[INTJ] INTJ Intimidation

[substitute]

I don't find INTJ's intimidating. Confusing sometimes, but not intimidating.

Now, INFJ's - whole other matter. They have this way of looking at you, where they don't say a word, but you know that they think you're a total waste of space, and when they get it in their head that they disapprove of you, absolutely NOTHING you can do can ever please them.

 

[The Ü™]

My INTJ brother-in-law has these scary angry explosions.

He's quite a bit younger than my wife or the other brother. So my mother-in-law (ESFJ) has kind of controlled him. I tried to get him to go away to college, but he stayed at home and commuted to school (he finally got his own apartment).

This is exactly how I am currently...I had a rather sheltered and over-protective childhood, and I've been going to the same community college for the last 5 years (long story). But yeah, I always take the bus there. With my limited contacts, I can't go much of anywhere beyond my routine (although I'd like to).

I think this is also the source of my angry tantrums.

When I was employed, I think I almost gave a person a heart attack when I told her to stop doing something that was annoying me. Generally, people have found me likable and reasonably laid back, but once they got on my bad side, I guess the expression of my inner rage surprised them. I figure the best way to avoid such situations is to be unfriendly, then people will think twice before pissing me off.

 

["?"]

I get similar results when I enter a room or approach my co-workers and family members. They have this need to stand at attention, the discussions change and become more seriously and I rarely get approached unless it's work related and how to handle a problem. The staff does comment on my reluctance and refusal to eat lunch and have informal discussions with them. I don't see the need or desire to get to know them at a personal level.

 

[creativeRhino]

Well my late and lamented ENTJ spouse had a good name for "the eyes" thing.

He called it the "entomologist" . "Oh, you are looking at me like that again. Your are trying to identify and categorise the insect in question before you douse it with meths and pin it down."

He really did like the way I could logically curb his enthusiasm for some of his enthusiastically held but flawed strategies.

After that I sort of worked out why other people thought I was "looking at them funny".

Now I work/study in an artistic domain (as opposed to technical) I have managed to moderate my demeanor and approach - but only when I want to strengthen a connection with somebody. I'm selective.

 

[Gabe]

Intimidating. Maybe through thier use of extraverted thinking, but really, people aren't just made out of that.
I was once talking with an INTJ in high school about how I thought a BC calculus class should be split into calculus I and II, so that the calc. two material could have its own term, instead of trying to shove both classes into one trimester (which is what the school was doing at the time). He said it sounded like a bad idea because the class would be too slow for him. All I had to do was snort and glare and he tried to back-peddle.
Anyway. Thinking types want thier feeling validated also- niether function is inherently more powerful or convincing.
I have found some people intimidating, but rarely theorists.

 

[Figmentum]

My girlfriend just described it as the, "I don't give a shit, the world can burn" eyes

 

[Night]

My girlfriend just described it as the, "I don't give a shit, the world can burn" eyes

Such a characteristic isn't necessarily a composite element of the INTJ. It's more of a physical expression intimate to the user.

It also sounds like a refined personal strategy crafted to reduce insecurity.

 

[Gabe]

INTJs tend to "go off" on some spree of their own aligning all kinds of factors (Te) to fit with some end that they conjured up (Ni) and do so with a certitude that usually makes others think: "hmm, if they are so sure about it there must be something to it."

alternatively, if you cross an INTJ they might do the same, only in an antagonistic manner. you say "1" and they'll run through the entire numerial sequence, comming back at you accusing you of having said "64763252". This all seems logical and they come off so strongly that only people who know them very well or are equally fanatical in their judgments dare stand up to them. robespierre was probably an INTJ.

---

of all the types, INTJs are probably the type to treasure the MBTI the most. i was relieved to find out that i was an entp but it was nowhere near the excitement of some INTJs i've seen on and offline. sometimes i think that the whole myers briggs thing is merely a theater to the INTJs where they revel in the fact that they have been casted for the best part.

and as such, the only types are chiefly valuable because they confirm the validity of the play.

Well, No. This all started because people like Kiersey give the INTJ discription mythical proportions. And it happens to go well with people's high-school-stereotype sense of personality.
I've known several people who try to play an "arrogant but competent" stereotype. First of all, this is an overused caricature. Also, only some (maybe even few) of these people are INTJs. Finally (and most importantly) most people who do this are very insecure. Anyone (and I am 100 percent sure about this) wants both thier thinking and feeling validated, and no one is truly left unhurt by words.
In fact, John Beebe once remarked that "thinking types get thier feelings hurt. Feeling types get they're thinkings hurt".
Anyway. It should also be remembered that the whole caricature started by recognizing that theorists value competence. That doesn't mean that they won't look any less incompetent than other people if they're put in a task/position not suited to thier skill set.

 

[Gabe]

I'm sorry Night, I forgot to give you credit for being the first to point out the insecurity part. good point, man!

 

[Economica]

Well, No. This all started because people like Kiersey give the INTJ discription mythical proportions. And it happens to go well with people's high-school-stereotype sense of personality.
I've known several people who try to play an "arrogant but competent" stereotype. First of all, this is an overused caricature. Also, only some (maybe even few) of these people are INTJs.

You seem awfully certain that Blackwater is armchair theorizing and/or has mistyped the people he writes about - sure you're a P?

 

[Athenian200]

My girlfriend just described it as the, "I don't give a shit, the world can burn" eyes

That's kind of weird. I remember that once when I was in a new school and didn't know anyone (never did because they seemed strange and untrustworthy), and I tended to walk straight from one class to another, I was once told that I "seemed to look/walk through people as if they didn't exist."

It might also be noteworthy that when I think about people I strongly dislike, I like thinking about the borrow-wight's song/incantation.

Anyway, I don't really find INTJ's that intimidating. I find them sort of blunt (in kind of an amusing/weird way, actually), and occasionally odd in their behavior, but that's really it. I've noticed more than a few other people find them intimidating, though. More often, they just seem very confused and frustrated by people not understanding them or their interests, and also seem to be occasionally oblivious to other people's reactions to them.

 

[Gabe]

You seem awfully certain that Blackwater is armchair theorizing and/or has mistyped the people he writes about - sure you're a P?

And of course, there it is again. This idea that percieving types aren't capable of having strong opinions. As one of the leading Jungians has said himself, dominant introverted feeling types are some of the most judgemental people he's ever encountered. Now I'd be auxiliary introverted feeling, but I believe that still applies.

What I don't appreciate is that the way that some people use type can create problems that weren't there in the first place. People identify problems that have nothing to do with the actuall recurring issues in their life that they could serve themselves better to deal with instead.

What annoyed me about the post is it didn't capture anything (nessecarily) about a personality pattern. It was a comment about a behavior, with it implied that it's somehow intrinsic to a certian personality

 

[Economica]

And of course, there it is again. This idea that percieving types aren't capable of having strong opinions.

Gabe, I know that Ps in general and ENFPs in particular are capable of having strong opinions. (With 1000+ posts on this board I'd have to be pretty dense not to know. ) I was trying to humorously play off the stereotype in an attempt to make you reconsider your assumption.

That said, Blackwater's style has gotten a rise out of people in the past and my attempt at damage control then was futile. Apparently I haven't learned better reconciliation skills since then, so I'll just bow out now.

 

[Gabe]

Well, I thought you were being serious. and I was probably taking myself too seriously. :rolli:
It's Okay!

 

[Smacknrat]

Sorry for resurrecting a zombie thread.... but this had to be posted about the INTJ glare..
YouTube - Hitler death stare

 

[Grayscale]

I don't know, I don't really find INTJ intimidating. I think I usually see them as people who want to seem intimidating and smarter than everyone, though, if anything it makes them seem less imposing.

 

[FallsPioneer]

I think if I take myself too seriously or act too serious then I become intimidating, but otherwise I'm alright.

 

[NightSymphony]

I am almost always giving dead looks at anything or anyone unenthusiastically or unimpressed. It really scares my Feeling-Perceiving and Thinking-Perceiving friend.

 

[truth]

Intimidating

:steam: I think people sometimes find me intimidating. I think most people can feel when you are not open to flatery and such. It can be very upsetting to some when they can not either gain access to me or impress me with antics, staus or small talk. It appearsto be some game they want me to play along with and I am not willing. This in turn makes them label me as cold or intimidating.

 

[The Ü™]

Sorry for resurrecting a zombie thread.... but this had to be posted about the INTJ glare..
YouTube - Hitler death stare

Why does Hitler look like Joe Dirt?