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[ENFP] The dark side of ENFPs

FinalFrontier89

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Joined
May 26, 2009
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18
MBTI Type
ENFP
Just out of curiosity, what are the "darker" characteristics of ENFPs supposed to be....or of NFs in general? Whether they be things that are considered flaws by you, or just darker but not necessarily negative.
 

Into It

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Aug 30, 2008
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ENFP
All that stuff's make-believe. Don't believe everything you hear.
 

Lady_X

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Oct 27, 2008
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ENFP
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784
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sx/sp
hmm...i think i can have a bit of ne inspired dark sense of humor at times...thinking certain absurdly not right things are funny. not sure if that qualifies...but it's all i got. otherwise we're perfectly light and lovely...imo.
t7xhappy.gif
 

FinalFrontier89

New member
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May 26, 2009
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18
MBTI Type
ENFP
One thing I've heard is that ENFP's often censor their views to not be contrarian or cause conflict. This is very much unlike my personality. Also, although I do worry about what others think of me, I consider it very wrong to sell myself out in any way or alter my personality to appease them.
 

FinalFrontier89

New member
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May 26, 2009
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ENFP
hmm...i think i can have a bit of ne inspired dark sense of humor at times...thinking certain absurdly not right things are funny. not sure if that qualifies...but it's all i got. otherwise we're perfectly light and lovely...imo.
t7xhappy.gif

Yeah....I definitely have a pretty dark sense of humor, and I've laughed at some pretty messed up and downright immoral stuff....in fact, often I find that the more offensive something is, the funnier it is likely to be (unless it REALLY offends me personally or is downright maliscious).
 

CzeCze

RETIRED
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GONE
Depends on what side of the dark you mean.

I've seen and heard NF's be extremely manipulative and self-absorbed, to the point of throwing tantrums to get their way, habitually cheating on SO's, and being really self-deceptive. As in hiding being this mask of feeling superior to others because they are so omniscient or 'so good at manipulating people' when really they are really afraid of people and unsure of themselves.

Then there are ENFPs who go overboard trying to people please and sacrifice their Fi or lose a solid hold on values in order to appease everyone.

So ENFPs can both be doormats or users depending on which dark side you mean.

Another darkside is ENFPs lapsing into a peter pan syndrome or running on pure Ne/fear of deprivation. Classic dark side Enneagram 7 as well (which correlates with ENFP), go to excess, become extremely irresponsible, can't keep a plan or thought or relationship for more than a few moments, running from high to high.

Another dark side of ENFP is getting overly zealous and reactive - not unlike an unhealthy INFP (though I think INFPs are worse in this way...lol, just sayin!) Digging in your heels just to be contrary and because you take it as a personal attack that someone is criticizing something you have said or done. The shadow ENFP in this case is entirely reactive and feeling under attack fromthe world.
 

Moiety

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Aug 3, 2008
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5,996
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ISFJ
One thing I've heard is that ENFP's often censor their views to not be contrarian or cause conflict.

I never do that.

But i'll take playing devil's advocate to the extreme, and people have called me contrarian or conflictual in the past because of that :p
 

the state i am in

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Feb 12, 2009
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infj
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5w4
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sx/sp
Depends on what side of the dark you mean.

I've seen and heard NF's be extremely manipulative and self-absorbed, to the point of throwing tantrums to get their way, habitually cheating on SO's, and being really self-deceptive. As in hiding being this mask of feeling superior to others because they are so omniscient or 'so good at manipulating people' when really they are really afraid of people and unsure of themselves.

Then there are ENFPs who go overboard trying to people please and sacrifice their Fi or lose a solid hold on values in order to appease everyone.

So ENFPs can both be doormats or users depending on which dark side you mean.

Another darkside is ENFPs lapsing into a peter pan syndrome or running on pure Ne/fear of deprivation. Classic dark side Enneagram 7 as well (which correlates with ENFP), go to excess, become extremely irresponsible, can't keep a plan or thought or relationship for more than a few moments, running from high to high.

Another dark side of ENFP is getting overly zealous and reactive - not unlike an unhealthy INFP (though I think INFPs are worse in this way...lol, just sayin!) Digging in your heels just to be contrary and because you take it as a personal attack that someone is criticizing something you have said or done. The shadow ENFP in this case is entirely reactive and feeling under attack fromthe world.

very well said. it's just a lack of balance that can happen for any type. for enfps it looks more like a darkside bc it is often a. very surprising and b. very effective. socially they're almost always good at what they do, including fucking shit up. Ne and Fi balance provides a good foundation and helps keep some of the inferior Si flightiness/fidgetiness and Te masterplanning at bay (or at least used for good). Ne is great but needs some grounding, and Fi needs some uplift and some craftiness to make it all work out in the end (harmonious and fit together).
 

Little Linguist

Striving for balance
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Jun 23, 2008
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xNFP
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sx/so
Depends on what side of the dark you mean.

I've seen and heard NF's be extremely manipulative and self-absorbed, to the point of throwing tantrums to get their way, habitually cheating on SO's, and being really self-deceptive. As in hiding being this mask of feeling superior to others because they are so omniscient or 'so good at manipulating people' when really they are really afraid of people and unsure of themselves.

Then there are ENFPs who go overboard trying to people please and sacrifice their Fi or lose a solid hold on values in order to appease everyone.

So ENFPs can both be doormats or users depending on which dark side you mean.

Another darkside is ENFPs lapsing into a peter pan syndrome or running on pure Ne/fear of deprivation. Classic dark side Enneagram 7 as well (which correlates with ENFP), go to excess, become extremely irresponsible, can't keep a plan or thought or relationship for more than a few moments, running from high to high.

Another dark side of ENFP is getting overly zealous and reactive - not unlike an unhealthy INFP (though I think INFPs are worse in this way...lol, just sayin!) Digging in your heels just to be contrary and because you take it as a personal attack that someone is criticizing something you have said or done. The shadow ENFP in this case is entirely reactive and feeling under attack fromthe world.

^^^ What she said. Nice job.
 

nomadic

mountain surfing
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
1,709
MBTI Type
enfp
I dunno what my dark side is exactly...

But I can make people feel like laughing and crying at the same time...

I think I would love to be a military drill sergeant. Like inspire people while they are in pain. I like that contrast.
 

LadyJaye

Scream down the boulevard
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Nov 6, 2007
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7w6
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so/sx
One thing I've heard is that ENFP's often censor their views to not be contrarian or cause conflict. This is very much unlike my personality. Also, although I do worry about what others think of me, I consider it very wrong to sell myself out in any way or alter my personality to appease them.

This is me. I hate the idea of having to be in conflict with others, but if it's a question of moral high ground, defending another person who needs help, or maintaining my sense of self, then I won't back down, even if it does result in a confrontation.

I never do that.

...people have called me contrarian or conflictual in the past because of that :p

I've been called something along those lines, along with combative. Which it so unlike me in my normal, relaxed state. Sometimes confrontation is necessary, despite the fact I don't enjoy it, but people seem to think I like doing that sort of thing just because I'm usually in the middle of something. It's a misinterpretation of the situation. I hate conflict, but I can't ignore a situation if something's going wrong.

As far as a dark side is concerned, Pink tells me that I turn into the scariest person she knows when I'm under so much stress I can't handle it anymore. I put on my ISTJ suit apparently, and turn into a flat, affective, steely person. I swear if someone dropped me into a jungle when I'm like that, I could probably liberate an entire village on my own. lol

But it's a very black place, and I hate being there.
 

phoenix13

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Mar 31, 2008
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7w8
Just out of curiosity, what are the "darker" characteristics of ENFPs supposed to be....or of NFs in general? Whether they be things that are considered flaws by you, or just darker but not necessarily negative.

Non-evil darkness: Love of 19th and 20th century Russian artistic representations of angst, hopeless despair, empty souls, and the meaninglessness of existence.

Hmmm... I made that very specific to myself. How about: exploration of the deeper, darker sides of the human experience.
 

phoenix13

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7w8
One thing I've heard is that ENFP's often censor their views to not be contrarian or cause conflict. This is very much unlike my personality. Also, although I do worry about what others think of me, I consider it very wrong to sell myself out in any way or alter my personality to appease them.

Oh Jayyysus! Whoever said that is mistaken. As you implied, our need for authenticity way overpowers our desire to maintain harmony.
 

Chloe

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May 1, 2009
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2,196
dark side of ENFP is ISTJ? :p


... kidding.... I'm not sure, I know about my dark sides, wouldn't wanna make general conclusions - but maybe not paying enough attention to your feelings so they accumulate- when ENFP is younger and immature.
 
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