[MBTI General] The soliloquy

[Luke O]

Otherwise known as being alone, and talking to empty space and/or yourself. Shakespeare was fond of their usage, and I've known people who use it to reconcile their thoughts. My mum does it and I've wandered in on her many times as a child during one of her conversations with herself.

But what trait is this? It sounds like extraverted thinking/feeling rebounded on herself (as opposed to being quiet in thought). But what about the need to be alone in the first place, which is more introverted behaviour?

 

[Luke O]

Still interested to hear whether this is more an Extravert/Introvert behaviour

 

[Yama]

I'm not sure if it's more introvert or extrovert, but I just can't resist saying, all this makes me think of is Jean Valjean...

But, is there really an I/E preference for this? I mean, even though it's spoken aloud, it's spoken aloud while alone, right? I get the feeling it's just more of an individual preference. Then again, I haven't met anyone who does this (to my knowledge) outside of fiction.

 

[windoverlake]

Otherwise known as being alone, and talking to empty space and/or yourself. Shakespeare was fond of their usage, and I've known people who use it to reconcile their thoughts. My mum does it and I've wandered in on her many times as a child during one of her conversations with herself.

Does your mum project her voice and enunciate when she's verbalising her thoughts? When you've wandered in on her, is there something more theatrical for you to overhear, or do you overhear her mumbling?

But what trait is this? It sounds like extraverted thinking/feeling rebounded on herself (as opposed to being quiet in thought). But what about the need to be alone in the first place, which is more introverted behaviour?

I know I've done this when I need to organise my thoughts on something and I definitely soliloquise if I'm angry. However, it's more snippets and under the breath than a soliloquy. And I do this when I'm confused or stressed: like I need to hear it aloud so that the thought sort of becomes an external object, like a song, and hearing it allows me to edit. The verbalising externalises the thought, and that externalisation (it's out there now) somehow facilitates much-needed detachment. I find I talk to myself the most when I'm struggling putting something into words, like when I need to write someone an email. In my case, it's probably stressed Ni.

I don't do it on the regular, though, as my day-to-day, homeostatic thoughts aren't word-friendly.

Interested to see how this thread progresses. Fascinating question.

 

[Luke O]

Does your mum project her voice and enunciate when she's verbalising her thoughts? When you've wandered in on her, is there something more theatrical for you to overhear, or do you overhear her mumbling?



I know I've done this when I need to organise my thoughts on something and I definitely soliloquise if I'm angry. However, it's more snippets and under the breath than a soliloquy. And I do this when I'm confused or stressed: like I need to hear it aloud so that the thought sort of becomes an external object, like a song, and hearing it allows me to edit. The verbalising externalises the thought, and that externalisation (it's out there now) somehow facilitates much-needed detachment. I find I talk to myself the most when I'm struggling putting something into words, like when I need to write someone an email. In my case, it's probably stressed Ni.

I don't do it on the regular, though, as my day-to-day, homeostatic thoughts aren't word-friendly.

Interested to see how this thread progresses. Fascinating question.

It was always normal volume, like she was talking to someone else (that's what I thought it was at first). She seemed a little embarrassed each time but soon carried on when I left the bedroom. Was mostly about deciding how to approach certain problems or how to deal with certain people. It wasn't mumbling or particularly theatrical though.

I rarely use it as a tool, maybe just when my internal thought processes just aren't making sense, I recycle it through speech so it does. I dunno.

 

[windoverlake]

Do you know what type your mum is?

 

[Oaky]

Do you know what type your mum is?

Was slightly confused and thought this was one of those immature preteen statements but reread OP. Shouldn't be quick to judge.

 

[Luke O]

Do you know what type your mum is?

She strikes me as xNFP.

 

[windoverlake]

She seemed a little embarrassed each time but soon carried on when I left the bedroom.

She strikes me as xNFP.

That she carried on once you left the room ... Well, as an Fe I wouldn't/couldn't continue conversing with myself knowing others were around. I don't want another person hearing or knowing my thoughts, don't care how banal they are. But I'm totally cool with talking to dogs and cats. They're adorable and discrete. In fact, I tell them everything. They know the launch codes.

 

[Luke O]

That she carried on once you left the room ... Well, as an Fe I wouldn't/couldn't continue conversing with myself knowing others were around. I don't want another person hearing or knowing my thoughts, don't care how banal they are. But I'm totally cool with talking to dogs and cats. They're adorable and discrete. In fact, I tell them everything. They know the launch codes.

Only when she thought I had gone...

And hey, dogs are great listeners!

 

[windoverlake]

Only when she thought I had gone...

But she still returned to her conversation. Maybe that's an important detail, because I wouldn't, regardless of how banal the soliloquy/mumble/chatter.

 

[Luke O]

But she still returned to her conversation. Maybe that's an important detail, because I wouldn't, regardless of how banal the soliloquy/mumble/chatter.

Might be. With you, do you feel it helps with your thought process?

 

[windoverlake]

Having stewed on it some more, I don't think I soliloquise in the manner in which the term deems. Even when talking with/to dogs, I don't soliloquise; it's more telling them sweet nothings, asking if they'd like a biscuit, divulging launch codes & bank PINs.

With you, do you feel it helps with your thought process?

The only time I verbally externalise is when I'm refining/editing something I've written. I'll read it out to get a feel for if it sounds right, but I can't say it actually helps with my thought process. It just lets me know if it sounds/feels right or not. My thought process requires the Fortress of Solitude.

The only person I've seen enter into something like soliloquy-mode is an ENFP, and I know an INFP who chit-chats to herself, frequently and freely enough, for me to have observed her several times.

Thus far, all three participants of our control group are XNFP. Is this Ne-Fi/Fi-Ne?

As Ti-Ne, do you soliloquise?