I have come to notice a trend. A lot of people on this forum and others really abhor this label: INFP. Somehow telling someone they are INFP is equivalent to insulting them outright. This saddens me because not only is that never my intended purpose, but all I crave for is efficient organization and for people to recognize that we have different cognitive wiring, therefore, we will react differently to things. However, the idea is so wildly resisted by these individuals which makes me wonder if either, 1) they do not entirely understand what I mean, or 2) they understand it, but somehow need to dissociate with said qualities due to the social implications.
So let me elaborate on this and what being Fi>Ne, rather than Ni>Fe, means.
1. Fi>Ne vs. Ni>Fe
Fi in the dominant position is a very real-time function, it exists in the present and doesn't necessarily recall previous information in order to make a judgment. Fi-dominants go into a situation and with the aid of their Ne, they decide whether or not they agree with it. In a sense, they are unconcerned with conversations before that point and only consider the present worth importance. This is different from Ni-dominants who often plan ahead and need a much longer time to digest new information.
Here's an example. An INFP friend asked me if I fretted about what I said in social situations, and say things after analyzing them. I agreed with her, because I do. However, where we differed was that, I plan ahead. I will often make very elaborate plans about what I would say in a social situation and I stack up on different responses that could possibly come up, so I wouldn't be in an unfamiliar territory, whereas she decides on the spot. She takes each statement and analyzes it with her Ne and Fi, and responds appropriately. If I tried that, not only would I find it extremely uncomfortable (inferior Pe), but get agitated at being thrown into an unfamiliar situation that I cannot predict, and consequently, control.
2. Si>Te vs. Ti>Se
[This is where I veer away slightly from the Lenore Thomson model. The tertiary function is often understood to be a replacement for when the auxiliary fails to cope. I agree, but there is more to it: the tertiary function is our aspiration function. It is what we aim to get better at with experience and are ever-so-fascinated by displays of in other people. For INFJs, it is Ti. For INFPs, it is Si.]
INFJs are often fascinated by displays of Ti. They find it incredible and inspiring, and often seek out INTPs and ISTPs to befriend so they can learn more about it. The tertiary function, however, is also their weak spot: in an argument against an INTP, for example, where an INTP writes a long, detailed, argument that is secured by Ti, the INFJ quickly deflates and backs down. [This is the easiest way to defeat an INFJ. Take notes.]
This is equivalent to how INTJs react to Fi, and often seek INFPs and ISFPs to befriend.
INFPs, on the other hand, have an identical attitude towards Si. As such, they will often keep memorabilia such as diaries, scrap-books, photographs, and such so they can feel the past over and over again, and often seek out Si-dominants who have a similar tendency to store their experiences into objects.
[Note: INFJs also keep reusing old things for long periods of time, but often because they are afraid of unfamiliarity, not because they see the past as something that needs to be preserved.]
INFJs with a Ti fetish will often obsess over things such as personality theories and any way in which they get the opportunity to categorize their experiences into efficient, non-hierarchical categories.
[Note: INFPs often do the same, but for different reasons. See Dual Nature of Inferior below.]
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Lastly, the inferior function: the dreaded Anima/Animus. The effect varies from person to person. Some people have better integrated their inferior function into their lives, and some have managed to reject it entirely. Most of the INFP and INFJ descriptions on the internet are exaggerated to the point where the effect of the inferior function is nullified. However, practically, this is often not the case. The inferior function can be described as the the part of us that we chose to reject in favor of the dominant - however, it is also our biggest weakness, and our fixation with it never really ends.
Inferior Se shows up in INFJs as an obsession with the external world, while simultaneously rejecting it. As an example, see Daria.
INFPs on the other hand, have a similar attitude towards Te, which shows up as rejection of organized external structure, a rejection of authority figures, a rejection of the government, all the while having an unholy obsession with all things authoritative. They often get deeply involved in conspiracy theories because in their Te-inferior eyes, no authority figure or organization is to be trusted. (See [MENTION=963]myself[/MENTION])
The Dual Nature of the Inferior:
They often abhor labels and being put into a box, no matter how correct it may be, and strive to be understood as individuals and understand everyone else with the same mentality. However, they often end up putting people into boxes much more restrictive than they intended, such as "People with lower IQ obviously cannot understand me."
In the case of INFJs, they reject material needs and demands and reject trends, fashions, because they see them as fleeting and temporary, and yet, end up judging others who are not current with the latest trends, fashions, technology, etc.
---
I didn't focus much on the individual personality types as much as the differences between them. That was my intention. There may be more nuances and I might update this in near future with extended descriptions.
Thank you for reading.
Helpful links:
http://forums.infjs.com/showthread.php?t=14424
http://www.personalitynation.com/infj/3317-infj-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/infp/3188-infp-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html
So let me elaborate on this and what being Fi>Ne, rather than Ni>Fe, means.
1. Fi>Ne vs. Ni>Fe
Fi in the dominant position is a very real-time function, it exists in the present and doesn't necessarily recall previous information in order to make a judgment. Fi-dominants go into a situation and with the aid of their Ne, they decide whether or not they agree with it. In a sense, they are unconcerned with conversations before that point and only consider the present worth importance. This is different from Ni-dominants who often plan ahead and need a much longer time to digest new information.
Here's an example. An INFP friend asked me if I fretted about what I said in social situations, and say things after analyzing them. I agreed with her, because I do. However, where we differed was that, I plan ahead. I will often make very elaborate plans about what I would say in a social situation and I stack up on different responses that could possibly come up, so I wouldn't be in an unfamiliar territory, whereas she decides on the spot. She takes each statement and analyzes it with her Ne and Fi, and responds appropriately. If I tried that, not only would I find it extremely uncomfortable (inferior Pe), but get agitated at being thrown into an unfamiliar situation that I cannot predict, and consequently, control.
2. Si>Te vs. Ti>Se
[This is where I veer away slightly from the Lenore Thomson model. The tertiary function is often understood to be a replacement for when the auxiliary fails to cope. I agree, but there is more to it: the tertiary function is our aspiration function. It is what we aim to get better at with experience and are ever-so-fascinated by displays of in other people. For INFJs, it is Ti. For INFPs, it is Si.]
INFJs are often fascinated by displays of Ti. They find it incredible and inspiring, and often seek out INTPs and ISTPs to befriend so they can learn more about it. The tertiary function, however, is also their weak spot: in an argument against an INTP, for example, where an INTP writes a long, detailed, argument that is secured by Ti, the INFJ quickly deflates and backs down. [This is the easiest way to defeat an INFJ. Take notes.]
This is equivalent to how INTJs react to Fi, and often seek INFPs and ISFPs to befriend.
INFPs, on the other hand, have an identical attitude towards Si. As such, they will often keep memorabilia such as diaries, scrap-books, photographs, and such so they can feel the past over and over again, and often seek out Si-dominants who have a similar tendency to store their experiences into objects.
[Note: INFJs also keep reusing old things for long periods of time, but often because they are afraid of unfamiliarity, not because they see the past as something that needs to be preserved.]
INFJs with a Ti fetish will often obsess over things such as personality theories and any way in which they get the opportunity to categorize their experiences into efficient, non-hierarchical categories.
[Note: INFPs often do the same, but for different reasons. See Dual Nature of Inferior below.]
---
Lastly, the inferior function: the dreaded Anima/Animus. The effect varies from person to person. Some people have better integrated their inferior function into their lives, and some have managed to reject it entirely. Most of the INFP and INFJ descriptions on the internet are exaggerated to the point where the effect of the inferior function is nullified. However, practically, this is often not the case. The inferior function can be described as the the part of us that we chose to reject in favor of the dominant - however, it is also our biggest weakness, and our fixation with it never really ends.
Inferior Se shows up in INFJs as an obsession with the external world, while simultaneously rejecting it. As an example, see Daria.
greenlightwiki said:Extraverted sensation is the main theme of the Daria show. It's her (and Jane Lane's) primary obsession in life: the world of appearances, shared action and shared pleasure--dances, parties, fashion, popularity, hipness, the never-ending waves of new social manias joyfully accepted and soon forgotten. Despite her supposed braininess, she keeps showing up, keeps paying attention, keeps watching. She is obsessed. But her Ni-based self-image prevents her from ever seeing that she wants to be liked, to be popular, to be seen as pretty, to be able to tear loose and let the wild part of herself out to play. Nothing could be more frightening than that last prospect, though.
INFPs on the other hand, have a similar attitude towards Te, which shows up as rejection of organized external structure, a rejection of authority figures, a rejection of the government, all the while having an unholy obsession with all things authoritative. They often get deeply involved in conspiracy theories because in their Te-inferior eyes, no authority figure or organization is to be trusted. (See [MENTION=963]myself[/MENTION])
The Dual Nature of the Inferior:
They often abhor labels and being put into a box, no matter how correct it may be, and strive to be understood as individuals and understand everyone else with the same mentality. However, they often end up putting people into boxes much more restrictive than they intended, such as "People with lower IQ obviously cannot understand me."
In the case of INFJs, they reject material needs and demands and reject trends, fashions, because they see them as fleeting and temporary, and yet, end up judging others who are not current with the latest trends, fashions, technology, etc.
---
I didn't focus much on the individual personality types as much as the differences between them. That was my intention. There may be more nuances and I might update this in near future with extended descriptions.
Thank you for reading.
Helpful links:
http://forums.infjs.com/showthread.php?t=14424
http://www.personalitynation.com/infj/3317-infj-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html
http://www.personalitynation.com/infp/3188-infp-jungian-cognitive-function-analysis.html