- MBTI
- INFJ
- Enneagram
- 1w2 sx/so/sp
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?
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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