Pick a Song That Embodies the INFJ Persona

This isn't the original but I like the flavor of this version better than the original so I'm posting it.

The Sound of Silence

Hello darkness, my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

Ni - doesn't even necessarily have to mean a literal dream either.

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence

Ni-Fe

"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed in the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning,
In the words that it was forming

And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence

The whole thing reminds me of Plato's allegory of the Cave. The author is seeing all these people going through the motions without any true connection or understanding taking place. But you can see through all the superficiality of the "light." They live in denial and skate on the surface and worship it as if it's the true essence of everything when you know the truth is found in the deep, silent darkness. But you see it and you attempt to wake people up and warn them, to teach them and bring them these insights, these visions that came to you. The focus is on other people (Fe) - the writer is frustrated with them for being blind and choosing to stay asleep.

I really love this song and I think it reflects a typical experience for an INFJ. The loneliness that often comes along with these insights you receive that people are often not even interested in seeing. And the frustration that comes along with trying to get through to people because you genuinely care about them and yet many are uninterested in hearing the truth, in hearing wisdom. Many people are just content to live in ignorance or some illusion they've created for themselves. In the end, Darkness often feels like your best friend.

Great choice, @Vivid Melody! I've always thought that song embodies INFJ all the way, and great of you for connecting it to Plato's Allegory of the Cave. I hadn't thought of that before, but it's so true. See "Patterns" also by Simon and Garfunkel for another great INFJ song.

Just one? There's so many, but if I had to choose one:


Through the rain and all the clatter
Under the Fremont bridge I saw a pigeon fly (Se)
Fly in fear from the raptor come to take its life (Fe)

And as it closed in for the capture (Se)
I funneled the fear through my ancient eyes (Ni-Fe)
To see in flight, what I know are the bitter mechanics of life (Ni-Ti)

Under my hat it reads "the lines are all imagined" (Ni)
A fact of life I know to hide from my little girls (Fe)
I know my place amongst the bugs and all the animals (Fe-Ti)
And it's from these ordinary people you are longing to be free (Ni > Fe)

My hotel and on the TV
A preacher on a stage like a buzzard cries
Out a warning of phony sorrow, he's trying to get a rise (Ni-Fe)

The cyanide from an almond (Ni)
Let him look at your hands, get the angles right (Se-Ti)
Ace of spades, port of morrow, life is death is life (Ni)

I saw a photograph: Cologne in '27 (Se)
And then a postcard after the bombs in '45 (Ni)
Must've been a world of evil clowns that let it happen (Ni-Fe)

But now I recognize, dear listeners (Fe)
That you were there and so was I (Ni-Fe)

Under my hat I know the lines are all imagined (Ni)
A fact of life I must impress on my little girls (Fe-Ti)
I know my place amongst the creatures in the pageant (Ni-Fe)
And there are flowers in the garbage, and a skull under your curls (Ni > Se)

I'm a rule breaker.


Ni -


Personally I find that this song represents the vibrance and sheer randomness that I find my Ni operating in. It speaks of its beauty but also towards the bridge the singer is yearning to be brought out of it because it is simultaneously invigorating but also taxing.

A constant struggle of loving ones creative mind and intuition but simultaneously hoping for some release from it as well.


Fe -


I find my Fe to be constantly trying to adapt to make everyone around me feel comfortable. But then in romantic entanglements it tends to morph into this sheer force of love and affection that is constantly working to please and love. However it is a fruitless endeavor if the other person doesn't want or respect it.

Ti -


Future ruminations of life, decisions and motivations. Constantly at thought about past mistakes, failures and thinking of ways of making sure they don't happen again. But then get caught in a constant negative thought spiral of what not to do which can lead to stagnation.

Se -


Completely embracing it leads to going hog wild crazy especially with a special someone. Run, jump, dance and sing while excitedly loving every aspect of the world around.

If I gave you every inch of me
Could you show me how?
If I learned to be more brave
Could you show me how?
I take a deep breath
Straighten up my back
Stand tall and walk along Participating and living is sometimes a little bit hard for me.

He said you could do anything
But anything is nothing when you need a bit of helping out
You could go anywhere but anywhere is nowhere
But when emptiness is where you stand Strong Ni, weak Se.

Holdin', holdin', holdin'
The threads of silence
Holdin', holdin', holdin'
The threads of silence
That lead me to your door Ni - Fe.

If I had every book in the world
Would you still show me how? Understanding is not the same thing than being capable of doing it.
If I was not who I am now
Would you still see me now? Hhmm... If I don't participate and put myself out there, would people even notice that I exist?
I take a deep breath
Straighten up my back
Stand tall and walk along

He said you could do anything
But anything is nothing when you need a bit of helping out
You could go anywhere but anywhere is nowhere
But when emptiness is where you stand

Holdin', holdin', holdin'
The threads of silence
Holdin', holdin', holdin'
The threads of silence
That lead me to your door

Holdin', holdin', holdin'
The threads of silence
Holdin', holdin', holdin'
The threads of silence
That lead me to your door
That lead me to your door
That lead me to your door

Maybe it's just me but I think that this song describes quite well how it feels to be NF.

Picked a David Bowie song... what a surprise! :laughing:


Why: Throughout the song, Bowie sings about all the different people in the world, how all of these people are suffering in their own ways. The narrator (Bowie, presumably?) wants to get away from all of them, get away from all their pain because there's just so much of it, it's cramming his head in, and it's overwhelming. But he also comes to realize that he can't isolate from it either, that he needs these people in order to feel connected to something much bigger than himself. So, like most David Bowie songs, while the beginning of the song seems to feel so hopeless and depressing, the tone changes halfway into it when he stops isolating and opens his heart to people again. He wants to show the people encouragement and love, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. This is generally how I feel all the time. I can feel others' pain so deeply and I want to help them, help alleviate their suffering, but sometimes it's too much. It piles on one after another, we see how divided the world and people have become, and my instinct is to run away, isolating so as to protect myself. But then I realize that I really need people. I love people and I want to help them and help make the world a better place for all. It's that constant struggle, the contradiction, and the push and pull of what it means to be an INFJ.

One of the engineers behind this Bowie album recounted how towards the end of this song, David Bowie breaks down into tears. He remembered Bowie screaming and crying out the lyrics as the tears were streaming down his face.

By the end of this song, I am also crying.

Lyrics:

David Bowie - Five Years said:

Pushing through the market square
so many mothers sighing
News had just come over,
we had five years left to cry in

News guy wept and told us
Earth was really dying
Cried so much his face was wet
then I knew he was not lying

I heard telephones, opera house, favourite melodies
I saw boys, toys electric irons and T.V.'s
My brain hurt like a warehouse
it had no room to spare
I had to cram so many things
to store everything in there
And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall-short people
And all the nobody people, and all the somebody people
I never thought I'd need so many people

A girl my age went off her head
hit some tiny children
If the black hadn't a-pulled her off
I think she would have killed them

A soldier with a broken arm
fixed his stare to the wheel of a Cadillac
A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest
and a queer threw up at the sight of that

I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor
drinking milk shakes cold and long
Smiling and waving and looking so fine
don't think you knew you were in this song

And it was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor
And I thought of Ma and I wanted to get back there
Your face, your race, the way that you talk
I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk

We've got five years, stuck on my eyes
We've got five years, what a surprise
We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot
We've got five years, that's all we've got

Click to expand...

For both us and our cousins the INTJs:


"Before you leave these portals
To meet less fortunate mortals
There's just one final message
I would give to you...
You all have learned reliance
On the sacred teachings of science
So I hope, through life you never will decline
In spite of philistine defiance
To do what ALL good scientists do.

Experiment... Make it your motto day and night
Experiment... And it will lead you to the light
The apple on the top of the tree
Is never too high to achieve
So take an example from Eve
Experiment... Be curious
Though interfering friends may frown... Get furious
At each attempt to hold you down.
If this advice you'll only employ
The future can offer you infinite joy
And merriment...Experiment
And you'll see!"