I type Tolstoy as INFP and Ghandi as INFJ. I agree its a good contrast, but with flipped types.
I see FJs influenced by Fi concepts, not the other way around. Introverted feeling is not a set of static values, but a focus on finding, creating, and refining concepts of value. The IxxP mindset is more exploratory and not just because of auxiliary Pe, but rather how it works with Ji to form a whole mentality.
Gandhi strikes me as INFJ because of the way he communicated his ideals, not because of what they were. He was focused on implemenarion over refinement, which is far more INFJ than INFP. Whereas Tolstoy was focused on seeking, understanding, and refinement over taking action to cause change. He communicated through his art form, not seeking any leadership role. This is much more INFP style.
Slightly off topic here, but this is a question I've had about INFPs for quite some time.
I understand (and heartily approve) of the internal rebar-like values possessed by the INFP, highly individualistic, but held as universal (e.g. each INFP has their OWN set, will defend them at all costs, but will not seek to *force* them on others, instead being quietly heartbroken over the failure of humans to live up to those ideals).
I understand that each INFP seeks both to gather as much of the human experience as possible, to help them identify ... as an INTJ, I don't think I have the proper words, but for the moment, call them "the essential components" of the human condition -- "what are the attitudes, the feelings, the longings, hurts, joys, sorrows, longings, common to humanity? What aspects of humanity do we all share?" And from these components, the INFP apparently derives their values, and seeks to refine them.
My question is this, [MENTION=6561]OrangeAppled[/MENTION] -- in your quote above, you said the values are 'not static' and yet later in the sentence you said the INFP seeks to 'refine them'. My gut or heart or Ni or ...something... tells me this is true, but my brain is puzzled : if they are being refined, doesn't that mean they are changing?
The only resolution of this I can see, is if one considers the simile, the word-picture-parable, as it were, of values being like the vibrating strings on a stringed instrument (*) -- as say, on a guitar compared to a tuning fork: the fork vibrates with a certain pitch, and the INFP uses the tuning key and listening for the "beats" as the string's frequency gets closer and closer to the "true" note. Or would it be more like, the INFP 'hears' a certain note representing the internal value, and is constantly plucking the strings while ranging their finger over the fretboard, trying to find which note corresponds to the one they hear?
(*) or, if you want to be swashbuckling about it, a
chord: unique combinations and weightings of different elements in relation to one another. One tunes each string first, then identifies each note on each string, then correctly identifies the *chord*?
Way over my head here, I'll shut up and listen.