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[MBTI General] Fear of the unknown

NewEra

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I don't know if you other SJs experience this, but I know me myself, sometimes I have a fear of the immediate future and what may happen. Don't know if this is because of strong Si or inferior Ne (or something else), but I'll sometimes think of bad scenarios and sort of use them as an excuse or deterrant against doing something. Any others experience this?
 

Thalassa

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I don't know if you other SJs experience this, but I know me myself, sometimes I have a fear of the immediate future and what may happen. Don't know if this is because of strong Si or inferior Ne (or something else), but I'll sometimes think of bad scenarios and sort of use them as an excuse or deterrant against doing something. Any others experience this?

I wonder if it's Si or Ne too even though I'm not an SJ, because I have strong Ne and inferior Si - the flip flop of you - and I do the same thing.

Or it could just be a generalized anxiety disorder or OCD. I have anxiety.
 

NewEra

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I wonder if it's Si or Ne too even though I'm not an SJ, because I have strong Ne and inferior Si - the flip flop of you - and I do the same thing.

Or it could just be a generalized anxiety disorder or OCD. I have anxiety.

Well, it could be my OCD but I'm wondering if a big part of it has to do with inferior Ne. Interesting what you say, and I happened to find these quotes (from the given link) about the different attitudes toward the unknown:


Link: Extraverted Intuition -

Extraverted Intuition (Ne) is the attitude that the unknown is filled with wonderful things. To make use of them, you must be flexible in your goals. If you try to set things up so that only something known to be good can happen, you close your eyes to the zillions of opportunities that you can't know or define in terms of what you know now. As more of the unknown becomes clear, the more it changes your understanding of the (currently) known.

...

(Compare Introverted Sensation, which leads to the exact opposite attitude toward the unknown. Ne says to anchor yourself nowhere, so you can continuously adapt to exploit unknown opportunities; Si says to anchor yourself firmly to what matters regardless of change, in order to keep out the unknown and its attendant, unknowable risks.)


Link: Introverted Sensation -

Introverted Sensation (Si) is the attitude that the unknown mostly contains threats that will undermine life and order. Given the precariousness of life--so many things have to be jjjjust right--the odds of something unknown being beneficial are very low. Consequently life demands that we carefully filter the unknown before letting it into a position of influence, that we construct barriers against the unknown, etc.

...

From the Si standpoint, the more you're going to depend on something, the more carefully you'd better inspect it, because you never know what unknown things might go awry, you only know that most of them are bad.

(Compare Extraverted Intuition, which leads to the exact opposite attitude toward the unknown.)

According to the link, it says Ne-dominants cherish the unknown, whereas Si-dominants avoid it. But it's interesting that you (as an Ne-dominant) have a similar attitude as me about the unknown.
 

Thalassa

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Well, it could be my OCD but I'm wondering if a big part of it has to do with inferior Ne. Interesting what you say, and I happened to find these quotes (from the given link) about the different attitudes toward the unknown:


Link: Extraverted Intuition -




Link: Introverted Sensation -



According to the link, it says Ne-dominants cherish the unknown, whereas Si-dominants avoid it. But it's interesting that you (as an Ne-dominant) have a similar attitude as me about the unknown.

I didn't as a younger person. I had a very stereotypical Ne dom attitude in my late teens and early twenties. I completely cherished the unknown, hated being in one place, and was convinced the future only held spectacular things.

Then reality happened, most likely as a result of me being too ridiculously uprooted, spontaneous, and open to experience. I then switched to the other extreme, more like the Si description.

I'm just now in the past couple of years finding balance between the two. As I say, I have an anxiety disorder, could be post-traumatic stress. I am now nervous about things that didn't used to scare me at all.
 

FallaciaSonata

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I don't necessarily fear the unknown, but I suffer a great deal of stress when bad happens spontaneously. This is probably just my need for order and plans here, but that's what happens.

On another note, I do feel incredibly uncomfortable in a situation where I have to do something I've never done before, or if someone expects something of me and I don't know *exactly* what it is.

Let's take yesterday and today as an example. First off, I have no problems whatsoever with working overtime, or coming into work on a day off. I can do that.

Here's what I loathe: The impulsiveness of it all. It's not that they call me in that bothers me.....it's that they do it at random. It would be so much nicer if, at the beginning of the week, they say, "Hey, we might have to call you in later this week" because then I won't make plans.

I know that's highly demanding and impossible, because people are infamous for having emergencies and not being able to show up, or just being lazy in general. But it's horribly inconvenient when I've already planned my whole day out, homework included, and they want me to come stock their creamed corn. (Which isn't even my job, technically. I'm the produce guy.)

But hey, it's extra hours. And it looks good to management. It's a win - win, minus the terrible inconvenience. ; )
 

Saslou

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I used to fear the unknown .. until the unknown hit with the biggest 4x4 you have ever seen and i suffered major internal injuries. lol

Now i have experience with it, it is not so bad.

I fear certain situations but again that is due to past experiences.

I do know however, that fear although not necessarily a bad thing can restrict what i do with my life and only getting one chance i am trying to think positively and constructively.

I have no idea where i will be in 5-10 years. I do know that wherever i am, it is because i am meant to be there to learn whatever lesson is needed at that particular time.
 

NewEra

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I used to fear the unknown .. until the unknown hit with the biggest 4x4 you have ever seen and i suffered major internal injuries. lol

Now i have experience with it, it is not so bad.

I fear certain situations but again that is due to past experiences.

But don't you fear the unknown even if you've experienced it (even moreso actually)? You said you were hit by a 4x4, do you ever fear that happening again since it already happened before?


definitely Si + Ne
definitely
Hmm, I had a feeling. I wonder why Si + Ne works this way?


Here's what I loathe: The impulsiveness of it all. It's not that they call me in that bothers me.....it's that they do it at random. It would be so much nicer if, at the beginning of the week, they say, "Hey, we might have to call you in later this week" because then I won't make plans.

Yeah, that is annoying.
 

Snow Turtle

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Yep. The future's always felt a little blurry to me. Most of the time I hate uncertainty unless I'm moving towards it consciously. Since discovering MBTI I've basically linked the whole dislike of unexpected major changes to Si being forced to adapt to a future that may be trouble. It does fit in with the whole cautious (pessimistic) attitude that SJs are supposedly known for.
 

Silly_Siren

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I wonder if it's Si or Ne too even though I'm not an SJ, because I have strong Ne and inferior Si - the flip flop of you - and I do the same thing.

Or it could just be a generalized anxiety disorder or OCD. I have anxiety.

ENFP's often have this paranoia problem, and I imagine anxiety doesn't help it. :cry:
 

Pristinegirl

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I used to be afraid of the unknown but more specifically with Death!!!.

Sometimes it takes a nip at me and makes me anxious but I'm to quick to let it get me!!
 

Saslou

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But don't you fear the unknown even if you've experienced it (even moreso actually)? You said you were hit by a 4x4, do you ever fear that happening again since it already happened before?

Not at all. That 4x4 made me realise i can survive anything. Apart from death, damn it. :newwink:

My perception of so many things have changed. I suppose it woke me from my shell.

It is like i once read. If your life was turned into a book for someone to read, would they put it down after a few pages or would the person be so engrossed in your story.
My story is full of peaks and valleys, and looking back, i wouldn't a single thing.

Experience is great in that you can learn from it. I don't doubt for one second i will face more challenges in life, is that going to put me off though and make me fear it?? Not a chance in hell.
 

2XtremeENFP

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I don't know if you other SJs experience this, but I know me myself, sometimes I have a fear of the immediate future and what may happen. Don't know if this is because of strong Si or inferior Ne (or something else), but I'll sometimes think of bad scenarios and sort of use them as an excuse or deterrant against doing something. Any others experience this?

I believe this is true and you asked why. I think you pretty much answered it in the statement above.

SJ's with Si LOVE knowing that is right at their finger tips. The immediate sensation and knowledge of that is right there. And they'll love it even more if it's been that same way in the past. I believe that since you fear what is coming that is unknown in the immediate future, you resort to trying to GUESS or PREDICT how that could work. By doing this, you are using your Ne which, is your last resort when trying to figure something out. And since you dont use it that often, it not only makes you jump to wild possibilities, what you come up with is also going to be wild and probably very unlikely. But your Si is telling you that it's not going to be like anything you've witnessed before, so it has to be something way out there. Something horrible. So you use the WORST possible scenarios you can think of to support your strong Si telling you 'No No No No Don't let things change. Don't think things sneak up on you that you're not prepared for"

With me, Having strong Ne and little Si. When I feel threatened from change (yeah, yeah ENFPs are suppose to like change but sometimes, if we have NO control over it, we get freaked too!) I tend to think of how the same things. When I foresee some opportunity that may cause me to risk what I already know (or think I know, which since I have a weak Si, it's all skewed anyways) I tend to freak out and think of how I could ruin everything that I've worked for in the past so I try not to jeopardize my past (Just as you try not to jeopardize your future.)

I know that when I start to use my Si, I'm a goner. I hate the way I feel. And I am actually trying to work on taking risks in my life and ignoring my immature Si and trying not to use that as a filter for my decision making. Just as I feel SJs with strong Si shouldn't listen to their 'What if's'. I know the ISTJ I know is a perfectionist, and the wild Ne what-ifs he thinks of when planning something are completely bizarre and not even slightly possible :)

Does this make ANY sense?? If not, I'm sorry for rambling on!
 

NewEra

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SJ's with Si LOVE knowing that is right at their finger tips. The immediate sensation and knowledge of that is right there. And they'll love it even more if it's been that same way in the past. I believe that since you fear what is coming that is unknown in the immediate future, you resort to trying to GUESS or PREDICT how that could work. By doing this, you are using your Ne which, is your last resort when trying to figure something out. And since you dont use it that often, it not only makes you jump to wild possibilities, what you come up with is also going to be wild and probably very unlikely. But your Si is telling you that it's not going to be like anything you've witnessed before, so it has to be something way out there. Something horrible. So you use the WORST possible scenarios you can think of to support your strong Si telling you 'No No No No Don't let things change. Don't think things sneak up on you that you're not prepared for"

Wow, you pretty much described me exactly.

With me, Having strong Ne and little Si. When I feel threatened from change (yeah, yeah ENFPs are suppose to like change but sometimes, if we have NO control over it, we get freaked too!) I tend to think of how the same things. When I foresee some opportunity that may cause me to risk what I already know (or think I know, which since I have a weak Si, it's all skewed anyways) I tend to freak out and think of how I could ruin everything that I've worked for in the past so I try not to jeopardize my past (Just as you try not to jeopardize your future.)

I know that when I start to use my Si, I'm a goner. I hate the way I feel. And I am actually trying to work on taking risks in my life and ignoring my immature Si and trying not to use that as a filter for my decision making. Just as I feel SJs with strong Si shouldn't listen to their 'What if's'. I know the ISTJ I know is a perfectionist, and the wild Ne what-ifs he thinks of when planning something are completely bizarre and not even slightly possible :)

Does this make ANY sense?? If not, I'm sorry for rambling on!

That makes a lot of sense. Right before an unknown event or something I'm unsure of, sometimes I have nagging negative doubts, and I'll feel hesitant. I guess I use my Ne in the same sort of situations where you use your Si. Thank you very much.


Not at all. That 4x4 made me realise i can survive anything. Apart from death, damn it. :newwink:

My perception of so many things have changed. I suppose it woke me from my shell.

It is like i once read. If your life was turned into a book for someone to read, would they put it down after a few pages or would the person be so engrossed in your story.
My story is full of peaks and valleys, and looking back, i wouldn't a single thing.

Experience is great in that you can learn from it. I don't doubt for one second i will face more challenges in life, is that going to put me off though and make me fear it?? Not a chance in hell.

I like your attitude.
 

Giggly

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I'm not afraid of the unknown cos I don't know what it is. What I am afraid of is the known if it's bad.
 

Pristinegirl

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I'm not afraid of the unknown cos I don't know what it is. What I am afraid of is the known if it's bad.

Its the same although with the unknown! I fear a bad outcome since its completely unknown.
 

Synarch

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Knowledge is a way to control experience.
Fear of the unknown is the fear of losing control.
 

Oaky

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People live on the basis of probability. The probability value of the danger of the unknown is impossible to measure which is why people are afraid of it
 
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