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[SP] Do SPs like danger and discomfort?

Athenian200

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I want to go skydiving. And the scenario in #3 doesn't really sound scary to me at all. Extreme hot doesn't bother me, but I don't like to be too cold.

Wow. Looks like we've got at least one unnervingly brave ISFP here. :yes:

SPs are interesting, they're just involved in too much... action for me.
 

Athenian200

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http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/sp-arthouse/18832-how-much-do-you-use-se.html#post724095

The OP of this describes Se pretty well and how it's used. Assume an SP would score high. What does this have to do with violence or wanting danger?

It's very indirect.

Essentially, it means SPs have increased impulsiveness, and seek to do things that would stimulate their Se process.

SPs are simply more likely than other types to develop a degree of confidence in their ability to deal with the physical world to such a point that they feel comfortable seeking out violent or dangerous situations in order to stimulate themselves, because those are situations that heavily involve and depend on paying attention to your surroundings in order to get through. It involves staking your life on the strength of your Se process, awareness of your surroundings, and associated reflexes, in other words.

Any type could potentially become this way, but it's just easier and more likely for an SP to become this way.

It's really not a bad thing... all types tend to stake their lives on their dominant process. SJs, for instance, stake their lives on the quality of their memory, the world remaining consistent, the value of planning, on tradition being valued by others. They might well build their whole lives around it, depend on it to survive. If SJs weren't so common and so well-respected by other types, this would also seem a bit crazy.
 

iamathousandapples

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Getting into fights is one example of what I'd consider dangerous. I guess SPs might not think so.

Others include:

1. Subjecting oneself to extreme temperatures (hot or cold) as a test of endurance.

2. Skydiving.

3. Knowingly going to places where criminal activity takes place... especially at night.

1 and 2 sound fun, Alaska has been on my need-to-go list. 3 probably not. I used to love going on rollercoasters and envied the tall, but now they've gotten boring.
 

Jeffster

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I am thrilled by some forms of danger. Like driving into lightning storms for instance, there's a certain amount of fear, but a rush from the experience. That's just one example, there's many more. But compared to some people, I'm a total wimp, I think SPs vary in many degrees just like the other temperaments, there are extremes on both ends of pretty much everything.

Once at one of my son's soccer practices, I had this urge to pick a fight with another team's coach because he put his hands on my son when he ran through their cone setup or something. I didn't actually do it, but the impulse was definitely there.
 

ChocolateMoose123

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I love motorcycles, roller coasters, acceleration.
I have been skydiving (fun)
I have been called a "sensation addict" defined by various friends.
I don't think this is indicative of type.
SP, NT, NF, SJ....I think we all take risks. The point is that I don't think those things that are typically thought of as "risks" are just that....I think an NF's emotional vulnerability or an SJ's goal oriented task (that takes years to accomplish) is much more "riskier" than skydiving or taking a physical risk any day! I don't know. That's me personally. Adrenaline and anticipation are the best feelings in the world. But I admire other types for doing what doesn't come "easy" for me.
 

wolfy

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I don't enjoy danger or pain and I don't go looking for it. The times it's come looking for me I've been surprised how much I could put up with.
 

Snow Turtle

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Here's a question.

When people are practicing meditation. If there was a function, what would you chalk it down to?
 

phoenity

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Here's a question.

When people are practicing meditation. If there was a function, what would you chalk it down to?

I've don't regularly meditate, and have only done so sporadically the past few months. The states of consciousness I've been able to achieve so far have been life-changing. Who knows the benefits if I were to make a habit out of it.

What I've learned so far is that meditation is not a function of the mind/brain. There is no thinking or feeling. It's turning off of the mind, while being aware that you still exist. It is simply being.

I believe the essence of meditation is exercising control of the "thinking" mind.

Once you have conscious control of the mind, you can begin to introduce focal points into your meditation, and use your mind to think/feel about those points. Though once your mind begins to wander beyond that point, you have lost control.

So I believe that meditation is simply exercising control of the mind.


People who have been diagnosed with ADHD, if I understand ADHD correctly, would benefit immensely from regular practice.
 

Jeffster

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Here's a question.

When people are practicing meditation. If there was a function, what would you chalk it down to?

Ci? (introverted chanting)
 

Jeffster

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Basically, my initial impression of SPs could best be described by Sammy Hagar's "I can't drive 55."

Heh, whenever I heard that song I used to say "I totally relate to Sammy, I would hate to drive that fast." ;)



Well, there's masochism, on one hand... and I've heard a lot of athletes say things like, "No pain, no gain," or "Pain is weakness leaving the body." Basically, some people enjoy discomfort because they like using their ability to endure it to show how strong/tough they are. It seems like something an SP might like, especially since SPs tend to be more athletic.

Yeah, we've established in the Vent chat that I am a masochist when it comes to women. If a chick is already hot, then her yelling at me or slapping me around kinda makes her hotter. :blush:

There was another topic around here somewhere about SPs and injuries and stuff. The general consensus is we are the most likely to brag about scrapes and scratches and bruises we have from various activities.

So I think you are on to something here. This typology stuff is about tendencies, not absolutes. Obviously there are tons of SPs who don't have strong desires for "danger or discomfort" but I agree with you that if anybody does, we are the most likely candidates. Also, the definition of danger is obviously different by the person too. Even the SPs who have no interest in extreme physical acitivity might get a thrill out of a situation where they were bold in some way or had to risk something, even if only over the internet. There are so many degrees of everything, and people don't define words or concepts the same way I've found, so someone can say "i don't do that" and then describe a scenario that is exactly that! Like in the topic I made about optimism in the SP private forum, where people kept saying "I don't believe in luck, I believe in..." but their alternative was pretty much just a different way of describing luck. ;)
 

phoenity

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Danger? That's relative. What's dangerous to some is not to others, but I am generally not averse to dealing with danger if I deem I have the skills necessary to engage it and be victorious, it's on.

Physical discomfort/pain? Ummm...I don't seek these things, but I am not afraid of them. If I get an ouchey on my knee as a result of me taking on something I thought I could handle then I'm not going to cry to my Mommy about it.

;)

Exactly what I wanted to say :)


Danger is entirely relative.

Entering a burning building is very dangerous for a untrained civilian. But a professional firefighter is mentally and physically trained to do this, and properly equipped.

I think of danger in terms of calculated risk. I consider the possible physical risks to myself, and then consider my capability or skill to take on this risk.

It's sorta like blackjack, except blackjack has much more random unknowns so it's not the best comparison. But for example, to hit on 19 would be incredibly risky and your chances of losing are pretty high.


As for physical discomfort, I would have to say I do enjoy these in a sense. I don't enjoy them because they are painful or uncomfortable, that would be sadistic. I don't hurt myself to feel pain.

I enjoy all sensations simply for what they are, "good" or "bad" sensations. If I am climbing up a mountain road on my bike, chances are that the effort required by my body is going to be fairly high, perhaps near my max. Operating your body at or near it's maximum effort is not at all "comfortable". You are breathing at full capacity as hard as you can to maximize gas exchange, sometimes this causes a searing sensation in my lungs. Your muscles are generating lactic acid that your body can't get rid of fast enough, so it accumulates in the working muscles and causes a burning sensation. If I go at my max for long enough and accumulate enough lactic acid, I will get this nauseous feeling in my stomach. I've known people to throw up from pushing their body.

Persisting through these sensations for extended periods requires a lot of willpower. During this time I don't think of them as pain or discomfort. I think of them as sensations, feedback from my body telling me whether I can go harder or if I must pull back a little.

Once I crest the top of the mountain, and I'm able to catch my breath and let my muscles recover and stop burning, the sensations of pain and discomfort are replaced with blissful sensations of what I have just accomplished and the fun I'm about to have speeding down this mountain.


So, in short, it's not about experiencing discomfort, it's about sensing period. Pain and pleasure are the yin and yang of physical sensations. For me, experiencing one makes experiencing the other even better.
 

Halla74

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Exactly what I wanted to say :)


Danger is entirely relative.

Entering a burning building is very dangerous for a untrained civilian. But a professional firefighter is mentally and physically trained to do this, and properly equipped.

I think of danger in terms of calculated risk. I consider the possible physical risks to myself, and then consider my capability or skill to take on this risk.

It's sorta like blackjack, except blackjack has much more random unknowns so it's not the best comparison. But for example, to hit on 19 would be incredibly risky and your chances of losing are pretty high.



As for physical discomfort, I would have to say I do enjoy these in a sense. I don't enjoy them because they are painful or uncomfortable, that would be sadistic. I don't hurt myself to feel pain.

I enjoy all sensations simply for what they are, "good" or "bad" sensations. If I am climbing up a mountain road on my bike, chances are that the effort required by my body is going to be fairly high, perhaps near my max. Operating your body at or near it's maximum effort is not at all "comfortable". You are breathing at full capacity as hard as you can to maximize gas exchange, sometimes this causes a searing sensation in my lungs. Your muscles are generating lactic acid that your body can't get rid of fast enough, so it accumulates in the working muscles and causes a burning sensation. If I go at my max for long enough and accumulate enough lactic acid, I will get this nauseous feeling in my stomach. I've known people to throw up from pushing their body.

Persisting through these sensations for extended periods requires a lot of willpower. During this time I don't think of them as pain or discomfort. I think of them as sensations, feedback from my body telling me whether I can go harder or if I must pull back a little.

Once I crest the top of the mountain, and I'm able to catch my breath and let my muscles recover and stop burning, the sensations of pain and discomfort are replaced with blissful sensations of what I have just accomplished and the fun I'm about to have speeding down this mountain.


So, in short, it's not about experiencing discomfort, it's about sensing period. Pain and pleasure are the yin and yang of physical sensations. For me, experiencing one makes experiencing the other even better.

Very nice expansion of my initial simplistic reply! :nice:

The bolded parts in particular are spot on with my real time assessment of life...
 

phoenity

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At first, this was going to be my response as well.

But then I got to thinking about it. Is that really meditation? Or is it simply a state of very minimum operation of the mind?

I'm curious to hear your opinion. What is the difference between active sensing of your environment, but ONLY sensing, no intuiting or thinking past what you sense to be occurring in the present moment, and the "screensaver" state of mind you described in another thread?
 

stellar renegade

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Interesting discussion. I know I, for one, enjoy jabbing a knife into my leg to the beat of the music I'm currently listening to, thus balancing pain and pleasure into one.

Actually, I only want to jab a knife into the side of my head when I hear Nickelback playing. haha.

I love to endure through forms of mild aches and pains, especially if it's just a matter of being being worn out from too much physical activity. I never thought about it being related to Se, though, that's pretty cool.

Yeah, we've established in the Vent chat that I am a masochist when it comes to women. If a chick is already hot, then her yelling at me or slapping me around kinda makes her hotter. :blush:
Haha, totally! Especially if you've legitimately done something to annoy her. I'm all, "You really wanna makeout right now, doncha?" ;)
 

NewEra

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I know for my cousin (who happens to be ISFP) hates to see or experience any kind of pain or discomfort. She will flinch at even the slightest sign of discomfort or pain that she sees, it doesn't even have to be much. Stick a fork in this theory, it's done.
 

me_plus_one

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I have to tell you, I am a true SP. Still, I totally hate physical discomfort. I'd rather be in a safe situation at all times. I don't like taking risks when it comes to my own safety and physical soundness. I always put my seatbelt on in the car, even in the back seat.

I shudder at the idea of being in pain. Whenever that's the case, I stuff myself with pills. And so on. You get the point.

Danger and discomfort, from a physical point of view - big NO-NO for me.
 
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