Erasing Beliefs From Fi

[Ginkgo]

Ever since I was a child, I have held certain moral convictions that were instilled in me from an unnamed outside source. Erm... . Hint Hint.

Some of these convictions are good, while others I know are bad. However, many of the bad convictions are still there, and I have to let my Ne override them when they are violated. I would elaborate, but I don't want to offend anyone.

So, how might one go about erasing beliefs from Fi?

Another question: Has anyone else who is a dominant Fi user had to face contradictory convictions? I have had this happen to me, and it felt like my brain was being ripped apart.

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On another note, it has been said that INTPs are excellent at seeing factual inconsistencies. By the same logic, does that mean that INFPs are excellent at seeing moral inconsistencies? If so, what functions are at work?

I, myself, can see hypocrisy a mile away. It shines brightly unto me like a shining star.

 

[Ginkgo]

Sorry, I meant to put this thread in the NF section. How can I get a moderator to move it?

 

[BlackCat]

I would like to ask that people don't attack me for my views on this subject, since I frankly don't give a shit about how you view anything compared to how I do unless I respect you, and if we had mutual respect you wouldn't do that anyway, so yeah.

Well for me, when it comes to Fi beliefs and such, these spring from direct reality. Most of my beliefs, such as how to treat people in what ways etc comes from direct interaction, not unrealistically idealizing the human race. If I get some proof that my beliefs have no basis or don't hold true or don't benefit me in some way based on tangible things, then I'll change them without a question, and I'll learn something in the process. This is probably a result of Se vs Ne as my main perception process.

As for how to "erase" these, I'd say one of your best bets will be to think about the benefits of erasing these that it will have on your life. You aren't letting yourself or anyone else down by doing this, you are just trying to find yourself and what is good to believe in.

In my experience with NFs and beliefs is that the best way to "erase" these beliefs is by a good, hard dosage of reality. Realizing that these beliefs are just not doing anything but getting in the way for them, not making them any more of a person than someone that doesn't share these beliefs. It is of my opinion that your actions and not your beliefs make you a good person... and some of these beliefs that people hold just don't seem to do anything for them, it just holds them back. The main ones I've seen that hold people back are the sexual beliefs, these just don't make any sense to me rationally.

As for contradictory convictions, of course, but it doesn't happen to me as much as an NFP I would imagine because of how realistic I consider myself and my cynical attitude. Most of the time when something contradicts my beliefs I look and decide which action or way of doing things will have a better result and go with that.

I usually see inconsistencies in someone's behavior or actions, and I can also spot hypocrisy from a mile away. I notice inconsistencies in people's moods and emotional states, I usually pick up on these from irregular speech patterns or just something that doesn't feel right and I can't explain it. When I get this hunch I ask questions about my hunch to see if what I'm feeling is actually true.

 

[lamp]

Has anyone else who is a dominant Fi user had to face contradictory convictions? I have had this happen to me, and it felt like my brain was being ripped apart.

When this happens I envision a hypothetical situation where the convictions can coexist without contradiction -> where both things can realistically happen. Then I see if this hypothetical situation feels consistent, if it feels inconsistent then usually it is apparent which of the convictions is 'false'.

Usually contradictions materialize in the form of 'respect for self vs. respect for other'. But really, the contradiction exists because one of the convictions is violating some 'global' scheme; the conviction is only superficially in direct contradiction with the other conviction.

 

[Ginkgo]

When this happens I envision a hypothetical situation where the convictions can coexist without contradiction -> where both things can realistically happen. Then I see if this hypothetical situation feels consistent, if it feels inconsistent then usually it is apparent which of the convictions is 'false'.

Are you talking about Cognitive dissonance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia?

Usually contradictions materialize in the form of 'respect for self vs. respect for other'. But really, the contradiction exists because one of the convictions is violating some 'global' scheme; the conviction is only superficially in direct contradiction with the other conviction.

Let me elaborate. When I was entering high school, I had a girlfriend. She eventually told me she was bisexual, and I spent about a week racking my brain with the concepts of "Love unconditionally" and "Homosexuality is wrong". She saw that I was freaking out and we broke up.

And even now, there is a voice in the back of my head that makes me freak out when I meet a gay person. It makes me uncomfortable even though I know it has no justification.

 

[Darwin]

Hi Mystic Tater,

Don't know if this will help you, but perhaps you might try to look for evidence that strengthens or weakens your beliefs. I personally find it difficult to believe in the demonstrably nonsensical.

 

[SillySapienne]

Hrm, my intuition is my Fi, my empathy is my Fi.

In other words, my Fi has always been "right", though my *thoughts* and sometimes even my *actions* have at times been inaccurate, or wrong.

 

[Darwin]

Hrm, my intuition is my Fi, my empathy is my Fi.

In other words, my Fi has always been "right", though my *thoughts* and sometimes even my *actions* have at times been inaccurate, or wrong.

Is your Fi separate to your thoughts?

 

[Ginkgo]

Is your Fi separate to your thoughts?

Yes, I thought that cognitive processes were, in essence, thoughts.

 

[BerberElla]

Are you talking about Cognitive dissonance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia?




Let me elaborate. When I was entering high school, I had a girlfriend. She eventually told me she was bisexual, and I spent about a week racking my brain with the concepts of "Love unconditionally" and "Homosexuality is wrong". She saw that I was freaking out and we broke up.

And even now, there is a voice in the back of my head that makes me freak out when I meet a gay person. It makes me uncomfortable even though I know it has no justification.

When I was alot younger I was conditioned to believe homosexuality was a sin, still as soon as someone I cared about came out it took less than a day to ditch that belief in favour of understanding and supporting my friend first and foremost.

I have found myself many times in life having to remove old moral convictions that were not even mine, but rather ones that I had simply been brought up to believe in, I have felt that ripping my mind apart sensation, but for me the subject was casual sex/open relationships and anything else that gets a girl labelled in a negative light.

So it went "wow what a slut">>>> "but why is she a slut, says who, shouldn;t she have a right to do what she wants, she isn't hurting anyone" >>>> "no, she is a slut, that's just the way it is" >>>>>> "but if a guy does it you wouldn;t be judging him, so are you sexist?, are you a judgemental person now" to >>> "there is no such thing as a slut, there is just society making rules that make no sense in the end"

and on and on this arguement went on in my head, and it was pretty stressful, however it's gone now.

I think for me I make a point of re-examining all of my past moral convictions simply because I no longer follow the religion of my former life so I know that all of them need to be looked at again and changed for the better, or kept if they match the way I see the world now.

Another example would be the times a thread is made here about pedophiles, and rational types show understanding towards the kiddy fiddler and have a go at me for my obvious Fi moral judgement, I do try to see things from where they are pointing them out, but I can't progress beyond my "cut their balls off and shove them down their throat" response.

 

[SillySapienne]

Is your Fi separate to your thoughts?

Yeah, they're, or it's, much deeper than thoughts.

It's just, I dunno, raw intuition, gut feelings, that sorta thing.

 

[Darwin]

Yeah, they're, or it's, much deeper than thoughts.

It's just, I dunno, raw intuition, gut feelings, that sorta thing.

How do you then define thoughts?

 

[SillySapienne]

Thoughts are organized, or funneled beliefs, ideas, memories, information.

Thoughts take time to grow and make.

 

[Darwin]

Thoughts are organized, or funneled beliefs, ideas, memories, information.

Thoughts take time to grow and make.

I think, then, we have very different ideas of what "thought" entails, so perhaps my original question was a bad one.

 

[Ginkgo]

Thoughts are organized, or funneled beliefs, ideas, memories, information.

Thoughts take time to grow and make.

My thoughts are not organized, trust me. Not to be rude.

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What I've understood so far is that I should expose myself to more information. Or, more specifically, to more homosexuals.

I'm really trying to be mature about the subject matter here. I don't want someone to misconstrue me as a homophobe, for that is precisely what I don't want to be.

 

[SillySapienne]

Sexual orientation has nothing at all to do with who a person is, truly, (being gay) is just like being a brunette or a blond, it is descriptive, and genetic, that's it.

Whether or not they are a kind-hearted, well-intentioned person has much more to do with the quality of their character.

 

[Darwin]

Sexual orientation has nothing at all to do with who a person is, truly, (being gay) is just like being a brunette or a blond, it is descriptive, and genetic, that's it.

Whether or not they are a kind-hearted, well-intentioned person has much more to do with the quality of their character.

I think this is really the key.

 

[Ginkgo]

Sexual orientation has nothing at all to do with who a person is, truly, (being gay) is just like being a brunette or a blond, it is descriptive, and genetic, that's it.

Whether or not they are a kind-hearted, well-intentioned person has much more to do with the quality of their character.

I understand that. Thank you for the information. Please do not assume that I am ignorant.

The problem is that I still feel a small gut sensation when I meet a homosexual. This feeling can only be described as an Fi phenomena.

However, my feelings are much better than they once were. There was a point earlier in my life in which I was afraid to be anywhere near them.

 

[Darwin]

The problem is that I still feel a small gut sensation when I meet a homosexual. This feeling can only be described as an Fi phenomena.

However, my feelings are much better than they once were. There was a point earlier in my life in which I was afraid to be anywhere near them.

If this is the case, it sounds as though you might not even need to do anything extra. It does take time to overcome habits and conditioning (I believe that beliefs falls under this category, haha), and time may be all that you need.

 

[SillySapienne]

Mystic Tater, do you think you might be gay?