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[ISTJ] Common ISTJ issues

Avocado

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...
I will think of something, but you guys needed a thread, too...
 

Avocado

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GarrotTheThief

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they always wear suspenders and belts at the same time just in case one or the other fails.

speaking facetiously of course...if I may.
 

five sounds

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Perhaps becoming frustrated when something goes unexpectedly?
 

Coriolis

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An inclination to look for reasons to say "no" rather than ways to say "yes". Their naysaying (when they indulge in it) seems less focused on improving the idea at hand than at simply shooting it down. My current supervisor is a good example of this.
 

Tellenbach

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I have many issues with the world --- the dirty floors at local businesses, the gum on the sidewalk, dog crap on lawns and elsewhere, body odor in the air, littering on the streets, cats running loose on the street, the squeeky wheel on the shopping cart, slow walkers, rotten raspberries on sale, complete morons getting elected and the idiots who vote for them, shoppers who buy about 200 items at Costco, coughing kids at the movie theatre, etc.

I don't know if other ISTJs are similarly affected by the inconsiderate and stupid actions of others.
 

BadOctopus

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[MENTION=20113]Tellenbach[/MENTION], are those annoyances really exclusive to ISTJs? I'm not an ISTJ, and all of those things are annoying to me. Especially slow walkers. Uuurrrghhh. How do they not see that they're holding everyone up?
 

Kephalos

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My mother is ISTJ and she has told me that when things (not limited to big changes, but to small chnagez as well) change after being a certain way for years she feels very upset. I don't know, maybe everyone feels like that at one time or another.
 

highlander

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[MENTION=10780]Patches[/MENTION]
 

Mal12345

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I've been tagged in this thread so now I have to post something.

I don't know what is meant by "issues." Does the thread title ask about ISTJ problems? So am I supposed to criticize ISTJs? I would rather focus on both strengths and liabilities of types. So I would have to say there is too much pride, arrogance, selective memory, aggressiveness, suspicious nature, and two-faced behavior. On the other hand, I admire the ambition of the type, and as for selective memory, their way of negating the past would be of great benefit to me if I had that ability. Memory is not the key to understanding this type so much as memory control. Muscular or cellular memory is also a strength. They are great at memorizing movements and recreating them instinctively. The ISTJ is physically very coordinated, with body and mind moving almost in sync without requiring as much practice as others.
 

Mal12345

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An issue I forgot to mention: ISTJs are also notorious for having back problems.
 

skylights

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My mother is ISTJ and she has told me that when things (not limited to big changes, but to small chnagez as well) change after being a certain way for years she feels very upset.

My ISTJ grandma seems to struggle with that a lot, too. Of course it is common among older people to be nostalgic, but she has a unique expression of it in terms of it seems like she has an established past "ideal" in her head for the way a lot of things should be and it's often quite specific - for example, we spent months trying to find her a white heavy cable knit long-sleeved cardigan with pockets and buttons.

Often her complaints are perfectly valid, like how clothing integrity has gone down over time and how someone's dessert was too moist. I suspect that she is venting some of her frustration at losing her independence through these complaints - trying to regain the control she previously had. But she doesn't always seem to have a very good sense that sometimes her complaints really hurt others because they have personally worked hard on whatever she is criticizing, and/or on trying to make her happy. The person/effort and the item/quality seem to be fairly unrelated in her mind, which I assume is more T-style thinking, but unfortunately a lot of the people caring for her are Fs who make strong personal attachments.
 

Avocado

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My ISTJ grandma seems to struggle with that a lot, too. Of course it is common among older people to be nostalgic, but she has a unique expression of it in terms of it seems like she has an established past "ideal" in her head for the way a lot of things should be and it's often quite specific - for example, we spent months trying to find her a white heavy cable knit long-sleeved cardigan with pockets and buttons.

Often her complaints are perfectly valid, like how clothing integrity has gone down over time and how someone's dessert was too moist. I suspect that she is venting some of her frustration at losing her independence through these complaints - trying to regain the control she previously had. But she doesn't always seem to have a very good sense that sometimes her complaints really hurt others because they have personally worked hard on whatever she is criticizing, and/or on trying to make her happy. The person/effort and the item/quality seem to be fairly unrelated in her mind, which I assume is more T-style thinking, but unfortunately a lot of the people caring for her are Fs who make strong personal attachments.

What do you mean when you say the person is unimportant?
 

skylights

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What do you mean when you say the person is unimportant?

Well, not unimportant, just unrelated. I don't think she quickly realizes that rejecting everything my mom brings her for a week to try to satisfy her requests can get exhausting and disheartening for my mom, or that frequently telling the dining staff that their food isn't good can be hurtful and discouraging when they're the people who spend a long time working on it. She's very caring and friendly, and always expresses appreciation when people do things for her. I just don't think she is very aware of how her criticism can impact others for the worse.
 

BadOctopus

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Well, not unimportant, just unrelated. I don't think she quickly realizes that rejecting everything my mom brings her for a week to try to satisfy her requests can get exhausting and disheartening for my mom, or that frequently telling the dining staff that their food isn't good can be hurtful and discouraging when they're the people who spend a long time working on it. She's very caring and friendly, and always expresses appreciation when people do things for her. I just don't think she is very aware of how her criticism can impact others for the worse.
Has she always been like that, or has it just been in recent years? My stepdad's mom is extremely critical, too, but she wasn't always that way. Maybe it's more a symptom of getting older. I've noticed that elderly people in general become really attached to their routines, and resistant to change. That's not necessarily an ISTJ thing. Unless she's always been that way.
 

Tellenbach

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BadOctopus said:
are those annoyances really exclusive to ISTJs? I'm not an ISTJ, and all of those things are annoying to me. Especially slow walkers. Uuurrrghhh. How do they not see that they're holding everyone up?

I don't know what bothers other types. I suspect that ISTJs are more adept at spotting faults that escape other types. I only say this because I'm a fan of "Restaurant Impossible" and "Tabitha's Salon Takeover". Both are rescue shows of failing businesses with the ISTJ host finding the root of the problem within a very short period of time.
 

Avocado

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I don't know what bothers other types. I suspect that ISTJs are more adept at spotting faults that escape other types. I only say this because I'm a fan of "Restaurant Impossible" and "Tabitha's Salon Takeover". Both are rescue shows of failing businesses with the ISTJ host finding the root of the problem within a very short period of time.

I ate at a success story and they made it much better.
 

skylights

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Has she always been like that, or has it just been in recent years? My stepdad's mom is extremely critical, too, but she wasn't always that way. Maybe it's more a symptom of getting older. I've noticed that elderly people in general become really attached to their routines, and resistant to change. That's not necessarily an ISTJ thing. Unless she's always been that way.

She's always been quite critical and resistant to change, but she was always also quite independent, so I think it's only starting to really impact other people now, whereas it mostly only impacted her and her immediate family before.
 

Pionart

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Not being able to talk to people very well, largely from not having anything to say. Even finding essays ridiculously difficult.

Having an extremely hard time finding a date, and then being too awkward so as to not make a good impression if ever you do get a date...

Having regrets over the past, and feeling like things will be forever incomplete because things that you once had are now gone.

Being too honest. Not being able to lie where it would benefit you, or take advantage of others' mistakes.

Being boring. Not having much in the way of passion, dreams and fantasies.

More to come...
 

Raffaella

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I’ve have gotten along well with them however their utilitarian approach occasionally irks me.

  • Too private. Regardless of how long people have known them and close they are, it’ll take many Fi counselling sessions to get to the core of their problems. While they love and appreciate that someone recognises how they feel, their awareness of the underlying problem (or thought patterns) is limited and any input is dismissed quickly (although I realise this because they’re TJ and don’t spend time introspecting).
  • Too others focused (this is only where pragmatism is necessary, otherwise they'll tend to themselves first), more than once I’ve seen people take advantage of their practical and charitable nature. Your duty is your duty, if no one else does it; your not obliged to do it.
  • Too literal. Taking words at face value.
  • Paranoia. Heightened in e6 ISTJs.
  • Inability to read others so they project and they're rarely correct. They can be judgmental, too.
  • Dismissal of opinions and thoughts before complete understanding of the issue.
  • Rigidity, tradition, routine.


An issue I forgot to mention: ISTJs are also notorious for having back problems.

I'll entertain this idea. I think it's because most ISTJs are e6 => e6 is known for their anxiety => anxiety is a common cause of back pain.
 
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