Describe your relationship with Extraverted Thinking (Te) | INFJ Forum

Describe your relationship with Extraverted Thinking (Te)

Mary Shelley

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Aug 1, 2013
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Do you think you use Te often?
How would you describe that?

Do other people around you use Te often?
How would you describe that?
How do you feel about it?
How do you respond to it?
 
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Do you think you use Te often? no
How would you describe that? no

Do other people around you use Te often? yes
How would you describe that? no
How do you feel about it? no
How do you respond to it? no
 
Do you think you use Te often?
How would you describe that?

Do other people around you use Te often?
How would you describe that?
How do you feel about it?
How do you respond to it?

I use it under duress~! haha. It's what I get prompted to use under the stress of a deadline or whatever. I'll try to think sequentially and stick to the facts, which I believe is what Te is all about. Those who use Te with proficiency I look upon with some respect, because I would love the ability to do that. It just seems so powerful, like a laser into the heart of a physical process. That being said, I don't like it being imposed on me as the right way of thinking or anything like that. I want to be free to adopt it or not, as the situation presents itself.
 
Do you think you use Te often? As an INTJ...oh, yeah. I wonder what my life would be like as ETJ, then...Haha.
How would you describe that? Well, Te is quite interesting and I love using it. Strategist is a good word to describe me. I always get a sort of buzz from organizing and formulating these plans. And this is true when you use your top two functions; they will enliven you. Of course, I can't share the dynamics of Te in me from without the other functions. Let's proceed.
- Sometimes Ni will give me this idea and if I really like it, has some good Fi and Se appeal, Te forms a plan and it's well structured and fleshed out. Through. This part gets me so excited. The ideas becoming plans to have the entire thing realized. But then I get pulled out of the little action mode I'm in because I get drained pretty fast after a few days (Se inferior *sigh*). Then it's kinda left be. But I'll always return to it if Fi has been moved enough by the idea.
- As I said before, they can go pretty deep. Example: My future. Currently, I've got the next...35 years planned out. The first 25 of such have the most detail but then slowly vague up out to 35 years ahead. I think, as currently a teen, that's good enough. Trivia: INTJs are the type whom plan out the furthest number of years in advance. (I'll add link to source if asked)
- People are a fun game to use Te with. I can strategize my words and actions and events to create the desired result. Get what I want out of people. Good thing is, people can be fairly consistent. Still variable *coughs*emotions*coughs* but consistent otherwise. Otherwise, what? I didn't say anything...o_O Now, if I'm really lucky, I'll successfully implant the idea in them and they do all the work for me. xD
- Oh, and I have a problem with anything that doesn't have a purpose/function to perform. It's useless -> rejected -> erased. Sometimes, if it's purposeless...I may actually have a hard time comprehending it.

Do other people around you use Te often? Hm...Not anything worth noticing.
How would you describe that? Well, I'll touch on Structure. Despite it being a collective human product.
How do you feel about it? I don't feel. o_O
Haha, no. It's...okay. I can work with it but the second redtape starts cutting me off in multiple directions...I get pretty ticked.
How do you respond to it? It's good for the most part, and with Perceiving dom, it's nice to have some external order to things. Respond moderately well.
 
Do you think you use Te often?
How would you describe that?

My Te comes to the fore when I'm talking with or teaching other people and I find myself making connections that I wasn't aware were there. I learn best through discussions, especially when people ask me questions or when I'm forced to clarify the big picture for them. It also comes out when someone puts me in charge of a project or asks me for help. I'm very proficient at getting other people organized and on track, but sometimes my style of motivating another person comes across as 'tough love' rather than a peppy, supportive cheerleader. In that moment, I know what has to be done, I'm convinced of it, and I've got a dozen different reasons as to why and unless you're willing to explain your thinking logically, you're probably not going to get my attention otherwise. When I'm in this mode, I get quickly exasperated with emotional pleas and things I perceive as being psychological weaknesses; I don't want to talk about 'why you don't feel like you can do something,' I want to talk about 'why you think that has any bearing on what needs to be done today and why and how.'

In short, it sometimes make me into a bit of a pitbull (Mister 3-0-5!)

Do other people around you use Te often?

Yeah.

How would you describe that?

That really depends on what your asking. Behavior and concepts that are related to Te aren't in themselves always an expression of Te as a function. For example, just because someone uses empirical thinking to explain a concept to you doesn't mean that Te is necessarily a function preference of theirs.

As for people around me who have Te in their function stack, well, again it depends where it is. It's very hard to isolate the function without talking about how its expressed in each type and in each unique individual. For example, my INTJ brother always seems to be several steps ahead of everyone else and gets annoyed when he has to explain things that he thinks should be obvious. This has made him very independent and 'if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself' kind of guy and he ends up taking on a lot of work which he always miraculously gets done (and done well). My ESTJ aunt has a similar attitude, except she expected everyone to work that way yet would conversely feel threatened when someone else was working harder than she was and she would become hyper-competitive. Needless to say, everyone hated her at work.

As for the people in my every day, I dunno, I kind of see everyone as a blend. I don't notice it. I don't sit there and think 'Oh, this guy is doing this, his inferior Te must be out to play again" so I wouldn't be able to give you any concrete examples.

How do you feel about it?

Neutral.

How do you respond to it?

I don't know, it depends on the context and who's using it.
 
Do you think you use Te often? I used to when I didn't understand Extraverted Thinking as well I suppose. I used to think Thinking was about space and time management and efficiency which I'm really good at. To a certain degree it is and I do use it correctly. It's also about measurements and common sense, like on a bar graph, pie chart, or science experiment to measure how much the results took place in the experiment. Again, I am really good a this part of Extraverted Thinking.

How would you describe that? Well, while Extraverted Feeling understands the world's actions through emotions, Extraverted Thinking understands actions through logic. Big difference. That means that when you say something, you know how it's going to affects a person at a logical level rather than an emotional one. Because of this I believe I really fail to use Extraverted Thinking because while I'm very good at understand the logic of consequences apart from people, when it comes to people I understand them at an emotional level. If it comes to thinking methodically and writing down a schedule for person accomplish things in a time and resource efficient manner I am good at this because I'm good at math.

Do other people around you use Extraverted Thinking often? My uncle used to use it quite a lot and it affects me a great deal in the news. For instance, my grandparents watch Fox News a great deal and Bill O'Reilly used dominant Extraverted Thinking. Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are also NTJs so they use Extraverted Thinking quite a lot (a lot of executives are Extraverted Thinkers).

How would you describe that? Well, typically dominant Extraverted Thinkers are very dominant. Take for instance my uncle and Bill O'Reilly. On his show, Bill constantly over talks his guests and is told "he treats them like jerks" bus this is not the case for him. He's not treating them bad usually, he's just fighting their arguments tooth and nail and does a very good job at it (even if I disagree with him). Also my uncle was definitely in charge of the house. The man of the house you could say. You were either obeying him, or leaving his house. lol He constantly strove for efficiency. Economically he was pretty "cheap" you could say as he was an economist. However, because of this he was very rich and could afford a million dollar house in one of the wealthiest towns in California. Also his efficiency manifested in his house. He was very military-like and demanded that we took 3-minute showers. If the shower wasn't under three minutes you got the water turned off on you whether you were soapy and had shampoo in your hair or not. haha

How do you feel about it? Well, I love my uncle and I learned a lot from him because I respected him and obeyed him like my dad when I lived at his house. he shaped me up. I enjoy it. I find it very interesting and while people like this can be terribly assertive and at times means as Extraverted Thinkers, you just have to take a step back and realize it's just who they are and that it's nothing personal. It's a good idea to have Extraverted Thinkers on your side as friends (thank God for Extraverted Feeling) because I don't like being on their bad side. It's very useful.

How do you respond to it? I respond to it well. I realize people that use it are seeing things from a different perspective than I can and try to implement some of their own decisions into my life. That way I became a more balanced whole. I do think I use it a great deal so I can understand where people are coming from a lot of the time, but when it comes to people I find it interesting. I suppose you could say I'm intrigued by it.
 
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Most grandmasters are INTP and they only have Te in their shadows.

I believe that's largely undecided. However, ITs are the most naturally geared for it. ITJs form a strategy, more or less to reach their goal; more systematic. ITPs are less uptight and just go with the most current data they have; more improvisation. Both of which are very useful to the players in this type of game. One experience off another forum (paraphrased): "(INTP) I was playing an INTJ once and after staring at the board for some time and he finally went, "Aha! I figured out your strategy!" To which I replied, "That's funny. Because I don't have one."
 
One experience off another forum (paraphrased): "(INTP) I was playing an INTJ once and after staring at the board for some time and he finally went, "Aha! I figured out your strategy!" To which I replied, "That's funny. Because I don't have one."

This is funny because I have an INTJ coworker. One day on the way out the door after work, he was playing a chess game on his phone. I asked him if he was using a particular opening. He didn't know what that meant so I had to explain. He seemed good at it at least relative to those he was playing against. I forget his exact wording but his indication was that he was very much playing in real-time. I took this as yet another confirmation of my assertion that he was INTJ (which I think many here might find apparent).

My thought has always been that introverted thinking is more strategic and extroverted thinking is more tactical. Clearly great chessmasters are both strategic and tactical and between INTP and INTJ and I suspect the supporting functions matter a great deal. Do you think this differentiation is nonetheless valid (Te tactical, Ti strategic)?
 
This is funny because I have an INTJ coworker. One day on the way out the door after work, he was playing a chess game on his phone. I asked him if he was using a particular opening. He didn't know what that meant so I had to explain. He seemed good at it at least relative to those he was playing against. I forget his exact wording but his indication was that he was very much playing in real-time. I took this as yet another confirmation of my assertion that he was INTJ (which I think many here might find apparent).

My thought has always been that introverted thinking is more strategic and extroverted thinking is more tactical. Clearly great chessmasters are both strategic and tactical and between INTP and INTJ and I suspect the supporting functions matter a great deal. Do you think this differentiation is nonetheless valid (Te tactical, Ti strategic)?

I agree with this. Ti is more likely to consider and analyze the possibilities and give them a name, whereas a Ni+Te would more likely just respond. INTJs do have a strategy, they're just not consciously aware of it. Also, because of their dominant perceiving function, INTJ's a lot more adaptable than INTP and it's judging function. INTP would intentionally take the time to plan out a conscious strategy, whereas an INTJ would take a quick note of the possibilities and make a decision.
 
This is funny because I have an INTJ coworker. One day on the way out the door after work, he was playing a chess game on his phone. I asked him if he was using a particular opening. He didn't know what that meant so I had to explain. He seemed good at it at least relative to those he was playing against. I forget his exact wording but his indication was that he was very much playing in real-time. I took this as yet another confirmation of my assertion that he was INTJ (which I think many here might find apparent).

My thought has always been that introverted thinking is more strategic and extroverted thinking is more tactical. Clearly great chessmasters are both strategic and tactical and between INTP and INTJ and I suspect the supporting functions matter a great deal. Do you think this differentiation is nonetheless valid (Te tactical, Ti strategic)?

Agree. However, I feel the need to challenge the N preference here. It has gone without saying most of the time. ISTJs and ISTPs are also quite good. I won't be surprised to find a few of them up there. But, I believe the commitment to one or two pursuits and the ignorance (potential) for the outside world really allows the INTs to develop their skills in this game. Because of the S preference, the ISTs are a little more grounded and may not pursue something as (seemingly) excessively.
Honestly, I think the conclusion of the matter is this. ITs are most naturally geared towards Chess, and similar introverted games. All of the IT have different ways of natural functioning. Natural refers to using their top two functions easily and comfortably. All ways can give them an advantage in playing and succeeding at this type of game.
 
Do you think you use Te often? - No, I ignore it for the most part. Not something that comes to my attention easily unless someone else points it out. In socionics Te is called the "point of least resistance" or "vulnerable function" of Ni-Fe type.

How would you describe that? - Describe what? Ignoring Te? Well from what I heard from ENTJs about how they see lack of Te in INFJs is that INFJs often seem insecure, don't want to assert their "logical authority" over others (unlike most of xxTJ types), don't like arguing that much, and if they argue they don't endure for long.

Do other people around you use Te often? - If I hang out with Te users yeah.

How would you describe that? - They seem to be concerned with having some kind of external marks of what is most logical/sensible way to think, what is the most sensible thing to do, they expect others to conform to it and if they don't then they argue with the person trying to prove them wrong. This is all that they are concerned with - not why they should do it, not the logical motivations or implicit reasons, just this external sensibility. These external marks are created by Te dominant and auxiliary types, like ENTJ and ESTJ. Jung has describe Te akin to following a formula. Te is also called "logic of actions" in socionics.

How do you feel about it? - It seems shallow, boring, and unoriginal. Sometimes it looks a lot like groupthink, when an ENTJ or INTJ sets some kind of "logical standards" concerning what is most sensible to think and to do, and then a bunch of ISFPs and INFPs follow these "prescriptions" without questioning them or thinking them on their own, since Te is their inferior function they simply accept Te-guidance from xxTJs. Asking them to think for themselves often proves to be useless.

How do you respond to it? - Ignore it for the most part or look it like a strange animal in a zoo.
 
Extroverted thinking manifests itself in my life as a constant move toward making my environment more efficient and more minimalistic.
 
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