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EGO and MBTI

Munchies

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So it appears most people here cling to their MBTI type for a sense of false identity. People find MBTI in search of self knowledge, and most people have a lost sense in self and find ID in their given MBTI type. Their MBTI type is their desired self, and is how they would like to be seen.
 

Kurt.Is.God

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You know, I was going to disagree, but you might be right on a few things. It is a source of identity for me. And I do think it's a pretty accurate way to present myself (I'm guessing this is what you meant by desired self). When my personality type is insulted or praised, I'll feel that applies to me (which it often does), and I'll cling to the attempts to validate my type. I don't think this is BAD or a sense of "false identity", but I do feel like it NARROWS my self-understanding (to eight factors).
 
G

garbage

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One can see a large bit of themselves in a type, then over-identify with it and cling to it as an ideal or standard.

It's one of many ways to structure or project an identity. It has its utility, but it's also imperfect and can be outgrown.

We also see the reverse of what you describe--how one's type influences how other people see them. So, it occurs at both ends.
 

AphroditeGoneAwry

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So it appears most people here cling to their MBTI type for a sense of false identity. People find MBTI in search of self knowledge, and most people have a lost sense in self and find ID in their given MBTI type. Their MBTI type is their desired self, and is how they would like to be seen.


Interesting.

The benefit to using descriptors to explain ourselves and others is that we can understand more information than we could understand without using said descriptors.

The cost to using descriptors to explain ourselves and others is that we narrow our focus and miss information that might fall outside the pattern or descriptors.

MBTI is just a descriptor-tool. It is a valid tool for generally understanding people, but it's validity breaks down when trying to more deeply know a person.

Perhaps a person doesn't want to be more deeply known because they have a low self-esteem or image. They could perhaps hide behind their MBTI type to continue to describe them when, in fact, it does not; when, in fact, it's time to go beyond generalities and assess the individual on a more intimate, albeit time-consuming level.

So I would agree with you. MBTI is a bandaid for our bruised egos.



Maybe this also explains why most people who've used (and abused) MBTI shun it as worthless, not even putting a type by their name. It's just that, for, and with, the people in question, they have gone beyond what MBTI can do.




Still. Knowing a person's preferred cognitive functions could help with understanding them on an intimate/individual level, by giving one insight into how that person likely processes data and makes decisions.


I cannot reconcile these two ideas at this moment....*ponder*



had an analogy going but don't feel like elaborating atm. this is getting too long. :)
 

Coriolis

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You know, I was going to disagree, but you might be right on a few things. It is a source of identity for me. And I do think it's a pretty accurate way to present myself (I'm guessing this is what you meant by desired self). When my personality type is insulted or praised, I'll feel that applies to me (which it often does), and I'll cling to the attempts to validate my type. I don't think this is BAD or a sense of "false identity", but I do feel like it NARROWS my self-understanding (to eight factors).
By extension, will people take it personally when someone insults or praises their cultural group, or gender, or religion, or occupation, etc? I know many people do, and can become quite defensive if the generalization is not flattering. Applying such comments to oneself is valid only to the degree to which one shares the particular group attributes being described. MB type is no different.
 

Such Irony

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So it appears most people here cling to their MBTI type for a sense of false identity. People find MBTI in search of self knowledge, and most people have a lost sense in self and find ID in their given MBTI type. Their MBTI type is their desired self, and is how they would like to be seen.

Partially agree/disagree. It depends on the person. Some people do select a type that doesn't really suit them because they admire the qualities of that type- it's what they want to be. Not everyone is like this. I've seen people do the opposite. They hate their type and wish they have a different one. Both these groups have something in common- they have overrelied on MBTI type to define themselves. People are complex and type only explains part of it. There are strengths and weaknesses in every type and no type is more inherently better than another type.

Also, there is a lot of diversity between members of the same type. The strengths and weaknesses of a given type should be taken as a list of general tendencies. There's going to be exceptions and not every member of a given type will necessarily display all of those.
 
G

garbage

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I will also freely admit (again) to using functions and types as ways to 'visualize' myself in different ways and practice personal growth. What can I say? It works for me.

By extension, will people take it personally when someone insults or praises their cultural group, or gender, or religion, or occupation, etc? I know many people do, and can become quite defensive if the generalization is not flattering. Applying such comments to oneself is valid only to the degree to which one shares the particular group attributes being described. MB type is no different.
I'll admit that I can take it slightly personally, especially when it's in the form of "You belong to group x; therefore, you y." The problem we have, psychologically, is that, if we over-identify with the groups and labels that we belong to, then we'll implicitly read that sentiment into every statement about x. We get afraid that people actually do think that way, and that the thoughts of other people somehow affect us.

Deep down, a small part of me is concerned with the spreading of baseless ideas about groups; and I, of course, have a personal stake in ideas about the groups that I belong to. It's great to be able to trust the critical thinking skills of other people, though; the baseless ideas won't spread to them very easily if people can think about them.

But I've mostly internalized the idea that the thoughts of most people absolutely do not affect me in any way, shape or form and that there's no reason to get defensive about them. People have opinions; they are what they are.

I figure that the best way to dispel baseless stereotypes about one's cultural group, gender, religion, or MBTI type is to simply exist. By doing so, you demonstrate your versatility and eliminate the 'black and white' nature of those stereotypes.
 

lunalum

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So it appears most people here cling to their MBTI type for a sense of false identity. People find MBTI in search of self knowledge, and most people have a lost sense in self and find ID in their given MBTI type. Their MBTI type is their desired self, and is how they would like to be seen.

Um, yeah, pretty much :D Problem?

As I've said, if you are taking you out of the equation of your type, you're simplying doing it wrong by definition. It doesn't mean that you are losing a sense of self or that you're giving yourself a false identity, but simplying creating that link between yourself and a more generalized, idealized image. It's not like you guys don't already do it when you look up to certain figures and not others as far back as early childhood.... MBTI just attaches it to 4 letters.


Oh, but the consequence of this has also been for me being way too overconfident to feel insulted when someone disses my type. And no, even with 4 years of being here doesn't mean that I automatically have to be bitter about this whole personality business. I just change letters in my type and hide it at times out of sheer boredom with it.
 

KDude

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I don't think there's enough about it to build an identity around. It's just a way to describe what kind of information a person prefers. What you do exactly is always going to be more personalized.
 

Munchies

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I think it all comes down to the superficiality of the mind, and attatchment to what their idea of what "is". Clinging to weak supports to support the ideas of who we are. There is no self. Our minds are infinite in possibility, to cling to a singular idea of who we are, is not true. This, is the basis of rascism and any form of generalization. " I am canadian, we are better than americans" " I am a thinker, not a feeler" "I am the best" . It's all the same, it's all fabricated ego. We are all human and the same spirit at the core
 

Munchies

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I don't think there's enough about it to build an identity around. It's just a way to describe what kind of information a person prefers. What you do exactly is always going to be more personalized.
Yes, but behind the preferences are basic instincts.
Um, yeah, pretty much :D Problem?

As I've said, if you are taking you out of the equation of your type, you're simplying doing it wrong by definition. It doesn't mean that you are losing a sense of self or that you're giving yourself a false identity, but simplying creating that link between yourself and a more generalized, idealized image. It's not like you guys don't already do it when you look up to certain figures and not others as far back as early childhood.... MBTI just attaches it to 4 letters.
It's a good tool for basic understanding of "what" you do or how you usually react. But there is always something deeper
Partially agree/disagree. It depends on the person. Some people do select a type that doesn't really suit them because they admire the qualities of that type- it's what they want to be. Not everyone is like this. I've seen people do the opposite. They hate their type and wish they have a different one. Both these groups have something in common- they have overrelied on MBTI type to define themselves. People are complex and type only explains part of it. There are strengths and weaknesses in every type and no type is more inherently better than another type.

Also, there is a lot of diversity between members of the same type. The strengths and weaknesses of a given type should be taken as a list of general tendencies. There's going to be exceptions and not every member of a given type will necessarily display all of those.
true say. I think there is more rewards for commuting together to see why/how/what and when we react to whatever, and we can all advance in dynamic in a more XXXX type of way, somethign more at the core can be developped rather than in any one direction like t instead of F or N instead of S. (because in essence they are the exact same thing, Feeling affects thinking-vise versa... Intuition is only as deep relative to the depth of a sensor)


You know, I was going to disagree, but you might be right on a few things. It is a source of identity for me. And I do think it's a pretty accurate way to present myself (I'm guessing this is what you meant by desired self). When my personality type is insulted or praised, I'll feel that applies to me (which it often does), and I'll cling to the attempts to validate my type. I don't think this is BAD or a sense of "false identity", but I do feel like it NARROWS my self-understanding (to eight factors).
Yes it is great for narrowing to zone in on the truth, but satisfaction should never be reached until the absolute truth is known, which is never, so you should always be willing to dig deeper.

One can see a large bit of themselves in a type, then over-identify with it and cling to it as an ideal or standard.

It's one of many ways to structure or project an identity. It has its utility, but it's also imperfect and can be outgrown.

We also see the reverse of what you describe--how one's type influences how other people see them. So, it occurs at both ends.
One can see a large bit of themselves in a type, then over-simplify/identify with it and sling to it as an ideal. satisfaction should never be reached, if satisfation is reached, you are just building ego, and destructing the true self, which is infinite. And yes there is a need for a certain amount of consistancy in personality/ego, but it must be balanced with humble tranquility

Interesting.

The benefit to using descriptors to explain ourselves and others is that we can understand more information than we could understand without using said descriptors.
The cost to using descriptors to explain ourselves and others is that we narrow our focus and miss information that might fall outside the pattern or descriptors.
MBTI is just a descriptor-tool. It is a valid tool for generally understanding people, but it's validity breaks down when trying to more deeply know a person.
Perhaps a person doesn't want to be more deeply known because they have a low self-esteem or image. They could perhaps hide behind their MBTI type to continue to describe them when, in fact, it does not; when, in fact, it's time to go beyond generalities and assess the individual on a more intimate, albeit time-consuming level.
It is a valid tool, and since it is imperfect it can be outgrown. It is a good starting point to understand surficially about you and others, about will lead you in the right direction of self knowledge, maybe. LOW self image will be the main factor to how much a person clings to their perceived ego

So I would agree with you. MBTI is a bandaid for our bruised egos.



Maybe this also explains why most people who've used (and abused) MBTI shun it as worthless, not even putting a type by their name. It's just that, for, and with, the people in question, they have gone beyond what MBTI can do.



it's a surficial tool, can never find contentment with your perceived ego, it is a roadblock to evolution

Still. Knowing a person's preferred cognitive functions could help with understanding them on an intimate/individual level, by giving one insight into how that person likely processes data and makes decisions.
yes for sure. Knowing a persons prefered functions will undoubtedly be the key to digging deeper. But of course, we should not be content with knowing their functions, we must know why. And we must know why for that answer of the previouse why. Untill infinity.[

I cannot reconcile these two ideas at this moment....*ponder*



had an analogy going but don't feel like elaborating atm. this is getting too long. :)
 
S

Society

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meh, so far its being mainly teaching me what i did wrong in interacting with others, what not to take for granted and what i suck at and need to work on... also its a nice set of theoretical blocks to play with.

is there a word for being arrogant about your humillity? whatever it is, my ego is very attached to that.
 

UniqueMixture

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For me, I tried actively not to associate with "my type" for a time, but I keep finding myself coming back to certain things that I love and am much more happy allowing myself the freedom to pursue that. I think the main thing is learning to avoid stereotypical thoughts about anything including type like x type is ALWAYS such and such. Etc. I think of myself as an introvert for example, but I do not feel anxious in social situations, I am comfortable striking up conversations with strangers, I am often the life of the party, etc. To me these just are not contradictory which is why on this forum I like to talk about traits more than "functions". Imo the functions are just descriptions of traits that can often go together, but do not for most people.
 

Lark

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So it appears most people here cling to their MBTI type for a sense of false identity. People find MBTI in search of self knowledge, and most people have a lost sense in self and find ID in their given MBTI type. Their MBTI type is their desired self, and is how they would like to be seen.

There's a lot of presumption in that post, also the tired old tendency to attribute meanings to others expressed thinking or actions instead of asking or inquiry.

For instance, I dont consider myself an ENTJ because I desire to be an ENTJ or find E or N or T or J desirable traits which I would like to be more widespread, although I do think that some things which are associated with those traits or function sets are desireable such as critical thinking, but I do consider myself ENTJ because those are the traits I am most comfortable with.

I'm ENTJ when no one is looking, no one is making any demands of me and no context demands a particular skill set besides those which are simple expressions of the ENTJ trait combination. At rest I'm ENTJ, also when under pressure or stress I will usually first adopting thinking, judging approaches to things quite involuntarily or spontaneously. Also adopting behaviour which is say S, F or P for long enough proves tiring and when I'm subject to more pressure or stress than I can handle, when the whole emotional flooding or overwhelm takes place the rush of S, F or P responses in the shape of the psychic shadow asserts itself.

Its a pretty hackneyed and tired criticism of any analytical tool or assessment tool to suggest its all identity or construct. There is such thing as objectivity. Its not all intersubjective invention or imagination and aspiration.
 

lunalum

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It's a good tool for basic understanding of "what" you do or how you usually react. But there is always something deeper

Of course, the real excitement is in taking it farther than "I have tendencies towards extraversion, intuition, thinking, and perceiving. Now what?" It can be taken a lot farther than that, but some people do fall into a trap where they don't do that, and instead go on some grand crusade of how this is all shallow and overgeneralized. Well, duh. The indicator is an indicator, a starting point, take it where you will (readings, especially the classics, will help with that).
 

lunalum

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It almost scares me to the extent people don't understand what personality is :laugh:


What "preference" means.......


Are the rest of you guys computer programs? :borg:
 

Kurt.Is.God

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I think it all comes down to the superficiality of the mind, and attatchment to what their idea of what "is". Clinging to weak supports to support the ideas of who we are. There is no self. Our minds are infinite in possibility, to cling to a singular idea of who we are, is not true. This, is the basis of rascism and any form of generalization. " I am canadian, we are better than americans" " I am a thinker, not a feeler" "I am the best" . It's all the same, it's all fabricated ego. We are all human and the same spirit at the core

But do you think we're predisposed to behaving in certain ways? And that by studying the MBTI we learn certain aspects of our predispositions so we can BETTER shape ourselves?
 

RaptorWizard

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The most arrogant of all the types are the NTs, and according to Socrates, arrogance is the ultimate enemy of true knowledge!
 
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