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[NF] What is Fi or Fe?

VitaB

New member
Joined
Apr 7, 2010
Messages
19
MBTI Type
ENTP
I'm an ENTP, and I have done some research about INFP (my boyfriend), but I just can't seem to conceptualize Fi and Fe. I understand what it is, but I can't imagine it, I don't "get it". What exactly is it?
I'm asking you guys because I'm hoping you'll be better at finding a metaphore or an example of this than the NT crowd, or some way of explaining this from a personal perspective.
 

Thursday

Earth Exalted
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
3,960
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Fe - the form - the etiquette - the group
Fi - the feeling - the principle - the individual

When comforting someone who lost a loved one.
Fe-words of comfort
Fi-physical acts and deeds of support

Fe-i'm right here with you/it never hurts to help
Fi-what do you need to do it yourself?
 

Grungemouse

Widdles in your cream.
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
577
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5
When comforting someone who lost a loved one.
Fe-words of comfort
Fi-physical acts and deeds of support

I've found the reverse is often the case. I have an INFP friend who wishes she "could heal with words". On the other hand, my ISFJ friend would show her support through actions. These could be applied interchangably, but for different motives. Fi would offer words or deeds because it felt like the right thing to do, whilst an Fe user would do these things because "That's what friends are for".

This is how I see it:

Fe: Building a belief system based on the external; seeking opinions from peers, family
Fi: Building a belief system based on the internal; forming one's own opinions

But even then, preference for N/S would also vary. Si/Fe is different from Ni/Fe, for instance.
 

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
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Messages
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sp/sx
^ Yeah I don't see FiNe as being action-oriented in comforting people. Being there for someone emotionally is more likely. But FiSe may be more about deeds, because Se tends to be more about action. That's probably not the best example because it may not boil down to Fe or Fi, but the other examples work okay. I might alter the last Fi example to say: "How can I help you get to the point where you can help yourself?".

I think Fe is more interpersonal & Fi is intrapersonal. Fe seeks external harmony to lead to internal harmony, and Fi seeks internal harmony to lead to external harmony. You could say that one works it way inwards & the other outwards.
 

Thursday

Earth Exalted
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very nice, orangeapple
 

Rebe

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Nov 15, 2009
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1,431
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4sop
Fe seeks external harmony to lead to internal harmony, and Fi seeks internal harmony to lead to external harmony.

Right on! Excellent distinction.
 
G

Glycerine

Guest
I like how this didn't turn out bashing either function. :D
 

VitaB

New member
Joined
Apr 7, 2010
Messages
19
MBTI Type
ENTP
I think Fe is more interpersonal & Fi is intrapersonal. Fe seeks external harmony to lead to internal harmony, and Fi seeks internal harmony to lead to external harmony. You could say that one works it way inwards & the other outwards.

OH thank you so much.
I mean, the difference between introverts and extraverts made sense before, but the use of the word "harmony" finally made it click! What a beautiful thing!
:D
 

Skyward

Badoom~
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
1,084
MBTI Type
infj
Enneagram
9w1
Fe is the hostess who floats around the party, sizing up each person and moving people around to try and create maximum social efficiency.

Fi is someone who sees the world that gauges things by how important they are. Emotional scientists who use rationality to find the best mix of values for their life and then stick with them.


To be honest I'm unsure about Fi.
 

OrangeAppled

Sugar Hiccup
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Messages
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sp/sx
Fi is someone who sees the world that gauges things by how important they are. Emotional scientists who use rationality to find the best mix of values for their life and then stick with them.


To be honest I'm unsure about Fi.

I like that :cheese:

I think it's fair to say that Fe reasons on what is important as well, but turns outward to gauge things, or to assign value. Fe people seem more likely to seek consensus and to label good or bad based on the results.

Fi is this abstract inner knowing that serves as a basis for reasoning on what matters to that individual, which is why it's so hard to describe.
 
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