INFPs and other "feelers"

[Helios]

I poorly placed this as a reply in the "INFPglobalchatters" thread, but while it was my first knee-jerk thoughts about INFPs, now it seems a bit misplaced. So I'll rebirth it as it's own thread:



My baby bro is an INFP. I love the kid, but he is hands down the most frustrating person on earth! WTF is Fi ?!? I swear , it is like his rational function is a Dr Seuss Book or something, just total non-sense half the time! I'll give the boy credit his NF combo is top of the line. His Ne is amazing! You can't hide shit from him, of a personal or emotional nature. He knows everything about what you think/feel,you may as well confess. Well, not really cause you can just deny it. He'll never ever call you on it in a billion years, but he still knows. On the other hand, anything of a non-personal, non-emotional subject and you'd do just as well to ask my cat for ideas. He is clueless, borderline retarded.

This contrasts with other bro's (ISFJ) Fe, this I can handle pretty easy. Fe seems like little more than a sponge that soaks of the local social convention of the time, Since my poor bro was stuck with me and all my friends (all INTPs!) growing up, is his world all guys, and "cool" girls were NTs, so he is chock full of NT "values" ie logic, but only so far as then mesh with larger socail patterns. Example we go out to a club, he would be annoyed but totally ok with me climbing up into a cage with two girls and going at it with them both. Why? Cause MTV says that is cool, but he would be most distressed to learn the girls and I were all in the corner prior and the girls were watching me make out with her boyfriend, our culture isn't that depraved, yet, so "not cool". Thankfully his Ne is well, it isn't. He is equipped with Si, so we get along just fine.


Back to INFPs, I guess I am always so stressed by mine, cause to start with he makes no sense to me, add to that I can hide nothing form him, at least all the crazy wacked out shit that I want to! Plus as the oldest I am always thinking about how am I impacting this world I haven't the remotest understanding of !? INFPs seem like a strange, magical and delicate creature. Yeah, I guess they do belong in story books!
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[deus.ex.machina]

one of my best friends is an INFP, and I can be a NF sometimes (plus I think I used to be).

Her name is Domin, and she relies heavily on what feels right. Even when she knows what's logical she will act on her emotions. This happens to me to sometimes; I will be flat out broke but I will see something that catches my intuition and emotions as being something I need. So even though I know that it is illogical to purchase the item, my emotions get the best of me and I rationalize a reason to make the purchase (i.e. it will make me happier, and the trade-off of nearly starving until my next paycheck will be worth it).

Domin is very "F" though, and she has actually be institutionalized for schizophrenia. She is convinced she is psychic and that the government is controlling us. Everyone calls her crazy; I call her an individual and respect her individual differences and the fact the her perception of reality is different from so many people on so many levels (I hate forceful institutionalization as well). I actually have learned alot about reality, and individual intepretations of reality by examining her.

I am very "F" when it comes to music - the emotions I find myself floating in are a very nice addition to my developed intuition and abstract imagination. I must say, I am never bored in life. When I am not researching, or making music my iPod will generally be attached to my ear pumping emotional fuel through my mind. Music has become an extension of my being, so to speak. Aesthetics, I think, are definetely the key to developing a healthy feeling side. Feelings can show you a whole different world outside the realm of logic.

[SentientLifeform]

You're on X-Box, he's on PlayStation 2. NTs are outnumbered by Fs. Get used to it.

[meshou]

You're on X-Box, he's on PlayStation 2. NTs are outnumbered by Fs. Get used to it.For that matter, NFs are outnumbered by Ts.

[SentientLifeform]

For that matter, NFs are outnumbered by Ts.
And they cope with it better.

[luzian]

I am very "F" when it comes to music - the emotions I find myself floating in are a very nice addition to my developed intuition and abstract imagination. I must say, I am never bored in life. When I am not researching, or making music my iPod will generally be attached to my ear pumping emotional fuel through my mind. Music has become an extension of my being, so to speak. Aesthetics, I think, are definetely the key to developing a healthy feeling side. Feelings can show you a whole different world outside the realm of logic.
I believe I am like you, to clarify, I believe I can adjust my T/F axis involuntarily by mood or voluntarily as the situation requires. It's absolutely wonderful, because I can be super ultra mega analytical covering the nature a situation and the emotions involved. I combine philosophical, scientific and psychological analysis in one package (if you so choose to categorize logic).

My music is verily varied. I am convinced I use both sides of my brain in a more unified manner.

I just read the INFP profile, and I can safely say I can be INFP at times, but if you challange my rationalization, I'll defensively switch to "T", though INTP by default.

While I'll never consider myself an idealist, I do display behavior of imposing or implimenting ideal practices and principals.

[Artlessfuture]

Ok first of all - just cause u know 1 INFP doesn't mean you are qualified to make blanket statements about us. I know 3 INFP's besides myself, and only one really fits the description of your bro. And depending how old he is, you may learn to relate to each other as the years go on. But, to me, this all just sounds like a case of sibling stuff. Actually, Im kinda curious - do you have any "for instances" or a perfect story that sums him up in a nutshell?

[Jennywocky]

I believe I am like you, to clarify, I believe I can adjust my T/F axis involuntarily by mood or voluntarily as the situation requires. It's absolutely wonderful, because I can be super ultra mega analytical covering the nature a situation and the emotions involved. I combine philosophical, scientific and psychological analysis in one package (if you so choose to categorize logic).

My music is verily varied. I am convinced I use both sides of my brain in a more unified manner.

I just read the INFP profile, and I can safely say I can be INFP at times, but if you challange my rationalization, I'll defensively switch to "T", though INTP by default.

While I'll never consider myself an idealist, I do display behavior of imposing or implimenting ideal practices and principals.


You still prefer one over another. There is no such thing as "perfect" balance. You've simply learned to switch gears depending on situation, and function half-decently.

[Note: THis is coming from another dual-brain androgynous-type 5w4 INTP with developed F.]

[NightCrawler]

Ok first of all - just cause u know 1 INFP doesn't mean you are qualified to make blanket statements about us. I know 3 INFP's besides myself, and only one really fits the description of your bro. And depending how old he is, you may learn to relate to each other as the years go on. But, to me, this all just sounds like a case of sibling stuff. Actually, Im kinda curious - do you have any "for instances" or a perfect story that sums him up in a nutshell?

This doesn't sound like an NT's post at any point. Even the demand for objectivity is all... NF-eww.

[Spring]

My baby bro is an INFP. I love the kid, but he is hands down the most frustrating person on earth! WTF is Fi ?!? I swear , it is like his rational function is a Dr Seuss Book or something, just total non-sense half the time! I'll give the boy credit his NF combo is top of the line. His Ne is amazing! You can't hide shit from him, of a personal or emotional nature. He knows everything about what you think/feel,you may as well confess. Well, not really cause you can just deny it. He'll never ever call you on it in a billion years, but he still knows. On the other hand, anything of a non-personal, non-emotional subject and you'd do just as well to ask my cat for ideas. He is clueless, borderline retarded.



[...]Back to INFPs, I guess I am always so stressed by mine, cause to start with he makes no sense to me, add to that I can hide nothing form him, at least all the crazy wacked out shit that I want to! Plus as the oldest I am always thinking about how am I impacting this world I haven't the remotest understanding of !? INFPs seem like a strange, magical and delicate creature. Yeah, I guess they do belong in story books!
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The stuff in bold is what my roommates have always commented about me. INFPs have great value if it's tapped. Empathy and wisdom are his strengths. When I was young, people use to tell me I must have a very old soul because I could say something that would completely change their perspective even if they were upset or distraught. Sure he may not always explain his thinking but there is rationale behind the seeming nonsense. If you ask him to back up a few steps in his thought process and explain it to you then you will see that INFPs just expect everyone to think the same way and come to the same conclusions. And yeah, the perspective may be shot to hell and a borderline psychosis, but a gentle example from reality will usually sort that out. Try playing along sometime and you may discover something amazing about the way INFPs think. Uninhibited thought gives rise to some amazing concepts. Hopefully he will develop an Fe before adulthood though. Otherwise he will lead a sad childhood as he is rejected or mistreated by his peers.

[Capitu]

Hopefully he will develop an Fe before adulthood though. Otherwise he will lead a sad childhood as he is rejected or mistreated by his peers.

Instead of Fe, younger INFPs should focus on Ne. Ne comes easier.

(I'm not sure though, if you have Fe parents, Fe might not be so foreign).

[Artlessfuture]

This doesn't sound like an NT's post at any point. Even the demand for objectivity is all... NF-eww.

I never said I was an NT, in fact, I said this:


I know 3 INFP's besides myself

I dunno what all this has to do with the original topic, anyway. My point was out of 4 INFPs (including myself), only 1 acts like a freak. He believes that he descended from Elves.

[Capitu]

He believes that he descended from Elves.

:rofl:

I don't believe that! Serious?

[Jivinjeffjones]

He believes that he descended from Elves.

I like to believe I'm descended from Elvis.

[Artlessfuture]

Yeah pretty much. He NEVER talks about it but hes my brother in law, and my husband has heard him say things about it once or twice. But it pretty much sums up his whole grasp on reality.

[camille]

I like to believe I'm descended from Elvis.

I'd frame a velvet portrait of you.