Let's Learn About Introverted Sensing!

[Yama]

Introduction​

In my time as an established member on this forum I have received many PMs and questions, from both old members and new, about Si. Si gets a lot of flack on the internet and is incredibly unjustly stereotyped as a function, and unfortunately, there are not many SJs around to defend it (or themselves, as SJs in general are often randomly despised). I find myself often repeating the same explanations, finding the same threads, over and over again to aid me in helping others understand this function.

I figured it would be a good idea to start a sort of "workshop" where I can gather information, materials, sources, and post my own musings about what Si is and how it works. This can benefit not only those who wander into my PM box with questions and myself (who likes to organize thoughts), but anyone who is curious enough to want to see and to learn. And who better to learn about Si from than an Si dom?

The reason this is in the member blogs section and not the MBTI section is because

1. I'm not sure if I will update this often enough to keep it on the first few pages and I don't want to lose it, and
2. I want full control over this thread, and only blogs and support/advice threads give the OP that sort of power

Everyone is welcome to comment and ask questions about Si in this thread. This is a workspace dedicated to introverted sensing as a function, destroying stereotypes, and clarifying what Si really is. That being said, please do not ask questions here before checking to see if I've already answered it. Feel free to ask for clarification, but if I get the same question 5 times... the point of this thread is so I only have to answer it once and I can send people here instead of repeating myself 500 times. So please read what's here before asking questions that may have already been answered.

Other Si valuing types are also wonderful additions to this space and very welcome to share their interpretations, experiences, etc. and how it may differ from my own. They're also free to share their own original musings and observations about Si.

If you are going to comment in this space, be respectful. I can and will have any harmful or rude posts or comments removed. This is a space dedicated to learning about Si, not bashing SJs. Feel free to disagree with others and their opinions but don't make it personal and don't bash an entire category of people needlessly.

I'm not going to have any sort of regular posting or update schedule. Any time I find helpful resources or have a sudden insight about Si, I will share them here, and you are all welcome to as well, as long as you follow my rules.

I will be back shortly to start off with a few links to very helpful Si-related threads.

 

[Yama]

Theads on Si from TypologyCentral​

To begin with some shameless self-advertising, we have: http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...si-conservative-semantics-misconceptions.html

I have, on more than one occasion, seen SJs mistype themselves because they "are not conservative." The typical SJ description depicts the Si user as traditional and conservative in the sense that they are a Republican from the 1950s ... INFJ is a popular beginner mistype for ISFJ because ISFJ descriptions paint us to be traditional doormats, stuck in our oldschool ways, unable to keep up with a changing world. This is laughably untrue, and one of the reasons there is such an SJ bias.

This generations' SJ's are nothing like one or two generations ago ... younger SJ's will take on and preserve their own set of experiences and the culture they arre immersed in right now, and may work on 'preserving' that in the here and now. In 40 years, todays' youthful SJ's may be seen as 'traditional' by the new generation.

Si, being an introverted function, wants things to be pure. It is like Ni in the sense that it's cautious about what it lets in as they build an understanding of themselves and/or the world around them ... It's why Pi people are careful with their external environment, as that is more 'threatening' and they feel more comfortable exploring/living in their inner world.

SJs are only "conservative" and "traditional" insomuch as they stick with whatever they, subjectively, consider to be "best". Which oftentimes has a lot to do what's going on in society ... I work at a social justice oriented office and you'd be surprised by the number of fellow SJs I've met here.

SJs may pick and choose what modern-day "traditions" they adhere to. They may completely rebel against the "traditions" they grew up with, in favor of new "traditions" that they find later in life. Regardless, whatever structures and priorities they focus on in their lives, they are consistent with, and they take very seriously.

Next up we have a thread about the associations between Si and memory: http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...gian-cognitive-functions/84119-si-memory.html

Si attaches a sentimentality to a particular memory which makes it more 'memorable' and easy/frequent to recall when something else 'reminds' them.

Everything is organized by what you have experienced before and you can connect past sensory experiences to new experiences in a direct way ... I think with anything there are Si users who have good memories and those who don't. Even if you can't remember specific details I imagine that new experiences would trigger some relationship to past experiences.

People tend to water Si down to "oh, it's just nostalgia" and "oh, they have good memories" and basically things that literally everyone can do whether they value Si or not ... I relate everything back to something that I've experienced before. Imagine you're trying to teach me to do something completely new to me. I'm going to struggle with it at first. Eventually, something might "click" with me and I'll say, "Oh, so this is kind of like doing [unrelated activity]!" And I'll use all of my experience with that and be able to apply it to the current activity in a new way.

This is a thread that invites Si users to describe their experience with Si in various stacking positions, not strictly just the dom or aux: http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...3338-wherever-si-stack-pancakes-identify.html

Also, while I appreciate Si for giving me this personalized sensory data to pull from, my Ne just eats that up! When I get in a slump or have been stressed for too long a time, Si is where I tend to find myself residing. It's fine, it works for a brief time since it's comfortable and feels safe, but when I don't use my Ne and Fi for too long, I just sink further and further into my slump.

I'm living and breathing Si every moment. It's my framework for looking at the world. It's my default mode. It's much more than just simple memory recall or nostalgia; it's my way of making sense of the world around me. Categorization, details, impressions, all are just as present and important as recollection ... In less than a fraction of a second, I passively take in information around me, filter it through my subjective impressions, and use that to define my surroundings and organize it in a way that makes sense to me.

I see Si as sort of a repository bank of experiences from which I can draw on for something solid and concrete amidst Ne 'streaminess' sort of like the rocks in a river or creek that the water current races around. Seen differently, Si is helps me source my associations. Sometimes when I rattle off random information I'm asked 'how do you know all this stuff?' or 'where did that come from?' I attribute this bank of knowledge to my Si.

I understand that everything I experience is a subjective experience. Even if there were anything objective or universal, we would still experience it subjectively. Therefore, we should not expect everyone to want the same things or work the same way. This is why we need to cultivate diversity in all things.

So you see, Si is not as rigid and conservative as you've been told.

 

[fetus]

Hell yes! So glad to have another Si-oriented thread.

Here's an INFP/ISFJ thread I made a while.

You aren't an INFP.

If you'd like a perspective on auxiliary Si and/or how it interacts with Fe, I'd be happy to help.

 

[fetus]

OK.

So I found something (it is an a private thingy, so I cannot give you a link).

ISFJs can mistype as INFP/ENFP because, if an ISFJ is a quirky person or is different from others, they will be hyper aware of it. They will notice that they are different/weird compared to others, and since the usual/stereotypical description of type is that those with Fi are different or weird, then they mistype as INFP/ENFP. If a true INFP/ENFP was weird ...they actually wouldn't notice as much as an ISFJ/ESFJ would. In fact, ESFJs and potentially ISFJs can manipulate their "weirdness" because they are good at reading social cues (or at least better at it then an INFP ...despite how "bad" the ISFJ/ESFJ thinks they are at being normal).

Also, ISFJs are typed as 6s often. Being type 6 is already such a complex type ...and only ENFP/INFPs get called out as being complex. INFJs also think they are complex ...but ISFJs have Si-Ne, so they are more likely to mistype as ENFP/INFP.

Also, in today's society ...almost no one is traditional anymore, so we cannot use this "weirdness"/"quirky"/"unique" thing as a basis for typing someone.

Also, I found this post.

 

[Yama]

If you'd like a perspective on auxiliary Si and/or how it interacts with Fe, I'd be happy to help.

Certainly! If you and [MENTION=4945]EJCC[/MENTION] and any other of the few almost nonexistent ESxJs on this forum ever want to talk about Si as the auxillary function, that would be awesome! We certainly have enough to describe the tertiary and inferior and a good handful for dominant. We need you!

And thanks for posting your thread fetus! That was another one I was going to go hunting for later!

 

[Verona]

The more I learn about Si, the more I think I am probably ISFJ.

Doing something new for the first time can feel intimidating to me because I don't have the experience to reference. Once I do something once though I am very confident and capable. Having that information cache to access provides so much confidence and security. I think this type of experience is what leads to the stodgy stereotype because some ISJs may not challenge themselves to try new things and build up the information files they have in their brain. I have never related to the "stuck in their ways" ISJ stereotypes because even though new things can feel a bit scary I like to do them because it expands my knowledge and experience. Does this sound like Si? How do you feel about trying new things as an Si user?

 

[Yama]

The more I learn about Si, the more I think I am probably ISFJ.

Doing something new for the first time can feel intimidating to me because I don't have the experience to reference. Once I do something once though I am very confident and capable. Having that information cache to access provides so much confidence and security. I think this type of experience is what leads to the stodgy stereotype because some ISJs may not challenge themselves to try new things and build up the information files they have in their brain. I have never related to the "stuck in their ways" ISJ stereotypes because even though new things can feel a bit scary I like to do them because it expands my knowledge and experience. Does this sound like Si? How do you feel about trying new things as an Si user?

This is something I can relate to. Doing something new is scary. I went to a support group meeting for the first time last Saturday and even though I knew it would help me, that I would be fine, and that I would have a good experience, it was just so terrifying. I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't familiar with the route getting there because I don't drive downtown, and I wasn't sure where to go once I got there, and I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of the actual meeting itself. I wanted to know every single little detail first so I could be fully, 100% prepared, but that's obviously impossible.

I went, and everything was fine. Now I am not scared of going anymore. I went to a different support group at a different location today, and even though I hadn't been to that particular one before, I was not as scared as I was for the first one, because now I have "experience" with support groups. Now, I am not as terrified of going to them. I know what to expect there. I have that previous knowledge to call on and guide me through it the next time.

The "stuck in their ways" stereotype doesn't apply to me much, other than the fact that I am stubborn, though not in the way the stereotype suggests. The stereotype is implying that the SJ is close-minded. My stubbornness has more to do with cycles of self-defeating and negative feedback loops. A mix of inferior Ne, a little tiny 4 fix, and some recovering mental health issues. Not at all because of being close-minded. I have also been told that if I can learn to apply this stubbornness to something constructive rather than tearing myself apart, I could pretty much accomplish anything. Though, now I am getting a little off topic.

 

[citizen cane]

Or we could just quietly observe and analyze how Si has presented itself on the forum and otherwise. I mean, Si hasn't changed or anything so it's not like we need to learn any new information.

 

[Yama]

Or we could just quietly observe and analyze how Si has presented itself on the forum and otherwise. I mean, Si hasn't changed or anything so it's not like we need to learn any new information.

The thing is, most people don't have an accurate picture of what Si is. They know it based on harmful internet stereotypes. This thread is meant to clarify it.

None of this information is new. It has always been there. I have received a large number of PMs over the past few months asking about it, so making a place like this is not only informative for those people, but others as well, not to mention it helps me so I don't have to repeat myself.

I mean, it is a typology forum--it's not like any type, or any function, has changed. Why bother talking about any of it, then?

 

[MisterNi]

I guess I'll post something here. Since my wife and daughter are both SLI and a lot of my friends end up being SLI and SEI, I have a lot of experience with Introverted Sensing. My wife is most motivated in maintaining a pleasant state of being and making sure her office is aesthetically pleasing to everyone with nothing unpleasant to the senses affronting anyone. My daughter, who is already engaged so don't harass her, is much more active and loves to go on adventures; she has more of a wild side. As for Introverted Sensing in the fourth position or is 1-Dimensional in Socionics terms, Si is something I don't quite understand but I know that I need. I know that I need because well, I'm a workaholic otherwise and don't know when to relax or take breaks. I'm very similar to an ENTJ that way. Where an ENFP and ENTJ differ though is an ENFP works long hours because we don't know when to call it a day and leave for home; while an ENTJ works long hours because he or she has an ambition to be promoted whereas ENFPs nearly universally lack any sort of organizational ambition other than to do the work and at the highest quality the ENFP can achieve. We're both overachievers but with different motivations.

 

[Norrsken]

Jesus, this is still such a difficult concept for me. Si and Ni and pretty much every other introverted function is just so difficult to explain or being talked about because its only ever in people's heads when it happens and it can be awkward for me to somehow measure it. I'm glad this thread has been made, of course, for all the newbies and people like me who are interested in this function.

First question: Can you tell me one example of you using Si in a typical social setting?

 

[Yama]

First question: Can you tell me one example of you using Si in a typical social setting?

That's rather hard to do; Si does not act, it only perceives, so in social settings and anything else that requires me to work with the external world, I'm interacting with it through my Fe.

One example I can think of where my Si was slightly visible is from a time I was a child when I was opening Christmas presents; I don't remember it, but it was on a family video that I saw a while ago. Every single present I opened, it was "Oh wow, this is the same one my friend Lauren has! [tells story about Lauren and the thing]" or something along those lines, relating literally everything I opened back to something else and going off on a tangent to the point where people started getting annoyed with me and saying, "Can you just open your present, be happy, say thanks, and open the next one, damnit"

 

[/DG/]

That's rather hard to do; Si does not act, it only perceives, so in social settings and anything else that requires me to work with the external world, I'm interacting with it through my Fe.

One example I can think of where my Si was slightly visible is from a time I was a child when I was opening Christmas presents; I don't remember it, but it was on a family video that I saw a while ago. Every single present I opened, it was "Oh wow, this is the same one my friend Lauren has! [tells story about Lauren and the thing]" or something along those lines, relating literally everything I opened back to something else and going off on a tangent to the point where people started getting annoyed with me and saying, "Can you just open your present, be happy, say thanks, and open the next one, damnit"

Goddamnit, Lauren! She is always ruining family moments!

 

[highlander]

Michael Pierce Profile Description
http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/vbtube_show.php?tubeid=287

Wiki ISFJ Description
ISFJ - Typology Wiki

ISFJ Challenges By An ISFJ
http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/vbtube_show.php?tubeid=343

Differences Between ISFJ and INFJ
http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/vbtube_show.php?tubeid=343

http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/vbtube_show.php?tubeid=114

 

[Norrsken]

That's rather hard to do; Si does not act, it only perceives, so in social settings and anything else that requires me to work with the external world, I'm interacting with it through my Fe.

One example I can think of where my Si was slightly visible is from a time I was a child when I was opening Christmas presents; I don't remember it, but it was on a family video that I saw a while ago. Every single present I opened, it was "Oh wow, this is the same one my friend Lauren has! [tells story about Lauren and the thing]" or something along those lines, relating literally everything I opened back to something else and going off on a tangent to the point where people started getting annoyed with me and saying, "Can you just open your present, be happy, say thanks, and open the next one, damnit"

That's an adorable memory there. ;p So I suppose Si is just always taking in the current event and then just relating it back to a prior memory and how it fits in a puzzle? I hope I make sense.

 

[Yama]

That's an adorable memory there. ;p So I suppose Si is just always taking in the current event and then just relating it back to a prior memory and how it fits in a puzzle? I hope I make sense.

Yes, it's a pretty unconscious process for me. I'm never actively trying to make these connections, they just happen. It gives Si this sense of sentimentality that I have too much of tbh lol! The way Michael Pierce describes Si in his ISFJ video (using the spider web example) is fantastic.

 

[EJCC]

The reason this is in the member blogs section and not the MBTI section is because

1. I'm not sure if I will update this often enough to keep it on the first few pages and I don't want to lose it, and
2. I want full control over this thread, and only blogs and support/advice threads give the OP that sort of power

Moved to the Myers-Briggs/JCF subforum.

Sorry lux -- can't allow this kind of rule-circumvention. Especially when that rule is in place to allow for open intellectual discourse, which is what this forum is about.

 

[EJCC]

Me and one of my ENFP friends recently:

Me: So if I'm staying over... do you all have any blankets?
ENFP: I have this hammock.
Me: That is a hammock. Do you have any blankets?
ENFP: It's made of cloth. It's soft and comfy. You can use it as a blanket.
Me: But do you have any actual blankets though?
ENFP: I've used it as a blanket before and it was fine.
Me: ...
ENFP: There's nothing stopping you from using this as a blanket. Why bother with definitions? If it's comfortable, then...?
Me: ... Fine.

He thought that was the funniest thing ever. Big Si moment in my opinion -- specifically, Si leading to Ne. If there's no precedent for the thing, then what related thing can serve the same purpose?

 

[MisterNi]

I should also note that my daughter is ISTP although she tests as INTJ quite often within MBTI; while the wife is ISTJ. They're both SLI but of different type in Socionics though.

 

[Punderstorm]

So Si is essentially linking past prospects and Ne is linking future prospects?