[j3321]

I can't tell. Sometimes I feel more calculating than anyone I know, to a fault, other times I feel more creative than most, to a fault e.g. no grounded in reality, no concrete achievements but tons of sweet ideas in my notepad.

 

[Mason117]

That is pretty much the definition of a INTP. Highly creative and spontaneous and yet unusually calculating. Unfortunately we are too busy thinking about anything and everything to actually do things.

Fortunately (at least in the way I see it), I am a type 8 and thus determined to become better than everyone around me and wants everyone to know I'm better, so I actually make the effort to strive for concrete intellectual and physical achievements that I can rub in everyones faces.

 

[madame cabanis]

Or you can just cheat and say "I am creatively calculating."

 

[NeonBomb]

I think your creativity seems more significant

 

[j3321]

I think even ISTJ's might be more calculating than me. I consider myself more "intellectual" but not more calculating. I think I'm more creative/outisde the box than them. And as for INTJ's...I'd say more creative because the J is not compelling me to organize and make decisions constantly through the day.

Thoughts?

 

[Acebrock]

Can't it be both?

 

[thewindlistens]

Can't it be both?

Exactly what I was gonna say. Why is this supposed to be mutually exclusive?

 

[Socrates]

Creatively calculating. I'd say ISTJs are more calculating, and INFP is more creative...

I do, however, quite enjoy the mix of creative/calculative. I'd prefer intellectual over either, and I think I manage.

 

[hotshot5120]

I'd have to go with those who say creatively calculating. It's a shame we don't actually bring a lot of our ideas to fruition. We could rule the world. Maybe.:dry:

 

[j3321]

Creatively calculating works for me, although I do think that if you become too creative or too calculating it's hard to balance both. Extreme calculation works against creativity. Ever has an ISTJ co-worker? Yeah.

 

[Radiant Flux]

Or you can just cheat and say "I am creatively calculating."

Or caluculating creativly.

For me, I find myself more creative in a scientific way, so if I were a science I would be physics instead of say... Biology. We have that odd comination of being logical and completely abstract, so it can be a bit contradictory at times.

 

[j3321]

Logical yet completely abstract is an excellent way of talking about this little dilemma. Thanks.

 

[pie]

calculating:
2 : marked by prudent analysis or by shrewd consideration of self-interest : scheming

I have never thought of myself as being calculating at all. I have like 0 ability to scheme.

 

[j3321]

That's more connotative than denotative. (I said calculating because it had a nice ring to it when fired off after the word creative.)

Flux figured it out. I'm very analytical but I don't analyze sensory reality, I analyze abstract concepts I generate with my imagination, a.k.a. creativity.

Beautiful. Everyone should thank her. She solved the mystery.

 

[feefafo]

I like to think I'm both, but I'm not really. So I don't know. However, it does seem that Flux hit the nail on the head.

 

[pie]

That's more connotative than denotative. (I said calculating because it had a nice ring to it when fired off after the word creative.)

Flux figured it out. I'm very analytical but I don't analyze sensory reality, I analyze abstract concepts I generate with my imagination, a.k.a. creativity.

Beautiful. Everyone should thank her. She solved the mystery.

what I posted was one of the dictionary definitions, which by, uh, definition is denotative. but whatever. I didn't realize you were asking this as a solve-this-mystery sort of question, just how we see ourselves.

I would agree that I analyze abstract concepts. I do analyze sensory reality in some areas of interest, though, such as analyzing a plant's leaves and flowers in order to identify it.

 

[j3321]

The "solve the mystery" line was mostly sarcasm.

Your dictionary definition was not primary, it was the secondary definition (#2), thus more connotative than denotative.

I agree with you about analyzing sensory things. I loved micro-biology. I loved the microscopes. But I hated the assignments and projects. I like to look at something under the scope then let it stimulate my imagination and build connections and create theories. I don't stick to literal facts too long...conceptualizing in no time. The projects were asking me to do the opposite of that (hence why I abandoned science and am now in the humanities).