Using MBTI as an Excuse

[Cellmold]

Personally I thought that was kind of the point?

Especially since it was born out the heuristic observation that others might/are different to ourselves.

 

[HisKittyKat]

Agreed on every post.

The most Ignorant thing I have seen on this site is the person who has this written in their signature. " XXXX or I will go all INFP on my wrist. Now I don't take offense to it, but the fact is this is suggesting that all INFPs slice their wrists. Not only is it Ignorant, I'm not sure why it is necessary. As an NF I have never entertained the Idea of doing any self harm or damage to any part of my body. If I was to have anything suggestive in my signature about Trans genders, self harm and damage to their bodies bc of surgery, I would be banned and attacked like no other. Always double standards on forums has been my experience. PerC was a nightmare, double standards everywhere, the MODs were the biggest trouble makers, the most untrustworthy of them all. Other than that, carry on lol.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

I understand the problem with not taking ownership of one's own flaws and instead placing blame outwards, because you will end up stuck.

However, I don't think that everyone is the same and that they all face the exact same struggles. I think some of the complaints are legit. Perhaps the annoying part is the inherent dismissal of others when declaring one's own struggle or limitation? For the most part I don't care that much if people aren't perfectly living up to their ideal self. If a person is told all of their life to be more outgoing, and that isn't their nature, then of course they will feel some frustration. There is a way that social contexts try to get everyone to act the same, so depending on whatever those norms are, any person can end up ostracized for not fitting into it. Maybe it's okay to complain a little when that happens to you? For some funny reason I also don't care that much if someone reacts to feeling isolated by assuming they are superior, unless they somehow intrude on me when doing it. Otherwise, it can be funny and even charming if some bizarre hermit lives on a mountain and thinks (s)he is Zeus. If that's what makes them happy, and it's their choice for how to deal with living in the world, then who am I to tell them to stop?

 

[Red Memories]

Agreed on every post.

The most Ignorant thing I have seen on this site is the person who has this written in their signature. " XXXX or I will go all INFP on my wrist. Now I don't take offense to it, but the fact is this is suggesting that all INFPs slice their wrists. Not only is it Ignorant, I'm not sure why it is necessary. As an NF I have never entertained the Idea of doing any self harm or damage to any part of my body. If I was to have anything suggestive in my signature about Trans genders, self harm and damage to their bodies bc of surgery, I would be banned and attacked like no other. Always double standards on forums has been my experience. PerC was a nightmare, double standards everywhere, the MODs were the biggest trouble makers, the most untrustworthy of them all. Other than that, carry on lol.

don't think mental illness and self injury are type related, and that is an awful joke of that person to make...

 

[geedoenfj]

My interest in MBTI began basically by the need to understand my potentials, my strength and weeknesses, also to work on areas of weeknesses that I need to overcome, not to justify and make execuses for them.. also to understand other people whom I'm dealing with, I admit I didn't do enough reading of it specially since I lack the sources in my native language, but I'm glad I got the minimum idea, at least..

 

[MyCupOfTea]

Broadening mbti to apply areas of life/behavior in which it's not agitable can be tempting. Maybe some of the horoscope-like type descriptions have something to do with it.

 

[entropie]

All mbti is an excuse for not being yourself, but its a good tool you can use until you know

 

[HisKittyKat]

Ok here is a good one

OP starts thread on a negative note suggesting X type is XXX, and does XXXX, so how come this happens.

Type XXXX comes running into the thread, first thing posted is " Are you sure your lady is typed correctly, bc my Gf is the same type and she doesn't do XXXX or XXXX. I think you should have her test again, there is no way she is XXXX. Other XXXX members come rushing in to support said poster, again the same post, are you sure she is typed right ?

OK, now lets say the OP starts a thread about XXXX on a positive note with kind and loving gestures. Everyone who is typed XXXX comes rushing in to sing praises about how lovely XXXX type is, how true of you to think XXXX does this and that bc my Bf is an XXXX and he is the exact same way.

If its negative the OP is typed wrong, their GF BF are typed wrong. The OP has no idea what they are talking about, rol.

If its positive the OP is typed right, their GF BF are typed right, everything in the world is right haha !

Moral of the story, people only want to hear and believe the good things about said type, when negative things are said it isn't possible, no way, not that type. People don't want to hear negative things about themselves, they would rather you sugar coat your opinions and experiences rather than state the truth.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

^In general my impression is that there is significantly more focus on the negative. I'm trying to remember threads where people come online only saying positive things about a relationship and I don't have a memory of that happening. "If it isn't broken don't fix it" idea tends to result in people not feeling the need to discuss the positive as often or with as much nuance.
Edit: which brings me to a second point - generalized positive statements apply to more people than specific negative statements.

 

[Agent Washington]

I was to have anything suggestive in my signature about Trans genders, self harm and damage to their bodies bc of surgery, I would be banned and attacked like no other.

Why the preoccupation with TG ppl?

And taking a medically recommended procedure, which surgery and HRT is, has jack all to do with self-harm. If your point was precisely that, then I have no case; but I doubt it from your posting history.

 

[ceecee]

I'm an ENTJ. All of you are beneath me. I hate people. I don't believe in being nice to others which is why I'm an insufferable jerk to everyone. I'm smarter than all of you. I need to dumb down my thoughts so that the average individual can understand me. Clearly, you understand how much I loathe human interaction. My life is made difficult by other people who can't remain objective enough and who are feelers because feelers are morally relativistic unlike thinkers who are all good. If only people weren't so stupid. Well, they won't be when I take over the world.

Or my new favorite misunderstood ENTJ whine about the Internet - "sidestep the keyboard bullshit" or "innately dehumanizing nature of anonymous keyboard interaction"

Because those give me zero chance to bully live and in person or talk over everyone else on Skype!!!!

Then following all of this up with this gif.

Me against the world!! No one understands me!! I'm right and you all are wrong (unless you adopt my views, of course).

Not to mention the other xNTJ's with user names that increase the assumption of douchebaggery before they type a single letter.

 

[rav3n]

lol, way to go with the stereotypes, people!

 

[HisKittyKat]

Why the preoccupation with TG ppl?

And taking a medically recommended procedure, which surgery and HRT is, has jack all to do with self-harm. If your point was precisely that, then I have no case; but I doubt it from your posting history.

Why the preoccupation with what you deem I'm preoccupied with ? Whatever your answer is, that is my answer also.

And taking a medically recommended procedure, which surgery and HRT is, has jack all to do with self-harm.

You certainly are free to have that opinion however not everyone will agree with that subjective opinion.

I recommend you become less preoccupied with what I think and more occupied with why you care about why I think it. Happy Funday

 

[VILLANELLE]

One of the biggest excuses I have seen in typology sites is NTs using their typing to act a certain way, In particular a lot of INTJs use their INTJ typing to be edgy "lords" who are above everyone else, a lot of ENTPs use that typing to be trolls who have zero substance and so on. In general I find as a general rule of thumb if someone is fitting their type profile to the letter then they are to some extent acting out from that profile as most people are too nunicaned to fit a profile to the letter.

I don't mean to generalize, but I think that's the thing with MBTI. The fault of it, specifically, is that people learn their type or search them and then they box themselves in. I myself have been guilty of that. And it's absolutely f'ing annoying, because your type is how you think or process things. But it's not your values or ideals or your soul, it's not all you are. It's just the way you construct things, perhaps where you get your energy. But it's not all we are as people. I hate how on some forums if I, an extrovert, even mention that "being around people makes me tired" suggests that I am an introvert. I'm not. And not everyone is always extroverted or introverted all the time. It's just the cognitive functions. Like, should we all wear masks that state our Type, or tattoos on our foreheads, like some dystopian novel? It doesn't work like that!

 

[TheGodson]

I've never used Meyer Brigg's letters specifically as an excuse, but I have used factors of my personality as an excuse.

Back when I was in school I was extremely disorganized. I always dismissed it as a part of my personality and never really thought of it as a problem. Now I view it more as a struggle that needs to be overcome. Now, I am more organized. Disorganization in my work at my job is unacceptable to me.

Meyer Briggs won't tell you what you're good at or bad at per se. It is, however, a guideline for telling you what things may be harder for you and what may come easier for you.

Some "I" type people may have a harder time public speaking, but it is something that can be overcome. It may naturally be easier for an "E". A "P" type may have trouble with procrastination whereas it may come more natural for a "J" type.

Meyer Briggs is most useful in finding what jobs are going to most preferable to you. It won't be useful using it to trap yourself with bad traits and say "this is just my personality". It is useful to find your weaknesses and strengths just not to become a victim to them. I know that I personally have struggled with procrastination and I still do at times, but I recognize it as a problem and strive to concur it. Like most problems, it just takes some discipline. A lot of discipline. I have no problem at all with public speaking. For me it is very easy and I love it. Other people I know are terrified of public speaking. Some people are more afraid of public speaking than actually dying. Everybody is different.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Agreed on every post. The most Ignorant thing I have seen on this site is the person who has this written in their signature. " XXXX or I will go all INFP on my wrist. Now I don't take offense to it, but the fact is this is suggesting that all INFPs slice their wrists. Not only is it Ignorant, I'm not sure why it is necessary. As an NF I have never entertained the Idea of doing any self harm or damage to any part of my body. If I was to have anything suggestive in my signature about Trans genders, self harm and damage to their bodies bc of surgery, I would be banned and attacked like no other. Always double standards on forums has been my experience. PerC was a nightmare, double standards everywhere, the MODs were the biggest trouble makers, the most untrustworthy of them all. Other than that, carry on lol.

I recommend reporting the offensive signature and refrain from using offensive signatures yourself.

 

[HisKittyKat]

I recommend reporting the offensive signature and refrain from using offensive signatures yourself.

Nah, I'm not that bothered by it, makes them look like a nut bar not me. Obviously I refrained from using offensive signatures myself considering I don't have one.

 

[Bush]

don't think mental illness and self injury are type related, and that is an awful joke of that person to make...

Yup. Studies show some of the obvious correlations (Feeling to Big 5's Agreeableness, Judging to Conscientiousness) but the correlation between Big 5's Neuroticism and any other MBTI scale is close to zero.

 

[Totenkindly]

There was a period in my late 20's where I did stupidly think that in an argument people should listen/cater to me more because I was an INTP, especially if I was arguing with an F. (God, it sounds so dumb now.) I mean, the deal is, sure, everyone is subjective, but by virtue of my type I was naturally less subjective, and people should have credited me with that and acknowledge they were more subjective and less rational than me, and take my viewpoint to mean more.

The thing is, I actually believed I was right -- it was a "sincerely held belief" -- and then within a few years I realized what an asshat I had been. It's probably one of the ideas I've held in the past that is most embarrassing now to recall, but I guess it was what it was... I was also extremely insecure and looking for some way to appear credible, after a life of feeling dismissed and undermined, which contributed.

Anyway, some people actively use type as an excuse, others are not using it as an excuse and might honestly believe something to be true.

There is a fine balance to be drawn (not just with type, but with our faults in general) between accepting that you are a fallible and flawed person and being PATIENT with yourself as you grow throughout life [which is a necessary progression] and making excuses for your flaws so that you are not under much pressure to change.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

There is a fine balance to be drawn (not just with type, but with our faults in general) between accepting that you are a fallible and flawed person and being PATIENT with yourself as you grow throughout life [which is a necessary progression] and making excuses for your flaws so that you are not under much pressure to change.

I agree. There can be a danger of spending so much time 'fixing' your weaknesses that you never develop your strengths. I suppose if a weakness bothers someone enough to complain a lot then it is worth fixing.

All my life people have tried to make me more outgoing and would offer up advice. I used to try and settled into a compromise of smiling a lot but saying little. It tended to just discourage me and added to self esteem issues. I no longer care at all about trying to be extroverted and only smile at people when I mean it. It is such a relief and there are many positive qualities I can develop that are naturally a part of my introversion. 🐸