Age

[Fallenman]

So I seem to constantly be befuddled by the fact that I am never capable of discerning an INTP's age at first glance. Or second. Or third. Does anyone have this problem? I mean I realize that we are intellectuals by birthright, but it has been my experience that even intellectuals give away tall tale signs of their age which is attributed to their lack of experience. I still find it difficult. Does anyone else?

 

[Cavallier]

Indeed. I have a lot of trouble with this but then again age is generally unimportant to me. Maybe we should play a guessing game to figure people's ages out.

I think Fallenman is in his late teens early twenties. I'd say around 20. Yes?

 

[Deleted member 1424]

This could be entertaining.

Fallenman seems a bit younger to me so I'd wager 17-18. Cavallier is in her mid twenties, so 24-26. (I may have read Cav's age somewhere, but I can't recall exactly)

However, on the topic at hand there seems to be an inverse relationship with the age of an INTP and how seriously they take themselves. I've also noticed that young INTPs tend to have problems balancing their egos, falling into extremes of arrogance or low self-esteem (or both). Older INTPs also seem to be more at peace with reality than their younger counterparts.

Of course simply being older doesn't automatically make you mature or wise; just as being young doesn't make you stupid.

 

[Methuselah]

However, on the topic at hand there seems to be an inverse relationship with the age of an INTP and how seriously they take themselves. I've also noticed that young INTPs tend to have problems balancing their egos, falling into extremes of arrogance or low self-esteem (or both). Older INTPs also seem to be more at peace with reality than their younger counterparts.

QFT.

Most INTPs are all about being competent, and it takes a long time for them to become secure enough with themselves (both abilities and limitations) to no longer care what others think.

 

[Ermine]

Yeah, that phenomenon is kind of odd. When I first started posting here, people thought I was 30-ish. That was when I was 16. Since then, I've mentioned my age several times, and mention things that would indicate my age. But I wouldn't say I'm more mature per se. I am still inexperienced, I still need to get a college degree, I still need to figure myself out. The only difference I can see between me and most 19 year olds I know is that I have a better sense of what is important, and I am more introspective, which gives me plenty of time to formulate theoretical "wisdom" that may or may not prove to be true. But it usually makes sense.

But I guess my writing style does tend to put about 10-15 years on my perceived age.

 

[RubberDucky451]

I'm typically silly and creative around people I've known forever. I'm a bit more calm on these forums but I feel I act my age.

 

[EditorOne]

"Of course simply being older doesn't automatically make you mature"

You say that like maturity is desirable. :-) With any luck I'll never be fully mature. I think we learn to ACT mature when necessary as we grow older, but the sometimes child-like open mindedness that goes with INTP, the "rashness" others see when we act on intuition -- information collated and assembled subconsciously, which we can't lay out for others, usually -- and other things that go with INTPness tend to mask traits usually associated with growing older. Wisdom: Usually we are smart enough to figure out when we've made a mistake, and then we learn how to avoid it. I don't know if that's the source of all wisdom, but close enough.

Perhaps also if we looked we'd find younger people of any type not happy yet with themselves and acting just the way some of the younger people here occasionally act, maybe with less broodiness and lingering on self-doubt. I don't know. Just a thought.

 

[Jennywocky]

... noticed that young INTPs tend to have problems balancing their egos, falling into extremes of arrogance or low self-esteem (or both). Older INTPs also seem to be more at peace with reality than their younger counterparts.

Most INTPs are all about being competent, and it takes a long time for them to become secure enough with themselves (both abilities and limitations) to no longer care what others think.

Yup. That's what I see elsewhere too, and what I have experienced in my own life. (For me, I had a crushing lack of self-esteem, and life experience helped me feel more confident and at peace.)

I think on another forum someone commented that young INTPs know and perceive a lot but haven't yet come to grips with the limitations of that. (If you are perceptive and smart beyond your age, you either can become very arrogant and self-assured illegitimately, or you can realize how much you don't know and feel like knowledge is always incomplete, leaving you unconfident of what you see. Older mature INTPs have adjusted to the limitations of being so perceptive, and accept reality and their place within it, and have learned behaviors to function well in life.)

 

[Inappropriate Behavior]

Old and immature. I've found it a happier way to live. Less stress, more fun and very liberating. It takes time to develop perhaps if it happens at all. Here's hoping :smiley_emoticons_mr

 

[Fallenman]

=/. I dunno if i like that people tried to guess my age and then gave me lower evaluations than my actual age =[. Totally uncalled for T_T.


Well Cav was spot on... i guess...

 

[citrusbreath95]

Ha ha, when I first came on this forum I thought it was full of 30 year olds and up, and then I find out that a lot of of its members were actually teenagers. So, I was a bit suprised by such information. To me, the content seemed to be written by a much more mature age group. I suppose it just goes to show you how advanced INTPs' thinking can be (actions however, is another story )

 

[Cavallier]

=/. I dunno if i like that people tried to guess my age and then gave me lower evaluations than my actual age =[. Totally uncalled for T_T.


Well Cav was spot on... i guess...

Meh, I think we've pretty much hashed out that age for the most part means nothing.