The ESFP "stupid" myth.

[Quinlan]

Surely mbti should teach us that the generally accepted definition of "intelligence" is very biased (probably in favour of Te-like thinking). People drawn to the concept of "intelligence" seem to relish in feeling superior and wearing it as some sort of badge of honour, so they want to skew it's definition towards things that they value.

Like someone else said multiple intelligences is a much fairer measure and there are areas within that where ESFPs would excel.

 

[Jeffster]

I just thought this pic needed to be on this page too.

 

[sculpting]

my sister is an esfp.

So is my brother.

Niether finished high school. However during school, at various points both were noted for being very.very clever and placed into gifted programs. You have to have an IQ of 125 to get in those programs.

My brother moved out and got a job at 14. He has multiple careers but is known as very clever and can do most everything he tries.

My sister said she always had a hard time focusing on things that were abstract and useless to her, and she wanted to play and have fun instead. She too can pick up any job given very quickly, perhaps more so than even my brother.

It would appear that the basic wiring is present for IQ but they dont use it the way an N would.

As always, it is also all about what IQ really means anyways.

 

[Orangey]

My sister is an ESFP, and she does very well academically. The only thing is that she doesn't really like any academic subject, or like thinking about any academic subject outside of school, and she would much rather spend her time doing make-up (this is not a joke, she spends an inordinate amount of time fixing herself up) and socializing. So it's less of a lack of intelligence than a rejection or devaluation of academic intelligence on her part. Otherwise, she is very cunning, and has a lot more social intelligence than many people I know (including myself, of course).

 

[boombanca]

I am a ESFP, and I am very smart. I don't think the two people I spend the most time with, (INTJ best friend and INTJ brother) would hang out with me or give me the time of day if they thought i was stupid in any way. I think I come off as silly or dumb to people at first if they meet me- and im going off or being a performer at the time of the meeting. The thing is I don't feel I need to go out of my way to talk in a certain way to be smart. I hate when SOME people are talking, TRYING to sound smart, and you can tell theyre being weird and awkward with themselves because theyre trying too hard, and its not natural.. but anyways, pretty everyone that gets to know me just a little bit soon realizes i am intelligent and funny unless they are holding a grudge against me initially.

 

[substitute]

My eldest sister is an ESFP and I don't know anyone who knows more about Victorian London than she does. She's not bookish and hasn't got time for academia, but when she has an interest in something, she engages with it and wants to know everything. But she's quite a lot like me in the respect that she'd rather just do her own research and read the bits that interest her, than go to a college or formal course and have to sit for hours listening to boring lectures or studying boring "compulsory modules" that don't relate to what she wants to know.

She became fascinated with the Jack the Ripper case in her teens and has accumulated a lot of knowledge of the period since then.

 

[Mort Belfry]

My eldest sister is an ESFP and I don't know anyone who knows more about Victorian London than she does. She's not bookish and hasn't got time for academia, but when she has an interest in something, she engages with it and wants to know everything. But she's quite a lot like me in the respect that she'd rather just do her own research and read the bits that interest her, than go to a college or formal course and have to sit for hours listening to boring lectures or studying boring "compulsory modules" that don't relate to what she wants to know.

She became fascinated with the Jack the Ripper case in her teens and has accumulated a lot of knowledge of the period since then.

I think you've been to this thread before substitute. Does this sound familiar?

My eldest sister is ESFP. I have never known anyone to have greater or more indepth knowledge of Victorian London and the Jack the Ripper case than she does.

She underachieved in school, but not due to lack of intelligence - more due to lack of interest in the things school offered her as means of applying her intelligence. I sympathize...

She's not on the forums at Casebook: Jack the Ripper - Main is she?

 

[substitute]

oh yeah probably, I dunno, you know what it's like here after you've been here for a while - the same threads get started over and over and you're not sure if it's the old one that got burried and resurrected, or a new one with newbs that need to be told, and when it's longer than like, 5 pages, I can't be arsed to check

 

[Mort Belfry]

Well it shows I took the time to remember.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

ESFP have the know-how of making them appear desirable amongst others. Clothing, who they know, whom they've been with, what taste of music they have, or.. if they're into volunteer work or something, how many they've helped, what they've done there, etc.. They seem to be devoted to that, no matter where their interest lies in, and that's something.

Everything is practical and considered from a practical perspective, i.e. am I going to win more fame with this? Given the extremely illogical nature of the society as a whole, they seem to consider everything in their proper context, almost unable to take anything out of context and to consider it as an abstraction. What they do worst is to consider some abstract criteria, procedure or rules as it pertains to some abstract concept, and just to handle the concept properly given the instructions. After all, concepts don't give the kind of input they work on in the real life; they don't tell how popular something is, how agreeable, etc.. concepts are just dead to them. As said, they'd have to use T to able to program, calculate or anything of the like. Doing everything because of some semi-random people is especially bad training to get proper consistent logic learned. Semi-random people aren't consistent, given different samples of them.

I guess ESFP teens are so visible and notable in western culture, it dominates the discussion, or at least our mindset. Anyone who uses just two functions would be very imbalanced indeed. Of course, ESFP grow like everyone, become balanced, etc.. but.. perhaps the immature behavior is so strong with teens, ESFP, and gasp, ESFP teens!.

I've been into ESFP at a time, and while their disadvantages are obvious, they don't need such a bad rep as a whole. Actually, I'd like to spend some time with them again, especially those who've mellowed down a bit.

This is just my experience with the ESFP.

Shortandsweet is an ESFP? She seems cool and balanced. Remember the good examples before condemning the rest

 

[Laurie]

My sister had serious interest issues in high school and didnt finish college (didnt feel like it). She tested well on standardized tests before college, partly because she can "figure out" what they are asking for (i.e. if the answers given are 2x+5; 2x+6; 3x+6 and 4x+6 the correct answer is usually 2x+6 )

She has since gone on to kicking butt at her jobs and being a top performer, she just had to care. She doesn't show as a normal dorky "smart" person but she obviously is smarter than the average bear.

I really think (some) can do really well at what they are interested in.

My mom is obviously intelligent and is esfp, actually.

 

[ajblaise]

I know some mentally sharp and quick ESFPs, though they probably don't have the abstract reasoning and concentration skills to score high on IQ tests.

 

[ygolo]

I just thought this pic needed to be on this page too.

Yeah, it seems like she's not wearing a bra.

Also, the character seemed to lack practicality, but could do complex calculations for a catapult. I'm thinking the lack of practicality makes her an ENFP or maybe ENTP.

Also, shortnsweet is sorta an ESFP, and she seems plenty intelligent.

 

[King sns]

I've never had a problem with school, or had anyone question my intelligence. Not a genious- but above average I would say. My IQ is 135. Got 96th percentile on NLN test to get into nursing school. 1150 on my SATs. I always got A's, B's, and C's in school. Professors always said, (and I agree), me not getting all A's is simply from lack of studying or not showing up to class all the time. (Well, if these are the ways to measure intelligence than I'm all set, in other words.)

I do better in some areas than others-(like anyone.) I am better with practical application, and hate hate HATE sitting through most lectures on topics that do not apply to anything that I will ever do. But I can get through them and understand them. I usually have to have a good picture in my head of something to understand it. (Words and numbers aren't good enough, need to translate to pictures in my head.) I think this quality makes me a good teacher, can bring things down to an understandable level. Most theory-based topics are just boring and its nice to have an interest in some of these subjects, but when people feign interest for the sake of showing how smart they are is annoying to me.

I would never try to act better than someone who is less intelligent than me, and I don't try to pretend that i'm more or less intelligent than I am.

I am more interested in stuff outside of academia, not going to lie.

So there.

 

[Mort Belfry]

If no one else is going to say it, I will:

Wave goodbye to them boys.

 

[OrangeAppled]

My sister is an ESFP, and she does very well academically. The only thing is that she doesn't really like any academic subject, or like thinking about any academic subject outside of school, and she would much rather spend her time doing make-up (this is not a joke, she spends an inordinate amount of time fixing herself up) and socializing. So it's less of a lack of intelligence than a rejection or devaluation of academic intelligence on her part. Otherwise, she is very cunning, and has a lot more social intelligence than many people I know (including myself, of course).

That's my ESFP sis too. She did well in school with very little effort, but dropped out of college because she didn't like it and was more interested in socializing. She plays the "dumb blond" when she is not dumb at all, but just likes the attention she gets, and she associates being "intellectual" with too "serious".

 

[defragmybrain]

I quickly think of Britney Spears when i hear ESFP. And nobody would be flattered to hear they have a personality resembling that of Miss Spears, so naturally I wasn't either.
I am very aware of my inner-blonde, and i'm also VERY ashamed and embarassed of it because that's just NOT who i want to appear like to others. I'm very aware of my self image and it can be labeled and narrowed down to a few words: Classy, Brunette, Seductive, Charming, Intellectual.
I guess what i'm saying is that i hope i direct this need for attention into areas of life that make me appear proud and admirable, and motivated, if not successful. That's only the way that i hope to appear - when i let my guard down infront of family and boyfriends, i am my sloppy, ditzy, careless self.
In school I was a C student. Lack of motivation, general teen procrastination, no real friends and ultimately no real life. Teachers saw my potential and knew of my artistic talents, but really couldn't get me to give two shits about precalculus.
I procrastinated straight into community college, where I found myself and became a freelance graphic designer. I also co produce a tv show.
In my eyes, i've found myself and somewhat found my niche.

 

[ladyinspring]

I have been close friends with four ESFPs in my life. Now they were all female, so there is that.

Nelly - Close friend in high school. Very charming, beautiful (became a model), and definitely would play the ditz to her advantage. Got me to do her homework for her plenty of times. The one time I refused, she did her own project and got an A.

Carmen - Close friend in high school and beyond. Practical, "down chick". Straight A student but not interested in school. Got herself into trouble with boys and having fun. Went to college for nursing, got knocked up a few times, dropped out. I don't think anyone would think she was dumb when they meet her, unlike Nelly. She's a survivor.

My Mother - Another A student in school. Became a beautician. Now mainly active religiously. People often think my mother is simpler than she appears, and then she drops knowledge that makes you go "whoa". My mother is the strongest person I know.

AJ - Long-time friend. Valedictorian. Magna Cum Laude who graduated college with a perfect 4.0. Masters in education. Has lived all over the world and survived a lot of situations many wouldn't. Has lived in the poorest nations and thrived. She's a teacher now. She accomplishes everything she sets out to do (except find the perfect man). And yes, people think she's dumb and shallow when they meet her.

 

[Thalassa]

There is a difference between being smart and being intellectual. Just because someone isn't an "intellectual" doesn't mean they lack intelligence in any way.

 

[deepthought]

My brothers an ESFP and to give you the truth he is pretty stupid. But he is very well liked by A LOT of people, even kids older than me(and i'm in 9th grade)
he can get friendships going at the snap of his finger pretty much. He is basically the center of attention while my intellectual self is left in the shadows...