Absent Mindedness

[FemMecha]

I'm plagued by a few different sorts of absent mindedness. These are primarily in the areas of concrete and social interaction. For example, one time I was preparing to paint a chair, and got the angle of the chair just right, the newspapers aligned to catch all the excess spray, but before the first spray failed to notice a lit pilot light a few feet away. I have some tendency to overlook an important detail in the concrete world. I also hit my head on stuff way more than is reasonable.

A second area of oversight is in social dynamics. Sometimes I make mistakes by overlooking details in the social system especially if they are on the surface arbitrary. There are a couple of reasons for this. If my mind gets on a particular train of thought (especially if there is a problem to solve), I am looking at that and not on the social ramifications.

I do alright with processing information, but my Achille's Heel is that my mind doesn't absorb all relevant data in certain areas. The two areas I mentioned might be a bit of an "IN??" issue, but there are many variations on this theme. Can anyone relate to any of this? There are a million ways to be absent minded. In what ways do you struggle with it?

 

[garbage]

Some of my N brethren constantly get told that they're "just not paying attention." I've never been told that explicitly.. but the implication sucks, hard.

 

[entropie]

what the OP said ? Ouh... Yeah I think pin-up girls should be included in typology too

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I yesterday nearly killed a pedestrian due to absent mindedness, dont tell me about it

 

[thisGuy]

you need to get out of your head and into the world more?

i do it a fair amount...before leaving for work, i had my keys in my hand ready to put in my backpack. next thing i know im ready to leave but i have no idea where my keys are. spent 20 mins looking EVERYWHERE and 2 hrs later, i still have no idea where they are

right after im done prepping up for something, i just let go of my thoughts an see if anything pops up...usually works. i've doing this since way before i knew what Ne was

 

[ajblaise]

I think 'absent-mindedness' is a bit of a misnomer. It's not like when someone's just an airhead and has an absence of thought going on, and then screws up in the concrete world because of it. With what we call absent-minded people, they're not paying attention to the concrete world because their head is filled with thought and mindfulness not related to present reality. Often it revolves around intense concentration.

Whatever it's called, I'd say it affects INxx's and ENxP's the most. With INxP's maxing out on absent minded professor syndrome, sometimes to the point of dysfunction.

 

[garbage]

I think 'absent-mindedness' is a bit of a misnomer.

Perhaps absent-mindedness means that the mind is absent from the present moment, rather than that the mind is completely gone.

Or, in a concrete world, these are viewed as one in the same

 

[FemMecha]

Now that I look at it, I don't care for the implications of the word, "absent-minded". I always assumed it meant distracted by internal thoughts. A dear INTP friend of mine was once accused of being lazy, and I'm still pleased with myself for my response. "He's not lazy, just busy on the inside".

I have the two extreme concentration issues of horrible distraction that make it difficult to focus and then this relentless ability to fixate on one idea for hours. Sometimes my mind has trouble locking into that deep mode because it is such a commitment, but I never feel whole if I have gone without it for some time.

 

[incomple...]

Well, I'm in autopilot mode most of the time, with all of its funny consequences. It's just that what I'm thinking of is usually not directly related with what I'm doing. I know I have a quite "jumpy" style of thinking, but due to long training in school I manage to give the impression I'm concentrated on what's going on most of the time.

Of course that does not always work. Ask me about some details you told me three minutes ago and you will see what I mean.

 

[dotdalidot]

A dear INTP friend of mine was once accused of being lazy, and I'm still pleased with myself for my response. "He's not lazy, just busy on the inside".

Oh my, that is perfect!

I wish I could tell that to my mother every time she accuses me of being lazy and or 'absent-minded'.

I'm pretty sure it won't work though. I don't think she understands what it means to be "busy on the inside." D:

 

[Matthew_Z]

My INFP friend finds it endearing when I'm understanding about her seeming "absent-mindedness." We actually make a good pair when we understand each other. It's nice to have her around so that I'm not so down-to-earth that I start sinking into the crust.

 

[thisGuy]

Now that I look at it, I don't care for the implications of the word, "absent-minded". I always assumed it meant distracted by internal thoughts. A dear INTP friend of mine was once accused of being lazy, and I'm still pleased with myself for my response. "He's not lazy, just busy on the inside".

in the grand scheme of things, that still is nothing but an excuse.

what if an on call paramedic said that when asked about why he didn't do CPR in time on the dying patient?

 

[Nijntje]

....they're not paying attention to the concrete world because their head is filled with thought and mindfulness not related to present reality. Often it revolves around intense concentration.

Whatever it's called, I'd say it affects INxx's and ENxP's the most. With INxP's maxing out on absent minded professor syndrome, sometimes to the point of dysfunction.

Hahaha! I couldn't agree more, it's not that nothing is going on up there, it's almost that too much is going on for me to concentrate and 'remember' the things which don't seem particularly significant... like remembering to call home when i'm going to be late, or remembering my cell or money or housekeys when i go out or appointments, or people's names or triple booking myself for things and so on and so forth... it's not that they're unimportant things, it's just i can get caught up in so many other random things i just kinda forget.... Once i forgot how old i was and actually got it wrong twice before getting the right age, it went something like this...
"So, how old are you i can't figure it out..."
"I'm 23. no, wait! Sorry i'm 24. NO!! Wait s*it! Sorry i'm 25... oops"

it can be annoying, but people seem to be used to it and thankfully accept me for my transgressions

 

[FemMecha]

in the grand scheme of things, that still is nothing but an excuse.

what if an on call paramedic said that when asked about why he didn't do CPR in time on the dying patient?

That seems rather specific for being the grand scheme of things.

Here's one. What if the guy who could have invented a new approach to cancer treatment had been constantly interrupted to take out the trash and lost his train of thought so many times that he never finished analyzing his revolutionary approach to treatment and thousands die?

Your turn.

 

[thisGuy]

i do it a fair amount...before leaving for work, i had my keys in my hand ready to put in my backpack. next thing i know im ready to leave but i have no idea where my keys are. spent 20 mins looking EVERYWHERE and 2 hrs later, i still have no idea where they are

so i just got home and changed for bed...soon as a threw the shorts on the dressed, i heard a 'clink' and found them stupid keys in a pocket of my shorts that i never use. i had the keys with the ENTIRE time i was looking for them, working, and when i was standing outside the door hoping my roommate was home so i wouldnt have to climb the balcony

That seems rather specific for being the grand scheme of things.

Here's one. What if the guy who could have invented a new approach to cancer treatment had been constantly interrupted to take out the trash and lost his train of thought so many times that he never finished analyzing his revolutionary approach to treatment and thousands die?

Your turn.

hahaha...you didnt really reply

its that guy's job to get lost in his head and come up with something brilliant. if the talents are being used for garbage collection, his manager is ill suited for him.

If this is the case, the manager is probably one-of-a-kind in the field and being a manager, is most likely used to absent-mindedness that comes with research jobs.

If such non-attentiveness is shown at home where the guy is not fulfilling his duty to his wife and kids, then hes bad husband and a bad father. Developing something life-changing isn't gonna change that and here we come back to my point that this guy needs to make a conscious effort to make sure he is there as a dad and a husband.

 

[riel]

I think 'absent-mindedness' is a bit of a misnomer. It's not like when someone's just an airhead and has an absence of thought going on, and then screws up in the concrete world because of it. With what we call absent-minded people, they're not paying attention to the concrete world because their head is filled with thought and mindfulness not related to present reality. Often it revolves around intense concentration.

Whatever it's called, I'd say it affects INxx's and ENxP's the most.

I totally agree with this. I'm an S but I spend a lot of my time daydreaming and thinking about the future and also my fantasies. I believe that it's not only a matter of what type you are...it could also be because of your lifestyle. Lack of sleep is a factor that can cause absent-mindedness.

 

[Little Linguist]

I think 'absent-mindedness' is a bit of a misnomer. It's not like when someone's just an airhead and has an absence of thought going on, and then screws up in the concrete world because of it. With what we call absent-minded people, they're not paying attention to the concrete world because their head is filled with thought and mindfulness not related to present reality. Often it revolves around intense concentration.

Whatever it's called, I'd say it affects INxx's and ENxP's the most. With INxP's maxing out on absent minded professor syndrome, sometimes to the point of dysfunction.

I think it's very hard to differentiate between someone who does stupid stuff because they have no thought or because they have no practical thought. Does it really make a difference? (Not trying to be an ass rat, I'm just curious).

 

[FemMecha]

hahaha...you didnt really reply

its that guy's job to get lost in his head and come up with something brilliant. if the talents are being used for garbage collection, his manager is ill suited for him.

If this is the case, the manager is probably one-of-a-kind in the field and being a manager, is most likely used to absent-mindedness that comes with research jobs.

If such non-attentiveness is shown at home where the guy is not fulfilling his duty to his wife and kids, then hes bad husband and a bad father. Developing something life-changing isn't gonna change that and here we come back to my point that this guy needs to make a conscious effort to make sure he is there as a dad and a husband.

I don't think any reasonable person could disagree that there are situations where not paying attention has negative results. The point of reference tends towards the assumption that this is always the case.

The strongly intuitive mind that has the drawback of being "absent-minded" tends to be working on abstract problems and systems. This is a constructive endeavor in the grander scheme of things. This is also a process that isn't monitored by punching in on a time clock. The solutions come in the middle of the night, during dinner, while on a walk. That is the point I'm making. You can't compartmentalize these kinds of deep problem solving to work hours. If you live with (or are) such a person as this, there is room to accept the person for who they are with their strengths and weaknesses. If there is a situation where their attention is needed for the sake of others, then yeah, it makes sense to remind the person or expect them to be responsible.

My position is to balance responsibility with respect and understanding in a holistic way.

 

[thisGuy]

I don't think any reasonable person could disagree that there are situations where not paying attention has negative results. The point of reference tends towards the assumption that this is always the case.

The strongly intuitive mind that has the drawback of being "absent-minded" tends to be working on abstract problems and systems. This is a constructive endeavor in the grander scheme of things. This is also a process that isn't monitored by punching in on a time clock. The solutions come in the middle of the night, during dinner, while on a walk. That is the point I'm making. You can't compartmentalize these kinds of deep problem solving to work hours. If you live with (or are) such a person as this, there is room to accept the person for who they are with their strengths and weaknesses. If there is a situation where their attention is needed for the sake of others, then yeah, it makes sense to remind the person or expect them to be responsible.

My position is to balance responsibility with respect and understanding in a holistic way.

i think we are agreeing to more or less the same point

 

[iwakar]

I'd misplace my arse if it wasn't attached. I also forget my own train of thought when I am interrupted by real life activities... constantly.

 

[thisGuy]

I'd misplace my arse if it wasn't attached. I also forget my own train of thought when I am interrupted by real life activities... constantly.

me too...its like waking up from a dream and not knowing what it was...except its not a dream but me thinking....pisses me off cuz i was so into it

edison used to practice lucid dreaming. he would sit in a comfy chair with a metallic ball in his hand. then he would start thinking about things, ideas, machines, whatever. pretty soon he would be be formulating new ideas and inventions n stuff...then he would almost be falling asleep. as soon he would doze off, his hand would go limp and the metal balls would fall on the floor waking him.

until very recently he had held the record of most number of patents at the US patent office. more that 1000