Why are NT's so rare as the main characters?

[Metis]

This Rick dude is an ENTP stereotype. Not because he's wearing a lab coat and extraverted. But mostly because he's a nut. In a nice way. He rescues his evil alter-ego from some kind of hellish realm. Beat that, NFs!!

Rick And Morty - Season 3 Episode 6- (Rest and Ricklaxation) - Video Dailymotion

 

[Edgar]

I do love Indiana Jones, an SP, however, but he also used his mind a lot and there was that nerdy professor side to him that made him a more interesting hero.

Having rewatched the Indiana Jones trilogy recently (fuck the fourth one), he struck me as ENFP more than anything - which makes sense since both Lucas and Spielberg are NFs.
He likes adventure, he's an occult nerd, he has a strong moral compass, and generally trusting of people and believes all the wild stories he hears. "These people say their magical stones were stolen and a great misfortune has befallen them. We must find them and return them!" Do you really see an SP doing this?

This Rick dude is an ENTP stereotype.

I know that "crazy scientist = ENTP" is a safe choice, but Rick seems like an ESTP. He loves science and prides himself being the best at it, but at the end of the day his goal is some Sensory pursuit.

 

[Cellmold]

I know that "crazy scientist = ENTP" is a safe choice, but Rick seems like an ESTP. He loves science and prides himself being the best at it, but at the end of the day his goal is some Sensory pursuit.

Rick's motivation is attempting to deal with the harsh realisations of being a genius who, through that genius, can do pretty much anything and yet is still subject to the negative nihilism of lacking meaning (a perception of) in anything.

When you strip away the human conceits that are used to buffer against this kind of thinking, sensory indulgence is as meaningful as anything else.

At least in that indulgence there is the illusion of a tangible feedback.

Also it's played for laughs and an inversion of scientist archetypes, in both the cold analytical style and mad, but conceptually brilliant style.

That the drunk at the bar might just have, through extensive experience, a very good insight into the notion of the human condition and then what if he were a scientific genius?

This Rick dude is an ENTP stereotype. Not because he's wearing a lab coat and extraverted. But mostly because he's a nut. In a nice way. He rescues his evil alter-ego from some kind of hellish realm. Beat that, NFs!!

Rick And Morty - Season 3 Episode 6- (Rest and Ricklaxation) - Video Dailymotion

Rick doesn't rescue his alter ego, he gets tricked by the manifestation of toxic elements of his personality with whom he was trying to reintegrate, removed by alien technology. Interestingly, in that episode, it's revealed that the toxic Rick is the one who actually cares for Morty, since Rick also views his own irrational attachments to family to be a toxic influence.

The whole episode deals with the dangers of trying to do away with or suppress the aspects of a self that are not always palatable. You end up being confident, relaxed and optimistic at the cost of a conscience and being a whole person. Guilt is not pleasant, for example, but it does keep a lot of people in check.

In the context of the episode, though, it would depend on whether you viewed your (now often called) negative emotions as toxic or not.

 

[Starry]

"These people say their magical stones avatars were stolen and a great misfortune has befallen them. We must find them and return them!"

I actually believe this happened.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Having rewatched the Indiana Jones trilogy recently (fuck the fourth one), he struck me as ENFP more than anything - which makes sense since both Lucas and Spielberg are NFs.
He likes adventure, he's an occult nerd, he has a strong moral compass, and generally trusting of people and believes all the wild stories he hears. "These people say their magical stones were stolen and a great misfortune has befallen them. We must find them and return them!" Do you really see an SP doing this?

Perhaps. I hadn't considered NF for Indy but I could see why that could be a possibility.

I assumed Indy's primary driving force was the thirst for adventure, the chance at "fortune and glory," as he tells Short round, but then there's also a discomfort he tends to show whenever embarking on a new quest. Like it's going to involve some physical and emotional discomfort, and he knows it, which could be indicative of Si somewhere in his stack. Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?

But I think an SP could also put themselves in the hero/savior role in the right circumstances, and get the double benefit of the thrill of the adventure as an added bonus, so difficult to say.

He has that nerdy professor side which might occasionally show up in an STP, but it also seems kind of N-like, particularly when he's sinking in quicksand in 4 and gets distracted by his own nerdy explanation of different types of quicksand--very absent-minded professor-like and hard to see an SP getting so distracted by their own conceptualizing and explanations. He has a slight space cadet quality. Maybe we can split the difference and type Indy an ISFP

- - - Updated - - -

I actually believe this happened.

I was really excited when I learned the Thuggee villain cult in that film was based on a real Hindu sect.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Because giving too much power/focus on the NT character would turn movies/stories into this ...

 

[Metis]

I know that "crazy scientist = ENTP" is a safe choice

Nah, "crazy scientist = INTJ" is the norm. Rick reminds me of the crazy ENTPs I know in any walk of life.

 

[Metis]

Rick doesn't rescue his alter ego, he gets tricked by the manifestation of toxic elements of his personality with whom he was trying to reintegrate, removed by alien technology. Interestingly, in that episode, it's revealed that the toxic Rick is the one who actually cares for Morty, since Rick also views his own irrational attachments to family to be a toxic influence.

The whole episode deals with the dangers of trying to do away with or suppress the aspects of a self that are not always palatable. You end up being confident, relaxed and optimistic at the cost of a conscience and being a whole person. Guilt is not pleasant, for example, but it does keep a lot of people in check.

In the context of the episode, though, it would depend on whether you viewed your (now often called) negative emotions as toxic or not.

Quite a summary!

Yeah, I get the episode, but part of my point was to use it ironically to demonstrate that ENTPs are on a higher moral plane than NFs. Not that they really are.

But they can be. For example: Most people who use the language you mentioned, i.e. negative, negativity, dark, processing, healing, transformative, etc., seem to me to be NFs. They are also the people who give me nightmares, for an integrally (LOL, I used their word that they stole from calculus) related reason: They tend to have a unilateral and one-dimensional view on what's "negative" and "dark" vs. what's "positive" and/or "transformational", and to be very dogmatic about it. And when they accuse you of the former, how are you going to defend yourself? They don't provide reasoning. They just demonize.

That was one of the reasons why I found that episode hilarious.

 

[SalesmanPoet]

The answer is simple.... Nobody likes OP heroes..

 

[Forever_Jung]

So much of what I "do" is inside my head, so I can't imagine how boring it would be to watch a movie/show about my adventures. I don't really care for the show in general, but this clip is a fairly accurate representation of INT's in action:

 

[Merced]

Could it be that fictional NT characters are just consistently mistyped? It's almost as if NT characters only get an NT typing if they have a glaring flaw that indicates low feeling/low sensing. Granted the NT stereotype is the least superficially likeable, with ENTPs getting the biggest pass here because they are somehow more tolerable, people are quick to avoid putting protagonists in the NT box. I'd argue that this is also the case for SJ characters, except replace "likeable" with "interesting".

Unrelated by this is the only likeable NT main character to ever exist. Arguably one of the best written characters in modern shonen history.

 

[Population: 1]

Ha. It beats being the corpse in every movie. Careful, don't trip over the dead INFP. We're too busy day dreaming when the killer/monster/antagonist pays a visit. Or we're the kooky comic relief character/ditzy friend. At least you guys/gals might be an eccentric Bond villain.

 

[Forever_Jung]

Also, just mathematically, NT's are the rarest temperament.

 

[burningranger]

Easy, most writers aren't NT themselves, thefore they are unable or uninterested in having their characters mimic the NT ways of going about life.

 

[Totenkindly]

...At least you guys/gals might be an eccentric Bond villain.

... the children in school used to make fun of me too.

They will all rue the day.

 

[Poki]

Also, just mathematically, NT's are the rarest temperament.

Reality says other wise. I am surrounded by just as much NT as ST....but "theoretically" "geniuses" are rare.

 

[Smilephantomhive]

There is no way for everyone's opinions on type to be consistent enough to know the real typologoical percententages , much less in the fictional realm. No offense, but the methods of determining thevrarury if types are flawed. I mean who thinks phone serveys are reliable?

 

[Smilephantomhive]

I think NT characters can be cool of the writer is good, but the in their head thing like someone else here said could make them boring if not done well.

 

[Pentarius]

NT's are critical thinkers who utilize logical analysis. Only certain genres can really showcase a MC with these strengths in an entertaining fashion. Mystery and sci-fi have been mentioned already. I'd like to add "psychological" to the list, as Lelouch has come up and also what I perceive as an allusion to Death Note. Not to say NT MC's do not or cannot exist outside these genres, but they'd definitely be the minority. So, I'd attribute the rarity of the NT MC to their being more of a genre dependent or niche type character.

If you're looking for an INTP MC, Oreki Houtarou from "Hyouka" fits the bill. Mystery seems to me the best fit for NT's in general.

 

[Forever_Jung]

Reality says other wise. I am surrounded by just as much NT as ST....but "theoretically" "geniuses" are rare.

Yeah that's true. My personal anecdotal evidence clashes with your anecdotal evidence, that's fine. It's impossible to prove stuff like this.