[ENTP] An ENTP Misanthrope?

[Timmy]

Every MBTI test I've ever taken has pegged me, hard, as an E in ENTP. Except for the last one, where it was closer to "I", but still an E.

However, there are some real issues...namely, I dislike people and don't like being in crowds. I don't go out of my way to socialize with people, don't talk to people just to talk to them...in fact, people who try and talk to me (like in line at the store, whatever) irritate me.

I prefer reading books to going out. Staying inside and reading during a vacation sounds just as fun as going camping...away from everyone. I don't generally like parties unless I am going to know most of the folks there, or at least a handful. Introductions to people by people I know...I'll talk to them for a bit then continue if I find them interesting or find something else if they're boring or irritating.

So...is it possible to be a Misanthrope and an ENTP?

 

[Oom]

I think it's possible to be borderline as an ENTP. Have you been like this even when these tests were pegging you as a hard E? I had the thought that maybe since your test results are leaning more towards "I" that you may have just recently started feeling this way. But maybe not.

On the other hand you may have been misjudging your qualities and traits. Taking them from your point of view which might be a little bit off angle from what you are actually like.

Also, just because you are having more introverted tendencies doesn't mean you're acting misanthropic.

P.S. Your avatar disturbs the shit out of me.

 

[Timmy]

While I was never really into the big party scene, I used to like going out with friends...so I guess maybe it's a recent thing...say past 7-10 years or so, but easily the past 5 that I can "actively" recall.

All the times I took the test that had me as a strong "E" were in college (mid 1980s), grad school (late 1980s) and when I worked for that same grad school (mid 1990s). One co-worker (during the latter time, and who ended up later being my supervisor) once saw my "P" score...which was so high she asked "how do you even make it to work in the morning?" To which I replied: "Well, you recall I live in the apartments across the street (from the school)"...and I was still always 5-10 minutes late.

But back to this: Perhaps you're right that I am just become introverted...with some massive outbursts of extroversion (only around friends)...but the more I interact with people, the more I love my dog.

Finally, as to my avatar: It's because you're wondering what I am really wearing under my Kilt, aren't ya, Laddie?

 

[Kasper]

Sure.

Bunch of random threads that may be of interest, focusing on ENTPs and the lack of acting in a social manner or needing people as well as some 'am I really an INTP' threads:

http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...need-other-people-around-most-productive.html

http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...ces/14934-how-loud-obnoxious-you-reality.html

http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/bonfire/22777-extroverted-ns-reticence.html

http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/what-s-my-type/8417-introverted-entp.html

http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/mbti-tm-other-personality-matrices/21506-intp-v-entp.html

ENTP Isolation

http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/nt-rationale/15919-what-am-i-entp-gone-intp.html

http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...lity-matrices/15755-extroverts-isolation.html

 

[Tamske]

I've posted a lot about the same problem here! (See the "extravert and socializing failure" thread I started). I've had tests making me 80% E and tests making me 50% I.
The difference?

The tests making me an I:
"Do you need to get away from socializing?" Yes!
"Do you prefer to read books to going to a party?" Yes!
(...)

The tests making me an E:
"Even if you have a good time socializing, do you still feel the need to get away?" No, of course not!

Only it doesn't occur very often that I have a good time while socializing. I don't look forward to parties, because most of the time I get the feeling people are just repeating things over and over to each other to emphasize they are friends or because they don't find a good topic (Good to see you, I'm glad you're here, complaining and gossiping about the ones not there, complaining about something where you find a middle ground...)
Maybe the thing I hate the most is: sticking to topics where you all agree, because you don't want to disagree and hurt someone's feelings! That's boring, people! I want discussions, I want disagreement, I want some spice in the conversations, I want to see a lot of different opinions.

Looking at the reactions - and at your question - I think that maybe it's not this unusual for an ENTP to get bored by traditional socializing and preferring to get away. The trick, for me, is not "socializing" in order to socialize, but using another means. Eg. playing a board game - the socializing will come without all those boring conversations you "have" to do... Before you know, you've wandered far from the repeated "how are you, good to see you"!

I've always got the impression that EVERYONE hates this sort of conversation, only they can't get away from it because that's the thing you do at a party and because they can't find a more interesting topic... but probably this impression is false...

 

[Timmy]

So...you go to a Christmas party and, instead of the small talk BS that occurs with people you don't see too often or don't care about, you bring up the Health Care debate and how it's going to be a pox on our country? Yeah, that'd make for a lively party, but I am unsure that's the intent of the host.

Now...if the host actually ANNOUNCED it as a "political discussion party: This week's topic...Healthcare. Is Barack's plan Satan in Disguise, or real assistance to the needy?", then it would be appropriate.

The issue with disagreement, spics and discussions is that the majority of people can't. They have no ability to logically argue their point of view apart from a "you suck donkey dicks" or "you're a facist neo-con". Hardly productive to lively debate. People have no desire to really look into a topic before they open their mouths, spouting the latest "talking points" they got from the Democratic Underground, Fox News, Puffington Post or Rush Limbaugh. They are, in the words of military friends of mine, out of their lane. Worse, they don't know it.

 

[onemoretime]

Socialization becomes a lot more tolerable when there is a goal attached to it.

 

[thisGuy]

completely possible....especially if you come to regard the general public as a bunch of dumbasses

though thats the wrong view of the world and you must work to overcome it

 

[Biaxident]

completely possible....especially if you come to regard the general public as a bunch of dumbasses

though thats the wrong view of the world and you must work to overcome it

Why?

 

[Synarch]

Extraversion doesn't mean social butterfly. I'm more of a hermit than many of my so-called introverted friends. I think being concerned with the external world can make you nervous about it.

 

[ajblaise]

Well, every 6 to 12 months ENTPs have 1 emo meltdown. This can include bouts of pseudo-misanthropy.

 

[Synarch]

Well, every 6 to 12 months ENTPs have 1 emo meltdown. This can include bouts of pseudo-misanthropy.

I have an emo meltdown about once every 12 days.

 

[ajblaise]

I have an emo meltdown about once every 12 days.

ENTP + bi-polar = (emo meltdowns) X 25

 

[Synarch]

ENTP + bi-polar = (emo meltdowns) X 25

ENTP = bipolar

 

[ajblaise]

ENTP = bipolar

If it makes you feel better, sure. I don't know what kind of episode you're having.

 

[Synarch]

If it makes you feel better, sure. I don't know what kind of episode you're having.

Stop making assumptions. I'm just carrying the football forward.

 

[Tamske]

So...you go to a Christmas party and, instead of the small talk BS that occurs with people you don't see too often or don't care about, you bring up the Health Care debate and how it's going to be a pox on our country? Yeah, that'd make for a lively party, but I am unsure that's the intent of the host.

No, no... health care is one of the things our country (Belgium) is quite okay at .

Just kidding! However I would wish to stir up some controversy, mostly I'm a good girl and make the small-talk expected from me. Don't worry.

At a work Christmas party (or at any party with aquaintances not friends), I will try to blend in the crowd, switch groups, sometimes get away and breathe the outside air, zone out, make some small-talk, observe the people... But I won't feel at ease there. I have to expend a lot of energy to do this... one of the reasons I've had some doubts about whether I was an E or an I.

However, once the awkward aquaintance phase is over... we'll not only discuss controversies but amuse ourselves with imagining nonsense stories or making rhymes. And then I don't have to expend any energy, on the contrary...

"Good you're here" x 10 -> "I wish I was alone now..."
"Good you're here - hey, did you see that cloud?" -> "Good I'm here!"
"Good you're here - what about a game of cards?" -> "Good I'm here!"
"Good you're here - I need your help with..." -> "Good I'm here!"

 

[Timmy]

Sure.

Bunch of random threads that may be of interest, focusing on ENTPs and the lack of acting in a social manner or needing people as well as some 'am I really an INTP' threads:

Working my way through these. Thank you.

 

[simulatedworld]

Every MBTI test I've ever taken has pegged me, hard, as an E in ENTP. Except for the last one, where it was closer to "I", but still an E.

However, there are some real issues...namely, I dislike people and don't like being in crowds. I don't go out of my way to socialize with people, don't talk to people just to talk to them...in fact, people who try and talk to me (like in line at the store, whatever) irritate me.

I prefer reading books to going out. Staying inside and reading during a vacation sounds just as fun as going camping...away from everyone. I don't generally like parties unless I am going to know most of the folks there, or at least a handful. Introductions to people by people I know...I'll talk to them for a bit then continue if I find them interesting or find something else if they're boring or irritating.

So...is it possible to be a Misanthrope and an ENTP?

"Extrovert" doesn't mean sociable; it just means that your primary focus is directed toward the external world. Note that the external world doesn't necessarily mean other people, but rather external world phenomena and the connections between them.

Extroverted iNtuition, the dominant function of ENTP, works by connecting ideas and patterns in the external world across unrelated contexts. This is what makes you an extrovert, not constantly being social or needing to be around others--this is one spot where MBTI has grossly misinterpreted Jung's source material.

ENTPs are often described as among the most introverted of E types, for this very reason.

 

[Tamske]

^Indeed. Once I understood this, I'm sure about my extraversion.

I need to get out and get input from other people!
I have a very heterogenous friend group and I'm very social among them... and among strangers...
I feel at ease at any social situation where "socializing" is not the primary goal... like a festival or a football match or an amateur writer's convention with workshops... Socializing is easy, fun and energizing whenever it comes naturally, as a consequence of some other activity. When socializing is seen as an activity in itself, however, I try to run away without treading on too many toes.

By the way, is it extrAvert or extrOvert? In Dutch it's extrAvert and I thought it would be the same in English... but here I see extrOvert everywhere. (No problems with introvert - that's with an o)