Tertiary and inferior functions when they're not childish or immature, just subtle

[Ghost of the dead horse]

An idea that brought up this subject is here, a quote from a description of ENTJ: "Feeling in this type appears most authentic when implied or expressed covertly in a firm handshake, accepting demeanor, or act of sacrifice thinly covered by excuses of lack of any personal interest in the relinquished item."

Aged 31, I don't consider myself - or the people of my age - generally "immature" with their 3rd or 4th function. Some are, yes. I've had an extreme experience of Fi due to my recent burnout, from which I have recovered. I felt a lot, thought a lot.

So what do you say, how are the 3rd and 4th functions displayed in a good manner - if however weak - in any of the types you know?

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Wrote this, went to have a day's work, and find this unanswered? Bah!

Lets replace the thread with

"top 10 meals you like"

"infj suck, don't they? OMG!"

"hlep me I am na NEJT nad Thi sis a typologuy cntral so hleb me pleas??? ih av trubi; l wight my giurlfriend"

/thread

 

[Costrin]

Wrote this, went to have a day's work, and find this unanswered? Bah!

Lets replace the thread with

"top 10 meals you like"

"infj suck, don't they? OMG!"

"hlep me I am na NEJT nad Thi sis a typologuy cntral so hleb me pleas??? ih av trubi; l wight my giurlfriend"

/thread

I was gonna respond, but then I got distracted.

But I like your suggestions.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

I was gonna respond, but then I got distracted.

But I like your suggestions.

Thanks. So what of them you want to talk about?

 

[Costrin]

How bout...

"infj suck, don't they? OMG!"

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Okay. Well, they don't, really. They have this tertiary Ti, which is said to be immature, but actually the INFJ I know work well within the confines of reason. While they're not usually the nuclear scientists or the marvelous satirists, screenwriters etc, most of them seem to have a good grasp of the reality via deep understanding of the subject. So, props for them for grasping Ti.

 

[Costrin]

Okay. Well, they don't, really. They have this tertiary Ti, which is said to be immature, but actually the INFJ I know work well within the confines of reason. While they're not usually the nuclear scientists or the marvelous satirists, screenwriters etc, most of them seem to have a good grasp of the reality via deep understanding of the subject. So, props for them for grasping Ti.

Aye. The tertiary Ti can make them look like NTs. And it's anything but weak. Not that I know any INFJs IRL. But on the forums at least, INFJs are pretty awesome.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Okay. Just a technical interruption to our program : I'm awfully tired, and will go to sleep. Cheers.

 

[Apollanaut]

Okay. Well, they don't, really. They have this tertiary Ti, which is said to be immature, but actually the INFJ I know work well within the confines of reason. While they're not usually the nuclear scientists or the marvelous satirists, screenwriters etc, most of them seem to have a good grasp of the reality via deep understanding of the subject. So, props for them for grasping Ti.

As an INFJ scientist, I rely on my tertiary Ti a great deal and have developed it to a high degree. However, there is a heavy price to pay for overusing the tertiary, which is that it can lead to inferior function burnout. You mention your own experience of Fi burnout, so I'm sure you can relate.

My Se is also quite well developed, as my job requires painstaking attention to masses and masses of minute details. But too much abuse of my Ti/Se functions can trigger a full-blown inferior function reaction, much like those described by Naomi Quenk in her book about the Inferior Function.

When this happens, I suddenly become very obsessive and anal about details and can no longer see the wood for the trees. I become incapable of making decisions. I may get totally "stuck" on sensory processing - surfing the net for hours or playing computer games or mindlessly watching TV or overindulging in food or alcohol. Even though this is neither pleasant nor enjoyable, I cannot seem to stop until I basically collapse from exhaustion. I lose all track of time and neglect my responsiblities. If I'm in company, I may babble on endlessly about whatever is obsessing me. I may be unable to sleep from overstimulation, so the next day may be even worse.

Thankfully, I seem to have gotten a better balance in my life recently. If I remember to take time out to exercise my preferred Ni in some way (posting on this forum is one thing that seems to help), then I am less prone to these inferior blow-outs.

My point is this: we can indeed develop a high level of skill in our less-preferred functions, but we still have to be careful not to overuse them. They work best when used to serve and support our dominant/auxiliary combo, but they will flare out of control if we place them in charge instead of our natural preferences.

 

[iwakar]

As an INFJ scientist, I rely on my tertiary Ti a great deal and have developed it to a high degree. However, there is a heavy price to pay for overusing the tertiary, which is that it can lead to inferior function burnout. You mention your own experience of Fi burnout, so I'm sure you can relate.

My Se is also quite well developed, as my job requires painstaking attention to masses and masses of minute details. But too much abuse of my Ti/Se functions can trigger a full-blown inferior function reaction, much like those described by Naomi Quenk in her book about the Inferior Function.

When this happens, I suddenly become very obsessive and anal about details and can no longer see the wood for the trees. I become incapable of making decisions. I may get totally "stuck" on sensory processing - surfing the net for hours or playing computer games or mindlessly watching TV or overindulging in food or alcohol. Even though this is neither pleasant nor enjoyable, I cannot seem to stop until I basically collapse from exhaustion. I lose all track of time and neglect my responsiblities. If I'm in company, I may babble on endlessly about whatever is obsessing me. I may be unable to sleep from overstimulation, so the next day may be even worse.

Thankfully, I seem to have gotten a better balance in my life recently. If I remember to take time out to exercise my preferred Ni in some way (posting on this forum is one thing that seems to help), then I am less prone to these inferior blow-outs.

My point is this: we can indeed develop a high level of skill in our less-preferred functions, but we still have to be careful not to overuse them. They work best when used to serve and support our dominant/auxiliary combo, but they will flare out of control if we place them in charge instead of our natural preferences.

TRUTH.

 

[something boring]

As an INFJ scientist, I rely on my tertiary Ti a great deal and have developed it to a high degree. However, there is a heavy price to pay for overusing the tertiary, which is that it can lead to inferior function burnout. You mention your own experience of Fi burnout, so I'm sure you can relate.

My Se is also quite well developed, as my job requires painstaking attention to masses and masses of minute details. But too much abuse of my Ti/Se functions can trigger a full-blown inferior function reaction, much like those described by Naomi Quenk in her book about the Inferior Function.

When this happens, I suddenly become very obsessive and anal about details and can no longer see the wood for the trees. I become incapable of making decisions. I may get totally "stuck" on sensory processing - surfing the net for hours or playing computer games or mindlessly watching TV or overindulging in food or alcohol. Even though this is neither pleasant nor enjoyable, I cannot seem to stop until I basically collapse from exhaustion. I lose all track of time and neglect my responsibilities. If I'm in company, I may babble on endlessly about whatever is obsessing me. I may be unable to sleep from overstimulation, so the next day may be even worse.

Thankfully, I seem to have gotten a better balance in my life recently. If I remember to take time out to exercise my preferred Ni in some way (posting on this forum is one thing that seems to help), then I am less prone to these inferior blow-outs.

My point is this: we can indeed develop a high level of skill in our less-preferred functions, but we still have to be careful not to overuse them. They work best when used to serve and support our dominant/auxiliary combo, but they will flare out of control if we place them in charge instead of our natural preferences.

I also do all of these things, and I've noticed that periodically allowing myself to take a mental vacation whenever possible (let Ni lead for a while, for example a lengthy and strange daydream) helps a lot, but I hadn't recognized it for what it was...

 

[professor goodstain]

Personaly-WO. i know what this is. i'm havin a fat day. Si/Fe

 

[nightning]

*Agrees with Apollanuat* Scientific study really push you to develop Ti. I don't exactly experience Se burn out in being obsessed over details. I do have my occasional indulgence of games and good food though. Never to the point of collapse like that.

I have a good handle of my tertiary Ti, to the extent that many people see me as an NT. I suspect it probably takes me a tad longer to process info compared to a Ti dominant individual though. Nonetheless I still manage a thorough analysis.

The way I see all the functions is that they're merely tools. Some you're more familiar with using and the rest you need practice to be more adept at. Obviously the extend of your abilities with tertiary and inferior functions will never be as good as somebody with it as their dominant function, but you'll still be able to use it effectively at will for most things. You'll probably never be able to realize there are other subtle uses of the said function but you'll probably unconsciously substitute something else for it anyhow.

Se for me, I'm decent in selected areas. For example I'm very good at pinpointing and tracking objects and sounds. However if you ask me to discriminate subtle differences between two things it'll take me a lot of effort. I suppose it's really an interaction of Ni and Se. Tracking stuff doesn't really require me focusing on many details. Instead all I need is track selective things that Ni identifies as part of the pattern. It's also easier to "turn on" Se whenever I need it. That way it's less draining.

 

[OrangeAppled]

Yeah, I notice my Si when it comes to food. I'm really sensitive to how something should taste. I can tell when an ingredient is missing that should be included, or I can deconstruct the ingredients in a dish (if I am familiar with the individual flavors from the past).

People think I have this crazy sensitive palette, but I guess it is Si, haha. Or maybe it is both.

I don't know that much about the individual functions, so that's the only example I can think of for myself.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

There's a lot of natural tough T's I know who organize volunteer work, work in areas devoted to helping people, human-related jobs etc. They don't show their care explicitly, but they work a lot to improve the conditions of the people. Some talk of it analytically, others carefully describe the feelings, emotions and values related to the subject. They don't quite dive in the feelings, but they acknowledge how everything F makes their job worthwhile and gives it signifance.

Many of them like to tell how their work influenced others positively and what kind of feelings they had.

I've thought of it as an influence of feeling to choose a job that promotes F values, however technical or T it might be to actually do the job.