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Birth Order and Intellectual Independence

Orangey

Blah
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
6,354
MBTI Type
ESTP
Enneagram
6w5
As far as intellectual independence, which I take (in this context) to mean willingness to think differently than how you were raised to think, me (eldest) and my youngest brother are the most independent. Though I argue with him that I had to fight a harder battle in that regard, since my parents leave him well enough alone, but they were onto me about every little deviation of idea and activity. I basically broke them in for all of his similar deviations, so he got way less flak.

The two siblings in the middle are significantly less intellectually independent, though they both have a greater willingness to engage in rebellious activity for the sake of rebellion. It's always struck me as odd that they so vigorously (middle brother and sister, but more so my sister) hold on to a lot of the beliefs and perspectives that we inherited from our parents, and yet they engage more in behaviors that would signify betrayal of those ideas.
 

something boring

New member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
278
MBTI Type
nnja
Enneagram
4w5
I didn't take the question quite the same way, I guess.
I think very differently, in some ways. I just refuse to argue about it.
 

Kangirl

I'm a star.
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
1,470
MBTI Type
ENTJ
And the black sheep. Where my two brothers were, like it or not, in competition for their roles as most athletic, smartest, etc. - I was allowed to set my own course.

I'm the eldest of girls and this describes us, too. Myself and the middle sister were in competition throughout childhood (sometimes vicious*) and the youngest one was kinda on her own. I'd say I'm the family black sheep, though, not her. I'd also say I'm the most intellectually inclined of the 3 of us (they'd agree, I think) and also the most traditional. The middle one is the most independent in terms of her lifestyle/how she lives her life. The youngest one is the 'normal' one.

*strangely, we are best friends now, and neither of us is close with our youngest sister
 

Kristiana

New member
Joined
Dec 28, 2007
Messages
326
MBTI Type
INTJ
I'm oldest of three, and definitely the most intellectually independent one (and the only intellectual, period). I wouldn't say my siblings look to me for advice or knowledge, though. Their value systems and worldview are a complete 180 from mine. :p
 

Nonsensical

New member
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,006
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7
I'm oldest. I'm an ENFP.
My younger sister is 12, and she's a hardcore INFP.
My youngest sister is 9, and she's a hard hard hardcore ENTJ.
..just imagine how our caste system works :D
 

Sponge

New member
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Messages
62
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
5w4
I'm the youngest of five, and my siblings are idiots. Oooh!

However, I am my dad's only child, and my siblings were all older, some with their own families, when I was born, so I guess you could say I'm an only child as well, and independent of my siblings influence.

Interesting theory.
 

tibby

New member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
682
MBTI Type
fool
I'm a younger child, and I've always liked debating and my own independence in every aspect, doing something for what? Why? What's the meaning of this, why am I doing this? Or just why is this like this, when it could be like this or this? Explain or I will assess the pros and cons of this and decide for myself. If you can explain and make sense, alright. It can get quite annoying, especially when a child keeps questioning their authorities and their actions constantly and wants to get to the bottom of things. You can't just tell "because I say so", you have to explain and make sense. It can be very frustrating, especially if you want to cheat, because you can't.

My sister is 4 years older than me, and she's always been more conforming and less questioning. I see a lot of to do with our temperamental and personality differences but also our "roles", older sibling always being the older, hence the more responsible one, possibly sacrificing their own to the "greater good" whereas the younger more self-centered and stubborn, unyielding.
 

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
7,626
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
What say you?

My older, ESFP sister and I are the opposite to this description.
She is more easily swayed by opinions around her, and she won't debate anything logically...she just shuts people down by saying, "Well, I don't care, that's what I think" :rolli:.

I've always been a more independent thinker & did well in debate in school. I admit growing up I looked up to my sister & was influenced by her, but the older I got the more I found my own path. I'm a more independent person than her in general.

She is much, much more nurturing than me though. I see that partly coming from her being the older child.
 

GZA

Resident Snot-Nose
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
1,771
MBTI Type
infp
Definitely not true in my family. I'm the youngest, with an older brother and an older sister. I'm 17, my brother is 20, my sister is 23. We all have very different personalities and approaches, but we are all independant from one another in terms of what we think and value, although in many ways we've reached the same places. My sister is much more scientific and is currently in medical school. Throughout her life she has always been a high academic achiever and very athletic and health concious. My brother leans towards social sciences and political theory. He's interested in ideas and philosophies in the real world; international politics, business politics, business ethics, history, ect, he's an intellectual kind of personality. I'm the sensitive artist guy, and the joker... my thoughts revolve around creativity and understanding and utilising the creative processes, including music, humour, ect. I extend that into understanding life and people, using the creative processes as a sort of analogy ofr other things that happen in life. I'm also probably the most concerned about the people around me, maintaining an honest, reasonable, fair, healthy, and balanced environment with the people I care about.

I relied on my brother's lead when I was younger... maybe from when I was a small child untill I was maybe 13, but then I started to break off on my own. My brother moved out when I was 14 or 15, so on a day to day basis my life is kind of like that of an only child in that I live with my parents and only really see my siblings every few weeks (I mainting contact with them almost daily, but it's not the same as them actually being here). I realized from a very young age that my parents (ESTJ dad and ISFJ mom) are very different from me, and they realized and encouraged my creativity and sensitivity from a young age as well, so really I've sort of been my own guide for the most part and am certinaly independant from them now. My brother never really followed my sister because she's a girl and he's a guy and naturally from a young age the gender gap crossed her out as an example. I think he followed my dad's example to some extent for a while, but has definitely moved own and become very independant. My sister was the first born, so her only examples have been peers and maybe older neighbors, but she's certainly independant.
 

whimsical

New member
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
351
MBTI Type
infj
Enneagram
4
im a first born with a younger brother and i would agree that i do have a larger intellectual independence than he does
 

mortabunt

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 10, 2009
Messages
963
MBTI Type
type
Enneagram
5
The author is piping out a load of BS. My older brother doesn't make his own food unless its his last resort. I have been making my own breakfast since I was eight.
 

Mondo

Welcome to Sunnyside
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
1,992
MBTI Type
EsTP
Enneagram
6w7
It depends on how you define independence.
I am not the eldest child. I seek advice from others but every decision I make is my own decision.
 
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