[perpetual daydreamer]

I don't really identify with other INFPs. I have an INFP/J friend, and while she is artistic and insightful at times, she's also neurotic, emotionally volatile, and self-destructive. It's her energy that I can't stand that makes me avoid her; I feel that she's so crazy that I can't be around her without being emotionally consumed.

Likewise, I don't really find a lot of these threads in the INFP forum interesting. I don't mean to be rude, but I'd rather read some article on professional development or economics than muse about people's personalities, which feels like intellectual masturbation--there's a lot of talking but it really goes nowhere. And yet, I'm curious to see what other people have to say about this post..

Thirdly, I don't actually like the MTBI description of INFPs...I actually wish I was anything else but INFP. The qualities attributed with the personality seem very weak-willed, fragile, and incapable of surviving in this real world. But there are definite traits in me that I see as INFP...the constant daydreaming, perfectionism, a strong sense of romanticism...I don't know.

I excelled in high school (rank 1), went to a top university in the US, majored in the physical sciences. Accepted to a competitive professional school. I've never really taken any humanity classes but my guess is that I would find it interesting but too subjective and b.s...Doesn't fit very well with the INFP with an affinity for creative writing and psychology.


I've scored as INFP for the past 5 years. :frustrating:

 

[HappyThoughts]

Maybe you're not INFP...Tests arn't always right.

 

[infpblog]

INFP indicates a preference in behavior. It doesn't indicate:

1. values
2. belief systems
3. likes or dislikes

Your primary and secondary cognitive preferences makes you view and interpret information in a certain way. This causes a pattern of behavior that can classified as INFP. There's a saying, first you make your habits and then your habits make you. Sometimes this pattern of behavior is not conducive in creating the life you want. If you understand the pattern of behavior, why it happens, when it happens then when you don't get the results you're looking for, you have the ability to compensate for which default behaviors aren't helping you get what you want.

INFP has nothing to do with likes or dislikes, whether someone likes psychology over economics. Your value system comes from a completely different source than your cognitive preferences.

It's a really common misconception by people new to the MBTI that values and beliefs have a correlation to MBTI type. Hey you don't believe or like what other INFP believe, like or value so therefore you're not an INFP. I haven't seen a shred of research in the last 20 years that supports the correlation between a particular set of values and beliefs with specific MBTI type.

 

[RoyA]

I know what you mean. I really get the feeling sometimes that those long winded character profile things associated with the MBTI are just a big load of bullshit. The typical thing you read for an INFP paints a picture of a melancholic, self-obsessed wannabe poet. It's definitely the worst one to have, if there's any truth to them.

 

[alienvomitsex]

I know what you mean. I really get the feeling sometimes that those long winded character profile things associated with the MBTI are just a big load of bullshit. The typical thing you read for an INFP paints a picture of a melancholic, self-obsessed wannabe poet. It's definitely the worst one to have, if there's any truth to them.

Maybe so. But my 'melancholic' mood swings, depth of feeling and tendency to express myself in esoteric ways have really made my existence alot more colorful. I can't imagine living any other way; I feel like other types have a more bland inner life.

 

[basementbugs]

Maybe so. But my 'melancholic' mood swings, depth of feeling and tendency to express myself in esoteric ways have really made my existence alot more colorful. I can't imagine living any other way; I feel like other types have a more bland inner life.

This. I wouldn't trade those tendencies for anything. There are things I would like to change about how I cope with life sometimes, and I'll freely admit that, but I wouldn't ever want to lose those aspects of myself.

Anyway, @perpetual daydreamer, I think @infpblog made some excellent points. Also, like someone else suggested, tests aren't always accurate.

 

[RoyA]

Maybe so. But my 'melancholic' mood swings, depth of feeling and tendency to express myself in esoteric ways have really made my existence alot more colorful. I can't imagine living any other way; I feel like other types have a more bland inner life.

emotions are judgement-clouding bullshit vibes, i'd rather be a psychopath

 

[basementbugs]

@RoyA I'd rather be an emotional wreck than a psychopath any day. To each their own, though.

 

[perpetual daydreamer]

@infpblog Thank you for that insightful post!

Maybe so. But my 'melancholic' mood swings, depth of feeling and tendency to express myself in esoteric ways have really made my existence alot more colorful. I can't imagine living any other way; I feel like other types have a more bland inner life.

That is a typical thing my INFP friend would say! That is true, I feel like my friend is able to express herself very deeply, but at the same time, she clings to this sort of thing as her identity. It's probably true that other types have a bland inner life, it's because they simply don't agonize over these interior feelings. And hence, their lives are infinitely simplified. Sometimes it's just easier not to ponder so much since emotions are so transient anyway. @RoyA, I'd rather be a psychopath too! I know a psychopath and he is winning at life...

 

[RoyA]

@RoyA, I'd rather be a psychopath too! I know a psychopath and he is winning at life...

for some inspiration, read 'the mask of sanity' by hervey cleckley, and 'the 48 laws of power' by robert greene.

 

[cloudcompeller]

@perpetual daydreamer

Your background and mine are like identical twins...except that I major in Economics and don't really like to read stuff about that, sometimes. I am soooo jealous To be honest, I don't read the long-winded articles about personality types...I just follow my intution and thinking to learn those stuff - much faster, easier and less confusion but accurate. In real life, I don't like all of my INFP friends either. Though I understand them on an emphatic level, I found them quite unreasonable sometimes and think they really should grow up. Come on, this is life! On the contrary, I hate overly critical people like NT types who think that they know everything and unbelievably stubborn. Sorry if that becomes bragging.

Don't be surprised if you don't take humantities class, nor do I except Economics if that counts. I can live in the imagination of history, but I don't usually enjoy the long long thesis and articles. Even more surprisingly, I am not a keen reader but I still excel in academic studies.

However, I enjoy being an INFP because I posses such ability to appreciate what I'm studying and explore it with depths of philosophy. Being an INFP doesn't mean that you must take the humantities course. Frankly, no one can like everything in the course. The traits of INFP are that they have their own personal values, very deep in their mind. So, you might have different values from other INFPs. Maybe you are a more intelligent INFPs (that might include me ), who have strong personal views on how things should be done and intrepreted. Indeed, I'm an hybrid of INFP. My introverted thinking is 'on par' with my introverted feeling. Actually, everything in me is introverted, but one thing is that Fi is my very dominant function; that's why I put myself as an INFP and tests results were mostly consistent about that. You might be the boundary case of every type of personality, or not even a type! How happy to be unique

 

[kaleidoscope]

@RoyA, @perpetual daydreamer,

Be careful what you wish for. My friend who has AsPD and who others call "psychopath" (although I'm against that word) is now depressed because of her inability to feel. Don't be so quick to discard how important emotions are to daily life.

There can be a middle ground. It's not either psychopathy or downright emotional masochism (although I fall more in the latter category lol). You can be balanced and healthy.

 

[Pom87]

@perpetual daydreamer

I think infpblog pretty much stated it spot on. Everyone is different and their own self, no matter which type. I also understand what you mean with the kind of topics found in the INFP sub-forums. I tend to find most of them interesting, but I know they don't lead anywhere, and I tend to avoid the depression topics.

That you are more interested in economics than intellectual masturbation, as what we do here, well, that is something to embrace. A whole lot of the people on here seem searching for that sense of reality, that you have now. I think you are actually a very well rounded person who has developed all the cognitive functions to a healthy level. Being 100% introverted or 100% perceiving for example, while it looks interesting, is not something which someone should strife for.

As for the description of the MBTI, that does not have to be you, at all. It gives the reader an understanding of what most INFP's tend to be like, but I don't see and trust it as an accurate picture of reality, neither should you, people can be so different..

All in all, you seem to know your interests, and you have obtained your good degrees. But then you still make some type of intellectual masturbation topic, INFP style, where you are unsure about your position in life, while at the other hand you seemed to have found it, so what is the actual question and problem? If you connect with the INFP's in all the positive ways, but not in the negative ways, be happy.

There is a lot of stereotyping here with types, and types seem to be thrown around at random or questioned when someone with the same type does not offer a same response. You should take everything with a grain of salt.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

I graduated at the top of my class with undergraduate and graduate degrees in mathematics, taking only the required humanities courses in undergrad. I attained what many in this country would consider success. However, I did not feel "right." As I began to explore other career options, I discovered personality psychology and learned that my personality type is INFP.

Though I did not find a perfect fit with overly simplified descriptions, I identified with key elements of the type. Most enlightening was the recognition of my usage of INFP cognitive functions. From my starting point of online research, advancing to reading Jung, the information that I learned helped me to land in a place where I now feel at home, even if this place isn't considered to be as successful by most. And, yes, I have discovered my love for humanities and psychology and self-expression.

My point is not that INFP's must fit the stereotype and become dramatic, self-centered, poetry-loving underachievers. An individual must find her own way. Hard sciences or humanities, no matter, the important thing is the individual's level of health. Since I do not view life as a competition, I have no understanding of the concept of "winning at life," but, I damn sure know that no amount of money nor outward success would cause me to choose psychopathy over emotional drama.

 

[Ayia]

I graduated at the top of my class with undergraduate and graduate degrees in mathematics, taking only the required humanities courses in undergrad. I attained what many in this country would consider success. However, I did not feel "right." As I began to explore other career options, I discovered personality psychology and learned that my personality type is INFP.

Though I did not find a perfect fit with overly simplified descriptions, I identified with key elements of the type. Most enlightening was the recognition of my usage of INFP cognitive functions. From my starting point of online research, advancing to reading Jung, the information that I learned helped me to land in a place where I now feel at home, even if this place isn't considered to be as successful by most. And, yes, I have discovered my love for humanities and psychology and self-expression.

My point is not that INFP's must fit the stereotype and become dramatic, self-centered, poetry-loving underachievers. An individual must find her own way. Hard sciences or humanities, no matter, the important thing is the individual's level of health. Since I do not view life as a competition, I have no understanding of the concept of "winning at life," but, I damn sure know that no amount of money nor outward success would cause me to choose psychopathy over emotional drama.

I completely agree. The biggest problem with mbti for me, at least, is that it can make me think that I must be an underachiever. I'm no genius, but I'm smarter than most. so it really is a fine line between figuring out who I am, and changing who I am to fit the infp type.

So I really needed to read your post

 

[Jazz0101]

Hmmm..maybe you are suffering from Te-ness envy.

 

[Nienna]

You might want to take a look on enneagram. So far I've been finding it very useful for perceiving and understanding differences among individuals of the same type.

 

[Sily]

You might want to take a look on enneagram. So far I've been finding it very useful for perceiving and understanding differences among individuals of the same type.

Whew! So true... So true!

 

[Marimeli]

First of all, intellectual masturbation is my bread and butter. I frequently seek out mutual masturbation in this regard on the INTP forum.

emotions are judgement-clouding bullshit vibes, i'd rather be a psychopath

I view this differently. I view emotion as another tool in the toolbox; sometimes my emotional or intuitive reactions to things happen before my logical conscious brain catches up. There are times when emotion can cloud your judgment, but there are also times when emotion is a useful and necessary way of interacting with the world (try being emotionless at your best friend's husband's funeral). IMHO, i need both a flathead and a phillip's head screwdriver for different kinds of jobs; I wouldn't throw out my flathead screwdriver just because it gets in the way when I'm looking for the other screwdriver sometimes. We have a great ability to wield emotions instead of letting them wield us.

 

[543222187]

@perpetual daydreamer

Your background and mine are like identical twins...except that I major in Economics and don't really like to read stuff about that, sometimes. I am soooo jealous To be honest, I don't read the long-winded articles about personality types...I just follow my intution and thinking to learn those stuff - much faster, easier and less confusion but accurate. In real life, I don't like all of my INFP friends either. Though I understand them on an emphatic level, I found them quite unreasonable sometimes and think they really should grow up. Come on, this is life! On the contrary, I hate overly critical people like NT types who think that they know everything and unbelievably stubborn. Sorry if that becomes bragging.

Don't be surprised if you don't take humantities class, nor do I except Economics if that counts. I can live in the imagination of history, but I don't usually enjoy the long long thesis and articles. Even more surprisingly, I am not a keen reader but I still excel in academic studies.

However, I enjoy being an INFP because I posses such ability to appreciate what I'm studying and explore it with depths of philosophy. Being an INFP doesn't mean that you must take the humantities course. Frankly, no one can like everything in the course. The traits of INFP are that they have their own personal values, very deep in their mind. So, you might have different values from other INFPs. Maybe you are a more intelligent INFPs (that might include me ), who have strong personal views on how things should be done and intrepreted. Indeed, I'm an hybrid of INFP. My introverted thinking is 'on par' with my introverted feeling. Actually, everything in me is introverted, but one thing is that Fi is my very dominant function; that's why I put myself as an INFP and tests results were mostly consistent about that. You might be the boundary case of every type of personality, or not even a type! How happy to be unique

...where's the fuck this shit button?...

...politics and economics are not a matter of intelligence...

anyways...you should try to fiqure out your enneagram...while i'm not into economics and such i am into philosophy,literature/art......my ne and ni are very related but my fi shoots higher than both...in any event having certain interests does not make you more intelligent or elitist or better than other people...it is a mistake to think you are superior to other people...all people are equal....

... as does having certain cognitive function "differences"...i believe everyone is unique and everyone is not unique at all...

(...no offense...that just really upset me...so sorry...)...