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Another "Why Typology is Stupid" Thread

ThatsWhatHeSaid

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Having taken a break from all-thing typology for a while, this is what I think. I've thought this before, but it's more obvious to me now.

  • Type is a total fiction and people don't really appreciate that enough.
  • The tests and quizzes you take, that you think reveal something special about you, don't. They just gather the information you feed them and try to draw conclusions.
  • The idea that there is an internal, static type is the biggest misconception. We may exhibit some biases, but that's it. There is no reason to think those biases are unchanging. Your experience tells you that they change frequently.
  • It's a fallacy to think that one personality theory has any more weight than others. For example, it's a fallacy to think that MBTI carries any more weight than Big-5 or any other way you could delineate personality. You could divide the world into pretzel-eaters and non-pretzel eaters and by asking the right questions, can create a descriptive personality scheme. The value of that scheme is subjective, not objective. They are all equally arbitrary.
  • It's dangerous to box yourself up into a personality type because (1) it can cause you to act in conformance with your type when you otherwise would not have (2) it can cause you to stop developing in areas you should and normally would have (3) it will cause you to misread people and overlook information that runs in conflict with your assumptions (confirmation bias) (4) it can prevent you from looking deeper into the mechanics and architecture of personality, which is incredibly interesting and valuable.

Off the top of my head, that's it. Don't expect me to engage in a long debate about this. I lack the focus and drive. Cheers.
 

lunalum

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[*]The tests and quizzes you take, that you think reveal something special about you, don't. They just gather the information you feed them and try to draw conclusions.

These aren't mutually exclusive.

[*]The idea that there is an internal, static type is the biggest misconception. We may exhibit some biases, but that's it. There is no reason to think those biases are unchanging. Your experience tells you that they change frequently.

Nah, experience shows that there is a static pattern of preferences.

[*]It's a fallacy to think that one personality theory has any more weight than others. For example, it's a fallacy to think that MBTI carries any more weight than Big-5 or any other way you could delineate personality. You could divide the world into pretzel-eaters and non-pretzel eaters and by asking the right questions, can create a descriptive personality scheme. The value of that scheme is subjective, not objective. They are all equally arbitrary.

I can see some of this. MBTI is more helpful to me because Big-5 tries to make me look like a loser.


[*]It's dangerous to box yourself up into a personality type because (1) it can cause you to act in conformance with your type when you otherwise would not have

But type conformity is so fun ;) you should try it....

(2) it can cause you to stop developing in areas you should and normally would have.

Nope, it gives me a better idea of exactly what it is that I need to develop.


So, what now? Ah yes, that typology is cool and here to stay :solidarity: It just works better when it's not misused, but that part is obvious. I'll be so careful in fact that I won't even attempt to fill in your 'x' with another letter ;)
 

Hera

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I agree with you regarding the flaws of MBTI because some people have obsessive personalities and tend to go nuts over little details about their MBTI. Personally, I've found this to be the case with a few of my friends who have identity issues. They find out their type and suddenly it's like their world makes sense and they feel like they're unique, but part of a group of people just like them. It's really something. It's pretty annoying.
 

INTP

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Type is a total fiction and people don't really appreciate that enough.

its not fiction, there are clear noticeable patterns. what people do with the info is about their stupidity and has nothing to do with how "good" the concept itself is.

The tests and quizzes you take, that you think reveal something special about you, don't. They just gather the information you feed them and try to draw conclusions.

:huh: 4 years on this forum and you still dont know the basics of MBTI test. ill clear it for you, the test is an type INDICATOR, its not even meant to give you your type, its just that internet tests suck and you dont have the person that you decide your type with and who teaches you the basics so you can do that. so in other words, the test isnt there to draw conclusions for you, its there to help you guide on deciding the type for yourself.

The idea that there is an internal, static type is the biggest misconception. We may exhibit some biases, but that's it. There is no reason to think those biases are unchanging. Your
experience tells you that they change frequently.


what does biases have to do with this? or do you even know what biases are? it has been scientifically proven that some traits of personality are static and last in time. if you dont believe, look for some studies.

It's a fallacy to think that one personality theory has any more weight than others. For example, it's a fallacy to think that MBTI carries any more weight than Big-5 or any other way you could delineate personality. You could divide the world into pretzel-eaters and non-pretzel eaters and by asking the right questions, can create a descriptive personality scheme. The value of that scheme is subjective, not objective. They are all equally arbitrary.

this has nothing to do with whether MBTI is stupid or not, its the people who dont understand human mind who are stupid if they think MBTI = whole human mind. MBTI carries more weight in some situations that big 5 and big 5 carries more weight on some situations than MBTI, MMPI carries more weight in some situations than MBTI or big 5, MBTI and big 5 carries more weight in some situations than MMPI, etc etc etc etc. if you wanna learn about human mind, its best to learn about it from different angles(including neurological), or you will have false or lacking view of it. so this has nothing to do with stupidity of MBTI

It's dangerous to box yourself up into a personality type because (1) it can cause you to act in conformance with your type when you otherwise would not have (2) it can cause you to stop developing in areas you should and normally would have (3) it will cause you to misread people and overlook information that runs in conflict with your assumptions (confirmation bias) (4) it can prevent you from looking deeper into the mechanics and architecture of personality, which is incredibly interesting and valuable.

all of these can be applied to every personality theory
1) yes it can, but so what? its again people not being able to handle MBTI, not that MBTI is stupid.
2) way to twist things around, people use MBTI to develop themselves in areas that cause them problems when not developed well. do you think that some INTP for example is like hey, since im a Ti dom, i might as well not use Ti anymore since its perfect? wtf
3) way to disregard the reality of things.. first of all you dont know peoples types before you get to know them. confirmation bias is when you already do have a hypothesis about how something is then start to gather information only to support your hypothesis and is interpreted in biased way, this leads to bias thats called confirmation bias. if you dont know someones type, you cant have hypothesis about his personality that would lead to bias. in short, your thinking is flawed or you dont know what you are talking about. also if you dont try to figure someones type out, you might even know someone for years and not know his type. whether you try to figure someones type, is up to you, its not a flaw in MBTI, and naturally if you dont know someones type, you cant have confirmation bias..
4) wtf? how is it going to prevent someone from doing that? many people get more interested about human mind(as a whole) after learning about MBTI.

with many of those claims, you are just taking some things that are possible, turning them into their negatives and assuming that the negative is as true as the positive of the same thing. for example that 4) in your last part.

in conclusion, you and some other people dont understand the system yet criticize it or just cant handle it. it has nothing to do with MBTI
 
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Lark

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If it encourages reflection, insight, gives you something to talk to others about its not a bad thing.
 

guesswho

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Why do sooo many people think of things in shades black and white?
 

Totenkindly

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Question of the year.

I thought the comment was kinda black and white, myself.

Is that double points, or did it just negate itself in an explosive blast of cosmic typological energy?
 

Qlip

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I dunno, I mostly see typology as a tool. Its validation is its usefulness to me, not necessarily its completeness and total accuracy as a system. Kind of like a flat bladed screwdriver, they really are perfect for unscrewing certain things, and they're pretty good for prying other things open, and are marginally good for self defense, and are terrible at removing splinters.

Maybe there's a forum of people who love them so much that enjoy the challenge of using a screwdriver for everything, maybe there are people who are screwdriver fanatacists and argue that no other tool is necessary but a screwdriver. Maybe there are screwdriver detractors whos only interest in the screwdriver forum is to tell people how much they suck. And maybe I just happen to find the people who like screwdrivers interesting.
 
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