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[MBTI General] Types & Stereotypes?

Gloriana

Patron Saint Of Smileys
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
949
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6w5
I'm new here so forgive me if this is a topic that has already been discussed, but I've been exploring around here and wondered if any of you feel pigeonholed with your type on here?

I'm personally approaching the MBTI with as many grains of salt as possible, I think it's a fascinating tool for insight, but not something to define another person with, you know? Any of you battling with misconceptions about your type coming from those who are MBTI enthusiasts?

I'm getting the impression there's a perception that INFJs have no sense of humor, that we're 'Captain Serious' all the time. That blows my mind, even when I'm pissed off I'm finding something to laugh at. Not saying I'm not moody or that I don't have my "Grrrrr! Get out of my privacy cave you bastard!!" moments, but it takes a lot to get me so serious I can't find humor in a situation. It's weird to me to think INFJs might come in rather high on the "Most Likely To Be Killjoy Assholes" list, lol.
 

metaphours

cast shadows
Joined
Jun 16, 2009
Messages
1,194
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
^ I agree. I think INFPs are too often thought of as people who are very whiny and emotionally unstable. So yeah, I'd like to dispel that idea..
 

Alwar

The Architect
Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Messages
922
MBTI Type
INTP
I'm new here so forgive me if this is a topic that has already been discussed, but I've been exploring around here and wondered if any of you feel pigeonholed with your type on here?

I've never made a statement here about myself and had someone respond with a "no INTP puts sugar on his porridge" comment. There are some generalizations though of course.
 

metaphours

cast shadows
Joined
Jun 16, 2009
Messages
1,194
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
^Whenever I see your avatar, I'm always prompted to think that Will Ferrel is actually using TypoC. :rofl1:
 

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
7,626
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
^ I agree. I think INFPs are too often thought of as people who are very whiny and emotionally unstable. So yeah, I'd like to dispel that idea..

It's probably because I am a whiny INFP :D, but I think we get stuck with some of the worst stereotyping, as far as accuracy goes. Even the positive stereotyping feels off.

The profiles aren't so bad as the individual stories of "I know this one INFP who is ______" and therefore all INFPs are that way? If that person even is an INFP....

After having said that, I feel that this board in general is a good place for dispelling myths, not reinforcing generalizations.

And for the record, I think INFJs can have a great, subtle, witty sense of humor that may simply be lost on those not smart enough to grasp it ;).
 

The Grand Chameleon

New member
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
144
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
3w2
Embrace these stereotypes! Thus, when a joke is cracked and the audience looks for your lack of response, you'll be thundering away with raucous laughter...incidentally destabilizing their confidence that much more...

In all seriousness, stereotypes will exist as long as classification exists. I suppose that means the only way to escape such is to not classify yourself as an INFJ, but to just state you have a different sense of humor (as you said, "not something to define another person with").

Personally, the INFJ I know IRL is probably the funniest person I know. In fact, I don't know any stone-faced INFJ. It's just important to tread softly when it comes to jokes that belittle personal effects, no?
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
7,914
MBTI Type
INTP
I'm an INTP and I'm not bothered by people stereotyping them, though I don't think we get the worst of it here. We're usually the ones making the snide comments directed at the other types.

NFs (especially the male ones), SJs, and extroverts probably get bothered the most by the generalizing.

Actually, it must be pretty tough to be an SJ and post here sometimes.
 

jenocyde

half mystic, half skeksis
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
6,387
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
Who said that INFJs have no sense of humor? I haven't heard that before...

Like all types, we ENTPSs have had negative things said about us, but I guess I just don't care as long as it's truthful. And a lot of it is truthful. But if it's not truthful, I'll just try and correct it.

However, I accept and embrace all of the positive things said about us, whether they are truthful or not.
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
However, I accept and embrace all of the positive things said about us, whether they are truthful or not.

That's very optimistic of you.

I don't know what to think of the stereotypes of INFP because some of them are dead on, while others are completely ridiculous.

Then again, I'm apparently a borderline eNFP, and my Ni and Se are more developed than an INFP is supposed to have, so truthfully, whatever.

There is a grain of truth to some of the generalizations...
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
7,914
MBTI Type
INTP
I'm getting the impression there's a perception that INFJs have no sense of humor, that we're 'Captain Serious' all the time.

Yeah I find INFJs to be good appreciators of humor. Out of the Js, I think xNFJs might be the most well-humored, on average.
 

Halla74

Artisan Conquerer
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
6,898
MBTI Type
ESTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
We are all individuals; we are all unique.

I've read countless ESTP descriptions, many of them even male-centric. Each of them correctly identifies part of my disposition, and each of them has one or (many) more inaccuracies about me.

But, if I were to nix all the wrong stuff and merge all the correct stuff into one big ESTP profile that attempted to peg me and my ways, it would be closer than all of the partly flawed ones ever would be on their own, but it still would not be Halla-ESTP-me.

I think these types of things are useful for personal reflection, study of the various implementations of the theory, but they should not be used to form pre-conceived value judgements about oter people. I've said this time and time again, here and elsewhere, anyone who chooses to wield stereotypes against others CANNOT PISS AND MOAN when others cast stereotypes at them. Live by the sword, die by the sword. Keep an open mind, keep your mouth shut, and listen to people for a while if you want to get to know them.

;)
 

MFJAGgernaut-B

New member
Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
74
MBTI Type
INFP
I've been exploring around here and wondered if any of you feel pigeonholed with your type on here?

I did once. Then the pigeons kicked me out for allegedly violating their standards by putting a tarp over my car.

So...no, not really.
 

Gloriana

Patron Saint Of Smileys
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
949
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6w5
Halla, seriously, do you eat "Wisdom Flakes" for breakfast every morning or something? Damn you're good!!!
 

Gloriana

Patron Saint Of Smileys
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
949
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6w5
I did once. Then the pigeons kicked me out for allegedly violating their standards by putting a tarp over my car.

So...no, not really.

Not to stereotype pigeons, but they're always SUCH fascists.
 

BlueScreen

Fail 2.0
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
2,668
MBTI Type
YMCA
What Halla said. But stereotypes seem to happen, and I make them too. So the one's that annoyed me in the past were the intelligence one: not expected to be scientifically minded (though I think most NTs realised they were mistaking us for ESFPs), and the laziness one (though it isn't really a stereotype but a perspective, and there is some truth to the minimise work maximise profit part :)).
 

Cenomite

Systematic chaos
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
623
MBTI Type
ENTP
If someone says something negative about my type, I wouldn't really care. It's not like they're attacking me personally. I would get agitated if someone said something along the lines of, "As shown by Cenomite, an ENTP once again blah blah blah" though, since that's more of a personal attack. [Oh lawd I feel like I just set myself up]

Also, some stereotypes are indeed true for the majority. MBTI is pretty much based off of generalizations. For example "someone who prefers thinking to feeling, intuition to sensing, and perceiving to judging and is also extroverted will exhibited these characteristics". It's all one big generalization.

People don't seem to mind the generalizations when they're positive though, only when they're negative.

People who get really worked up over type stereotypes might be afraid that they're guilty of them? ;)
 
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