• 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.

The Worst You = The Real You?

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
hmmmm.... I don't know about that one. Seems like people can have any number of random reactions under stress, especially as they get older, that seems a little too murky to hold up. Especially if someone has a relatively relaxed and predictable lifestyle, and 95 percent of the time they are happy.... Only 5 percent of the time they are revealing their true selves? I'm inclined to think that you're true type is the one that offers the most comfort for your growing needs, so it attempts to cover your processes for the highest percentage of time, (so you can improve and learn and grow with the basic model.)

I think it's substantial to say that people carry the neuroses of the unconsciously rejected self. To prefer a personality type is to reject it's opposite. Some people show markedly different defense mechanisms or reactions to the same situations, and those are usually based in childhood. I think it's pretty safe to say you can type someone by their typical neuroses as well as their strong points, and that is in fact how Jung did it in the beginning. This is actually where we get typology from.

Mr. Cockburn is SMRT.
 

King sns

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
6,714
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I think it's substantial to say that people carry the neuroses of the unconsciously rejected self. To prefer a personality type is to reject it's opposite. Some people show markedly different defense mechanisms or reactions to the same situations, and those are usually based in childhood. I think it's pretty safe to say you can type someone by their typical neuroses as well as their strong points, and that is in fact how Jung did it in the beginning. This is actually where we get typology from.

Mr. Cockburn is SMRT.

Yeah, it's definitely safe to say you can type someone based on their faults and under stress, as part of the picture, but "true self" seems like kind of a stretch. Like, ESTJ acting opposite under stress is not an INFP popping through the shell, he's just a normally healthy ESTJ under stress to me.
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
Yeah, it's definitely safe to say you can type someone based on their faults and under stress, as part of the picture, but "true self" seems like kind of a stretch. Like, ESTJ acting opposite under stress is not an INFP popping through the shell, he's just a normally healthy ESTJ under stress to me.

I agree with this. And I think it's also kind of what OrangeAppled said as well. (?)
 

mrcockburn

Aquaria
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
1,896
MBTI Type
¥¤
Enneagram
3w4
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I think it's substantial to say that people carry the neuroses of the unconsciously rejected self. To prefer a personality type is to reject it's opposite. Some people show markedly different defense mechanisms or reactions to the same situations, and those are usually based in childhood. I think it's pretty safe to say you can type someone by their typical neuroses as well as their strong points, and that is in fact how Jung did it in the beginning. This is actually where we get typology from.

Mr. Cockburn is SMRT.

Well you got the S right. :yay:
 

mrcockburn

Aquaria
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
1,896
MBTI Type
¥¤
Enneagram
3w4
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I guess what I don't get is - do stress types always have to be your direct opposite type? Would it be impossible for an ESTP to act like an ISFP under enormous stress?
 
R

ReflecTcelfeR

Guest
Another theory states... X00X the two X's switch directions an EP becomes IJ. That's opposite within it's realm.
 

Rail Tracer

Freaking Ratchet
Joined
Jun 29, 2010
Messages
3,031
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Yeah, it's definitely safe to say you can type someone based on their faults and under stress, as part of the picture, but "true self" seems like kind of a stretch. Like, ESTJ acting opposite under stress is not an INFP popping through the shell, he's just a normally healthy ESTJ under stress to me.

Well generally speaking, if we were to parallel this towards the enneagram, a stressed ESTJ would be like an unhealthy INFP, sort of like a stressed 9 would look like the unhealthy side of 6. But even so, that person's type would be type 9. It is just the stress is making that person look like a 6. :shrug:
 

Rasofy

royal member
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
5,881
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Most people tend to think their best self is their real self. It protects the ego. No wonder depressed people think their worst self is their real self. The real self is somewhere in the middle, a place most people are gonna avoid like the plague.
 

Xyk

New member
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Messages
284
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
Most people tend to think their best self is their real self. It protects the ego. No wonder depressed people think their worst self is their real self. The real self is somewhere in the middle, a place most people are gonna avoid like the plague.

I disagree. A truly healthy person is their whole self all the time. Of course, that's rare, and I'm not there yet. Also, people are complex and are tough to pin under 4 letters. The types we give ourselves are what we are for a majority of the time because that's much easier than listing what we are for every single moment.
 

King sns

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
6,714
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I disagree. A truly healthy person is their whole self all the time. Of course, that's rare, and I'm not there yet. Also, people are complex and are tough to pin under 4 letters. The types we give ourselves are what we are for a majority of the time because that's much easier than listing what we are for every single moment.

Well, I suppose. I think "healthy" is a spectrum though. Like, you can be healthy but not being yourself all the time, no matter what. Someone that you're talking about would be more of a self actualized person. (Enneagram again, but has some truth to it.)
 

rav3n

.
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
11,655
Most people tend to think their best self is their real self. It protects the ego. No wonder depressed people think their worst self is their real self. The real self is somewhere in the middle, a place most people are gonna avoid like the plague.

I disagree. A truly healthy person is their whole self all the time. Of course, that's rare, and I'm not there yet. Also, people are complex and are tough to pin under 4 letters. The types we give ourselves are what we are for a majority of the time because that's much easier than listing what we are for every single moment.
It appears that the two of you are saying similar things since someone with best to worst, will manage to balance themselves most of the time using best to worst to offset. I'm uncertain if anyone can shift from best to worst, best to worst, worst to best all the time without having some form of Cluster B personality disorder.
 

BlueGray

New member
Joined
Oct 7, 2009
Messages
474
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
Most people tend to think their best self is their real self. It protects the ego. No wonder depressed people think their worst self is their real self. The real self is somewhere in the middle, a place most people are gonna avoid like the plague.

That sounds almost as if it isn't all your real self. People don't magically have three minds inside their body.
 

FDG

pathwise dependent
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
5,903
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
7w8
Okay I apologize for the misinterpretation.

My theory still stands for people who live in fear of their shadow, or who repress. My "you" was the general you who does this activity, so I hope you did not take it personally. :)

Ok, no problem :) Surely I also partially repress some things I'm really aware of, but doing it purposefully...must feel kinda bad, like you're always on the verge of exploding?
 

Xyk

New member
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Messages
284
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
Well, I suppose. I think "healthy" is a spectrum though. Like, you can be healthy but not being yourself all the time, no matter what. Someone that you're talking about would be more of a self actualized person. (Enneagram again, but has some truth to it.)

Yeah, self-actualized is a good word. I mean the peak of health.

Edit:

It appears that the two of you are saying similar things since someone with best to worst, will manage to balance themselves most of the time using best to worst to offset. I'm uncertain if anyone can shift from best to worst, best to worst, worst to best all the time without having some form of Cluster B personality disorder.

I'm not saying they would shift. I'm saying that rather than being something of a venn diagram as they seem to be presented here, people are a circle that encompasses both parts of the venn diagram. I'm also not saying that they would be both happy and upset at the same time, just that their personality encompasses both sides all the time. I get Fe out the wazoo when stressed but that's always part of me. It doesn't just appear when I'm upset.
 
G

Ginkgo

Guest
Most people tend to think their best self is their real self. It protects the ego. No wonder depressed people think their worst self is their real self. The real self is somewhere in the middle, a place most people are gonna avoid like the plague.

It's important to differentiate between self and self concept. Oneself includes their self-concept. Ones self-concept includes what one thinks their worst qualities are and what their best qualities are. One cannot avoid their real self, as even the desire to avoid the real self is a product of the self.
 

Xyk

New member
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Messages
284
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
It's important to differentiate between self and self concept. Oneself includes their self-concept. Ones self-concept includes what one thinks their worst qualities are and what their best qualities are. One cannot avoid their real self, as even the desire to avoid the real self is a product of the self.

You're saying what I'm trying to say. I agree with you.
 

lunalum

Super Senior Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
2,706
MBTI Type
ZNTP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Your happiest, healthiest self is your type. It's the most comfortable place for you. Hence preferences.

Your "crazy" or your "wish I was" or "gotta be" is the inferior.

I think it's substantial to say that people carry the neuroses of the unconsciously rejected self. To prefer a personality type is to reject it's opposite. Some people show markedly different defense mechanisms or reactions to the same situations, and those are usually based in childhood. I think it's pretty safe to say you can type someone by their typical neuroses as well as their strong points, and that is in fact how Jung did it in the beginning. This is actually where we get typology from.

Neurosis can make you hate WHAT YOU ARE and make you want to be THE INFERIOR. Or...conversely, instead of conscious admiration, it can just make you subconsciously act out the issues of that inferior function. Or both.

Thank you for clearing this up. I knew it seemed wrong that to become more of my "real self" all I have to do is let myself spiral into full-blown depression and panic attacks, lol. I'm still confused though on how your own type is what you have preferences for but the "wish I was" or "gotta be" is somehow still referring to the inferior. And similarly, we have the neuroses of the rejected self but somehow when we are neurotic we actually want to be this self?
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
Thank you for clearing this up. I knew it seemed wrong that to become more of my "real self" all I have to do is let myself spiral into full-blown depression and panic attacks, lol. I'm still confused though on how your own type is what you have preferences for but the "wish I was" or "gotta be" is somehow still referring to the inferior. And similarly, we have the neuroses of the rejected self but somehow when we are neurotic we actually want to be this self?

Everyone doesn't wish they were their inferior, they can unconsciously reject it, consciously make it "evil" and avoid it, or they can turn it into their Anima/Animus and desire it...which is more like which I was I think. Because you're projecting yourself onto a prospective partner rather than actually seeing them, it's a whole other theory about the inferior and being attracted to it.

If you were the sort of neurotic where you hated what you are, or thought it wasn't good enough it would be quite easy to slip into attempting to become like the inferior thinking that was somehow "better"...and it would be hellaciously stressful and just cause more problems in the long run.

I don't think we always want to be this self when neurotic, I think it's just one manifestation of neurosis. It's likely very common that many people are entirely unconscious of the inferior at least in youth, and view their outbursts of the inferior as something "bad" or negative and don't even recognize it for what it is initially.

We're all a little neurotic, just some of us more than others. Professor Y informed me that someone who actually has had therapy or at least is more self-aware of their neuroses are easier to type for that reason. In that case you either have official decrees from psychologists and/or at least have faced whatever your personal demons and/or weaknesses are to some extent.

I've also heard that the inferior can never be fully mature until very late in life, like well into middle age, like old people basically --- over 50, maybe 60. Some people never show a "mature" manifestation of their inferior.
 

Rasofy

royal member
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
5,881
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I disagree. A truly healthy person is their whole self all the time. Of course, that's rare, and I'm not there yet. Also, people are complex and are tough to pin under 4 letters. The types we give ourselves are what we are for a majority of the time because that's much easier than listing what we are for every single moment.
This doesn't go against my statement. Put your Ti to work!

That sounds almost as if it isn't all your real self. People don't magically have three minds inside their body.
You are right, there is a large spectrum. The point is most people avoid the bad end of the spectrum much more regularly.
 
Top