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Does mbti take away the idea of free will?

A

Anew Leaf

Guest
I find that the more I learn about JCF, enneagram, mbti, etc... The more easily I can parse why I make the decisions I do, or react the way I do. At times it feels like it's less about what I want to do and more about "well, I'm a Fi-Dom, so of course I will do x."

Does this make sense? I'm hoping for discussion from others with their own thoughts and experiences about themselves.
 
G

Ginkgo

Guest
You make sense. Overlooking free will on psychological grounds is common, both in the theories that the brain controls the mind and that the mind rules the person who owns it.
 

SilkRoad

Lay the coin on my tongue
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
3,932
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
It shouldn't. The way I see it, MBTI/enneagram tells you about why you have tendencies to act in a certain way, and how you can work with/against those tendencies. It shouldn't give you an excuse. It might explain stuff, but if some of the tendencies are bad, you shoudl still work against them.

I find it's been most helpful in helping me discern patterns of behaviour and reactions etc and trying to break the bad ones. But I do know what you're saying.
 

MacGuffin

Permabanned
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Apr 19, 2007
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10,710
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xkcd
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9w1
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sx/sp
It shouldn't. The way I see it, MBTI/enneagram tells you about why you have tendencies to act in a certain way, and how you can work with/against those tendencies. It shouldn't give you an excuse. It might explain stuff, but if some of the tendencies are bad, you shoudl still work against them.

I find it's been most helpful in helping me discern patterns of behaviour and reactions etc and trying to break the bad ones. But I do know what you're saying.

I'd write a similar post, but don't have to now. /lazy INTP
 

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
It shouldn't. The way I see it, MBTI/enneagram tells you about why you have tendencies to act in a certain way, and how you can work with/against those tendencies. It shouldn't give you an excuse. It might explain stuff, but if some of the tendencies are bad, you shoudl still work against them.

I find it's been most helpful in helping me discern patterns of behaviour and reactions etc and trying to break the bad ones. But I do know what you're saying.

I'd write a similar post, but don't have to now. /lazy ISFP
 

SilkRoad

Lay the coin on my tongue
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I am happy to be an inspiration to lazy INTPs and ISFPs. :D
 
G

Glycerine

Guest
Knowing someone's or your own type doesn't mean you can predict behavior so I think there is a lot of room for free will. :)
 

Randomnity

insert random title here
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May 8, 2007
Messages
9,485
MBTI Type
ISTP
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It shouldn't. The way I see it, MBTI/enneagram tells you about why you have tendencies to act in a certain way, and how you can work with/against those tendencies. It shouldn't give you an excuse. It might explain stuff, but if some of the tendencies are bad, you shoudl still work against them.

I find it's been most helpful in helping me discern patterns of behaviour and reactions etc and trying to break the bad ones. But I do know what you're saying.

I'd write a similar post, but don't have to now. /lazy ISTP
 

Lark

Active member
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
29,569
I find that the more I learn about JCF, enneagram, mbti, etc... The more easily I can parse why I make the decisions I do, or react the way I do. At times it feels like it's less about what I want to do and more about "well, I'm a Fi-Dom, so of course I will do x."

Does this make sense? I'm hoping for discussion from others with their own thoughts and experiences about themselves.

I dont think that's the negation of free will or choice, that's just informed choice and self-knowledge or self-awareness.

It doesnt negate free will anymore than knowledge about what shoe size resulting in you buying shoes of a particular size for your feet does.
 

gromit

likes this
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Mar 3, 2010
Messages
6,508
I guess these systems describe general tendencies or behaviors. We all have the capability of overrriding "instinct" or whatever. I guess the more aware of it you are the more of a chance you have of countering it, if that's what you want to do.

It doesn't take anything away, just tries to describe/simplify what's already there.

It shouldn't. The way I see it, MBTI/enneagram tells you about why you have tendencies to act in a certain way, and how you can work with/against those tendencies. It shouldn't give you an excuse. It might explain stuff, but if some of the tendencies are bad, you shoudl still work against them.

I find it's been most helpful in helping me discern patterns of behaviour and reactions etc and trying to break the bad ones. But I do know what you're saying.

Okay I should have just quoted [MENTION=4515]wolfy[/MENTION], [MENTION=206]Randomnity[/MENTION], and/or [MENTION=3]MacGuffin[/MENTION].
 

SilkRoad

Lay the coin on my tongue
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sp/sx
Okay I should have just quoted [MENTION=4515]wolfy[/MENTION], [MENTION=206]Randomnity[/MENTION], and/or [MENTION=3]MacGuffin[/MENTION].

LOL, it's starting to freak me out now :newwink:
 

Matt_s

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
77
MBTI Type
INFP
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4w5
It shouldn't. The way I see it, MBTI/enneagram tells you about why you have tendencies to act in a certain way, and how you can work with/against those tendencies. It shouldn't give you an excuse. It might explain stuff, but if some of the tendencies are bad, you shoudl still work against them.

I find it's been most helpful in helping me discern patterns of behaviour and reactions etc and trying to break the bad ones. But I do know what you're saying.

I'd write a similar post but my goldfish died 24 years ago. /lazy infp

In terms of the op, I imagine if mbti limits your free will, any self-knowledge would. I know I like pudding, hence when confronted with pudding vs haggis, I'm going for the pudding. Of course, I'd still have the choice to eat the haggis. I suppose there's a risk of boxing yourself in but that's just as much a choice as not boxing yourself in. In summation, I'm hungry.
 

Rasofy

royal member
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
5,881
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5w6
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I admit I sometimes use MBTI it to justify bad behaviour such as laziness and faux passes, and Enneagram to justify my fears and insecurities, but at the same time, as I get more aware of my flaws, I start to actually look for ways to overcome them, providing the effort it is worth it. So, in the end, I'm not thinking ''I'm a 5w6 sp/sx INTP so I'm supposed to do x'' but rather in the lines of ''Ok, I guess as a 5w6 sp/sx INTP I'm wired to do x, but is this the best option? I bet my Enneagram 7w6 sx/so ESTP buddy would do y instead.''
Ok, not exactly like this, as I'm not a robot, but you got the point. :)
 

King sns

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I find that the more I learn about JCF, enneagram, mbti, etc... The more easily I can parse why I make the decisions I do, or react the way I do. At times it feels like it's less about what I want to do and more about "well, I'm a Fi-Dom, so of course I will do x."

Does this make sense? I'm hoping for discussion from others with their own thoughts and experiences about themselves.

I do the same thing and it's horrible how stereotypical things can get sometimes- how predictable everything/body becomes- robotic, easily labelled. Sometimes I think that these systems just provide enough labels for us to be able to assign a label- if not multiple multiple combinations of labels to any human behavior- even the unpredictable ones- ("you did something out of character!! You must be in the SHADOW!" etc. etc.) There's nothing that we can do that doesn't have a name for it, which can give us the illusion that we're all very easy to place into boxes- when really the boxes themselves are just kind of vague.
 

Xenon

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Oct 5, 2009
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5
Well, there are always reasons why people do what they do, want what they want, and will what they will. There's always something behind it, inside you or outside. I don't see how learning about any particular explanation (like 'I'm an xxxx') changes anything. If you act in a way that's typical for your type, there's a reason why, and personality theory might provide an explanation for that. If you're motivated to act in a way that's not typical for your type or different from your usual behaviour, there's some other reason for that. It's all caused by something.

I suppose I don't see the distinction. I've always (well, maybe not always, but since I was quite young) looked for explanations behind human behaviour and thinking. This is just one of them. *shrug*
 
A

Anew Leaf

Guest
Part of my desire to start this thread stemmed from the feeling of as I get more in depth with JCF and enneagram and MBTI and other things... the less I feel unique and special and the more like I am simply running a group of programs.

This sounds horribly emo and I don't mean it to be. I guess it just feels like someone has harshed my mellow by telling me that my INFPiety is caused by midichlorines.
 

EJCC

The Devil of TypoC
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Part of my desire to start this thread stemmed from the feeling of as I get more in depth with JCF and enneagram and MBTI and other things... the less I feel unique and special and the more like I am simply running a group of programs.
cough INFP cough
:cheese:
Seriously though, you kind of are running a group of programs -- but whether or not they're changeable depends on the program, I think. There are certain tendencies that you have as a result of your type, but you can still choose to not follow them. In my case, there are some tendencies that I've fought against and defeated, or at least tamed (insert Fight Club reference here?), but the ones that arise instinctively are the ones that I have a hard time avoiding.

No personality test covers everything. :) You can still do what you want, when you want. The only thing personality types do is to show you some of the hinderances you have, in terms of acting particular ways. For example, I suck at improvising in new scenarios, which I could either attribute to my Si or to lack of improv practice, and either explanation could be accepted.
 
A

Anew Leaf

Guest
To those who weren't lazy: I commend you for helping make this forum a more interesting, less sensitive place.
 
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