How do you perceive your inferior function?

[Qlip]

Most of my understanding of type theory is pretty limited to what's bandied about on this forum, but isn't your inferior function supposed to manifest in negative and immature ways? I feel like I have a pretty good relationship with my Si. I don't identify with it like I do Ne or Fi, it isn't me, but it informs me and I get a lot of value out of it, kind of like having a buddy along for the ride.

I'm pretty sure it's that little voice that tells me I'm off the map, or tells me I'm in the grove. I'm pretty sure it's how I magically navigate back to my car in a strange neighborhood. And sometimes I can relate two very different situations in strange novel ways just by sense impression, I feel like I have a kind of map of these in my mind.

I'm curious, how do you perceive your inferior function?

 

[miss fortune]

it's the angel on my shoulder in a way (or my mom's voice haunting me, despite the fact that she's living)... that reminder of "don't be an asshole" or "you probably shouldn't do that because you'll make X person unhappy" and things of that sort... I'd say it's a pretty well integrated part of who I am by this point in my life

(yes, I'm talking about Fe, which is a pretty good shoulder angel as far as they go!)

 

[ceecee]

I know Se is my inferior and from everything I have read, it's not good. It feels overwhelming. It's almost like a little clock inside me that says it might be time for a nap before anything else happens.

 

[gromit]

huh yeah I guess mine would technically be Te, but I see it coming out in good ways AND bad ways.


Actually, let's be honest. I have no idea what Te is.

 

[Pionart]

My inferior makes me crazy.

 

[Nicodemus]

My inferiors bring me coffee.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

My inferiors bring me coffee.

Mine would except for the fact that I hired a bunch of hippie college interns and they're all out in the parking lot getting stoned and playing hacky sack.

 

[Ene]

Our inferior functions aren't always bad and they don't only manifest under stress. For example, as a Ni Dom, my inferior is Se. It's also my release valve, my counter weight. It's a way to relax the dominant function. For some Ni's it might be an affinity for fine foods, wine or collecting art. For me, it is a love of physical activity and times of just being totally in the moment culminated in a such things as a dedication to martial arts, a love of gardening, anything that lets me totally engage in the here and now (Se) and allows my psyche to rest from its usual state.

Of course, it does come out under stress, too, and can cause me to act totally out of character. But most of the time, And even then, I suppose, Se is my friend.

 

[Opal]

Immersion in Se feels like shutting off and cooling down. If I go offline for too long, I begin to panic, but small doses keep me from spinning out.

Music, light TV, nature walks, yard work, cooking, etc.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

I enjoy my music kind of loud.

 

[PeaceBaby]

I perceive my Te inferior function as the whip snapping at my back, but that sounds pretty negative, eh? Let's see, it's the iron fist pounding the table of "let's get some shit done." (That sounds negative too ... trying again.) Te is that loud booming voice in my head that says, "If you don't get this done, you will FAIL and be a giant loser!" Or, the drill sergeant of my life, barking orders and reminding me of schedules, timeframes, to do lists .... stuff like that.

I'd like to say I have good manifestation of my Te, and I probably do to a certain extent, but there's not much sophistication to it; it bosses me around to manifest in the real world the goals I have claimed to be a priority in my life.

I've posted before it's like trying to walk a cat. [MENTION=9310]uumlau[/MENTION] then posted the following video representation:

Me and my Te.

Well. I guess that sums things up.

 

[Poki]

I perceive my Te inferior function as the whip snapping at my back, but that sounds pretty negative, eh? Let's see, it's the iron fist pounding the table of "let's get some shit done." (That sounds negative too ... trying again.) Te is that loud booming voice in my head that says, "If you don't get this done, you will FAIL and be a giant loser!" Or, the drill sergeant of my life, barking orders and reminding me of schedules, timeframes, to do lists .... stuff like that.

I'd like to say I have good manifestation of my Te, and I probably do to a certain extent, but there's not much sophistication to it; it bosses me around to manifest in the real world the goals I have claimed to be a priority in my life.

I've posted before it's like trying to walk a cat. [MENTION=9310]uumlau[/MENTION] then posted the following video representation:

Me and my Te.

Well. I guess that sums things up.

Lol, yeah...claimed your Fi realizes and knows there are more important things though that matter more. Use your Ne to find a direction to steer yourself and Te will kick in as a helper and no longer a whip.

 

[Pionart]

I perceive my Te inferior function as the whip snapping at my back, but that sounds pretty negative, eh? Let's see, it's the iron fist pounding the table of "let's get some shit done." (That sounds negative too ... trying again.) Te is that loud booming voice in my head that says, "If you don't get this done, you will FAIL and be a giant loser!" Or, the drill sergeant of my life, barking orders and reminding me of schedules, timeframes, to do lists .... stuff like that.

I call it the voice of reason and I am only just getting in touch with it even though it is my auxiliary...

I'd like to say I have good manifestation of my Te, and I probably do to a certain extent, but there's not much sophistication to it; it bosses me around to manifest in the real world the goals I have claimed to be a priority in my life.

Yes this is how I see the relationship between Fi and Te, too. Fi determines what is important and Te is then about how to achieve it.

 

[JocktheMotie]

It manifests as mostly negative mental pressure, and its "concerns" are ones that I can't really respect. I've yet to successfully integrate it in a way that doesn't eventually make me feel resentful when I "listen to it." Also, when I look at decisions I've made with that viewpoint in mind, or when that function was leading I typically look at them with regret and wished I would have just listened to sense.

So. There you have it.

 

[uumlau]

Naomi Quenk's "Was That Really Me?" has been the definitive work in the area of how the inferior function behaves for a long while, and I am unaware of any more recent sources that might replace it. Was That Really Me?: How Everyday Stress Brings Out Our Hidden Personality: Naomi L. Quenk: 9780891061700: Amazon.com: Books Just about everything you read about the inferior function in detail has its source in this book, whether directly or indirectly.

If you Google for that author/title and the particular function(s) you are interested in, it's often possible to find snippets that cover the main points of what she wrote. Or you can just get a copy from Amazon.

 

[PeaceBaby]

Lol, yeah...claimed your Fi realizes and knows there are more important things though that matter more. Use your Ne to find a direction to steer yourself and Te will kick in as a helper and no longer a whip.

I think it's kind of the opposite, Poki. In many ways my Fi values are the harsh taskmasters. They set a standard and the primary way to manifest them is with a function in the inferior position. Te knows that just thinking about a thing isn't enough. Ne is a wonderful problem-solver and idea-generator, but it gets me stuck with too many options to consider. It's not getting stuff done, it's loading me up with more and more "great ideas" of what I could do.

I'll give you an example of how I think. Today my son is on the third day of moving out, and in an hour or so, will need to return the moving van he rented yesterday. I have been out this morning taking the dog to the vet, taking her for a visit with her former masters (they live in a senior's home and we adopted the dog 1.5 years ago) and getting my husband a birthday present for his upcoming celebration. Now, I want to get to work. I'm self-employed and if my butt isn't in the chair working on websites I'm not generating revenue. But my Fi values say, "People Over Things." My son is more important than websites. And it's true, right? I mean, it's a no-brainer. But I'm getting tired from being busy helping people quite a bit the last while and frustrated to not get work done. But Fi values will not be compromised. If I can help, I will, and put my personal needs behind my business needs behind other people's needs behind my family's needs. Crazily, I feel incompetent if I can't do all this and stay reasonably energized and sane. Ne says, you can do ALL THE THINGS! So, Te steps in to refocus on efficiency, refocus on priorities, trying to get something done, more than just what goes on inside my head. It tells Ne to shut up once in a while, which is a good thing.

See, I'm here typing this out to reply and I'm simultaneously berating myself that I'm wasting time, not being productive, not helping anything, not focussing on what's important. Even on the things that I am most Fi passionate about, Te is never just a helper, it's a push, it's a "boots on the ground" - let's get stuff done tool. I don't experience it in a "Hey buddy let me help you!" way. It's like putting on a pair of pants that are too tight and ride up your butt-crack but you have to wear them for some part of your job and you can't wait to drop 'em at the end of the day.

Now, realize too that I put in the answer to "how I perceive my inferior function". That comes out fairly negative sounding. But I recognize deeply that despite my frustrations, I very much need this function to manifest well in the world, and I am hugely appreciative of being able to harness that power, even if a bit unpredictable. I perceive it badly, but that doesn't make it bad.

Like the end of that video, there's no feeling in the world like bringing a whole herd into town and you ain't lost a-one of them.

Naomi Quenk's "Was That Really Me?" has been the definitive work in the area of how the inferior function behaves for a long while, and I am unaware of any more recent sources that might replace it.

What enneagram type do you think she is? I ask because I don't see a lot of e9 behaviours described, with little mention of suppression, and the blowing up bits I don't identify with.

 

[fetus]

My Te is so nonexistent that I can barely even recognize it, honestly. It's just the little shadow that tells me, "It's time to get to your homework," and then fades as soon as it appears. When school starts the next day, it comes back to haunt me with, "I told you so, you negligent slob."

I think recognizing the inferior may provide more insight into your actual type. By letters and by dom/aux functions, I could be either xNFP type, but there's no way my Si is inferior.

 

[uumlau]

What enneagram type do you think she is? I ask because I don't see a lot of e9 behaviours described, with little mention of suppression, and the blowing up bits I don't identify with.

I don't think which Enneagram she is makes much of a difference. She's going from case studies, and we 9s are the kind of people that look mentally healthy even when we're not. We're not going to show up that frequently on the radar precisely because we suppress things.

 

[Poki]

I think it's kind of the opposite, Poki. In many ways my Fi values are the harsh taskmasters. They set a standard and the primary way to manifest them is with a function in the inferior position. Te knows that just thinking about a thing isn't enough. Ne is a wonderful problem-solver and idea-generator, but it gets me stuck with too many options to consider. It's not getting stuff done, it's loading me up with more and more "great ideas" of what I could do.

I'll give you an example of how I think. Today my son is on the third day of moving out, and in an hour or so, will need to return the moving van he rented yesterday. I have been out this morning taking the dog to the vet, taking her for a visit with her former masters (they live in a senior's home and we adopted the dog 1.5 years ago) and getting my husband a birthday present for his upcoming celebration. Now, I want to get to work. I'm self-employed and if my butt isn't in the chair working on websites I'm not generating revenue. But my Fi values say, "People Over Things." My son is more important than websites. And it's true, right? I mean, it's a no-brainer. But I'm getting tired from being busy helping people quite a bit the last while and frustrated to not get work done. But Fi values will not be compromised. If I can help, I will, and put my personal needs behind my business needs behind other people's needs behind my family's needs. Crazily, I feel incompetent if I can't do all this and stay reasonably energized and sane. Ne says, you can do ALL THE THINGS! So, Te steps in to refocus on efficiency, refocus on priorities, trying to get something done, more than just what goes on inside my head. It tells Ne to shut up once in a while, which is a good thing.

See, I'm here typing this out to reply and I'm simultaneously berating myself that I'm wasting time, not being productive, not helping anything, not focussing on what's important. Even on the things that I am most Fi passionate about, Te is never just a helper, it's a push, it's a "boots on the ground" - let's get stuff done tool. I don't experience it in a "Hey buddy let me help you!" way. It's like putting on a pair of pants that are too tight and ride up your butt-crack but you have to wear them for some part of your job and you can't wait to drop 'em at the end of the day.

Now, realize too that I put in the answer to "how I perceive my inferior function". That comes out fairly negative sounding. But I recognize deeply that despite my frustrations, I very much need this function to manifest well in the world, and I am hugely appreciative of being able to harness that power, even if a bit unpredictable. I perceive it badly, but that doesn't make it bad.

Like the end of that video, there's no feeling in the world like bringing a whole herd into town and you ain't lost a-one of them.



What enneagram type do you think she is? I ask because I don't see a lot of e9 behaviours described, with little mention of suppression, and the blowing up bits I don't identify with.

Not arguing that what you typed isn't how things are, just that maybe there is a different way that is non-berating. It's kinda like switching your point of view. From a negative to a positive and seeing how competent and productive you are.

I know personally I can only handle so much. I push as hard as I can and know I did my best. Doesn't mean I always like it, when that happens I just learn and do it different next time. I do understand, I very frequently overy extend myself and don't see what I actually accomplish. I know I am doing what I can, could I do more, possibly. Do i slow down sometimes like now when i have alot to do. But that's life, we can only do so much without recovery. Life is a balance and is best when not swinging from extremes. Thankfully in last couple years I have surrounded myself with mostly happy positive people that help me with that stuff. And when they see me get stressed can slow me down and recenter me to the point I get back on track and keep pushing.

just my 2 cents of how I handle life.

 

[PeaceBaby]

I don't think which Enneagram she is makes much of a difference. She's going from case studies, and we 9s are the kind of people that look mentally healthy even when we're not. We're not going to show up that frequently on the radar precisely because we suppress things.

Hmm, yes. I was just thinking if she were a 9 though she'd have visibility into the tendency; I wanted to see it reflected in the work.