For @Bird .
INTJs and INFJs have much in common, but this likeness is often either underplayed or ridiculously overplayed. While both types have potential to be similar, they are both different in terms of what primarily motivates them. Both types create a map of relevant information and consult it for navigating within the world; for INTJs this map has to do with linear logic + methods of determining the logically sound modes of communication (Te) and absolute morals to guide them from right to wrong (Fi+Se), while for INFJs this map has to do with situational morals and adapting to the different needs of people in different contexts (Fe) and logical truths based on empirical evidence (Ti+Se).
Temperament
INFJs and INTJs belong to the same temperament, i.e. both the types have identical motivations but vary in method of operation. Both are Pi-dominant and Je-auxiliary. Both the types value their personal insights and perspectives much more so than the commonly accepted perspective for the sake of it, and utilize the external world to execute these perspectives outward. Both the types find little "comfort zones" in which to expand themselves, and find it difficult to move out of these comfort zones unprecedented.
Inferior-Se means:
1) Difficulty in adapting to new information. Because INxJs are so used to processing information that they already know, and comparing new information with what they previously understand, when they come across a new set of patterns that they have not internalized, they find it difficult to adapt to it as rapidly as an Ne-dominant would, for example.
2) Rejecting the commonly held perspectives in order to think outside of the assumptions of culture and tradition.
Ni-dominance:
Ni-dominance is often difficult to describe, because so few Ni-dominants exist in reality. The ones who do commonly mistype themselves as other types while the legions Si-dominants and Ne-auxiliaries like to fancy themselves as Ni-dominant because it seems trendy to do so and this muddles up the definition further.
Ni-dominance has very little to do with intellect, or the spiritual, or the supernatural - it has to do with rejecting everything around you in order to create a completely insular view of reality that you form by finding certain patterns in how the world works. Coupled with either Fe or Te, it is about creating one path to reach one goal, minus any consideration for the commonly held perspective of your environment.
The INFJ, coupled with Fe, only cares about using the constructed ethical norms to get from point A to point B. In rare cases, they also care about challenging the ethical norms to what they consider more efficient for themselves and society as whole.
The INTJ, coupled with Te, only cares about using the constructed systematic norms that function on objectively verifiable criteria to get from point A to point B. In rare cases, they also care about challenging these norms to what they consider efficient for themselves and society as whole.
---
Remember Ni doorslam? That was a long time ago when people actually recognized what Ni-dominant meant. It's when the Ni-dominant doesn't consider you an important enough part of his or her life and cuts you off. This is different from when Fi-dominants cut you off; Fi-dominants only cut you off because you have offended or hurt them in some way. Ni-dominants will cut you off when they have no more use of you. This is a completely natural inclination in the world of the Ni-dom, and they are not the least bit bothered by what their peers think of this behavior.
This changes with age as they integrate Se into their life and become more accepting and considerate of the perspectives and conditions that exist outside of themselves. When the INFJ or INTJ has integrated Se into their lives, they become less overtly critical and judgmental of the world, and simply start to exist as who they are.
In simpler terms:
Ni-dominance focuses on what remains after you strip down everything to its bare-bone essentials, minus culture, tradition, religious influence, regional differences, etc. and uses this focus to create a definite map of how to reach certain Je-based goals.
Fi/Te Philosophy vs. Ti/Fe Philosophy
This is slightly more complex to get into, but I suppose in the interests of this thread, I will have to.
Fi, in its totality, is about believing that everything and everyone has its own unique set of properties and characteristics. Everyone has its own place in the world, and the only way to truly get along with each other is to find this place, and be accepted for who you are. Fi is about finding common (inherent) absolutes that lead to harmony.
INTJs have tertiary Fi and often revert to this perspective when reasoning with others. For example, when they cannot agree with another person's ethical and ideological choices, they simply end communication rather than compromise, because compromising one's ideals is a despicable idea to the INTJ. To the INTJ, everyone has the freedom to believe and practice what they may, but not everyone can get along with everyone else and believing so is impractical and unnecessarily politically correct. They often believe they should have the right to choose whom they interact with. They have an acute sense of what they agree with and what they do not, and will often make it clear that they do not wish to communicate with someone if their ideologies conflict.
They often also make a clearer distinction regarding whom they consider a "friend" and whom they do not. There is little grey area.
Fe is about believing that everything and everyone needs to have a shared set of properties and characteristics, and uniqueness in terms of ethical beliefs is retrogressive. The only way to truly get along with each other is to find common ground and compromise. Fe is about finding a common (created) language that leads to harmony.
On the other hand, the INFJ has a much more flexible perspective of ideological views. When they cannot reason with others, they choose to compromise their ideals if they must, because in order to remain united and progress within the world, it is important to find common ground with others and work your way forward based on that. Rigidity is a strange idea to the INFJ, who does not understand why anyone would reject people based ideological differences when there is so much potential to grow and learn together.
Even if they disagree, often, they prefer to remain in the "grey area" than outright reject anyone. This is why often a large number of the INFJ's social circle consists of people within the "grey area" because they do not like to limit the potential of their relationships by putting them into clear-cut categories.
---
INFJs create spontaneous categories (Ti), but none of those categories are externally implied. They are internal and meant for the individual. For example, an INFJ may understand that person A is different from person B, who is different from person C, but person A and person D share certain qualities, and person C is definitely similar to person E. These are categories that exist in the INFJ's mind to help him/her order the external world (Fe). They see the world as a continuous grey area where people can exist in moderation and everyone deserves the same social/ethical respect as everyone else.
INTJs create induced categories (Te), which are externally implied and meant for bringing structure to their external environment. For example, an INTJ may understand that person A is rich and influential, and person B is poor and powerless, therefore association with person A is probably more beneficial because person A can bring more objective benefits than person B. Person C is X educated, and person D is Y educated, where Y > X, thus person D's opinion holds more validity. However, whether or not they respect or communicate with people is often independent of this categorization, and comes from their tertiary Fi. They may see person B as objectively non-beneficial, but they might think he is a humble, kind-hearted person with good conscience and prefer to associate with him instead of person A (assuming person B does not have conflicting morals, values and ideals compared to the INTJ in question).
Fe/Ti: Everyone should have equal social position, but internally be more or less efficient at their individual talents.
Te/Fi: Everyone should have the social position they deserve based on objective testing/criteria, but internally be at peace with themselves and their worth.
[Note: Communism and socialism are more inclined towards Fe-based philosophy, and capitalism is more inclined towards Te-based philosophy. An interesting parallel I think.]
More on Inferior Se:
To understand the nature of inferior Se, it is important to focus on its opposing incarnation, i.e. Se in the dominant position.
Se-dominants grow up with the focus of adapting to the present. They do not care about (theoretical) possibilities and potential like Ne-dominants do, as much as they care about the many ways in which they could adapt to the present. Note that this adaptation is not synonymous with following the latest trends in fashion or pop-culture [despite the fact that Se-dominants are often keenly aware of their surroundings to have an idea of what the latest trends are like], it means assuming the perspective of the situation they are present in.
For example, if an Se-dominant is present in an American country, they will understand the people as they exist in America and understand and value culture as it exists in America and form opinions and views with respect to what is happening strictly in America.
There is no motivation to counter the commonly accepted method for the sake of countering it, there is no deliberate rebellion. However, they do care about the many ways in which they could make the best out of a situation they are put in at present, and navigating with the help of their Ji-function. They resent focusing on things that do not immediately affect the surroundings in favour of a supposed long term "meaning".
On the contrary, in the inferior position, Se has a polar and opposing effect. Ni-dominants grow up with the focus of being maladaptive to the present and staying strong with their own perspective. They might sometimes follow the accepted way to maneuver externally, but they often realize it and automatically resent it. Being Ni-dominant comes with an irrational distaste of all things Se by default, and they try to go against it as much as possible until they have grown up old enough to integrate that perspective into their lives.
Playing on the previous example, if an Ni-dominant is in America, they will try to understand people as they exist universally, try to ignore constructs such as culture because it distracts them from what they consider important (i.e. people and systems as they exist without the intervention of culture or tradition), and form opinions and views as they understand them universally minus the intervention of external operators.
This is why there are few Ni-dominants in reality because relatively, fewer people grow up with inferior Se.
Similar to Se, Si-dominants grow up endorsing the world (albeit, through a very narrow focus) because they value the things they have experienced in their lifetime; they value relationships built on time, they value longevity of their favorite things, they value their household, their surroundings. They value and understand that these things brings value and meaning into our lives and branching off into pointless variables and possibilities is retrogressive and antithetical because it devalues the work culture and society as whole has brought to humanity.
But what about the function superpowers? What about my ability to look into the future?! My super Ni death-ray?
None of it exists!
Pure fanciful fluff.
External links:
http://www.personalitynation.com/analytical-psychology/260-dominant-introverts-functions-you.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/infj/3317-infj-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/intj/3480-intj-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/analytical-psychology/2844-thinking-function.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/analytical-psychology/2873-dynamics-cognitive-functions.html
INTJs and INFJs have much in common, but this likeness is often either underplayed or ridiculously overplayed. While both types have potential to be similar, they are both different in terms of what primarily motivates them. Both types create a map of relevant information and consult it for navigating within the world; for INTJs this map has to do with linear logic + methods of determining the logically sound modes of communication (Te) and absolute morals to guide them from right to wrong (Fi+Se), while for INFJs this map has to do with situational morals and adapting to the different needs of people in different contexts (Fe) and logical truths based on empirical evidence (Ti+Se).
Temperament
INFJs and INTJs belong to the same temperament, i.e. both the types have identical motivations but vary in method of operation. Both are Pi-dominant and Je-auxiliary. Both the types value their personal insights and perspectives much more so than the commonly accepted perspective for the sake of it, and utilize the external world to execute these perspectives outward. Both the types find little "comfort zones" in which to expand themselves, and find it difficult to move out of these comfort zones unprecedented.
Inferior-Se means:
1) Difficulty in adapting to new information. Because INxJs are so used to processing information that they already know, and comparing new information with what they previously understand, when they come across a new set of patterns that they have not internalized, they find it difficult to adapt to it as rapidly as an Ne-dominant would, for example.
2) Rejecting the commonly held perspectives in order to think outside of the assumptions of culture and tradition.
Ni-dominance:
Ni-dominance is often difficult to describe, because so few Ni-dominants exist in reality. The ones who do commonly mistype themselves as other types while the legions Si-dominants and Ne-auxiliaries like to fancy themselves as Ni-dominant because it seems trendy to do so and this muddles up the definition further.
Ni-dominance has very little to do with intellect, or the spiritual, or the supernatural - it has to do with rejecting everything around you in order to create a completely insular view of reality that you form by finding certain patterns in how the world works. Coupled with either Fe or Te, it is about creating one path to reach one goal, minus any consideration for the commonly held perspective of your environment.
The INFJ, coupled with Fe, only cares about using the constructed ethical norms to get from point A to point B. In rare cases, they also care about challenging the ethical norms to what they consider more efficient for themselves and society as whole.
The INTJ, coupled with Te, only cares about using the constructed systematic norms that function on objectively verifiable criteria to get from point A to point B. In rare cases, they also care about challenging these norms to what they consider efficient for themselves and society as whole.
---
Remember Ni doorslam? That was a long time ago when people actually recognized what Ni-dominant meant. It's when the Ni-dominant doesn't consider you an important enough part of his or her life and cuts you off. This is different from when Fi-dominants cut you off; Fi-dominants only cut you off because you have offended or hurt them in some way. Ni-dominants will cut you off when they have no more use of you. This is a completely natural inclination in the world of the Ni-dom, and they are not the least bit bothered by what their peers think of this behavior.
This changes with age as they integrate Se into their life and become more accepting and considerate of the perspectives and conditions that exist outside of themselves. When the INFJ or INTJ has integrated Se into their lives, they become less overtly critical and judgmental of the world, and simply start to exist as who they are.
In simpler terms:
Ni-dominance focuses on what remains after you strip down everything to its bare-bone essentials, minus culture, tradition, religious influence, regional differences, etc. and uses this focus to create a definite map of how to reach certain Je-based goals.
Fi/Te Philosophy vs. Ti/Fe Philosophy
This is slightly more complex to get into, but I suppose in the interests of this thread, I will have to.
Fi, in its totality, is about believing that everything and everyone has its own unique set of properties and characteristics. Everyone has its own place in the world, and the only way to truly get along with each other is to find this place, and be accepted for who you are. Fi is about finding common (inherent) absolutes that lead to harmony.
INTJs have tertiary Fi and often revert to this perspective when reasoning with others. For example, when they cannot agree with another person's ethical and ideological choices, they simply end communication rather than compromise, because compromising one's ideals is a despicable idea to the INTJ. To the INTJ, everyone has the freedom to believe and practice what they may, but not everyone can get along with everyone else and believing so is impractical and unnecessarily politically correct. They often believe they should have the right to choose whom they interact with. They have an acute sense of what they agree with and what they do not, and will often make it clear that they do not wish to communicate with someone if their ideologies conflict.
They often also make a clearer distinction regarding whom they consider a "friend" and whom they do not. There is little grey area.
Fe is about believing that everything and everyone needs to have a shared set of properties and characteristics, and uniqueness in terms of ethical beliefs is retrogressive. The only way to truly get along with each other is to find common ground and compromise. Fe is about finding a common (created) language that leads to harmony.
On the other hand, the INFJ has a much more flexible perspective of ideological views. When they cannot reason with others, they choose to compromise their ideals if they must, because in order to remain united and progress within the world, it is important to find common ground with others and work your way forward based on that. Rigidity is a strange idea to the INFJ, who does not understand why anyone would reject people based ideological differences when there is so much potential to grow and learn together.
Even if they disagree, often, they prefer to remain in the "grey area" than outright reject anyone. This is why often a large number of the INFJ's social circle consists of people within the "grey area" because they do not like to limit the potential of their relationships by putting them into clear-cut categories.
---
INFJs create spontaneous categories (Ti), but none of those categories are externally implied. They are internal and meant for the individual. For example, an INFJ may understand that person A is different from person B, who is different from person C, but person A and person D share certain qualities, and person C is definitely similar to person E. These are categories that exist in the INFJ's mind to help him/her order the external world (Fe). They see the world as a continuous grey area where people can exist in moderation and everyone deserves the same social/ethical respect as everyone else.
INTJs create induced categories (Te), which are externally implied and meant for bringing structure to their external environment. For example, an INTJ may understand that person A is rich and influential, and person B is poor and powerless, therefore association with person A is probably more beneficial because person A can bring more objective benefits than person B. Person C is X educated, and person D is Y educated, where Y > X, thus person D's opinion holds more validity. However, whether or not they respect or communicate with people is often independent of this categorization, and comes from their tertiary Fi. They may see person B as objectively non-beneficial, but they might think he is a humble, kind-hearted person with good conscience and prefer to associate with him instead of person A (assuming person B does not have conflicting morals, values and ideals compared to the INTJ in question).
Fe/Ti: Everyone should have equal social position, but internally be more or less efficient at their individual talents.
Te/Fi: Everyone should have the social position they deserve based on objective testing/criteria, but internally be at peace with themselves and their worth.
More on Inferior Se:
To understand the nature of inferior Se, it is important to focus on its opposing incarnation, i.e. Se in the dominant position.
Se-dominants grow up with the focus of adapting to the present. They do not care about (theoretical) possibilities and potential like Ne-dominants do, as much as they care about the many ways in which they could adapt to the present. Note that this adaptation is not synonymous with following the latest trends in fashion or pop-culture [despite the fact that Se-dominants are often keenly aware of their surroundings to have an idea of what the latest trends are like], it means assuming the perspective of the situation they are present in.
For example, if an Se-dominant is present in an American country, they will understand the people as they exist in America and understand and value culture as it exists in America and form opinions and views with respect to what is happening strictly in America.
There is no motivation to counter the commonly accepted method for the sake of countering it, there is no deliberate rebellion. However, they do care about the many ways in which they could make the best out of a situation they are put in at present, and navigating with the help of their Ji-function. They resent focusing on things that do not immediately affect the surroundings in favour of a supposed long term "meaning".
On the contrary, in the inferior position, Se has a polar and opposing effect. Ni-dominants grow up with the focus of being maladaptive to the present and staying strong with their own perspective. They might sometimes follow the accepted way to maneuver externally, but they often realize it and automatically resent it. Being Ni-dominant comes with an irrational distaste of all things Se by default, and they try to go against it as much as possible until they have grown up old enough to integrate that perspective into their lives.
Playing on the previous example, if an Ni-dominant is in America, they will try to understand people as they exist universally, try to ignore constructs such as culture because it distracts them from what they consider important (i.e. people and systems as they exist without the intervention of culture or tradition), and form opinions and views as they understand them universally minus the intervention of external operators.
This is why there are few Ni-dominants in reality because relatively, fewer people grow up with inferior Se.
Similar to Se, Si-dominants grow up endorsing the world (albeit, through a very narrow focus) because they value the things they have experienced in their lifetime; they value relationships built on time, they value longevity of their favorite things, they value their household, their surroundings. They value and understand that these things brings value and meaning into our lives and branching off into pointless variables and possibilities is retrogressive and antithetical because it devalues the work culture and society as whole has brought to humanity.
But what about the function superpowers? What about my ability to look into the future?! My super Ni death-ray?
None of it exists!
Pure fanciful fluff.External links:
http://www.personalitynation.com/analytical-psychology/260-dominant-introverts-functions-you.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/infj/3317-infj-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/intj/3480-intj-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/analytical-psychology/2844-thinking-function.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/analytical-psychology/2873-dynamics-cognitive-functions.html
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