Coming off as "Intellectually Intimidating" as an INFJ

[Wyote]

Of course, it would be great and effective if teams consisted of people with different talents, but that is wishful thinking and only happens on television.

If something would "be great" it might be worth pushing back on against the norm/default
I imagine there is some loss of efficiency by having more varied groups as opposed to similar minds, but the production of novelty may increase some amount where it's more beneficial overall, idk but I think it's probably good to have some mix of both groups overall
Best to just be mindful of your natural tendencies and figure out where you may be able to shift in beneficial ways

 

[Roses In The Vineyard]

Just like with other areas of life demographics exist when it comes to types of minds even though neurotyping isn't common beyond defining what is typical and divergent. From my own experience there is a very real preference socially out in society that people are comfortable interacting with which has some correlation to sensor types as far as mbti goes otherwise everyone else either ends up on the fringes or gets pigeonholed into certain roles.

 

[AkarItaly]

but I’m out there tasting my own blood with a smile because it’s where I feel most alive, desperately hoping my fire will ignite someone else's kindling, a brother of iron to sharpen

Once you discover you aren't made of glass, you actually start to like the taste of blood.

One thing I’ve learned is that people don't necessarily want advice; they want experiences to help them develop the strategy they find most effective.

Anyway, going back to the main theme, this is how I act to sustain my 'thirst':
• Reading: Lately, I prefer texts that have a practical application in reality.
• Practical Arts: Any craft will do. They unite logic and manual skill,a true lifesaver for when the mind runs faster than reality.
• Walking: This allows physical effort to merge with mental effort. If I add music to the mix, it becomes one of the most beautiful experiences.
• This concept has helped me a lot: 'Emotions are human, but I don't let them steer the course of things.'
• Accepting that this thirst for knowledge belongs to the few: What you enjoy isn't necessarily what the majority enjoys.
• As someone once said: If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree... ergo, contextualize the judgment.
• The internet is a wonderful place for sharing ideas between people.


These are my musts.


I hope this was helpful


-Giammarco

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Are you saying that INFJs think more than other types and are therefore more intelligent?

Because if so, there's a whole lot to unpack there

I'll weigh in on that...my INFJ disorder causes me to absorb information like it's coming out of a fire hose with no shut-off valve. Subconsciously, bits and pieces get stored in memory, randomly. Somehow a couple pieces of seemingly unrelated information will pop into my head when trying to solve a problem. The upside to that made me successful in my career as a computer engineer especially during a major outage where I needed to assimilate a solution quickly - memories of similar situations from years prior would connect with current symptoms creating the "aha" moment. The solution.

The downside is in my personal life, especially post-retirement. I'm a Platinum member of the ADHD club - no outlet for the information, at least not a major outlet (the "H" is hyperactive mind vs. body). Daily tasks flood my head in the morning to the extent that I have trouble prioritizing, Winding down at bedtime is very difficult. In my case, I do test with a high IQ but this phenomenon seems unrelated. It's more related to high sensitivity (sensory) than IQ. I've read many INFJ's describe the same thing.

 

[hush]

I'll weigh in on that...my INFJ disorder causes me to absorb information like it's coming out of a fire hose with no shut-off valve. Subconsciously, bits and pieces get stored in memory, randomly. Somehow a couple pieces of seemingly unrelated information will pop into my head when trying to solve a problem. The upside to that made me successful in my career as a computer engineer especially during a major outage where I needed to assimilate a solution quickly - memories of similar situations from years prior would connect with current symptoms creating the "aha" moment. The solution.

You know, it's interesting. I feel like I have a solid idea in my mind of what most of the functions look like... except for Ni. But then you wrote this paragraph describing Ni, and something clicked. Might've clicked because it sounds relatable

I didn't say this at the time, but when I wrote about people not taking you seriously earlier in this thread, I was describing my own experiences

 

[hush]

I don't want to derail the thread, but there is an experience that comes to mind about people not taking you seriously. Back in early 2021, I identified someone in a group of mine as being potentially problematic. To be specific, that she was a stalker, and that she was stalking me. I noticed patterns to her behavior, patterns to her reactions. And those all formed together into a coherent picture, connected the dots. Nobody took me seriously though. I was vilified, cast out, punished

But it was true. And I didn't even know the full extent of it at the time. It is now 2026, and they are still stalking me and still just as obsessed with me as they were at the start

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

You know, it's interesting. I feel like I have a solid idea in my mind of what most of the functions look like... except for Ni. But then you wrote this paragraph describing Ni, and something clicked. Might've clicked because it sounds relatable

I took the MBTI test three times because I could not wrap my mind around the "Feeler" part. As an engineer, I thought surely I was a thinker - logic, mathematics, etc. The third time I decided to "test the test", i.e. put a slight bias on the thinking/ feeling questions where my reaction was neutral, 50/50. Answered with slight bias toward thinking. End result, still INFJ. When I learned about Ni, it clicked.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

This is what Chat GPT answered to the question "What is INFJ Ni?". I haven't delved into the sub-attributes much, but knew a little about Ni. I swear , Scout's honour, that I asked this after my reply and your reply, not before. Kinda spooky how close AI describes some of the exact same concepts

 

[hush]

I don't want to derail the thread, but there is an experience that comes to mind about people not taking you seriously. Back in early 2021, I identified someone in a group of mine as being potentially problematic. To be specific, that she was a stalker, and that she was stalking me. I noticed patterns to her behavior, patterns to her reactions. And those all formed together into a coherent picture, connected the dots. Nobody took me seriously though. I was vilified, cast out, punished

But it was true. And I didn't even know the full extent of it at the time. It is now 2026, and they are still stalking me and still just as obsessed with me as they were at the start

What she possibly didn't know, is that I started doing things intentionally to trigger reactions. So I could observe the reactions and gather more data, to help me form a clearer picture. I constantly do this. I've been doing it from the start. I gathered all of the data I needed, given to me by my subject

Edit: By triggering a reaction, I don't mean offending them - just doing simple, everyday things and then observing how they react

 

[hush]

Anyway, what I noticed was that she was consistently freaking out and losing her mind over everything I did, down to the littlest thing. Things that are inconsequential to everyone else. Things that are inconsequential to even me. Like who cares? She did.

Edited to add: I have cut myself off from that stalker, by the way. I did all of the observation I needed to do. I know nothing about them anymore. Removed myself from every space where they're present. That's one of the reasons why I found myself here.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Anyway, what I noticed was that she was consistently freaking out and losing her mind over everything I did, down to the littlest thing. Things that are inconsequential to everyone else. Things that are inconsequential to even me. Like who cares? She did.

Edited to add: I have cut myself off from that stalker, by the way. I did all of the observation I needed to do. I know nothing about them anymore. Removed myself from every space where they're present. That's one of the reasons why I found myself here.

They go by many names: energy vampire, persistent predator, malignant narcissist. Kryptonite particularly to an INFJ. They feed off of the empathic energy and authenticity - because they have no authenticity. It's a void.

* Almost forgot - coersive controller

 

[hush]

I posed this question

"Which mbti type might use someone's reactions to them to form a clearer picture about their intentions"

But I just realized the AI misinterpreted it as my intentions, so I clarified with "which mbti type might use someone's reactions to them to form a clearer picture about their intentions towards them"

The MBTI types most likely to use others' reactions to them to form a clearer picture of intentions are those with high Extraverted Feeling (Fe) combined with Introverted Intuition (Ni), specifically the INFJ and ENFJ.

These types are highly attuned to social atmospheres and use the reactions of others to navigate, understand motivations, and ensure harmony.

Top Personality Types for Analyzing Reactions

• INFJ (The Advocate): INFJs are considered the most likely to do this because they combine Introverted Intuition (Ni) with Extraverted Feeling (Fe). This combination allows them to observe body language, tone, and inconsistencies in behavior, then intuitively analyze them to detect hidden motives or, as commonly described, "see right through people". They read the room to see if someone is being authentic or manipulative.
• ENFJ (The Teacher): Like INFJs, ENFJs use Fe to monitor the emotional atmosphere and "absorb" the reactions of others to gauge how to adjust their own behavior. They are experts at identifying with people and understanding their motives.
• INTJ (The Architect): While Fe-users (like INFJ/ENFJ) use emotions, INTJs (Ni-Te) are more likely to analyze reactions logically to understand a person's motives by predicting their next move. They look for patterns in behavior to determine if someone is trustworthy.
• INFP (The Mediator): While less reliant on external social cues than FJs, INFPs are highly introspective and can deeply analyze the reactions of others to understand their deeper, authentic feelings, often sitting with difficult emotions to find the truth.

Key Cognitive Functions Involved

• Extraverted Feeling (Fe): Actively monitors and absorbs the reactions and emotions of others to gauge the "vibe" and assess interpersonal dynamics.
• Introverted Intuition (Ni): Processes these reactions over time to identify patterns, hidden meanings, and future motivations.

Summary of Behavior

• Types with high Fe (INFJ, ENFJ, ISFJ, ESFJ) are often described as "reading the room" or "absorbing emotions" to determine where they stand with someone. INFJs, in particular, use this to distinguish between genuine, unfiltered reactions and manipulative ones, acting almost as psychologists to understand human motivation.

I did not mean for this thread to turn into an exploration of Ni, sorry everyone

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I posed this question



But I just realized the AI misinterpreted it as my intentions, so I clarified with "which mbti type might use someone's reactions to them to form a clearer picture about their intentions towards them"





I did not mean for this thread to turn into an exploration of Ni, sorry everyone

Ni , however is the INFJ attribute that many find intimidating. So you didn't veer off course. I think that's a big part of the paradox - INFJs struggle to be understood. Most others are uncomfortable with INFJs' ability to see through their mask.

Example of others misunderstanding of Ni: How can someone have strong feelings of empathy while being clear minded to make important decisions? INFJs do that using Ni.

 

[hush]

They go by many names: energy vampire, persistent predator, malignant narcissist. Kryptonite particularly to an INFJ. They feed off of the empathic energy and authenticity - because they have no authenticity. It's a void.

* Almost forgot - coersive controller

Oddly enough, that kind of is our connection. I have described her as a leech or a parasite more than once. It's a little difficult to walk around with a parasite attached to you, and not notice it

I did finally manage to do that. But I had to cut myself off from one of my homes and the people there I love in order to do so

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Oddly enough, that kind of is our connection. I have described her as a leech or a parasite more than once. It's a little difficult to walk around with a parasite attached to you, and not notice it

I did finally manage to do that. But I had to cut myself off from one of my homes and the people there I love in order to do so

I had a similar experience. I invited a family member to move into one of my homes during a difficult time in her life. She put on my life like a skin suit. The life I built from scratch.