I have this happen I'm very cautious, so I like to know if I interpreted something right. This can lead to long confusing conversations where me and the person both try to work out what the other is trying to ask and them repeating themselves in very slightly different ways until I just take a guess.
Funnily enough, when my sister says 'Oh, we need to get that thing today' I almost always know what she means. But if someone asks me what day it is or what I'm writing about, I can never tell them Ah, fun times...
Yeah, usually I ask for clarification and when I do I get that look which says "How do you not get this?"
That's when I speak my mind and go through many of the different applications of the question.
It's annoying at the very least.
I guess the ability to finish others sentances stem from the same thing.
Also, when somebody has to repeat something about four or five times before I understand it, although that could be a me thing, and not an INFJ thing. It's like all I hear is noise... I know that there are words in it, but my brain just isn't picking them out.
I have that problem, too. It's like my brain suddenly forgets what English is. I usually use the excuse that my allergies have been acting up and I'm having difficulty hearing. Though I've met some people who I'll admit that suddenly I didn't understand what they're saying and they'll say, in a slightly relieved manner, "Oh yeah, I have that problem too." (Actually, did you know that saying you have difficulty hearing is a great way to get people aren't confident in their ability to speak English to speak the language wonderfully well and clearly? They'll take much more time to pronounce their words and speak in a normal voice--as opposed to the mumble they were using before.)
It'll even happen if I'm thinking about a word, suddenly, my mind has deconstructed the word so completely that I don't even recognize it as a word I already know. For example, in thinking of the word "window", I might unconsciously be so busy pulling apart and looking at the word that my conscious mind goes, "What does window mean?" "Is that even a word?!" And then a few seconds later I remember, and then feel silly.
Well, I have kinda a different problem, but similar I guess. Like, my whole life...time is completely meaningless to me unless I attach a specific reference point to it: for instance, someone would ask me: "What time is it?" and I'd answer "6:30" and unless, I attach some kind of reference point like, if I'm at work, "well I'll be going on my break at such and such a time" or if I'm at home, "such and such TV show is supposed to come on at this time or I'm supposesed to be somewhere at this other time,..." then I'll either say the time and completely forget a few seconds later or say the time and be like: "6:30? What does that really mean?"
Also I have a lot of fun with this sort of thing with my ENFJ friend. I think I bring out his Ni a lot more to the forefront, but sometimes both of us will purposely manipulate the other person's words so that it'll sound insulting on purpose. Yeah, we have kinda weird definitions of "fun" sometimes. Like I'll ask a couple of things, texting and he'll text back, "No" to one of them and I'll be like "No, you don't want to hear from me again, lol" or something like that if that was the other question, and he usually ends up having to spell out what he had said explicitly. Sometimes, too, I'll pretend I took a joke literally...although sometimes, I have to admit I do take what he says literally, and that in itself usually leads to interesting conversations....l
Well, I have kinda a different problem, but similar I guess. Like, my whole life...time is completely meaningless to me unless I attach a specific reference point to it: for instance, someone would ask me: "What time is it?" and I'd answer "6:30" and unless, I attach some kind of reference point like, if I'm at work, "well I'll be going on my break at such and such a time" or if I'm at home, "such and such TV show is supposed to come on at this time or I'm supposesed to be somewhere at this other time,..." then I'll either say the time and completely forget a few seconds later or say the time and be like: "6:30? What does that really mean?"
That's really interesting. Have you researched this at all? Almost certainly you'll find it's been identified by someone and given a name. Sounds maybe a bit like a kind of dyslexia - a kind of "time blindness" (?)
Sometimes I act like a wise ass when people ask me the day of the week, saying stuff like "why it's today, of course! what other day would it be?" yet there's other times when I look at the clock, staring at it, and then somebody asks me the time and I say "I don't know... wait, now or are you asking when we're doing something?".
There's this advertising sign on the way to work that I see all the time and it drives me nuts every time I see it. It's advertising for a divorce lawyer and it says in big bold letters, "SIMPLE DIVORCE?" followed by a phone number.
Is divorce simple?
Marriage is hard. Divorce is simple?
Do I want a simple divorce?
Do you want a simple divorce?
Is the divorce process simple?
Does your spouse want a simple divorce?
Is divorce actually difficult, but with the help of this guy it can be simple?
Marriage problems? Simple: Divorce.
Is divorce too simple?
Is divorce not simple enough?
It's actually a trick. Divorce isn't simple. But it says it is!
Stupid sign...My brain hurts every time I see it, but I can't stop myself from looking at it. Like some train wreck.
I've discovered that I can usually come to the right conclusion about what their asking if I REALLY try, but I really hate to assume I know what anyone means unless it was explicitly stated.
I worry that my INTJ thinks that I'm slow or something, but really there are just so many things he could be trying to say or ask. And he actually matters, so he's the last person I want to jump to a conclusion with. I used to risk being totally wrong to show him I could narrow down to what he's really trying to say, but it's a risk I hate to take when I could just ask for clarification. Now I give the him several of my interpretations to show him that I really am thinking and he picks out the one he meant (the most).
I'm going to keep taking the MBTI until it comes out INFJ.
I never think about the literal question either, I think about the follow up and where they are trying to go with it. I'm not worried or suspicious about the motivation behind the question, I just want to help expedite the process so we both know we're on the same thinking path.
Of course then those people get annoyed when you can't just answer a simple question.
That's really interesting. Have you researched this at all? Almost certainly you'll find it's been identified by someone and given a name. Sounds maybe a bit like a kind of dyslexia - a kind of "time blindness" (?)
I looked up 'time blindness'. I don't think it's that per se, but I guess it might be related. I'm not sure. I know the way my brain works is really unusual, so it could be some kind of rare learning disability. It's gotten better with age, I guess because life experience has caused me to subconsciously link a particular time with a particular event.
This thread also makes me think of what I called the "expectation paradox": when I was younger, I wanted to find someone to fall in love with and marry, so whenever we'd go somewhere where I could meet someone, I'd be like, "maybe I'll find someone," but then I'd tell myself, "well, it won't happen if you expect it," so I would say, "so then I won't meet anyone because I expected it..." then I would say, "Well now that I gave up on that idea, I might meet someone..." and continue this internal loop til I get bored with it and decide to think of something else.
This thread also makes me think of what I called the "expectation paradox": when I was younger, I wanted to find someone to fall in love with and marry, so whenever we'd go somewhere where I could meet someone, I'd be like, "maybe I'll find someone," but then I'd tell myself, "well, it won't happen if you expect it," so I would say, "so then I won't meet anyone because I expected it..." then I would say, "Well now that I gave up on that idea, I might meet someone..." and continue this internal loop til I get bored with it and decide to think of something else.
OH MY GOSH!!!!!!! I'm not the only one!!!!!!!!!! I did this allll the time when I was younger but it always drove me nuts!! I still do it, but have gotten better at distracting myself to keep it from going to long
That's really interesting. Have you researched this at all? Almost certainly you'll find it's been identified by someone and given a name. Sounds maybe a bit like a kind of dyslexia - a kind of "time blindness" (?)
I looked up 'time blindness'. I don't think it's that per se, but I guess it might be related. I'm not sure. I know the way my brain works is really unusual, so it could be some kind of rare learning disability. It's gotten better with age, I guess because life experience has caused me to subconsciously link a particular time with a particular event.
I looked up 'time blindness'. I don't think it's that per se, but I guess it might be related. I'm not sure. I know the way my brain works is really unusual, so it could be some kind of rare learning disability. It's gotten better with age, I guess because life experience has caused me to subconsciously link a particular time with a particular event.
Sounds like you have your own sort of "theory of relativity" going on there with the spacetime continuum! (You and Einstein could have had some fun talking to each other!)
There are two types of questions that really grate my cheese:
Questions with no context: Example: What's today? Like OP pointed out, we have no idea what they are referring to, so in order to answer the question, we have to pick a context. If I don't know the context of what the asker is wanting, what value is the answer? What if I chose "What's todays lunch plans"... I am sure a doctor cares that I plan to pay my electric bill on lunch. What's today? Today is a word, is that what youre asking? Gah that question grates on me the more I think about it lol.
Questions that don't specify the point: Example: Do you find yourselfgetting attached to characters in TV Soaps? I don't know if this question is asking if I get attached to characters in TV shows in general, and the questions used "Soaps" as an example *OR* is it asking do I get attached to characters specifically in Soaps? My answer is purposefully different for both, so I don't know how to answer this kind of question.
Worst thing ever is when you supply a person's question with the wrong response but they don't tell you because they don't want to be rude. And then you realize afterwards but by then it's too late : / It's like a game show.
I would not be surprised. I have lots of "rare" learning disabilities. I know it took me a long time to learn social skills and certain things that pertain to that. It took me forever to learn how to hold a pencil properly. It just never felt natural to me. Something about my thinking has kind of an autistic feel to it; I've often speculated that I might have Asperger's syndrome, I believe I've read that ASD or AS often come with certain little rare learning disabilities or quirks in one's thinking (like synesthesia) so that might explain a few things about how I think...
So I'm at the doctors for a migraine today right?
The doctors asking all these normal questions, then out of the blue she goes
"What's today?"
I was instantly confused! I'm just sitting there thinking:
"Does she mean what today's pain rating is?" "is today a holiday?" "Does she mean "what does today mean to you?" ' 'Does she mean what are your goals for today?" "Is today the day you're reclaiming life? Chasing your dreams?" "Hopes for the day?" "Thoughts?"
I eventually asked if she was referring to my headache and she just shook her head and said "Just answer the question."
After more thinking I decided to, on a whim, say "April 4."
She accepted that answer and moved on.
Easy as that.
So, this got me thinking, anyone else have moments when they were all in a deep INFJ tangem, when it was unnecessary ? Did this create an awkward situation? I'd love to hear stories :happy:
Hahahaaaa!!! LOL! Yes But mine was testifying in court which sucked because the judge had no patience and I was surrounded by sensors so I came across as "a victim without any power". Which really pisses me off.
But it is nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks a simple question is not so simple. Be more specific all you sensors out there, I mean really!
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