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[INTP] INTP - married, infidelity, cheating, emo. affair

FFF

Fight For Freedom
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
691
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9
Break for serious question here: Do INTP become workaholics? :shock:

There have been times in my life when I've filled my life with constant (often repetitive) activity, but it's something I'd assume enneagram types 3 and 8 are much more prone to doing.
 

treeleaning

New member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
22
MBTI Type
Xnfp
If we find something we either love to do or can get lost in our own heads while doing it, then most definitely yes.

Back to OP, I can't say anything for certain but I would mention that my demeanor changes around women I am "comfortable" with but still don't want a romantic relation w/them. Also, I'll be more energetic and responsive, even more outgoing by those I appreciate, which has been mistaken as me having a romantic interest when that wasn't the case. Also, the open mouth staring thing...that can happen in front of beer cooler at 7-11. Not to say that he may very well want to do you but most INTP males are horrible at flirting and wouldn't want to communicate w/women that way. If he gets all emo w/u and offers to show you his miniture civil war collection after a wine tasting expo, you know, something totally planned out, then I'd send up the red flag.

Well I think it was more of a concerted effort than the mind-wandering in front of the beer cooler :) lots of blushing, sweating and stuttering on his part at times ;)
 

treeleaning

New member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
22
MBTI Type
Xnfp
As a single INTP, I can tell you that I've flirted before with no real intentions of anything more than that happening.

Yes, I think most people do this. I think it is when you allow, (or naively allow), yourself to move to the next stage that you are now more invested emotionally. It is at this stage that you think - whoa, what just happened here... Maybe it caught him off guard.
 
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JAVO

.
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
9,053
MBTI Type
eNTP
I think maybe there is some extraverted intuition (Ne) being displayed by the INTP in question. No decisions have been made. He's just trying to determine the options.

Or, maybe what you perceive as flirting could be an awkward attempt at friendship. Not having made any female friends before, he's not very skilled at keeping these efforts from appearing romantic and physical in nature. It's your call since you can read his nonverbal communication in person, but I've been there before. :doh:

Ok - maybe not workaholic :), but avoidance... being at the office on the weekend e.g. Maybe not working but not at home.

And are you at the office on the weekend too by any chance? :huh: ;)

Edit: I'm a 37 married male INTP by the way.
 

bluebell

New member
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
1,485
MBTI Type
INTP
Or, maybe what you perceive as flirting could be an awkward attempt at friendship. Not having made any female friends before, he's not very skilled at keeping these efforts from appearing romantic and physical in nature. It's your call since you can read his nonverbal communication in person, but I've been there before. :doh:

Good point.

:)blush: That may or may not have happened to me in the past as well.)
 

spartan26

New member
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
189
MBTI Type
INTP
Or, maybe what you perceive as flirting could be an awkward attempt at friendship. Not having made any female friends before, he's not very skilled at keeping these efforts from appearing romantic and physical in nature. It's your call since you can read his nonverbal communication in person, but I've been there before. :doh:
Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding! He may very well want to be a "tree" hugger but if you go by standard flirting signs or elements of nervousness as prime indicators of attraction I can GUAR-RAN-TEE a JPL Mars probe failure rate in judging INTP males. Again, he may want to start something but that would be mutually exclusive from him showing coy signs of flirtation.
 

treeleaning

New member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
22
MBTI Type
Xnfp
Or, maybe what you perceive as flirting could be an awkward attempt at friendship. Not having made any female friends before, he's not very skilled at keeping these efforts from appearing romantic and physical in nature. It's your call since you can read his nonverbal communication in person, but I've been there before. :doh:

Well.... I don't think he was looking to be just friends;) I sensed him staring and observing me from a distance awhile before he actually starting making discreet direct eye contact with me. I guess I should elaborate here - the *flirting* wasn't contrived/fakey light-hearted sentiments tossed back and forth - they were more like gazing into each others eyes, - that certain je ne sais quoi about it. B/c - the often referenced notions that NT may sometimes be a little awkward at flirting I think are true, however I think I made it a little easier for him as I expressed my interest back... before I discovered he was attached :(

And are you at the office on the weekend too by any chance? :huh: ;)

:devil:um...no, this is just what I have heard.
 

Chemgrl82

New member
Joined
Jan 1, 2008
Messages
147
MBTI Type
eNTj
Enneagram
8w7
Wow. This all sounds too familiar... except the situation I'm familiar with is an ENTP. Ugh. Nearly identical! Feel free to PM. ;)
 

entropie

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
16,767
MBTI Type
entp
Enneagram
783
PM *done* ! :)

In my opinion, if this guy is married, he is out of the game. While there are men who are said to be able to serve several woman, I dont think that one heart can serve several masters, too.

I think, if you see him again or if you are still in contact, you should remind him of his obligation to his wife or at least to think about, if that obligation has worn off.

In the heat of the Moment, with all kinds of spontaneous intuitions and feelings kicking in, a man can transfer a lot of his blood from the brain into different areas. But after that had happend that man should really start to think about what being in love really means, how big the castle is, he has build with his own wife. Such things are forgotten easily, when taken to naturally.
 

Geoff

Lallygag Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
5,584
MBTI Type
INXP
I doubt he is in open marriage with sad, longing look. I am not prepared to call him a jerk. I don't know his situation in his marriage and he hasn't crossed the line far enough yet. jmo.

Yep, I read partly in the opening post that this guy could just be hopeless around women he is attracted to (and all men are attracted to other women, married or not). Note, i said attracted to, not obligated to have an affair with!

Being nervous and flirty around an attractive woman, even when in a relationship, sounds very INTP to me, and doesnt mean he is being unfaithful.
 

Geoff

Lallygag Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
5,584
MBTI Type
INXP
My understanding is that when an INTP decides a relationship is over it is definitely over, period, with very few exceptions. So I guess this is also a part of the passitivity - the limbo, as you say, of not wanting to make the hard decisions. // I guess this indecisive state would thus push you farther into your head, work and thinking and away from your relationship - and ultimately be a state of depression - unless you can learn to really detach.

I don't agree.. INTPs like to leave decision making open, and don't like black and white... so is a relationship "definitely over, period"? Hmm... would depend greatly on circumstances.
 

JAVO

.
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
9,053
MBTI Type
eNTP
Well.... I don't think he was looking to be just friends;) I sensed him staring and observing me from a distance awhile before he actually starting making discreet direct eye contact with me. I guess I should elaborate here - the *flirting* wasn't contrived/fakey light-hearted sentiments tossed back and forth - they were more like gazing into each others eyes, - that certain je ne sais quoi about it. B/c - the often referenced notions that NT may sometimes be a little awkward at flirting I think are true, however I think I made it a little easier for him as I expressed my interest back... before I discovered he was attached :(

I see... That seems to give a clear sense of his nonverbals and intentions then. :yes:
 

Cypocalypse

New member
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
252
MBTI Type
eNtP
Enneagram
4w5/
Treeleaning,

I'm not married myself but I guess I can give you some good insights on this.

INTPs know that their weak Fe won't allow them to be very sociable. They're no social conformist, and they know that it's innate in their nature to question it. To offset their weakness in this aspect of sociability, they define their social life differently--that is, they try to make closer ties with people they find to be attuned to them. In some cases (if not most), the target are women.

They know they have weak casual social skills, so they make up with that through forging closer ties. And they know they're good at it.

1. The Ne/P axis of the INTP is a good listening trait, and it always sees the person beyond the superficial.

2. The strong Ti means weak F, making it raw, so whatever an INTP says, it's almost always sincere.

3. Sincerity, plus good listening skills, plus seeing beyond the superficial is a very excellent combination for someone in building deeper ties. INTPs make good friends and they have a female market for that.

_________________

Unlike The introverted STJs and NTJs who can always argue that their achievements and career can compensate for their lack of sociability, INTPs are not gunning for specialized achievements or carreers, and they would most likely balance out their relationship with their personal life.

Also, INTPs would sometime try to veer away from the stereotypical INTJ dork dilemma. Their ability to forge closer ties with people can easily put them in the dreaded friend zone and maybe, in some instances, they'll try to move away from this. Compared to some full-fledged dorks, They're not really that dorky, yet and sometimes, the lure of flirting just to prove that the INTP dude can do it can be really tempting.

Problems can sometimes arise in long term relationships or in marriages because by default, the INTPs gun for the safe archetypes (ISFJ females, for example) that they know would provide them with their needed initial stability. INTPs know that they don't get to interact with people that much hence they wanna make sure that their choices for a partner are the "ideal" archetypes.

These safe archetypes, on the other hand, don't really push for personal growth/self actualization, unlike INTPs who are so much into it. Sometimes they would feel that they're "growing" way beyond their partners and sometimes, the lure of sustaining it through another person can be tempting, especially if the woman has a strong N function and can feed the needs of the INTP. That's why a healthy INFP for example, can be very tempting.

The INTPs want to be read, mentally provoked, etc. and based on personal experience, my female INFP friends know how to push the right buttons.


Now, one may ask if this would result in the INTP guy having sexual attraction to the woman. Most likely yes, but this doesn't necessarily means that the guy expects that it would eventually happen. By default, hardly any INTP guy thinks that he can make a career of cheating sexually. It's one of his perceived weakest traits.
 

treeleaning

New member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
22
MBTI Type
Xnfp
Treeleaning,


Problems can sometimes arise in long term relationships or in marriages because by default, the INTPs gun for the safe archetypes (ISFJ females, for example) that they know would provide them with their needed initial stability. INTPs know that they don't get to interact with people that much hence they wanna make sure that their choices for a partner are the "ideal" archetypes.

These safe archetypes, on the other hand, don't really push for personal growth/self actualization, unlike INTPs who are so much into it. Sometimes they would feel that they're "growing" way beyond their partners and sometimes, the lure of sustaining it through another person can be tempting, especially if the woman has a strong N function and can feed the needs of the INTP. That's why a healthy INFP for example, can be very tempting.

The INTPs want to be read, mentally provoked, etc. and based on personal experience, my female INFP friends know how to push the right buttons.


Now, one may ask if this would result in the INTP guy having sexual attraction to the woman. Most likely yes, but this doesn't necessarily means that the guy expects that it would eventually happen. By default, hardly any INTP guy thinks that he can make a career of cheating sexually. It's one of his perceived weakest traits.

Would you say most INTPs then are/or end up with an ISFJ partner? This INTP is very goal driven, (but is not a J) - maybe he leads with an sp factor - stability and need to provide for his children (yes, he has those too) ... - maybe he is an sp/sx.

I am starting to gain a real sense that men, no matter what their type, may periodically "test the waters." However, a lot of men to know when/how to curb down more *serious* flirting if they have no intentions to go farther - maybe I am wrong here - but I've been around the block a bit and could "have gone there" with some who were definitely putting it out there and I chose not to - for same said reasons.

My take is that people who allow themselves to *fall* for something deeper than casual flirting and move it to the "next stage" are vulnerable themselves in some sense.
 

Domino

ENFJ In Chains
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
11,429
MBTI Type
eNFJ
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Do you mean that he isn't just passively trying to boost his ego, (or is everything all wrapped into that...)? I doubt he would ever leave his wife - but he does seem a bit sad - he has children too. I am just intrigued - b/c the furnance between us was/is hot. Damn him being married....

Been there. Hard to match INTP "come hither" stares for intensity. Mine was really attractive, funny and married too and yes, it was like someone turned on a blowtorch when we were around each other. The sexual tension was SO BAD. It ended one day with him nearly grabbing me and carrying me off to his car. The cosmic and moral implications would have been terrible.

I have advice for you.

RUN.

RUN FAST.

AWAY.

QUICK LIKE A BUNNY.
 

Domino

ENFJ In Chains
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
11,429
MBTI Type
eNFJ
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Affairs are more than sex. Entropie's advice is very sound.

Jae Rae

QFT.

There's being chatty/flirty and then there's "I'm going to pull your clothes off and work you out, baby". ANYONE can automatically tell the difference. One is most certainly cheating while the other is just silliness.

Intention matters.
 

treeleaning

New member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
22
MBTI Type
Xnfp
QFT.

There's being chatty/flirty and then there's "I'm going to pull your clothes off and work you out, baby". ANYONE can automatically tell the difference. One is most certainly cheating while the other is just silliness.

Intention matters.

Whole heartedly agree - the *FU* eyes don't lie. :devil:
 

Domino

ENFJ In Chains
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
11,429
MBTI Type
eNFJ
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Whole heartedly agree - the *FU* eyes don't lie. :devil:

NO THEY DON'T! :shock:

My ENTP used to sit across from me, turn his chair so his back was to the wall and give me dirty looks while I was trying to fix engines. Freak. (*fanning myself*)
 
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