The Desire to Humanize a Name

[Dreamer]

Is it a desire, a need, or perhaps even just a preference, for you to want to "humanize" a name? What do I mean by that? Well, to use myself as an example, and to see who else out there find this to be true with themselves, whenever I come across a name on this forum, through work, or wherever else, I like to ask for a picture of that person in question, or for some details about them. I believe this "need" comes from a desire to better understand that person. Seeing a picture, or asking about their lives or interests, allows me to better paint a picture of that person for me. Without that context, it actually becomes fairly difficult for me to think of them more than just some abstract presence. It's not so drastic where I wouldn't think of anyone on this forum as real if I don't see any pictures or chat with them a while, but there exists, this constant disconnect between me and that person.

Any else relate to this? Anyone else find they tend to require a person's context before seeing them more holistically?

 

[Cloudpatrol]

Yes.

I was laughing at myself the other day when I realized that I do this when playing games with people (whom I don't know) online.

My imagination starts to conjure details about them: "Maybe Killjoy21 is tall with dark hair and loves taco's". Or sometimes it's not even thoughts but just feelings (oh this is difficult to describe ). Like "Hmm, Marfayran feels very red to me but with a hazy outer aura of orange and I feel violin-based music seep into me when I see it's his turn".

But, these impressions are highly unsatisfactory because I am well aware they are based on nothing to do with fact. So, often I will message people little things and how they respond helps me gain more insight. I don't know why it matters because sometimes it's one simple game and we will never cross paths again in a lifetime

A large part of my difficulty in navigating 'forum life' initially was not hearing voices, seeing mannerisms or knowing what people looked like. In the absence of those details my mind will often create a 'token impress on'. Like a seat-filler. But, I am cognizant it isn't the 'real thing'.

 

[Dreamer]

Yes.

I was laughing at myself the other day when I realized that I do this when playing games with people (whom I don't know) online.

My imagination starts to conjure details about them: "Maybe Killjoy21 is tall with dark hair and loves taco's". Or sometimes it's not even thoughts but just feelings (oh this is difficult to describe ). Like "Hmm, Marfayran feels very red to me but with a hazy outer aura of orange and I feel violin-based music seep into me when I see it's his turn".

But, these impressions are highly unsatisfactory because I am well aware they are based on nothing to do with fact. So, often I will message people little things and how they respond helps me gain more insight. I don't know why it matters because sometimes it's one simple game and we will never cross paths again in a lifetime

A large part of my difficulty in navigating 'forum life' initially was not hearing voices, seeing mannerisms or knowing what people looked like. In the absence of those details my mind will often create a 'token impress on'. Like a seat-filler. But, I am cognizant it isn't the 'real thing'.

Oh goodness, I make up personalities for people all the time, heck, even for inanimate objects! That's of course, only if I don't already have something real to work with. I think knowing the context of someone also just allows me to better navigate the social aspect with that person, like a road map in how to interact with them. From a practical standpoint, seeking out that person behind the name, does this a great deal for me.

This actually extends to anything come to think about it. I also make up impressions of music if I don't have something to work with. Often times, when I see the music video to it, the visual won't align with what I had envisioned for it and will dislike the video thinking, oh, that video sucked! It didn't accurately portray the music. This is of course, just my subjective bias since it's based on my perception of the song.

But not straying too too far from my original topic, I wonder if it's an Fi need or an So dom need?? Perhaps this need for humanizing a name spans multiple personalities and isn't secluded to a function or typing.