[ISTP] In praise of ISTP's

[mcmartinez84]

He puts my best interests first.

He doesn't "use" me. I don't know if that's an ISTP thing, but if it is, I think it's one of the most important traits to find in a mate.

I switch activities at the drop of a hat for people I care about. I feel like I get taken advantage of sometimes by people because of that.

I like to think that I don't use people. Ever. It seems like such a horrible thing to be "friends" with someone just to get something out of them. Instead of pretending to be friends, I'm more likely to just ask for what I want.

 

[miss fortune]

yeah- I cooked dinner for my ex and cleaned his apartment and basically did everything else for him- turned out he was cheating on me and didn't break up with me because I was "too useful"!

definite proof that istps aren't the cold hearted evil ones!

 

[INTJMom]

yeah- I cooked dinner for my ex and cleaned his apartment and basically did everything else for him- turned out he was cheating on me and didn't break up with me because I was "too useful"!

definite proof that istps aren't the cold hearted evil ones!

What was his type?

 

[miss fortune]

an EVIL ENFJ- not saying that all ENFJs are truly evil at all

 

[miss fortune]

are opposite types always that scary?!

 

[Lookin4theBestNU]

I've been married to my opposite for quite some time. I don't think he's all that scary....weird yes, scary no. I imagine he would say the same thing though.

 

[Domino]

Since I'm late to the party here, I thought I'd resurrect this thread by saying what I like about ISTPs.

My best friend -- we went EVERYWHERE together. We hot-rodded his Camaro. I helped him install line-locks, and rebuilt his transmission. He really helped me feel competent and relaxed. To this day, he's still the only person I ever met who never treated me like I was "too much" or a burden. He just let me be myself.

Another guy I knew in school -- he was my partner for a lot of my diesel projects. The two of us were always accidentally setting things on fire. He drove his JEEP over everything. He was totally insane and hilarious, and helped me fill a guy's truck up with pine cones because the dude was picking on me. Jase was flat-out. lol

 

[Spartan]

The ISTP's I know from school are fun to be around. They are sarcastic, practical, good with their hands, and non-critical to others. It seems to me that they are the least critical T's out there. We work well on labs together. It seems that my freakish detailed oriented self goes well with the crafty and mechanical ISTP. What I can't do, he can, and what he doesn't want to do, I do. Nice balance.

 

[hotmale]

ISTPs- I love 'em!

They are intense, intense people, underneath the calm surface of rationality, they are fire underneath and have an (often) unexpressed creative side that needs to be lashed out.

They are loyal folk- who will stand by your side, even if you are 100% wrong. They remind me of the EM Forster line: "If I had to choose between duty to my country and my friends, then may God help me to choose my friends!"

I can't think of a single ISTP I've met that I didn't like. They are team-players, they are intelligent and they are interminably exciting to be around- due to their enigmatic nature and ability to analyze random objects and buildings that you prolly didn't even notice.

 

[mcmartinez84]

ISTPs- I love 'em!

I can't think of a single ISTP I've met that I didn't like.

I need to meet people like you here! What kind of place should I frequent to do so???

 

[miss fortune]

ISTPs- I love 'em!

They are intense, intense people, underneath the calm surface of rationality, they are fire underneath and have an (often) unexpressed creative side that needs to be lashed out.

They are loyal folk- who will stand by your side, even if you are 100% wrong. They remind me of the EM Forster line: "If I had to choose between duty to my country and my friends, then may God help me to choose my friends!"

I can't think of a single ISTP I've met that I didn't like. They are team-players, they are intelligent and they are interminably exciting to be around- due to their enigmatic nature and ability to analyze random objects and buildings that you prolly didn't even notice.

just in a discussion with a friend about loyalty and how we're depressed that most people don't carry it to the mafioso level that we do! Gotta say- an ISTP friend has got your back!

 

[mcmartinez84]

just in a discussion with a friend about loyalty and how we're depressed that most people don't carry it to the mafioso level that we do! Gotta say- an ISTP friend has got your back!

I'm certain that if anyone of my friends called me right now in need of almost anything, I'd help them. Most other people definitely don't return the same generosity. Then again, I don't usually ask for much.

 

[alcea rosea]

are opposite types always that scary?!

When I got interested with MBTI types some years ago, I also told my ISTP lots and lots about the subject. He was not interested about it at all. He did the test to please me, but he did not really see any point in the whole MBTI thing until I showed him the list of famous ISTP's. All the actors he liked the most were in that list!! Then he said that there must be a point in this MBTI thing. So, he did not believe in theory until there was a practical example of it. Very typical of him.

 

[alcea rosea]

Bah, in theory maybe, but I'll have you know that I'm plenty warm with my friends.

Ok, I lie. But that's besides the point. I just dislike your theory.

This reminded me about my ISTP husband making empathy test. He's score was close to zero (which meant no empathy in this test).

The result is not really reliable because he can be empathetic with the people he chooses to be empathic with.

Another thing is that can people be selectively empathic.

 

[ptgatsby]

This reminded me about my ISTP husband making empathy test. He's score was close to zero (which meant no empathy in this test).

We repress empathy, although the baseline really depends on how "T" we are (I'm only moderate). I tend to test very low on the soft side (empathy, sympathy, etc) as well.

The result is not really reliable because he can be empathetic with the people he chooses to be empathic with.

Another thing is that can people be selectively empathic.

I know I am. I will allow myself empathy when it is due - in situations that are really unfortunate, etc. I don't feel empathy for people who have done it to themselves... and I really don't feel it if I've warned them in advance.

Having said that, I feel a lot of empathy for animals.

 

[quietgirl]

Having said that, I feel a lot of empathy for animals.

Is this an ST kind of thing? My ISTJ dad is like a different person when he is interacting with our 5 animals at his house (yes, 5 - and he tends to rescue random strays and care for them). My ESTP mother is the same way with our 4 animals (yes, 4 - and that number has peaked at different times in our lives as my mother would rescue any and all animals she came across). Now I'm finding my ISTP boyfriend is the same exact way with his 4 dogs. I mean, I love animals - don't get me wrong, but it's like they connect with them on a level that they don't connect with humans.

 

[miss fortune]

I would kind of agree with that! both my istj grandfather and I take our dogs everywhere with us... probably because dogs are completely loyal and don't reject you like people do!

 

[Grayscale]

I'm certain that if anyone of my friends called me right now in need of almost anything, I'd help them. Most other people definitely don't return the same generosity. Then again, I don't usually ask for much.

Same here. Of course, they will complain without fail if I don't give them hugs or cards or other things that don't really prove anything.

I think that is what I like best about ISTP-like qualities in other people-they will always come through for you if they think you deserve it.

 

[AliciaS2R]

We repress empathy, although the baseline really depends on how "T" we are (I'm only moderate). I tend to test very low on the soft side (empathy, sympathy, etc) as well.



I know I am. I will allow myself empathy when it is due - in situations that are really unfortunate, etc. I don't feel empathy for people who have done it to themselves... and I really don't feel it if I've warned them in advance.

Having said that, I feel a lot of empathy for animals.

I don't feel so different now. I work on a medically frail geriatric unit, 4 people have died since 3/07 from various health related causes. I find that I don't get upset about it and feel awkward with the staff because I do not empathize with them. However, I do have a lot of empathy for animals. It bothers me to see an animal hurt or in pain. Vivid images tend to stay in my mind. Maybe that is why I do not care for horror movies.

 

[SillySapienne]

Like Whatever said... I don't try to be cold either. I guess what others think requires more warmth/feeling is something I'd tell them to get over and not worry about.

Most people have to earn my genuine friendliness. I mean, I'm pleasant around people and I'm usually pretty nice, but more often than not...I just don't give a shit on the inside. (I should probably work on that.)

One thing I've noticed is that it's very hard for me to feel compassionate towards others when they're talking about something I've never been through. My thought process for it is all logical; when I tell them what I think I come of as being totally cold and heartless.
For instance, take poetry...
1. The author should come out and tell me what's on their mind. I'm awful at reading between lines and picking up on subtleties.
2. They're usually referring to something I haven't been through, and even if I have, I'd probably feel entirely different about the whole situation. (i.e. I probably wouldn't care.)

I told one of my friends this and he was in a sort of shock over how incredibly frigid I sound toward other people. I never thought it was that big a deal. I guess it's built in for me to minimize things. I'm also guessing I'll never get an ulcer

As far as theory goes... I think it's great that other people can do it because I certainly don't understand most of it. It's definitely interesting, but I suck at it and that makes me not want to talk about it or do it. I like practical applications much better. If I like the application enough, I'll go learn some theory.

Wow, you remind me of my ex to a T. Except you are a girl, and you are a bit more willing to admit and understand what, and why you are. My ex liked to think he was much more theoretically inclined than he actually was. That got tediously frustrating.