I'm reading names all over the place and am wondering what your opinions are...
What Political/Spiritual Leaders Were INFJ's?
earthling
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
Joined
·
1,177 Posts
I wouldn't be surprised if Obama turned out to be INFJ, he definetely seems like an Fe-using intuitive introvert to me. I don't detect Te or sensing at least. Jesus as a spiritual leader (whether you believe him to be the son of God or not) is also a very clear INFJ to me. The gospels definitely portray him as such, very obvious Ni usage at least. And, like Zomboy also mentioned, I personally consider Hitler to be INFJ (although some consider him insane and for that reason untypable; I disagree with both of those ideas). I typed a pretty long-ass post explaining why I think that in the famous INFJs sticky a while back.
Basically it can go either way. Great capacity for good also means great capacity for evil, and especially if the INFJ is a heavy Ti-user (and thus stuck in a dominant-tertiary loop) (s)he won't stop at anything. Ni-ti makes for a very idiosyncratic point of view, and lack of Fe-usage makes it likely that opposing ideas will be discarded, simply because the INFJ would percieve those ideas as being fundamentally flawed for not fitting into his/her own subjective worldview (this is what I personally believe to be the case with Hitler. He was a very heavy Fe-user in his speeches which he used to manipulate people and to create a cult around his persona, but when it came to policy making he would only trust his own ideas. So in him I see a split in the different functions that Fe has).
Basically it can go either way. Great capacity for good also means great capacity for evil, and especially if the INFJ is a heavy Ti-user (and thus stuck in a dominant-tertiary loop) (s)he won't stop at anything. Ni-ti makes for a very idiosyncratic point of view, and lack of Fe-usage makes it likely that opposing ideas will be discarded, simply because the INFJ would percieve those ideas as being fundamentally flawed for not fitting into his/her own subjective worldview (this is what I personally believe to be the case with Hitler. He was a very heavy Fe-user in his speeches which he used to manipulate people and to create a cult around his persona, but when it came to policy making he would only trust his own ideas. So in him I see a split in the different functions that Fe has).
The Hitler one shocked me to no end!!! :shocked:
Is it true that Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Mandela are included?
Does this mean that these leader/activists became more balanced with their I trait? (sorry if it is more complex than this, I just started reading about MBTI and I don't even know what Fe, Si, etc. means yet...)
Any other political/spiritual INFJ leaders?
Is it true that Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Mandela are included?
Does this mean that these leader/activists became more balanced with their I trait? (sorry if it is more complex than this, I just started reading about MBTI and I don't even know what Fe, Si, etc. means yet...)
Any other political/spiritual INFJ leaders?
Joined
·
309 Posts
Mother Teresa is often caught in between ISFJ and INFJ from the sources I've read. She seems like a hybrid to me.
Hitler was definitely of INFJ personality preference and I think he was actually the more introverted, intuitive subtype. All that passion and intensity that you see in his speeches is actually extraverted feeling function in creative position.
Sometimes you will read of INFJs complaining that other people call them "intense". I have figured out that this intensity is actually produced by using your feeling as an auxiliary aka creative function. Unlike the dominant function (Ni) it isn't always on, but it sort of fires in pulses into environment and you can vary it in intensity. How it comes through is by making very strong definitive judging/decisive statements. On the outside for other people it looks like INFJ is a very passionate or "intense" person. And the more introverted INFJ is, the more intensely this feeling function tends to comes through when it gets a chance.
Jung actually met Hitler and this is what he said about him: "You know you could never talk to this man; because there is nobody there ... It is not an individual; it is an entire nation." To me this sounds like the 'diffuse' ego INFJ sometimes complain about, not knowing internally who you are due to weak introverted judging function. So all Hitler's energy was aimed at building a structure outside of himself in his environment in accordance to his vision. And he did not do it for personal power or glory, he was actually doing it for the German people and what he thought would make the human race better.
His behavior for me strongly resembles that of two ENFJ guys that I know from work, so I thought that he is an ENFJ. There is definitely a difference between having Fe as dominant or the creative function, I can't quite put my finger on it, but in Obama's case it seems to me that Fe works as his dominant function, not creative one. It is always 'on', there isn't that same sense of periodic intensity that comes from auxiliary function.
I do however think he is more introverted ENFJ subtype. From his biography I read that he did drugs when he was in school because he could not quite identify who he was, which would lead to greater introversion and stronger use of Ni and Ti: "Obama has also written and talked about using alcohol, marijuana and cocaine during his teenage years to "push questions of who I was out of my mind". At the 2008 Civil Forum on the Presidency, Obama identified his high-school drug use as a great moral failure." One of the guys at my work also seems to be intuitive type of ENFJ, he is definitely an extravert - his Fe is very frequently starting conversations with others and he stays in conversation for longer than I do. But he also makes an impression of being sort of 'deep' extravert. In comparison to the other ENFJ guy he pauses more before he speaks, I suppose this is to reference his Ni. Obama kind of makes same impression on me, at least I see many parallels in their behavior.
Joined
·
21 Posts
Obama is definitely INFJ. I watched a documentary about his campaign and there were moments where he had "me time" and his campaign knew to leave him alone an disturb him. From reading his books and about his life from his roommates he is more introverted than extraverted. With the position he is in it would be easy to think him extraverted because you don't really see him thinking by himself somewhere. The position demands contact with people at all times.
Joined
·
1,441 Posts
Gandhi and Mandela are for sure INFJs. I have extensively studied and read biographies of Gandhi and personal letters of his to friends and writing in his own news papers and other documents he published, my opinion is INFJ for sure. I have not had the chance to study Mandela as much but from that small amount that I have read of him I do believe him to be an INFJ, he displays the Ni+Fe mixture that is a major tell-tale sign of an INFJ. These people are much more then just INFJs though, their personalities are far too large to put into a personality type, one cannot describe a person of their stature are on a totally different level.
If anyone wants to see a prime example of an INFJ and even an imperfect one, learn about Gandhi, many people don't realize how many faults he actually had. His story if you go to the real depths of learning about him is incredible, from how he was as a child and even as a young adult to the way he ended up being what everyone images him. He was no where near perfect.
P.S. if anyone is interested about learning of Gandhi send me a PM and I will give you some suggestions on things to read or even to watch/listen to if you don't like reading.
If anyone wants to see a prime example of an INFJ and even an imperfect one, learn about Gandhi, many people don't realize how many faults he actually had. His story if you go to the real depths of learning about him is incredible, from how he was as a child and even as a young adult to the way he ended up being what everyone images him. He was no where near perfect.
P.S. if anyone is interested about learning of Gandhi send me a PM and I will give you some suggestions on things to read or even to watch/listen to if you don't like reading.
Joined
·
3,960 Posts
the buddha infj? might i inquire as to your reasoning?
Joined
·
2,056 Posts
Well, it is put forth many places as his type, and as always it is hard to type ancient figures, but based on the stories of him I agree he is INFJ. Here's what I think: he is obviously I (probably the most I out of all the religious leaders), he is clearly N (an S would not abandon everything to go out in search of 'himself' and the 'truth'), he seems F to me because his entire philosophy (if you can call it that) is based on the easing of suffering in life. While, yes, he did do a bunch of thinking, his words never come off as intellectual. Finally, and hardest of all, I think he is J, because I have an extremely hard time believing an INFP could a) abandon his wife and child suddenly one night in search of a better life, and b) stay so committed to meditating and so forth. It seems to me an INFP would simply not 'stick to it' if he doesn't see results right away.
Obviously, this isn't always true, as I meditate and I'm INFP, but still, I have large gaps where I don't do it at all, simply because I put it off or make up other reasons why it is useless. I have a feeling a J would stick to it anyway.
Also, from what I have observed, INFJs commit their lives to helping others. Total Fe. And the Buddha's main goal was to help others out of suffering and ignorance. Hope that helps -- it's what I think anyway!
Joined
·
3,960 Posts
very helpful indeed xezene,( i too thought buddha infj) it however occured to me that buddha's thought was much to abound in the extensivity of the existential form to have purported external judgement,notably, buddha's understanding(or rather perhaps perspective) that life proceeds in interconnectedness of cyclicality...a continuity of existential forces that one must align one's form with(elimination of the self) thereby comprehending it's variety of form by experience, in which i suspect could not be so without the significance of functions Fi and Ne...but as you have stated it is difficult in attempting to type an antiquated figure(of notable stature~many tales, most contradictory and fantastical) and so budhha's truth escapes me..,But thanks a bunch for your reply xezene! 
Joined
·
511 Posts
Hmm. So I have a question for you. What do you think the differences between J and P are? You mention two things that I don't think actually relate to J or P but to personal discipline (B) and life values (A).
(A) "I think he is J, because I have an extremely hard time believing an INFP could a) abandon his wife and child suddenly one night in search of a better life"
(B) "I have large gaps where I don't do it at all, simply because I put it off or make up other reasons why it is useless. I have a feeling a J would stick to it anyway."
I'm trying to get a better understanding of J/P or whatever it might be. I already have problems with the word perceiving being used. Especially since Jung himself said that perceiving is the same as sensing, even though he said that before the MBTI was thought up, I think. And I'm sure he wasn't thinking of the Perceiving as it's used in the J/P dichotomy. But something seems not right about it, to me, and I want to get a better understanding of it.
All unharmed human brains have and use all functions, but differ in those function's development and "preferences" of which to use when. Also, an Ni Fe Ti Se combination is more likely to give you thought abound in the extensivity of the existential form than is anything with Fi Ne as major players, I think. What do you think?very helpful indeed xezene,( i too thought buddha infj) it however occured to me that buddha's thought was much to abound in the extensivity of the existential form to have purported external judgement,notably, buddha's understanding(or rather perhaps perspective) that life proceeds in interconnectedness of cyclicality...a continuity of existential forces that one must align one's form with(elimination of the self) thereby comprehending it's variety of form by experience, in which i suspect could not be so without the significance of functions Fi and Ne...but as you have stated it is difficult in attempting to type an antiquated figure(of notable stature~many tales, most contradictory and fantastical) and so budhha's truth escapes me..,But thanks a bunch for your reply xezene!
As far as Gautama Buddha's type goes, I believe he would be all types, and no type, or one type. Although maybe INFJs have bonuses when it comes to seeking enlightenment, despite having more of our self in the way on the journey.
Joined
·
3,960 Posts
All unharmed human brains have and use all functions, but differ in those function's development and "preferences" of which to use when. Also, an Ni Fe Ti Se combination is more likely to give you thought abound in the extensivity of the existential form than is anything with Fi Ne as major players, I think. What do you think?
yes,i am aware of the function's placement as upon the mind of the human being irrespective of preeminent type(but failed to state it for fear of tangential dialogue on my part).Fi as of my knowledge acclimates one to a state in which a rudimentary "oneness" is known to be(the interconnected codependency of living beings,thus "a living thing is not to be harmed). While Ne conditions the mind to a ceaselessness of informative inclusion relative to the external enviornment(buddha's constance of reformation in his thought or vision as his "journeys" introduced to him greater insight..though the maxim of his reason remained the same).. that is of my thought, though admittedly my knowledge of Ni is limited,in matters of type, the possibility of buddha as infp remains with me intensively.
As far as Gautama Buddha's type goes, I believe he would be all types, and no type, or one type..ah yes i do believe so..for buddha's quest was such as to trandscend the mere foibles of the human character in so to grasp of the elementary principles, to expunge them of their inauthenticities and present man with "truth"
yes,i am aware of the function's placement as upon the mind of the human being irrespective of preeminent type(but failed to state it for fear of tangential dialogue on my part).Fi as of my knowledge acclimates one to a state in which a rudimentary "oneness" is known to be(the interconnected codependency of living beings,thus "a living thing is not to be harmed). While Ne conditions the mind to a ceaselessness of informative inclusion relative to the external enviornment(buddha's constance of reformation in his thought or vision as his "journeys" introduced to him greater insight..though the maxim of his reason remained the same).. that is of my thought, though admittedly my knowledge of Ni is limited,in matters of type, the possibility of buddha as infp remains with me intensively.
As far as Gautama Buddha's type goes, I believe he would be all types, and no type, or one type..ah yes i do believe so..for buddha's quest was such as to trandscend the mere foibles of the human character in so to grasp of the elementary principles, to expunge them of their inauthenticities and present man with "truth"
Joined
·
1,177 Posts
Basically this. I've posted this video before, but for those who haven't seen it, this speech is an excellent example of that 'intensity' in my opinion:
Also quite possible. I based my hunch not on the way he uses Fe, but rather on his behavioral patterns (although I haven't seen much footage of him) which seem to indicate introversion. From what I can tell he likes to withdraw. Then there's also my personal bias because I feel that inferior Ti would make the job of president quite difficult. But I can see what you mean by his Fe always being 'on'. I just wish people would cut the man some slack sometimes. The messiah thing was just an election gimmick, people can't honestly expect him to solve all the issues in so little time.
1 - 15 of 15 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
