The INTP/ENTP curse

[The Great One]

I'm pretty damn good at reading other people but suck at reading myself. I've heard that this is an xNTP thing. Is this true?

 

[Fluffywolf]

Yes, in the sense that we can at times be really blind at our own traits and weaknesses. This is something we can learn from and improve on though. Not all is lost.

For me, a healthy (some might say unhealthy) dose of self-mockery keeps me straight and allows me to look at myself from other peoples perspectives.

 

[Winds of Thor]

Why is it, do you find?

 

[uumlau]

I would venture to suggest that most people suck at "reading" themselves, and aren't as good at reading others as they might think.

 

[Fluffywolf]

I would venture to suggest that most people suck at "reading" themselves, and aren't as good at reading others as they might think.

Ironic, isn't it, given the case in point. xD

 

[The Great One]

Yes, in the sense that we can at times be really blind at our own traits and weaknesses. This is something we can learn from and improve on though. Not all is lost.

For me, a healthy (some might say unhealthy) dose of self-mockery keeps me straight and allows me to look at myself from other peoples perspectives.

I'm glad I'm not the only one then.

Why is it, do you find?

Who was this comment directed at?

I would venture to suggest that most people suck at "reading" themselves, and aren't as good at reading others as they might think.

Not Fi users, they rock at it.

 

[RaptorWizard]

How about the ISTP/INTP curse?

 

[The Great One]

How about the ISTP/INTP curse?

Well, I started to include the ISTP in this thread, but the only ISTP's that I know that are good at reading people are the ones with a well developed Ni. I'm pretty sure they are lousy at reading themselves as well though.

 

[Totenkindly]

I would venture to suggest that most people suck at "reading" themselves, and aren't as good at reading others as they might think.

That.

Intrapersonal and interpersonal skills are a bit different, and this includes the ability to read and sift through external input vs reading and sifting through internal data.

It's a skill to be developed by anyone.

 

[Winds of Thor]

Why is it, do you find?

Who was this comment directed at?

Ohh..why do you say you're not good at reading yourself?

 

[The Great One]

Ohh..why do you say you're not good at reading yourself?

I can't look inside myself. It's almost like I have to watch videos of myself or talk to others about what I am really like in order to know who I really am. It's pretty strange.

 

[WALMART]

I've never not known myself.

 

[kissmyasthma]

I can't look inside myself. It's almost like I have to watch videos of myself or talk to others about what I am really like in order to know who I really am. It's pretty strange.

Yeah, I'm the same. It's really hard for me to figure out what I want or how I feel about things. And when I told that to my Fi-dom sister she looked at me like I was an alien, haha.

 

[Circle]

I'm pretty damn good at reading other people but suck at reading myself. I've heard that this is an xNTP thing. Is this true?

What do you mean by "reading yourself"? Do you mean you have trouble understanding yourself? Or, do you mean you have trouble perceiving what is happening internally? Or, do you mean you have trouble predicting your mental states?

 

[Circle]

Yeah, I'm the same. It's really hard for me to figure out what I want or how I feel about things. And when I told that to my Fi-dom sister she looked at me like I was an alien, haha.

I think sometimes feelings are difficult to perceive if you try to sweep them up in your butterfly nets and pin them down. For me, I have to go quiet and after a time feelings will pad in to see me like shy ghosts.

 

[Xenon]

Yeah, I can't relate. I definitely have an easier time understanding myself than understanding others (if that's what you mean by "reading"). The times I do have insight into others, it often comes from my own past insight into myself. I agree with [MENTION=9310]uumlau[/MENTION] said though, that many people aren't very good at either.

Where I do have trouble with at times is predicting how I will feel in certain circumstances. I'm not convinced that's an NTP thing either though, since that's a pretty common human characteristic and living something can be very different from imagining it.

 

[The Great One]

Yeah, I'm the same. It's really hard for me to figure out what I want or how I feel about things. And when I told that to my Fi-dom sister she looked at me like I was an alien, haha.

Well it's good to know that others relate.

What do you mean by "reading yourself"? Do you mean you have trouble understanding yourself? Or, do you mean you have trouble perceiving what is happening internally? Or, do you mean you have trouble predicting your mental states?

I mean like, it's hard for me to understand what I want in life, what beliefs I have, and who I really am inside.

 

[Circle]

I mean like, it's hard for me to understand what I want in life, what beliefs I have, and who I really am inside.

Why do you feel like you need to understand? Do you feel isolated?

 

[The Great One]

Why do you feel like you need to understand? Do you feel isolated?

No, a lot of it has to do with moral values. It's like I have no clue what I believe. It's not like an Fi user who easily knows what they believe and easily make their own system you know? My morals change with whomever I am around. It is strange.

 

[Circle]

No, a lot of it has to do with moral values. It's like I have no clue what I believe. It's not like an Fi user who easily knows what they believe and easily make their own system you know? My morals change with whomever I am around. It is strange.

What happens when you spend long periods of time alone? Does that change anything? I think extraverts can drown out their own quiet internal voices by turning their attention to things outside themselves. Have you ever tried to reconnect to the person you were as a child? I find that if I can find a still moment I can reconnect with what I feel and if I can reconnect with what I feel I can reconnect with what I believe, which is often based on feeling. Are there situations where you are not easily influenced? I would be curious about that.