Yeah, I totally agree with you on this izzie.

I'm not weak or needy. Am I sensitive? Yeah. And poetic, and deep and all of that. How could I be weak when it's 10x harder for me to talk to people in a group, or deal with the deluge of negativity and confrontational crap where I work, or what have you? I do all of that very well, and I do it every day, thank you, and last time I checked, if I do that as well as non sensitive types to whom it's a cinch ... that makes me pretty damn strong.

Oh, and if the zombie apocalypse comes, I think we'd all thrive. Think about it. No jobs, no socializing, lots of solitude, and creative thinking is a survival skill. INFPs would rule roud:

Personally, I really hate conflict. But if someone decides to go there with me, I can hold my own. I may pay for it later, but I don't back down. And if they REALLY want to go there, well ... remember that scene in the first Lord of the Rings movie when Bilbo mouths off to Gandalf? Yeah. That would be me.

Meddle not in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.... :angry:

1) INFP's cannot stand up for themselves
I can stand up for myself of someone treads on my values. In fact, when someone treads on me, I face them directly and keep contact as they submit to whatever negative conflict could be formed if I attacked him. Instead, I state my defense while keeping contact, and leave other more judgmental people in the immediate area think what they will. Later, I work on forming rapport with them, since I was the one to rattle their emotional cage to begin with. It works as the environment changes, actually (Standing outside college waiting for a bus to being on the bus with a neutral party like the bus driver and other bus riders being around).


2) INFP's hate logic
It's partially true for me. I don't like going into depths of logic because it comes with a price to me. Extremely logical environment = less room for emotions and creativity, unless it's created in other ways (like music, or nature walks from time to time; it's a matter of preserving what's dear to me [values] to me). I dislike it because the last time I studied for a logical bar, I lost it because I never took time out to express myself. In a couple months, that's coming up again though..


3) INFP's can't survive if really major tragedies/disasters were to happen on a global scale
...I'm striving to get to a point where I can finally be useful to others in emergencies. In fact, I'm on a road to become part of a very strong and renown faction in my path to become useful.

Just because we're sensitve, does not make us weak.
Just because we're emotional, does not make us unlogical.
Just because we believe, does not make us guillable.

I don't fit in with most sterotypes or with any at all, including INFP ones, It's made me question if I am an INFP but I realised how stupid it would be to start judging myself on sterotypes.

Sterotypes is just another of the many problems socity and the media created and it needs to bugger off. Is it sterotypical of me to class socity and media as sterotypical judgemental people making those with small insight lead to believe and follow those sterotype judging behaviour? I wish the whole thing will go away!

Bah stereotypes! They should never be the foundation of your judgment.

Interestingly enough, I often hear those steteotypes from INFPs themselves. The one thing INFPs should change about themselves is to increase their self esteem. I love reading posts from INFPs (and NFs in general) who truly love themselves. I have such a hard time with that, myself.

Izzie, where did you come across those particular stereotypes?

I don't do stereotypes. I am me.

Well I think one of the purposes of MBTI is to provide tools for introspection. It helps us recognize and change our own negative tendencies and mature, moving further away from our stereotypes.

Interesting discussion. For my own part, #1 is the only one I really can raise my hand to. I can't stand up for myself to save my life. In fact, the last time I stood up for myself was in sixth grade, but that involved me picking my harasser up by his throat. I've stood up for other people, yes, but very very rarely for myself.

As for logic, sometimes I let my brain get too wrapped up in trying to make logical sense of things (which usually are emotions I'm trying to deal with). It can get messy, but the world of logic is not one I am uncomfortable in.

Which brings us to the final point. I don't know what it is, but when bad things happen in my life I go stone cold. Seriously, I can just shunt things somewhere else and deal, even in situations that no one else can approach. While the long-term ramifications of, say, an asteroid striking and unleashing a horde of evil aliens to pick over the survivors of the human race would get to me, I know that I can go to that place that scares me a bit and deal with it. To quote a song "save your tears for the day when the pain is far behind."

Anyway, that's just me. Again, very interesting topic. :happy:

Pretty much all of these only apply to unhealthy INFP's. Unhealthy INFP=stereotypical one

izzie said:

1) INFP's cannot stand up for themselves

Say what? Yes, I can. I just choose to be less direct, less aggressive and more tolerant when the situation calls for it in my personal view. However, if you push most of my limits, you will get an explosive, outspoken INFP and I won't need anyone to baby me during those battles. I can stand on my own.

2) INFP's hate logic

That is stupid. Just because I am highly creative and like idealizing a lot, it doesn't mean I hate logic. Just because my intuition can be ahead of my reasoning process, it doesn't mean I disregard logic. How the hell can I choose what to eat everyday, I study politics, live in my own house and even understand language without logic? I can see reason and just because I see certain connections between reason and values, it does not make me unreasonable.

3) INFP's can't survive if really major tragedies/disasters were to happen on a global scale

Our gut feelings and emotional compassion can actually be a great advantage, it's just a matter of believing in ourselves and combining them with our logical skills. It can make us great team players and cooperating members in aid organizations, but I suppose we'd have to work on our conflict resolution skills. I suppose it's just the tendency of members in modern society to disregard how powerful instincts can be but whatever.

Haiti miracles continue: French rescue team ignores practicality resulting in another rescue (video) - National Spiritual Living | Examiner.com

I'm not saying we're the best, but don't assume INFP = stupid/retarded/can't survive.

Stupid stereotypes.

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If I wasn't able to use logic, I wouldn't lose so much time trying to understand things, trying to see the logic behind everything.

indeed. an INFP with no sense of logic or reality just spends his time daydreaming in fantasy land since that's the only use he has for his Ne without logic, but that is most certainly not all INFP's. all INFP's have a heavy sense of fantasy but it's easy to assume that that's all their minds are capable of.

Dary said:

If I wasn't able to use logic, I wouldn't lose time trying to understand things, trying to see the logic behind everything.

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I've seen them a couple of times. Certain people can be subtle about it too. Like they would talk as if INFP's are expected to be doormats or something. And also, I suppose by the way certain people of other types had treated me before. It really felt as if they would expect me not to stand up for myself and not have real opinions, just because I am an intense person.

Matchbook said:

Izzie, where did you come across those particular stereotypes?

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We might not survive in the environment they are creating for us. But if really major tragedies/disasters were to happen on a global scale, they will be surprised who will thrive the best.

I am so proud of myself to be INFP.

INFP hate logic? Come on Im a fucking software engineer, logic is my second name!. I love to find patterns that very related with logic and intuitiveness.

I have suffered many tragedies in mya life and here I am. And yeah I fell on depression but could escape, from that hole and that requires a lot of strenght and mental power.

I have found that when INFP get older gets better. When I was a tenegeer I was the "cry baby thing", but Im glad I had lived those bitter days, Im a more mature person thanks to those experiences.

If you are younger than me, trust me, thing will go better. My current vision on being INFP is a possitive one.