[MBTI General] ENxP and Lateral Thinking.

[murkrow]

Yeah, kinda.

 

[Angry Ayrab]

I don't know what this means but I have always mentally visualized my thought and reaction patterns as a horizontal spiral pattern in which each loop overlaps and contributes to those behid it as well as those comming while I have recognized that others walk a certainly straight path. No wonder Ne has more energy we need it. It is like taking 500 steps to move forward one. Which we do rather quickly.

Does that pretain to the topic?

That is exactly on topic.

 

[mlittrell]

I think it's how, instead of following a linear association (a full dirty laundry hamper triggers thoughts of washing clothing triggers thoughts of your plans for the evening to see if you can fit it in) it goes sideways (a full dirty laundry hamper triggers thoughts of washing clothing triggers throwing some detergent into the hamper and channeling your X-Men Storm superpowers to tumble it around until it comes clean).

Basically, your thinking takes a sharp turn instead of the way it should go in a logical manner (xNxP vs xNxJ). Why xNxPs are better at environmental intuition and focusing on possibilities, while xNxJs are better at fixating on a way to bring about their inner vision (the inner vision being intricate and non-linear in a multi-path way all attempting to get to an end).

this is a great example of Ni vs Ne. I wouldn't necessarily call it a sharp turn though. Or illogical.

 

[LunaIndigo]

I am definately a lateral thinker. Always have been. Sometimes I'll sit there and daze off just letting my thoughts run wild. It's kind of a problem in school, but I deal with it. What's really fun for me (maybe not others), is to back track over these thoughts and figure out how I got to different topics in my head. It's kind of fascinating. Like I'll think a slew of thoughts, and go backwards on them to see how I got the present conclusion.

 

[ThatGirl]

So what are the pros and cons of linear and lateral thinking?

I simutaniously am envious and annoyed by linear thinkers

 

[murkrow]

So what are the pros and cons of linear and lateral thinking?

I simutaniously am envious and annoyed by linear thinkers

People like lateral thinkers, they have the ability to make anything logical.

People like linear thinkers, they have the ability to make anything.

 

[redacted]

oh u mean like deductive reasoning vs. inductive reasoning?

im definitely an inductive reasoning kind of guy.

btw, thanks for the excellent explanation usehername~

no, no, all intuition is inductive. deductive reasoning is T.

 

[stopandstare]

I'm definatley a lateral thinker... I always anticipate things that happen, like when I'm driving I see situations occuring before other drivers and cannot understand how they didn't see it arise till its too late (except when I'm daydreaming... also lateral).

Also sometimes when I walk past random people I absorb some of them and I imagine what its like in their life... its very disconcerting and disorienting but I just cannot stop... before I know it I have imagined their entire life!

The worst of it is when I am working though... My work requires serious linear thinking (I work in an Engineers... ). Boy do I struggle... I suspect the only reason I still have a job is that I do design lovely houses when I focus ! I must be so frustrating to my typical engineer linear thinking bosses...

 

[Terian]

Linear thinking can be viewed as one-dimensional thinking. It's done with a line of thought. Lateral thinking is two-dimensional thinking. It's done with a plane of thought; holistic in nature.

As Ne-dominants, ENxPs can holistically understand situations, and, if they're learning a new system, will understand the new system intuitively as a whole.

 

[Little Linguist]

Fine, I'll explain.

Linear thinking has a goal in mind, and all goals are made worthless by the inevitability of an ending. Despite whatever goals I will set for myself, the goal of my self has been set already and it's death. Lateral thinkers are without goals and therefore are gifted with a capability to more fully appreciate single moments, however their lack of drive is something I find hard to covet and to me seems like a state of semi death since it is so void of what drives me to keep living.

Dude, I wouldn't say I'm *without* goals. However, I WOULD say that without goals, I'm a total flaky fart in the wind.

 

[yenom]

What if my goal is to learn more about the world rather than make things happen? How can I fail at such a goal?