[INTP] Ask an INTP thread!?

[funkadelik]

Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
When in another's lair, show them respect or else do not go there.
If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat them cruelly and without mercy.
Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and they cry out to be relieved.
Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.
Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
Do not harm little children.
Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they don’t stop, destroy them.
When in doubt, seek refuge in god.

And King-of-Dispair said that no one was making witty answers. Tsk...MacGuffin sure showed him wrong.

 

[INTP]

lol replied to wrong topic

 

[Fluffywolf]

And King-of-Dispair said that no one was making witty answers. Tsk...MacGuffin sure showed him wrong.

I see you haven't read the first few pages.

 

[Redbone]

What usually triggers bouts of depression for you? How long do they last? Does it usually dissipate on its own or do you have to be proactive about bringing it to an end?

 

[Hera]

What usually triggers bouts of depression for you? How long do they last? Does it usually dissipate on its own or do you have to be proactive about bringing it to an end?

I wait it out but I tend to do things to distract myself from it. Nothing works, but preoccupation keeps the mind busy on other things so I can't be consumed over how I feel.

 

[Hera]

Dear INTPs,
How "idealistic" are you? Do you have some sort of internal code of honour that you live by?
Gracias,
me.

Idealism is a broad term. On the surface though, being idealistic would mean being antonymous to realistic, and I don't believe I am entirely idealistic in that sense. My code of honour was once quite strict in its fluidity, in the sense that I needed a good counter argument for my morals to even contemplate changing some of them. But some have changed. Now, I find that my code of honour is very much based on the way I see my life now, and which steps will benefit me most in life. There are some ethical ideals I have that hold true no matter what. I try, as best I can, to be good to most people are respectful to those who don't disrespect me. I try to be a "good" person in the sense that I don't normally hurt people to get what I want, I try to be as civil as possible and treat people like I would want to be treated, and repay big favours but never doing so in a way that will compromise my integrity.

But as for being idealistic, I think I'm a healthy mix between what is considered realistic and idealistic through a process of elimination (things that don't make sense to be don't fall into my code of honour or way of living, this includes most traditional ceremonies or beliefs) I've devised. As I grow older, the fluidity of my morals will not change.

 

[INTPness]

What usually triggers bouts of depression for you? How long do they last? Does it usually dissipate on its own or do you have to be proactive about bringing it to an end?

I've only been "depressed" once in my life, but I didn't know it at the time. It was a several year drought for me where I was just kind of checked out mentally and in a trench. And, being young, I thought "this is just life" - I didn't realize that I was in a funk. What triggered it was two-fold: first, settling for things (a relationship I wasn't happy in, a job I didn't want, not moving to the city I wanted to move to). Second, being stagnant in life. Not only had I settled for things I didn't want, but I wasn't doing anything to improve my situation. Just accepting it and trudging along. Which leads to how I got out of it: I needed to jump-start my life. I needed to "get going" and start being proactive, put the wheels in motion towards the things I wanted in life. Break off the bad relationship, move out of the old city, take the new job, start the new business. Make life enjoyable again.

Sometimes being "comfortable" is the worst thing for an INTP. Get uncomfortable - if you're single, quit the boring job, move across the country, start the business you've always wanted to start, talk to the girl/guy you've had your eye on. Initially it is "uncomfortable", but soon after it becomes refreshing, liberating, and exciting. I don't think life was necessarily meant to be comfortable. Comfortable can indeed be a bad place sometimes.

 

[Asterion]

I've only been "depressed" once in my life, but I didn't know it at the time. It was a several year drought for me where I was just kind of checked out mentally and in a trench. And, being young, I thought "this is just life" - I didn't realize that I was in a funk. What triggered it was two-fold: first, settling for things (a relationship I wasn't happy in, a job I didn't want, not moving to the city I wanted to move to). Second, being stagnant in life. Not only had I settled for things I didn't want, but I wasn't doing anything to improve my situation. Just accepting it and trudging along. Which leads to how I got out of it: I needed to jump-start my life. I needed to "get going" and start being proactive, put the wheels in motion towards the things I wanted in life. Break off the bad relationship, move out of the old city, take the new job, start the new business. Make life enjoyable again.

Sometimes being "comfortable" is the worst thing for an INTP. Get uncomfortable - if you're single, quit the boring job, move across the country, start the business you've always wanted to start, talk to the girl/guy you've had your eye on. Initially it is "uncomfortable", but soon after it becomes refreshing, liberating, and exciting. I don't think life was necessarily meant to be comfortable. Comfortable can indeed be a bad place sometimes.

Seems more enneagram related to me, the vice of the 5 and 9 (typical INTP types) is conservation of energy and inertia respectively. 5s prefer to save their effort, 9s blow it on pointlessness.

I see you haven't read the first few pages.

no comment.

 

[INTPness]

Seems more enneagram related to me, the vice of the 5 and 9 (typical INTP types) is conservation of energy and inertia respectively. 5s prefer to save their effort, 9s blow it on pointlessness.

Yeah, being a 5 leaves me somewhat prone to conserving energy, but in long stretches it puts me into a depression or a depressed state of mind. At some point there has to be some implementation, practicality, movement, action, and proactivism. Otherwise, I'm just a bump on a log = depression.

 

[Asterion]

Yeah, being a 5 leaves me somewhat prone to conserving energy, but in long stretches it puts me into a depression or a depressed state of mind. At some point there has to be some implementation, practicality, movement, action, and proactivism. Otherwise, I'm just a bump on a log = depression.

I think maybe what causes depression is loss of hope, you could be stuck in a rut for years and never become depressed because you see it improving in the future (but not necessarily do anything about it). I'm not so sure that being too comfortable is the same as being depressed, but it does seem to go hand in hand, as you've said. Sometimes putting in effort can lead to depression, which has happened to me, I went through hell trying to get a job for months at one point, and no matter what I did, I was ignored. I made an effort to actually stand out, to be on top of everything, yet nothing changed, then the negative attitude developed, and I completely abandoned hope and broke down. Nothing will make you feel better than a bit of optimism and a smile . Doesn't matter what you're doing, if you smile, you'll feel better. Hugs don't have anything on this, they last, what? 10 seconds or so? So for those 10 seconds you feel better, but then you go back to pessimism and think "that hug was just a pity hug" lol.

 

[INTPness]

I think maybe what causes depression is loss of hope, you could be stuck in a rut for years and never become depressed because you see it improving in the future (but not necessarily do anything about it). I'm not so sure that being too comfortable is the same as being depressed, but it does seem to go hand in hand, as you've said. Sometimes putting in effort can lead to depression, which has happened to me, I went through hell trying to get a job for months at one point, and no matter what I did, I was ignored. I made an effort to actually stand out, to be on top of everything, yet nothing changed, then the negative attitude developed, and I completely abandoned hope and broke down. Nothing will make you feel better than a bit of optimism and a smile . Doesn't matter what you're doing, if you smile, you'll feel better. Hugs don't have anything on this, they last, what? 10 seconds or so? So for those 10 seconds you feel better, but then you go back to pessimism and think "that hug was just a pity hug" lol.

I don't disagree with what you're saying. I'll simplify my original response. Things that got me depressed: settling and being stagnant. Things that helped pull me out: Do the things I want to do in life without overanalyzing and worrying about a, b, c, d, e, f, and g. Just do it.

 

[knight]

beat an intp at a game that requires intellect, should you expect them to keep coming back for more challenges?

 

[INTPness]

OMG this thread is still alive. The answer for me is yes, but only as time permits. I have a friend in a different state (an old man) who has been beating me at a game for a few years now. So, every time I'm in his state, I make it a point to stop in and say hello, and see if I can beat him. Or at least see how much progress I've made in my skill level. It's been like a 5-year ongoing challenge that I hope continues. So yeah, I love the challenge and it's great when someone can provide a great challenge or even beat me - it makes me want to come back for more. But, also, it depends on what the person has going on in their life at the time. They may not have time to play lots of games, even though they find it fun.

 

[Fluffywolf]

beat an intp at a game that requires intellect, should you expect them to keep coming back for more challenges?

Yes, I would never give up a chance at an intellectual rematch.

 

[funkadelik]

Do you think you would ever look down on someone who lost against you in an intellectual match of wits (provided they didn't make a complete ass of themselves)?

 

[Stigmata]

Do you think you would ever look down on someone who lost against you in an intellectual match of wits (provided they didn't make a complete ass of themselves)?

As long as the win wasn't the result of some sort of intellectual challenge, absolutely not. To look down on them as a result of that would not only be obnoxiously arrogant and presumptuous of me, but would also imply that intelligence is limited to one form.

 

[Fluffywolf]

Do you think you would ever look down on someone who lost against you in an intellectual match of wits (provided they didn't make a complete ass of themselves)?

No, I thnk INTP's are more concerned with self-image. If an INTP loses, he might be quite harsh on himself, if he wins, he'll feel good about himself, but it's unlikely he will look down on his opponent because of it. I can't remember ever looking down on someone just because I won a game.

We're too selfish for that.

 

[Stigmata]

No, I thnk INTP's are more concerned with self-image. If an INTP loses, he might be quite harsh on himself, if he wins, he'll feel good about himself, but it's unlikely he will look down on his opponent because of it. I can't remember ever looking down on someone just because I won a game.

We're too selfish for that.

Interesting. I'd only ever heard this trait in relation to INFP's, yet is something I can largely attest to myself. Like yourself, competition, to me, has never really been about boasting/bragging or a means for which to display aptitude to others, but more of a means to test myself and my abilities based on some arbitrary standard of measure, and while besting someone in some sort of contest doesn't in turn elevate me over them in my mind, I think the effect mentioned in allegorystory's question somewhat happens inadvertently. I mean, as I said earlier, I don't care about the competition in relation to the other person, but I expect that if I have a certain level of proficiency in an area that I should be able to rise to the occasion, but in relation to the other person, if I expect to win, on a subconscious level, what does that say about how I view their aptitude in relation to my own? How can I truly say I view them as an equal if this perfectionistic mentality expects nothing less than to best them as a testament to itself?

 

[Fluffywolf]

Interesting. I'd only ever heard this trait in relation to INFP's, yet is something I can largely attest to myself. Like yourself, competition, to me, has never really been about boasting/bragging or a means for which to display aptitude to others, but more of a means to test myself and my abilities based on some arbitrary standard of measure, and while besting someone in some sort of contest doesn't in turn elevate me over them in my mind, I think the effect mentioned in allegorystory's question somewhat happens inadvertently. I mean, as I said earlier, I don't care about the competition in relation to the other person, but I expect that if I have a certain level of proficiency in an area that I should be able to rise to the occasion, but in relation to the other person, if I expect to win, on a subconscious level, what does that say about how I view their aptitude in relation to my own? How can I truly say I view them as an equal if this perfectionistic mentality expects nothing less than to best them as a testament to itself?

I think we know that if others would also aim for it, they can inturn rise to best us again. We are able to see that potential in people, and therefor don't look down on them. If we can reach for it, so can others. Our concern lies with where we reach though. Where other people want to reach is up to them. I don't think we look down on others out of respect.

 

[Stigmata]

I think we know that if others would also aim for it, they can inturn rise to best us again. We are able to see that potential in people, and therefor don't look down on them. If we can reach for it, so can others. Our concern lies with where we reach though. Where other people want to reach is up to them. I don't think we look down on others out of respect.

I don't disagree with any of that, I'm just saying I see the effect previously mentioned as largely inevitable in some respects being that a performance standard exists. To be disappointed with a loss implies that one initially thought they had a realistic chance of winning, and that you just failed to achieve that result. It seems as thought it could be, at the very least, indirectly perceived that it's somewhat dependent question of can you really view someone as an equal if you expect to best them in contest.