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Inferior Function Useage

IndigoSensor

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I recently came up with an idea on how inferior functions are used. Inferior functions are used by everyone, but in ways that are beyond our consciousness.

My inferior function, along with INJ's, is Se. In particular, my Se is very very small, to the point where it is nearly totally unused. Se rules the now, the present moment, physical action, trusting impulse. One of my close friends is an ESFP. Her Ni is as unused as my Se, nearly nonexsistent. Coversely Ni is just as strong as her Se is strong. We have an interesting dichotomy between us.

Anyway, me and her always go skiing together, a very Se activity. This is where this dichotomy becomes clear. She is the pusher, she pushes me very hard to do things that I don't think I can do. Going down a 50 degree grade 20ft wide chute. My Ni takes over, and lack of Se fight. "I can't do that! I can't see where I am going! What if I go off a cliff at the turn, what if I hit the wall and fall down the chute!". Then my friend will tell me "Pieter, just go! I know you can do it!", and I turn to her and say "no! Too much of a risk, I can't make it!" and she will say "oh yes you can!". She will never, ever explain it, because she can't (lack of Ni), but she is right. Somehow, she manages to get out of jams by just knowing the right thing to do. I can't count how many times she has dogged cops, as if by pure luck.

That right there, is her using her Ni, beyond her consciousness. She is not aware of it in the least, but her Ni is allowing her to see things THROUGH her Se that will work out. Direct application of them. She knows that I will survive the chute, and be ok, not the slightest bit of concern. Yet if I asked her how she knew (which I will do often), she will tell me she doesn't know, she just knows.

Now, despite the fact that I do all of these crazy things, I somehow never get hurt (*knock on wood*), much to the surprise of my friend. In one case. I am skiing down some bowl, and spin into a tree right near a small cliff. I hit it, and approach the cliff backwards. I knew what was coming up, and I didn't know what to do, so I just went with it. I end up landing sideways off the cliff, rolled over, rerighted myself and skiied around a rock that I would have hit. My friend screamed, and looked at me and said "ARE YOU OK!? What the hell, how on earth did you get by that!", and I say to her "...I don't know, I sort of just did". This happens to me a lot. I never get hurt physically. I am extremely cautious which is a factor, but when forced to, I somehow do the right thing and emerge from it all. I always seem to avoid physical damage, much to my surprise, and everyone elses. This is my Se working THROUGH Ni, in a way that is beyond my consciousness.

I feel that everyone does this sort of thing. Our inferior functions will work for us through our primary function as if by magic, when we are in a tight jam. I am certain you can all think of an example of this for each paring. Also, I think this is more pronounced if there is a greater difference between the use of each function.

Thoughts on this?
 
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This is helpful. I rarely exercise Se, because, as you mentioned, i was always afraid to try or take risks fearful of what may happen. I passed up a lot of good, and interesting opportunities because i was worried or too fearful to try. I was always worried about danger or the "what ifs". But i wish i'd made more effort. Would have made some interesting memories.
 
Te through Fi, when the shit hits the fan I'm the man with the plan?

:D
 
Pretty much!
 
Very helpful indeed, I usually have a conflict with my Ni and my inferior function, I would always be fearful and second-guess myself, also Se is INJ's inferior function since we share it with INTJ's. With ENFJ's its more Fe vs Ti.
 
Te through Fi, when the shit hits the fan I'm the man with the plan?

:D
I believe that under very extreme life pressure man can turn their type around. And even permanently, for some period of time.

Besides, at least some of the INFJs here resemble ESTPs very well. They don't resemble, say, INTPs, or ESFJs, as much.

I find the 1st and 4th functions to be of highest importance for a man. The 2nd and 3rd functions are... hidden, they are not the ones on display, on direct interaction with the world.

There's something else too. The extroverted functions are more actively applied. For me that's Ne and Te. For INFJs that's Fe and Se.
 
My inferior function, along with INJ's, is Se. In particular, my Se is very very small, to the point where it is nearly totally unused. Se rules the now, the present moment, physical action, trusting impulse. One of my close friends is an ESFP. Her Ni is as unused as my Se, nearly nonexsistent. Coversely Ni is just as strong as her Se is strong. We have an interesting dichotomy between us.

Anyway, me and her always go skiing together, a very Se activity. This is where this dichotomy becomes clear. She is the pusher, she pushes me very hard to do things that I don't think I can do. Going down a 50 degree grade 20ft wide chute. My Ni takes over, and lack of Se fight. "I can't do that! I can't see where I am going! What if I go off a cliff at the turn, what if I hit the wall and fall down the chute!". Then my friend will tell me "Pieter, just go! I know you can do it!", and I turn to her and say "no! Too much of a risk, I can't make it!" and she will say "oh yes you can!". She will never, ever explain it, because she can't (lack of Ni), but she is right. Somehow, she manages to get out of jams by just knowing the right thing to do. I can't count how many times she has dogged cops, as if by pure luck.

That right there, is her using her Ni, beyond her consciousness. She is not aware of it in the least, but her Ni is allowing her to see things THROUGH her Se that will work out. Direct application of them. She knows that I will survive the chute, and be ok, not the slightest bit of concern. Yet if I asked her how she knew (which I will do often), she will tell me she doesn't know, she just knows.

This is my Se working THROUGH Ni, in a way that is beyond my consciousness.

I feel that everyone does this sort of thing. Our inferior functions will work for us through our primary function as if by magic, when we are in a tight jam. I am certain you can all think of an example of this for each paring. Also, I think this is more pronounced if there is a greater difference between the use of each function.

Thoughts on this?

The example does help. Maybe if you or others can use more examples it will make it clearer for those of us who needs the Myers Briggs on training wheels, LOL
 
I believe that. It would explain why I'm somehow able to turn off my alarm, get off my loft, and dodge obstacles first thing in the morning when I can't even think consciously :B

I think you're on to something, Indigo.
 
Yes. It as if minimal use of a function makes it very useful. I do the same thing when I wake up. MY room is a mess right now, and there is a bag of fragile things in the middle (christmas presents), and somehow I never step on it in the middle of the night. Where as if my ESFP friend were here, she would stomp right on it.

It seems to only work for important items though. I break stuff all the time. Actually at my ESFP's friend house over the summer. I walked too close to the wall and bumped a mirror that hooked on my shirt, and it fell off the wall and broke. She screamed at me saying "YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION". So it seems that our Se will only work when it has to.
 
very insightful Indigo! i've experienced this too, but never quite got down to putting it into words. i was nodding all the way through :)
 
Yes. It as if minimal use of a function makes it very useful. I do the same thing when I wake up. MY room is a mess right now, and there is a bag of fragile things in the middle (christmas presents), and somehow I never step on it in the middle of the night. Where as if my ESFP friend were here, she would stomp right on it.

It seems to only work for important items though. I break stuff all the time. Actually at my ESFP's friend house over the summer. I walked too close to the wall and bumped a mirror that hooked on my shirt, and it fell off the wall and broke. She screamed at me saying "YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION". So it seems that our Se will only work when it has to.

This depends on the person, right?
 
It does depend on the person, as with nearly everything in MBTI, nothing is iron-clad.
 
My Ne allows me to see the writing on the wall. It's best illustrated at crazy parties, I see the ebb and flow of activity then realize this shit is out of control and going to get busted. I always seem to escape parties about 15 minutes before the cops arrive. I suppose that could also be a latent Te at work too.
 
This is great. I have always had a bit on confusion with this and it has really clarified things for me. I go to art school and though I plan to major in video/film, I have been fairly decent at drawing/ painting/ photography in general. I still am very very clumsy on a day to day basis with things though. One time I just happened to drop a hammer on my friend's unprotected foot!

In drawing class, I always have had to push myself into the drawing, though after repetitive weeks, it has gotten easier. Each time I thought less and less before jumping in (especially with these really fast gesture drawings). Still though, I am very surprised when I get a solid figure drawing down, though it is always very abstract, I can't help it.

Indigo, I have a good friend like yours who I snowboard with (he may actually be an estp), and without him it would have taken twice the time to get to the level of proficiency I am at now.
 
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Its interesting thinking about Se. I think I may have developed it quite well. In fact, it's weird thinking about a lot of circumstances where it is primary usage. I wouldn't use Ni in training and if I were to apply that training the (verbal/psychological/physical)- it's pure Se. It is a concrete situation, where the specific input and output is analysed and reacted to. It is a very NOW moment. I'm never thinking about anything but that moment because you have to. It's all related to people and the external world. Even if I'm feeling something internally, it has an external result which I must become aware of and utilize/hide. It also means I can express it to other people very well and also teach it- hopefully.
 
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