Mycroft
The elder Holmes
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2007
- Messages
- 1,068
- MBTI Type
- INTP
- Enneagram
- 5w6
- Instinctual Variant
- so/sp
I'm a 5w6, which is apparently less common than 5w4, and a social variant, which seem to be in the greatest minority among fives (yes go me, so special), so I thought I'd post a few thoughts for those who are interested.
- 5w4 vs. 5w6: in my experience, despite being more visibly iconoclastic, 5w4s tend to be much better with people and in managing personal relationships. They're less able to be "personable" in a traditional way, but this makes them approachable and likable. Meanwhile, because of my six wing, I'm able to be "personable" in a more traditional way, so that all my life people have been saying (with a tone of accusation), "You can be so personable when you want to be!" The irony of it is that they assume that because I can be more traditionally personable, my withdrawing tendencies are arrogance/misanthropy/etc., which pushes people further away. It's frustrating.
- Work ethic: true to 5w6 descriptions, I have a darn good one. I just have virtually no social energy, so again people see how much external energy I have for work and how I dislike interaction and assume I'm arrogant/a misanthrope/etc.
- Desire for recognition: I briefly considered the possibility that I may be a particularly withdrawn three, but ultimately I hope to be recognized for my intellectual contributions and I'm working hard to set my life on that path right now. Like a proper five, I initially studied something that interested me deeply but, if pursued as a career, requires more social energy than I have to give, so:
- I'm working toward getting back into academia and staying there. I actually managed to land a pretty good, well-paying job that allows one to climb the ladder through hard work, but the nature of the work is pretty unsatisfying and I'm surrounded by SJ 6s and 1s, with whom I have nothing to talk about. (So that they consider me arrogant/misanthropic/etc. Sigh.) Academia isn't perfect, but it's pretty much the best place to apply my strengths without being hammered on my weaknesses and finally being able to be around people who share my outlook and with whom I can have engaging conversation.
Anyway, feel free to ask questions!
- 5w4 vs. 5w6: in my experience, despite being more visibly iconoclastic, 5w4s tend to be much better with people and in managing personal relationships. They're less able to be "personable" in a traditional way, but this makes them approachable and likable. Meanwhile, because of my six wing, I'm able to be "personable" in a more traditional way, so that all my life people have been saying (with a tone of accusation), "You can be so personable when you want to be!" The irony of it is that they assume that because I can be more traditionally personable, my withdrawing tendencies are arrogance/misanthropy/etc., which pushes people further away. It's frustrating.
- Work ethic: true to 5w6 descriptions, I have a darn good one. I just have virtually no social energy, so again people see how much external energy I have for work and how I dislike interaction and assume I'm arrogant/a misanthrope/etc.
- Desire for recognition: I briefly considered the possibility that I may be a particularly withdrawn three, but ultimately I hope to be recognized for my intellectual contributions and I'm working hard to set my life on that path right now. Like a proper five, I initially studied something that interested me deeply but, if pursued as a career, requires more social energy than I have to give, so:
- I'm working toward getting back into academia and staying there. I actually managed to land a pretty good, well-paying job that allows one to climb the ladder through hard work, but the nature of the work is pretty unsatisfying and I'm surrounded by SJ 6s and 1s, with whom I have nothing to talk about. (So that they consider me arrogant/misanthropic/etc. Sigh.) Academia isn't perfect, but it's pretty much the best place to apply my strengths without being hammered on my weaknesses and finally being able to be around people who share my outlook and with whom I can have engaging conversation.
Anyway, feel free to ask questions!