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[INFP] On INFPs

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
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Mar 20, 2009
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INFP
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4w5
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sp/sx
I don't have any... that's why I started this thread :D

I suspected you'd say as much. It's soooo INFP to not see their good qualities, hahaha :smile:

I guess I can be quite considerate and charming, and I have a rather zany sense of humor (mostly slapstick and randomness, shocking things I find entertaining). I can be very tolerant of people, even when they do something offensive, I usually put it aside. I guess I'm fairly balanced to... as I don't seem to have any bad traits (like aggression, selfishness etc.), the only problems I face is procrastination really. I've proved that I have the potential to make it far, but I can't put in the effort to get there. I have also kind of helped a few people out when they get down (which they frequently do), even though I barely know them.

I can't see much usefulness in that though, how am I supposed to finish a university course with nothing but charm? I need some of this perfectionism I think... it sounds like a potent tool indeed :D

This sounds like xNFP. INFP don't usually come off as very charming (at first), so maybe you are more balanced with your extroversion/introversion. Being balanced is good.
.
Motivation for INFPs often comes from how much we care about something (this seems true of ENFPs also). Perfectionism is a side effect of that caring. So what do you care about? Maybe you need to relate your university courses to achieving a goal that will bring you closer to something that actually matters to you.
 

Asterion

Ruler of the Stars
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I suspected you'd say as much. It's soooo INFP to not see their good qualities, hahaha :smile:



This sounds like xNFP. INFP don't usually come off as very charming (at first), so maybe you are more balanced with your extroversion/introversion. Being balanced is good.
.
Motivation for INFPs often comes from how much we care about something (this seems true of ENFPs also). Perfectionism is a side effect of that caring. So what do you care about? Maybe you need to relate your university courses to achieving a goal that will bring you closer to something that actually matters to you.

That's what I thought, So if I care more, I'll probably become more of a perfectionist... now I just have to realize that there is a goal and that it will get me somewhere without becoming pedantic about the future and other such things.
 

heart

heart on fire
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
8,456
I think I already have quite a strong Ne, especially if I can come of as an ENFP/ENTP :), I'm wondering about the Fi benefits more than the Ne.

Yes, if you can honestly call yourself "charming" on first meeting probably more ENFP than INFP. I was mostly going on the theory that INFP stuck in lack of development would be suffering from too much tertiary temptation. Fi-Si loop without much Ne.



[add]: oh, and apparently solitary walker is an ass, it's not yet confirmed, but that's just the word on the street ;)

Not sure what some people's opinions about someone being an "ass" have to do with the ass's thoughts and postings being helpful in other areas, but okay.
 

Asterion

Ruler of the Stars
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Yes, if you can honestly call yourself "charming" on first meeting probably more ENFP than INFP. I was mostly going on the theory that INFP stuck in lack of development would be suffering from too much tertiary temptation. Fi-Si loop without much Ne.





Not sure what some people's opinions about someone being an "ass" have to do with the ass's thoughts and postings being helpful in other areas, but okay.

He was an ass because his ideas were supposedly biased, I'll read his posts, but I do so with due caution :D

I'm somewhat of an ambivert, probably leaning towards the introverted side, same thing goes with the T/F divide, it's likely the enneagram 3 that has caused such things. I'm completely unaware of my Fi, or it's effects and etc., what's an Fi-Si loop look like?
 

rainoneventide

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Jun 15, 2009
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364
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INFP
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4
I don't know... I know that I enjoy and admire INFP's even though I don't really enjoy myself, if that makes any sense at all. I fit most of the type descriptions, but some of them make us sound like saints or something. I mean, I'm a pretty well-meaning person, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let people step on my face. I bite those feet off. :( And they also make us sound so goddamn serious... well, I guess I am serious... but I try not to take myself too seriously... Also, I'm 99% sure that Eminem is an INFP. So uh. Yeah. Oh yeah, and the assumption that we're all clingy and emotionally-needy is, for me, always insulting. But now that I think about it, maybe I just don't want to admit to myself that... oh, what the hell.
 

BlackCat

Shaman
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I suspected you'd say as much. It's soooo INFP to not see their good qualities, hahaha :smile:

This is actually a serious problem for me, I have to think pretty hard to think about someone's good qualities, but when it comes to their bad ones I know them right off the bat. :doh:
 

The Decline

(☞゚∀゚)☞
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Jun 3, 2009
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780
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?
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5w4
I'm agreeing with people who said that the profiles are not to their liking. I find that people can severely misunderstand INFPs.. perhaps because they find it hard to understand themselves. And, like others have mentioned, they suck at defending themselves or seeing the positive within.
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
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Healthy INFPs should be excellent people, but too shame that INFPs are often represented with completely unstable women like princess Diana who had bulimia and personality disorders and what not. How this could be representative for ANY type?

and descriptions of INFPs are just idiotic, often offensive to INFPs.

Princess Diana was not "completely unstable." She was beautiful and sensitive and she cared strongly about others and served the people. So yeah, she had flaws. So does everybody.

That is the "good thing" about INFPs - if they believe strongly in something morally or spiritually they will surprise you with their tenacity to that "cause." INFPs can be servants of the people in either a nurturing or political sense. INFPs are not just writers, they can be teachers, social workers, psychologists, counselors, and/or pursue other creative endeavors.

INFPs, like other NPs, can see the "big picture" and look at other people's points of view without necessarily agreeing with them. Like all NFs, INFPs can be relationship oriented, and devoted friends albeit to a smaller number of people. Some people say that IINFPs are also more likely to be "psychic" than the stereotyped mystical INFJs, because Ne is projected outward instead of inward.

Why don't you think there isn't anything good about INFPs? Is it because some of the descriptions on-line are so condecending toward us, like we're these wayward little mental patients that need to be patted on the head?
 

Stanton Moore

morose bourgeoisie
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Mar 4, 2009
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For me, the dark side of the INFP equation has been a life-long existential crisis, along with depression.
I feel that INFP's are given both deficits and gifts. If you can overcome the deficits, you can learn to take advantage of the gifts.
 

Udog

Seriously Delirious
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I find that people can severely misunderstand INFPs.. perhaps because they find it hard to understand themselves.

This is part of it. Also, INFPs intentionally hide themselves to to avoid being understood.

Which is fine, it just doesn't give us much right to be upset when someone does misunderstand us.

I feel that INFP's are given both deficits and gifts. If you can overcome the deficits, you can learn to take advantage of the gifts.

True, true. The same goes for any type - this is just how INFP's weaknesses are displayed. As an INFP, I had to come to terms that other people have weaknesses as well - they just manifest differently.
 

phthalocyanine

#005645
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INFPs intentionally hide themselves to avoid being understood.

Which is fine, it just doesn't give us much right to be upset when someone does misunderstand us.

bitingly accurate! but i wouldn't say you 'understand' ;)
 

dotdalidot

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Apr 3, 2008
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UFO
Which is fine, it just doesn't give us much right to be upset when someone does misunderstand us.

What are you talking about?!?!? No one understands me!! Nooo oneeeeeeeeeeeee. and it's all their fault!! :cry:

:)
 

Chloe

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Princess Diana was not "completely unstable." She was beautiful and sensitive and she cared strongly about others and served the people. So yeah, she had flaws. So does everybody.

which part of "completely unstable" isn't true? she was unstable, diagnosed with personality disorder and had bulimia. In my opinion, everybody with bulimia is unstable.


Why don't you think there isn't anything good about INFPs? Is it because some of the descriptions on-line are so condecending toward us, like we're these wayward little mental patients that need to be patted on the head?


O god, talking about projection. :confused:
where did I say I don't see anything good in INFPs?
you can reread my post and see I said they should be great folks but often are represented with Princess Diana (not my personal favorite) who was unstable so there's that confusion about INFPs, along with ugly profiles.
 

Asterion

Ruler of the Stars
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Why don't you think there isn't anything good about INFPs? Is it because some of the descriptions on-line are so condecending toward us, like we're these wayward little mental patients that need to be patted on the head?

I assume this is addressed towards the OP, there was no need to take offense, I just feel that I don't have the same skills as a normal INFP (If I actually am an INFP). They have perfectionism, supposedly clean rooms, modesty, uniqueness, the need to seek improvement (?) and a whole variety of other things. I think some of the profiles just choose to emphasize the wrong details, whinging about not being understood isn't really doing much to help though, is it? Why not help people to understand INFPs a bit better, which now that I think about it, is what that unusual INFP thread was about (which I am just yet to read). INFPs don't tend to actually reveal their emotions do they? Psychologists probably have trouble typing them because of this detail, and hence the actual profiles are useless (even if they were written by an INFP, the modesty would kill it... but if it was an INFP talking about another INFP... maybe :thinking:)

Well, there's some pretty good points :yes:. Do INFPs struggle to find employment? I think I've noticed that when you don't oversell yourself in an interview, you don't get chosen, regardless of your skillz. I've been building up my ego, it used to get torn down quite often by realism, but it's growing.
I think one of the best INFP qualities is that they strive for the best and always want to improve (probably because they don't think they have any good qualities, so they seek improvement to fill the void). The thing is, I'm good at anything I try to do, be it sports, mathematics, scuba diving... I can do it... but not being the best makes me think that it's worthless. I think there is an awesomeness at being good at being good at things, although I can't single out something that I'm better than everyone else at.
 

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
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supposedly clean rooms

What profile says this? :shock: :D


Do INFPs struggle to find employment? I think I've noticed that when you don't oversell yourself in an interview, you don't get chosen, regardless of your skillz.

:yes: :yes: :yes:


The thing is, I'm good at anything I try to do, be it sports, mathematics, scuba diving... I can do it... but not being the best makes me think that it's worthless. I think there is an awesomeness at being good at being good at things, although I can't single out something that I'm better than everyone else at.

I think this may be NF idealism. I suspect most NFs feel that way....our standards are very high.
INFPs tend to be the most self-critical though. We have trouble seeing our own talents.
 

Asterion

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What profile says this? :shock: :D
A socionics one (INFj). It said this, and that this behavior is more prevalent in female INFPs, I take it that it's not true? lol

I think this may be NF idealism. I suspect most NFs feel that way....our standards are very high.
INFPs tend to be the most self-critical though. We have trouble seeing our own talents.

Well, it is quite a high standard, if you're not the best, then you're not good at all... it could be enneagram 3, I'll look into it, but it's probably idealism. I'm probably really an INFP, I have no solid way of knowing atm, so I'll be a closet INFP :smile:.
 

WoodsWoman

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Dec 24, 2007
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"Well, it is quite a high standard, if you're not the best, then you're not good at all... it could be enneagram 3, I'll look into it, but it's probably idealism. I'm probably really an INFP, I have no solid way of knowing atm, so I'll be a closet INFP . "

---A slightly different take on this self-directed perfectionism: I'm not comfortable with my abilities until they reach a level of habit where I don't need to think through every step each time. ---Perhaps a level where my N can work nearly on it's own. IOW I might be able to teach a college level course on a subject before I'm satisfied that I have any idea what I'm talking about.
 

Orangey

Blah
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Jun 26, 2008
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A socionics one (INFj). It said this, and that this behavior is more prevalent in female INFPs, I take it that it's not true? lol

It's a stereotype that MBTI INFPs are horribly messy. Additionally, socionics INFj does not translate perfectly to MBTI INFP.
 
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