

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I think NF's can get caught up in it pretty good, as long as the military brotherhood is believable and real.

I was never in it, only around it, but I'd expect to see the military NF's: in the chaplain core, working at the hospital, I am told at the newspaper.
 

Fluffywolf

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Being an INTP in the military sucks quite a bit most of the time. But it's very good for developping some much needed J abilities that an INTP can use throughout the rest of his life.

And since INTP's tend to have a very high threshold for breaking and usually come in flavour determination just to prove the smallest of things to themselves. They're perfectly capable of dealing and learning to deal with the army.
 

Amargith

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Ohhh man, you're going to be undergoing the wrath of Kyuuei..:popc1:
 

Fluffywolf

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Who? Me? Bring it on. I support everything I said, 100%.
 

Qre:us

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I was never in it, only around it, but I'd expect to see the military NF's: in the chaplain core, working at the hospital, I am told at the newspaper.

I know a male INFJ and he's a senior officer in the military, within the special ops department. He's also an engineer who used to diddle with tanks. And, now does contingency planning...which includes, how to spend our $$ on nifty army toys by playing with them first. Nothing that requires the 'feeling' function. He's very strong in his "Thinking" function though, and I initially couldn't type him beyond INxJ.
 
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nozflubber

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You're totally off about the ISFP thing - you mistake them as soft, but many ISFPs can be truly hardened men. MY brother is ISFP and in the army and is doing great there and is a seargant already.

Besides, who do you think is filling all those cook positions in the service right now other than ISFPs?!??!? ESTJs and INTJs? plz...

You, are however, right about INTP being one of the worst types for the military - it just doesnt suit us and what motivates us. In boot camp, they had us receive chow in a certain manner at the dinner hall - you didnt grab the food, you accepted the food with your left hand cupped and right hand over the left wrist (I think? its been awhile). They do this for one very practical reason: its the safest way to exchange a live grenade without dropping it on the deck. But, they don't tell you that in boot camp because they try to drill one thing into you to prepare you for active service : DO THIS NOW AND SHUT UP ABOUT IT, you dont "need to know".

However, If they had TOLD me I was holding that chow as practice for holding a LIVE FUCKING GRENADE, which is what marines do at MCT right after boot camp, I would have taken the excercise MUCH more seriously, believe me. I'm not motivating by orders, I am motivated by reason, and orders are insufficient reasons to do things.

That's the problem of the military life for all NTPs i think - you're rarely given adequate "why" and in most situations are prevented from investigating why. I was only a reservist, so I truly admire NTPs like Nighthawk that made it through active service.
 

Nighthawk

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I served 13 years active duty in the Army, starting with 4 years of military school. It sucked. I alternatingly tried to convince myself I was an ESTJ or ESTP ... years before I even learned about type theory. In my opinion, those two are the perfect molds for the military. They love extraverts, sensors, thinkers ... and are very structured according to the judging aspect. The ESTPs get away with stuff because they often get results when they break rules ... so they are tolerated, even admired at times.

In my opinion INTP is among the poorest of fits. Disregard for authority and arbitratry rules was a big problem for me. I'm surprised I was never court martialed for some of the screaming matches I had with superiors over things they wanted me to do that made no sense to me. Lack of creative or intellectual outlets was also painful. You had to do everything by the book. Finding a better way was not tolerated. Extraversion was thought of very highly. I was frequently called to the carpet for not being outgoing or flamboyant enough. Apparently soldiers love and look up to flamboyant leaders.

I fit in the best when I morphed into an ENTJ/P for short periods (which took a lot of energy) and was able to apply creativity to battlefield strategy for unorthodox, but effective, solutions. The soldiers loved it because we kicked ass in unexpected ways. That was still a fight against many myopic superiors, who didn't like my methods, but at least I felt good about what I was doing. I did cultivate some allies (mosly unorthodox SPs), but also made a lot of enemies due to not following the rules or just plain old personality conflicts with jackasses.

I do believe that INFP might be an even worse fit however, given that every one of their preferences cuts across the military grain. I'm not saying these types cannot succeed in the military ... just that I think it takes a lot more effort than for an archtypical ESTJ or ESTP.
 

Siúil a Rúin

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INFP

If you change any one of those letters, there's a good chance it will still be a bad match.
 

Nighthawk

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If you change any one of those letters, there's a good chance it will still be a bad match.

I agree ... any one-letter variation from INFP (inclusive) would be a questionable match. Still leaves three preferences that cut against the military grain.
 

Nonsensical

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I think NTPs would be worst in the Military.

Why do people always assume that NFs would be? NFs would have the honor to do such a thing, in my opinion..I know I'd have the honor. My uncle is an INFP and he was in Desert Storm and was proud to risk his life for his beliefs. NTs wouldn't find much logic in tedious drills and training and tactics would be difficult. NTJs would, however, make good Military leaders, but NTPs in my opinion, would most likely hate it the most.


Stop thinking INFPs would be the worst! Jone of Arc was an INFP (or so they say) and she stood up for what she loved and fought for her country. NFs are all about pride and inspiration..so if they were inspired to do so, they could easily. Not every single NF is completely passive, it's soo annoying when people stereotype NFs as being like that. Many of the best freedom fighters and rebels were NFs.
 

JivinJeffJones

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I agree with INFP. It's not a question of being willing to fight for your beliefs. It's more a question of being able to put up with military life - which would probably suit ESTJs the best I'm guessing.

Edit: Private Witt in The Thin Red Line is a pretty good depiction of an INFP in the military I would think.
 

Blank

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An NTP is probably only good for the military if they're an officer or something.

Also: To whomever made the comment about NTPs not putting up with training because it'd be pointless, I disagree. If I joined the military, I could accept the training for a shit-ton of training, the basics of which is that the training is used to protect my life. That's a pretty good fucking motivator.

EDIT: But I would completely and utterly resist deindividuation.
 

nozflubber

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Stop thinking INFPs would be the worst! Jone of Arc was an INFP (or so they say) and she stood up for what she loved and fought for her country. NFs are all about pride and inspiration..so if they were inspired to do so, they could easily. Not every single NF is completely passive, it's soo annoying when people stereotype NFs as being like that. Many of the best freedom fighters and rebels were NFs.

yeah i actualyl agree that the INFP is getting dissmissed too easily by their value systems..... it could be the INFPs values that lead them into military life in the first place. It depends. You want to see a truly militant human being? find ANY feamle NFP cat lover and hurt her loved ones just ONCE and see what u get :p I think the male INFPs should speak up on this - where's biaxident?!

But an INTP always has a need for reasonining and questioning and all around deviant thinking.
 

stigmatica

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I'm an ENFP who spent 3yrs and seventeen weeks in the military. It was a roller coaster ride. I thoroughly enjoyed the comradeship, adventure, and challenges of the military, but despised the hard fast rules and regulations. Following orders from those who lacked intelligence in there decision making, and a lack of rational discussion in those decisions could be excrutiating at times. The day I got out was one of the happiest moments of my life, but at the same time, I miss the comradeship and adventure often. I would hate to do it again, but I wouldn't trade my experience in either.

Oh! Worst type for the military? I'm going to go with either INTP or INFP equally, but for different reasons. Both would find the strict rules and structures stifling, the INTP would be apt to inappropriate conflict, where the INFP would be secretly depressed.
 

CrystalViolet

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It would depend on the person, but I rather think an INFP with a mission could do very well. I honestly think it would be matter of extremes though, because I could imagine for myself it would be my own personal hell.
 

Nighthawk

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Stop thinking INFPs would be the worst! Jone of Arc was an INFP (or so they say) and she stood up for what she loved and fought for her country. NFs are all about pride and inspiration..so if they were inspired to do so, they could easily. Not every single NF is completely passive, it's soo annoying when people stereotype NFs as being like that. Many of the best freedom fighters and rebels were NFs.

I'm not trying to say that INFPs cannot make great soldiers or officers ... just that I didn't see very many during my time in uniform. The vast majority were SJ and SP. Of course the vast majority of the population is SJ and SP ... so that could account for the skewing. I still believe however, that the more letters you have differing from ESTJ, the more difficult time you will have in most military units. Also freedom fighters and rebels usually don't subscribe to the orthodox military regulations and structures ... which is part of what makes them so effective.

I do see your points about NF passion and its application to a military cause. That is something I had not considered.
 
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