Fortune cookie phenomenon

[punkasscrab]

only my second post so ...

Ok ... maybe phenomenon is a stretch but have you ever noticed that fortune cookies and horoscopes seem to hit the nail on the head ?

I find it hard to believe that all of the people born under the same astonomical sign as myself will be subjected to the exact same warnings and analysis as provided by their local papers horoscope.

Yet, when I crack open a fortune cookie I am always amazed that some Chinaman at a typewriter in a Bejing cookie factory knew exactly what I was feeling at that moment, or that he knew what I needed to hear. "You will be unusually successful in business." Right on !

It is easy to see how fortune cookies and horoscopes play us. I am a little concerned that the INTP profiles seem a little to accurate and kind of feel the same suspicion that I feel after eating a fortune cookie.

My question is, how do we know the validity of the profile is true and not another pandering effort playing to the emotions of a select group for reasons unbeknownst to us ?

I know, paranoia. But, whom has subjected the analysee of INTP essays to analysis.

BTW - I do know that analysee is not in websters for you grammer freaks. ;P

Sorry to be so critical so soon, but this new psycho analysis shit is clicking with me in a way that nothing else has before and I have to try and discern what is real from what is presentation.

Oh, since this is in the introductions forum ...

Hi.

:)

[mgb]

Hi.

I guess I would say that everyone's "fortune" as far as personalities go is completely different in a way that is not pandering. If someone was to tell you all the negatives about the INTP you might agree to them but not be so happy.

Feel free to be as critical as you want as often as you want.

[purple13]

I am starting to think these days, that you are what you believe you are. Whatever beliefs you put your faith into, becomes your reality.

And hello. :)

[hemanthraz]

Course this bugged me a lot too, till i made some friends of mine take the test, and some of them turned out to be different types. Most of them said the analysis of the profile was pretty good, but a couple were pissed off about the test, i figure they lied in the test.

I actually dont beleive the profile stuff too, but till date this forum has turned out to have an amazing number of people who react the same way that i do in a situation.

Hi to you.

[Edmond Zedo]

Hey, you sound like another one of them NFs. But seriously, if it wasn't obvious, they are written vaguely enough that they apply to everyone. It's well documented!

If you don't believe me, cut out every horoscope in the paper minus the star sign heading, and try to find yours. If you're right twice in one week, call me, because I lost my keys.

[Edmond Zedo]

Ah, didn't see the part about discounting MBTI. To me, it's a lot like religion in the sense that it's plain to believers, and strange to the ignorant. But it's not based on ridiculous hokum.

I am a true believer, and I like the system for two basic reasons. One, it's interesting and fun. Two, it almost completely removes the mystery in other peoples' behavior. I can predict it, understand it, won't argue with it, and will just "leave someone for dead" if I don't want to accept it.

If you're mistified by type itself, then seek and ye shall find. Read from several sources for about 12 hours, have several people you know take tests, compare them to type descriptions, try to type people yourself, repeat. Knock, and ye shall be let in...That is, if you're an INTP. Did I mention you sound suspiciously NF?

[SheepDog]

Here's one take on the subject:
http://www.skepdic.com/forer.html

FWIW, this site suggests the same effect for MBTI and astrology. I personally think it's a strawman with regard to MBTI, because they try to make MBTI more definitive than it is. MBTI is just a tool, and not something absolute. It is about preferences.

[punkasscrab]

I tried to convey the same thought to a group of friends last night and they couldn't understand. One believed that horoscopes are different in every paper and another wanted to talk about something "fun". :blink:

From the replies you not only grasped my concept but helped me to better understand it myself.

Imagine the accuracy of a horoscope if it were personality type dependant rather then based on a random premise such as a birthdate.

It is clear that the Meyers Briggs test does its job of classifying personality types. What I am curious about is where the profiles come from. One profile I read actually said that INTP's have flattened cheek bones that make their noses look bigger. :whistle: The profile at INTP.org is almost creepy how accurate it is in regards to my personality and behaviours.

It would be interesting to see an essay written as a group effort by INTP's to describe themselves.

Nick

[cloakable]

Paul James is an INTP. The group paper would be interesting, though it could be long - there's the individual functions, the different axis, how the different functions interact, and in what priority. It would, I believe, be quite large. Mabye there could be a group effort using something like PHP Wiki? Some way to work on a shared document online.

[Six]

<running to the mirror, checking her cheekbones>

[SensEye]

I'm confident the MBTI personality descriptions hold weight. However, I don't subscribe to the notion that type is tied to physical appearance in any way. Some people say they see resemblances in the "What we look like" thread. I don't, other than a few folks with similar features, which is bound to occur in any collection of 30-40 pictures of different people.

[SheepDog]

One profile I read actually said that INTP's have flattened cheek bones that make their noses look bigger. :whistle: The profile at INTP.org is almost creepy how accurate it is in regards to my personality and behaviours.

I guess we each have to decide which of those are credible... :blink:

[Boneca]

One profile I read actually said that INTP's have flattened cheek bones that make their noses look bigger. :whistle: That was on socionics.com site, wasn't it? That site is weird.

A thing to consider when reading about MBTI types is that this system was designed by INxx people (Jung was INTP, and I read somewhere that Keirsey was too, Isabel Myers was INFP - don't know about Katherine Briggs Myers). I think that this could mean that the profiles may be very good for certain, our, types, but might not be as well-fitting for the others.
I gave the test to my ESTJ friend and he just shrugged off the description as "whatever". He just didn't care, so how would anyone know if it was really accurate?

Anyway, I think that any profile is just a generalisation. Your type is determined by the profile that fits best, but that doesn't mean that you must have every characteristic. Some people can be perfectly in between, having some traits of one type and some of the other. There can never be any clear "boxes" or "pidgeon-holes", because no two people are exactly the same!

[SensEye]

I gave the test to my ESTJ friend and he just shrugged off the description as "whatever". He just didn't care, so how would anyone know if it was really accurate?
Well, the description of SJ's indicates they would be likely not to care, so that's a good indicator the description is accurate.

If you ever come across an SJ who is fascinated by MBTI, re-test. :)

[Clara]

Hello Punkasscrab :hello:

I started to reply to all of that, and came to a screeching halt. (rectify focus and direction and...)

: :D Welcome!

(SensEye and Six - glad to see you happppy )

[Six]

<coming back, forgot to say hi>

Welcome :)

[jimkopelli]

Fortune cookies were invented in the US.

Hi.

[Edmond Zedo]

Yep. It's a tool only interesting to some people. If they know how to use it, it's effective.

On visual ID, It holds water. If you go to socionics.com you can try to ID faces. The features are exaggerated. I can do really well with a few types, and the characteristics match people I know. If you believe in VI, it certainly backs up theories that people are basically born to a type.

[BritainOphira]

Fortune cookies were invented in the US.

I wanted to say that... http://forums.intpcentral.com/images/smilies/cry.png

Anyway, welcome punkasscrab.

[punkasscrab]

Fortune cookies were invented in the US.

True, but the labour of typing the messages has been outsourced to China. :D

I was reading on another site about the ways the 16 types interact. It seems like this could be used by business to create teams of people that are more efficient. I work with a loudmouth idiot and it pushes me just a little harder to make sure I post better numbers than him each month. Even friction can create productivity.