Joined
·
3,721 Posts
Maybe it's just me, but it seems to me like the general impression that people have of ISFJ's is that they're nice, loyal and hardworking people...but that's the extent to what they're useful for. People like ISFJ's when they have a problem and need someone to be there for them, and they like how they're always reliable when it comes to work being carried out. But when it comes to actually expressing an opinion, or being knowledgeable about a subject, or discussing an issue, it feels like ISFJ's thoughts aren't always taken as seriously as other types. It's like "Oh, well, this ISFJ means well, and is really sweet...but they just don't understand, we'll let them think what they want, and when they're gone, we can get down to business." It almost feels like a sense of being overlooked or dismissed, almost like how a child would be treated.
I think it's easy to see where an N would think this, especially an NT. Dominant Si makes us seem very close-minded and stuck in our own worlds, and I think that sometimes N's find us unimaginative and unable to think outside of the box when it comes to big, "important" issues. Granted, I've heard similar things said about all SJ's, but I feel like STJ's at least are more confrontational about their thoughts and there's more a respect for them. With ESFJ's it seems to be kind of different....ESFJ's seem to get on people's nerves more, so there seems to be more of a dislike and a frustration rather than a dismissal as there might be with an ISFJ.
It's not as big of a deal with SP's, but I sometimes feel like they have so much more life experience doing things. So if a topic comes up about some activity or event, sometimes I feel like they can have the upper hand because they can say "Well, I've done this, you don't know what you're talking about."
The same is kind of true with any E type, especially ES's...because they're so people oriented, it feels like they have an advantage when it comes to social issues.
I know that I've felt this way in my own life, though it may just be all my perception rather than other people's opinions of me. I've kind of felt this way a lot of my life. Sometimes I feel like a little kid still, especially because I'm hurt so easily and hate hurting others. I like discussing things sometimes, but if it gets too heated then later on my mind will dwell on anything I was hurt by, and I tend to remember a lot of those things. I used to think it was just something that was just attributed to me as a person, but now I'm kind of curious if it's not somehow related to type as well.
I don't know if there's any truth to this at all, or if it's all in my head. But if there is any truth to it, in all fairness, I think to a degree ISFJ's bring it upon themselves. If an ISFJ is content to staying in their own world, if they don't stand up for themselves, if they're always nice and if they always put others before themselves, then they put themselves in a position to be manipulated and taken advantage of anyway.
However, at the same time, I've also heard ISFJ's say that at times when they do try to be confrontational and stand up for themselves about something, because it's so out of character, it's viewed more of as a blip in their behaviors and it's not taken seriously...and because an ISFJ can be hurt so easily, they can get discouraged easily to do it again.
It's possible other types feel this as well, particularly IF types. But I always view INF's as being more equipped about this sort of thing because they tend to think about a lot of these issues a lot anyway, and ISFP's seem to be so independent that they don't care as much. It seems to stick more with an ISFJ.
Anyway...this was just something on my mind, and I was wondering if other ISFJ's can relate to this at all, and maybe even if other types can say that they see it as well.
I think it's easy to see where an N would think this, especially an NT. Dominant Si makes us seem very close-minded and stuck in our own worlds, and I think that sometimes N's find us unimaginative and unable to think outside of the box when it comes to big, "important" issues. Granted, I've heard similar things said about all SJ's, but I feel like STJ's at least are more confrontational about their thoughts and there's more a respect for them. With ESFJ's it seems to be kind of different....ESFJ's seem to get on people's nerves more, so there seems to be more of a dislike and a frustration rather than a dismissal as there might be with an ISFJ.
It's not as big of a deal with SP's, but I sometimes feel like they have so much more life experience doing things. So if a topic comes up about some activity or event, sometimes I feel like they can have the upper hand because they can say "Well, I've done this, you don't know what you're talking about."
The same is kind of true with any E type, especially ES's...because they're so people oriented, it feels like they have an advantage when it comes to social issues.
I know that I've felt this way in my own life, though it may just be all my perception rather than other people's opinions of me. I've kind of felt this way a lot of my life. Sometimes I feel like a little kid still, especially because I'm hurt so easily and hate hurting others. I like discussing things sometimes, but if it gets too heated then later on my mind will dwell on anything I was hurt by, and I tend to remember a lot of those things. I used to think it was just something that was just attributed to me as a person, but now I'm kind of curious if it's not somehow related to type as well.
I don't know if there's any truth to this at all, or if it's all in my head. But if there is any truth to it, in all fairness, I think to a degree ISFJ's bring it upon themselves. If an ISFJ is content to staying in their own world, if they don't stand up for themselves, if they're always nice and if they always put others before themselves, then they put themselves in a position to be manipulated and taken advantage of anyway.
However, at the same time, I've also heard ISFJ's say that at times when they do try to be confrontational and stand up for themselves about something, because it's so out of character, it's viewed more of as a blip in their behaviors and it's not taken seriously...and because an ISFJ can be hurt so easily, they can get discouraged easily to do it again.
It's possible other types feel this as well, particularly IF types. But I always view INF's as being more equipped about this sort of thing because they tend to think about a lot of these issues a lot anyway, and ISFP's seem to be so independent that they don't care as much. It seems to stick more with an ISFJ.
Anyway...this was just something on my mind, and I was wondering if other ISFJ's can relate to this at all, and maybe even if other types can say that they see it as well.