• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

What's your "armor"?

SurrealisticSlumbers

📠girl in an 🎠world
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
681
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Everyone has a metaphorical suit of armor. Our "armor" shields us from a real or perceived threat. It can be literally anything that makes us feel safe, whether external or internal (behavioral). For example, fashion, makeup, hairstyles, accessories (like carrying a cigarette, cup of coffee, or an instrument everywhere as a security object), and even forms of nonverbal communication such as facial expressions/gestures would be categorized as external. There are also behavioral tactics we employ, on an often subconscious level, that make us feel safe and secure. This, too, is armor - which you can't see until interacting. The aloof coworker everyone calls a bitch. The neighbor across the hall who can't do more than small talk.

So, what's your armor?

 

Obfuscate

Permabanned
Joined
Aug 20, 2016
Messages
1,907
MBTI Type
iNtP
Enneagram
954
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
analysis, apathy, silence, empathy, and hair trigger shutdown of emotion...
 
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
5,100
Man I need to go to bed but I saw this.

What isn’t? There’s the shield of cellphone and earphones which are pretty effective though not always employable so my patented scowl comes into play. If that doesn’t work I throw in the narrow eyed gaze. On a deeper level I just become blunt if pressed. I don’t care to discuss this. The final wall is a full display of anger. I’ve tried everything else by this point now you’ve pissed me off. Yelling ensues. Rarely has anyone tested me beyond that. Males are getting punched at that point but again that is if you’re blatantly pushing me and I’ve only struck out at a person in anger a handful of times.

Off to bed with me.
 

ugghh

New member
Joined
Nov 19, 2017
Messages
77
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
3w2
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Humor and music.
 

Mole

Permabanned
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
20,284
Mu armour is reflective thinking.

Literacy has taught me how to be disengaged so I am able to step back and reflect, and in that way come upon epiphanies.
 

Abcdenfp

Terpsichore
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
1,669
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7W8
Silence, and also pretending like you dont exist . im a really engaging person and have found that when i shut off most people cant handle it. they continue to push for a response, but if your on the other side of my wall , it takes alot for me to let you back in
 

Sacrophagus

Mastermind Fieldmarshal
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
1,702
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
854
Cold, genuine, unbothered indifference. In the sense that there is no hate, nor any other feeling or reaction regarding the situation or the person when mentioned. I remain with zero prejudice.
 

Madboot

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2017
Messages
406
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Sarcasm and reserve.
 

Dreamer

Potential is My Addiction
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Messages
4,539
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
794
I’m not entirely sure I even know what my armor is tbh, I feel I use a sleuth of defenses, but I must have an armor of some kind since other people’s words or actions tend not to have great affect over me, unless words come from select people I’ve allowed in my walls, I can be very easy to penetrate at that point. But ya, getting there, isn’t so easy...
 

Quick

New member
Joined
Jan 8, 2018
Messages
217
MBTI Type
INFX
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
IDK what my armor is...

Probably has something to do with being "right" I would imagine. Pointing out things to people that they wouldn't otherwise know and just generally being "knowledgeable" even if I don't actually know much about anything.

The hard part about this is in coming to grips with your shortcomings and actually being honest with yourself... It's hard to observe the self - what are the primordial motivations for doing what I do? Very hard question to answer. And the thing is, if you don't know what motivates yourself, you sure as hell are not going to know what motivates others.

Good topic.
 

Lexicon

Temporal Mechanic
Staff member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
12,339
MBTI Type
JINX
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Being able to detach/compartmentalize, I guess.
Making fun of myself, sometimes? Humor in general can be armor/a coping mechanism, but depending on the manner in which it’s utilized, I don’t think it’s necessarily an unhealthy one. Sometimes, all you can do is laugh.

If I’m worried about something imminent/serious (not social nonsense, but a health issue, or something happening to a loved one - anything significant along those lines), I occasionally info-hoard to soothe myself and feel like I’m actually able to do something about it. Or that I may be able to do something at some point, at least. Or it offers me reassurance that I am doing or have done all I can. Takes some of the edge off that blind fear and sense of helplessness, perhaps.




Sunglasses are also pretty nice armor. :cool:
 

Stigmata

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Messages
8,779
Sarcasm and detachment. Often times people think of me as this cold, apathetic robot, yet don't realize that even though I may not show my cards, I feel things quite deeply. Throw in a little self-deprecating humor as well, as my self-esteem issues often cause me to greatly doubt my own abilities and capacity.

I don't handle accepting compliments very well, as I typically dismiss them as people either telling me what they think I want as opposed to expressing a genuine sentiment -- There is a big difference.
 

Forever_Jung

Active member
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
2,644
MBTI Type
ESFJ
I use "charmour" to navigate difficult people. If I am threatened/intimidated by someone I win them over, make them laugh, disarm them.

If they are more of a long-term threat (someone I am "stuck" with who makes my life difficult), I go a bit further with disarming them. I befriend them, play to their ego, get to know them intimately, and prove myself to be a very caring and thoughtful confidante. All the while I am working behind the scenes to have them removed, while being careful not to leave any "fingerprints" (no one should think any of it was my idea).
A.) Sometimes you get rid of people by working the group around them (Ill often naively share damaging info about my target that I know will upset the person I'm sharing with in particular and then I intentionally offer a feeble defense of my targets crimes, feigning that: aw shucks, I always look for the good in people but I guess sometimes I wear these gosh darned rose coloured glasses! I guess Target X really is a jerk, and needs to go. You've convinced me!).

B.) Sometimes you get rid of people by convincing them they aren't happy here by pouncing on any sign of discontent and regularly getting them to dwell on it, by asking after their troubles sympathetically (Long distance relationships are really hard, it might makr more sense to move out there. I mean it all just depends on whether you prioritize money or your relationship higher. Whichever you choose, I'll understand. sad as it would be to lose ya, I just want you to be happy).
 

Magnus

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2018
Messages
216
MBTI Type
INTJ
Instinctual Variant
sx
Also formality does wonders to keep people at a distance in a socially acceptable way.
This. Just talking to people can be a little tiring so strict formality and adherence to office protocol are usually enough to fend off my co-workers when they want to chit-chat about something stupid. Work itself is often a pretty good excuse. When a group of people invite me to lunch with them, I can use my workload to get out of it. It can be used as a copout but at the same time it is true.
 

Cellmold

Wake, See, Sing, Dance
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
6,266
I never feel safe or calm.

So, there is no armour. I don't throw stones in a glass house; only got the frame.
 

Galena

Silver and Lead
Joined
Mar 12, 2013
Messages
3,786
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Transparency, paradoxically.

Also, fuck me, but I think this is one part of where my interest in dress and appearance came from. I felt much more vulnerable as a kid while my parents still picked my clothes.

In awkward situations, friendly politeness goes a long way, and displayed willingness to do something specific to improve the situation. It usually won't be necessary.

Lack of humor. Kids' bullying is often a shitty attempt at a laugh. Granted, taking onself seriously can invite more teasing to begin with, but if the attitude then can't be broken down, it gets boring and they move on. This defense has come up in a very interesting and impactful way recently, when I took a class in comedic acting with the intention to target and break the defense down but ended up learning that just owning it as funny can actually be more effective at this point, even a legitimate style for me in performance that I could be good at.

Lack of comprehension, when it comes to unwanted attention from strangers in public. They get nowhere if I can't hear them or have no idea what they're getting on about. Too dumb to fuck with.
 
Top