Disliking the concept of "fun"

[kuranes]

I guess it depends on who is defining what fun is. When it is me defining it, then obviously I don't have a problem with it.

Interesting how the word "funny" is so close, and yet pointed towards only one aspect of "fun" - humor.

I remember one day we had decided to go to a rock concert that started out as a kind of misery. It was a sweltering hot day and we were sitting there in it, after having been ushered in like a herd of cattle. The groups were not due to arrive for awhile, but we wanted to be able to get seats that were reasonably close and so we had come as early as we did. Finally an opening act came on, and their first number was an old Sam Cooke tune that begins "We're having a party..." and I felt that same thing you guys were talking about earlier, where people were attempting to convince us that we were "having fun." Eventually we did, though. ( Have fun. )

 

[King sns]

I always wonder why people don't show up at parties and events when they have nothing else to do and I made it CLEAR that it would be FUN. That's often my primary argument.

"There will be lots of people there. It will be FUN!"

and people literally cringe and I always just assume that they are being shy. And I always just assumed that almost everybody liked to have "fun". (Sitting around a table drinking, shoe shopping.) and that if they didn't want to have fun then they were just really tired or just shy.

Well, learn something new every day.

 

[The Ü™]

Parties do not look fun. They look pointless. I'm the kind of person who would rather create stories with action figures.

 

[nolla]

I'm the kind of person who would rather create stories with action figures.

You can do that in parties.

 

[The Ü™]

You can do that in parties.

I'd rather do it without others bothering me.

For me, leisure activities are more about having power over something. I'm more swayed by power than frivolity.

 

[nolla]

Oh, then I cant help you. I don't understand the concept of power.

 

[wolfy]

We is far too sophisticated to have fun. Fun is for SFPs. They have to have something in their lives.

That's right. Fun is ... well it's fun that's what it is.

 

[FFF]

I'm not too sure if this is type related or what but it's been buzzing around in my head since I watched an interview with Stephen Fry when he mentioned recoiling whenever people mentioned "fun".

Yes, I find talk about fun to be repulsive because most people consider utter stupidity to be fun. Let's get drunk and act like idiots, it'll be fun. Been there, done that, and it's pretty damn lame.

Yes, this issue is type related. If you look into the subfactors of the big five traits, you'll notice that one of the factors for extroversion is often called "excitement seeking." So if you're consistently introverted, then you won't be seeking out excitement. It is possible you're low on all the other extroversion factors and not low on this one, so don't try to invalidate this by saying you're an excitement seeking introvert.

High openness (intuition) includes a dimension involving your tolerance for novelty. Someone high in that one dimension will tire of the same ol' same ol' pretty quickly. Excitement for these types is something new. What type of new excitement that is will depend on other personality factors and individual preferences. For some it'll be, "Let's go to a new bar and get drunk and act like idiots." For others it could be investigating and discussing a new personality theory.

Low conscientiousness (perceiving) often results in being informal and not very serious. Perhaps this is why some J types like to get drunk, so they can be more comfortable with being informal and not serious.

 

[FFF]

I always wonder why people don't show up at parties and events when they have nothing else to do and I made it CLEAR that it would be FUN. That's often my primary argument.

"There will be lots of people there. It will be FUN!"

and people literally cringe and I always just assume that they are being shy. And I always just assumed that almost everybody liked to have "fun". (Sitting around a table drinking, shoe shopping.) and that if they didn't want to have fun then they were just really tired or just shy.

Well, learn something new every day.

Lots of people for me will mean I hardly get to say anything and the people that speak the most do all the talking and usually they talk about things I don't know anything about or don't care about.

 

[wolfy]

Yes, I find talk about fun to be repulsive because most people consider utter stupidity to be fun. Let's get drunk and act like idiots, it'll be fun. Been there, done that, and it's pretty damn lame.

High openness (intuition) includes a dimension involving your tolerance for novelty. Someone high in that one dimension will tire of the same ol' same ol' pretty quickly. Excitement for these types is something new. What type of new excitement that is will depend on other personality factors and individual preferences. For some it'll be, "Let's go to a new bar and get drunk and act like idiots." For others it could be investigating and discussing a new personality theory.

Low conscientiousness (perceiving) often results in being informal and not very serious. Perhaps this is why some J types like to get drunk, so they can be more comfortable with being informal and not serious.

I find drunk people and utter stupidity annoying too unless I am also drunk and being utterly stupid too.

I always score High openness and Low conscientiousness. Go figure.

 

[Salomé]

if you're consistently introverted, then you won't be seeking out excitement.

But..but..but....

It is possible you're low on all the other extroversion factors and not low on this one, so don't try to invalidate this by saying you're an excitement seeking introvert.

Foiled.


I was going to say, for people who dislike the "concept" of fun, we sure as hell have got a lot to say about it!

The concept is probably all we are interested in!

How sad and yet, quite funny.

 

[King sns]

Yes, I find talk about fun to be repulsive because most people consider utter stupidity to be fun. Let's get drunk and act like idiots, it'll be fun. Been there, done that, and it's pretty damn lame.

Yes, this issue is type related. If you look into the subfactors of the big five traits, you'll notice that one of the factors for extroversion is often called "excitement seeking." So if you're consistently introverted, then you won't be seeking out excitement. It is possible you're low on all the other extroversion factors and not low on this one, so don't try to invalidate this by saying you're an excitement seeking introvert.

High openness (intuition) includes a dimension involving your tolerance for novelty. Someone high in that one dimension will tire of the same ol' same ol' pretty quickly. Excitement for these types is something new. What type of new excitement that is will depend on other personality factors and individual preferences. For some it'll be, "Let's go to a new bar and get drunk and act like idiots." For others it could be investigating and discussing a new personality theory.

Low conscientiousness (perceiving) often results in being informal and not very serious. Perhaps this is why some J types like to get drunk, so they can be more comfortable with being informal and not serious.

I think most people do think drunken mindless babbling at a party is fun...

but also, camping is fun, snowboarding is fun, road trips are fun. I would HOPE that spending time with people you love is fun.. (friends and family..) It does not necissarily have to be a dark room full of drunken strangers.. it could be a room full of family and close friends playing board games.. These all seem like "extroverted, excitement seeking" activities in my mind, but at the same time, I don't see how anyone, (introverts included) would be repulsed by this concept of "fun."

 

[runvardh]

Last time I checked introversion is how much energy you can devote to things outside yourself before retreating to recharge. I need my time alone, but I wouldn't mind heading out to a party now and then. The problem is there aren't any I can go to where I don't have to drink with out other people picking at me for it.

That said, fun for me is a week long bike ride through the mountains taking pictures and camping along the way. More so if I have some friends doing it with me.

 

[Simplexity]

Parties do not look fun. They look pointless. I'm the kind of person who would rather Play out sexual fantasies with action figures and dolls.

Fixed.

 

[FFF]

I think most people do think drunken mindless babbling at a party is fun...

but also, camping is fun, snowboarding is fun, road trips are fun. I would HOPE that spending time with people you love is fun.. (friends and family..) It does not necissarily have to be a dark room full of drunken strangers.. it could be a room full of family and close friends playing board games.. These all seem like "extroverted, excitement seeking" activities in my mind, but at the same time, I don't see how anyone, (introverts included) would be repulsed by this concept of "fun."

Yeah, camping and road trips can be fun with the right people. I just don't have those people in my life anymore. Snowboarding is kinda hard when you don't have snow or mountains (I'm in southern Louisiana). I have a friend that goes surfing in the gulf, but I wonder how small the waves are. Friends playing board games or video games can be fun if the games aren't stupid.

 

[The Ü™]

Fixed.

Well, that, too. I consider that to be in the same boat.

("Your helmet is so big!")

 

[miss fortune]

Fun can describe more than what camp councilors and news anchors say is fun (which usually isn't because it's all organized and involves "sharing feelings" or something else icky)

If I say that a party will be fun, I mean it! For those who like parties anyways (and I'm speaking of the type that involve people sitting around a table, getting drunk and playing something like Catchphrase while watching Robot Chicken in the background and ordering Thai takeout at 1am). If I say that breaking into an abandoned house late at night because it's reported to be haunted is fun, I mean it to those I'm inviting along!

It's all in who's telling you that it's fun- if they enjoy the same types of things as you do, you'll probably enjoy it!

 

[The Ü™]

I say crashing the party would be more fun.

Most of my ideas of fun will get me thrown in jail.

 

[FDG]

I'm not too sure if this is type related or what but it's been buzzing around in my head since I watched an interview with Stephen Fry when he mentioned recoiling whenever people mentioned "fun".

To me it's more apprehension at what people mean by the word "fun". Often people use it to mean something inane and mindless devoid of all intellectual content and just designed to give them a quick buzz. Now I don't mean to come across all snobbish and aloof but I'm much more enthused by the idea of something which engages the brain, allows for innovation and even... dun dun duhhh... teamwork. Sitting around a table getting drunk is none of those things...

Anyhow I was wondering if there's any more who recoil from the term fun or something similar.

Anybody?

You're snob.

 

[Anja]

Well, I like to talk about balance. And balance in social skills applies. There are those who really don't know how to play, others who don't know when its time to be serious.

When we're invited to do one or the other, and don't feel confident yet in that life area, we may choose one of two options: reluctantly go along and throw a wet blanket on the situation for our sole contribution. See it here all the time. Or we may just bail out.

It's that other-focus which gets us in trouble. We think something is expected of us and forget to pay attention to ourselves, such as going along, observing and learning how to do it.

It's been my observation that most who bring negativity to a group situation do so for lack of skill in that area. What they miss is an opportunity to learn something that could benefit them.

I struggled with having to be with people I didn't care to spend time with or situations I didn't feel socially comfortable with for years. I finally made the determination to MAKE it fun for myself. When I picked up a few tricks to amuse myself in these circumstances I begin to fit in better, relaxed and I can truthfully say that I can be nearly anywhere now and put myself at ease.

It's been a good thing to learn.