Hello all

[KMaki]

Hello. New user here. I'm now confident enough to register an account here.
A short background follows.
I first found out about the Myers-Briggs personality typing system maybe 5-10 years ago. I was going through a crisis, and wanted to get a grasp on why I was acting like I was. It seemed that I couldn't relate to anybody in my social circle, and felt completely isolated. Long story short, I rambled through interned and came out as a self-typed INFP. Afterwards I felt immense relief to find out I fit into some mold of people.
Enter another (smallish) crisis a few days back. Another rambling through the internet and ta-da: the pieces fit again, but now I slip into the INTP mold, with striking accuracy regarding most descriptions. Happy again. Makes me feel that I have a certain place in the social world.
I found this site during the latest rambling, and decided to register, because I stumbled into a good metaphor of describing the differences of behaviour when I'm facing a question, and when someone that likes to 'cut to the chase' faces a question. This came up on another forum I'm active in. (Yes, the intrigued ones can easily make a link between the two forums, but I'd rather leave the results out of this forum).

Some people face problems with a set goal of getting the answer, maybe in order to put that answer into practical use. I seem to face problems differently. It's like getting a pile of data, pouring gasoline on that pile and then trying to set one block of data into fire. And I LOVE the big flame.

Whaddya think? Does it seem familiar at all? Could be I've mistyped myself, but looking at the posts here I highly doubt it.

 

[Synthetix]

Hello

 

[Auburn]

If you're using personality types to comfort a specific sense of isolation, and make you happy about yourself, you don't possess the necessary detachment to know whether your conclusions are correct/warranted or a simple craving for the soothing effects that belonging to that label provides.

You are not the type that makes you feel happy, for the same reasons religions are not true even though they comfort a certain human necessity to believe and hope.

=/


hi though.

 

[KMaki]

If you're using personality types to comfort a specific sense of isolation, and make you happy about yourself, you don't possess the necessary detachment to know whether your conclusions are correct/warranted or a simple craving for the soothing effects that belonging to that label provides.

You are not the type that makes you feel happy, for the same reasons religions are not true even though they comfort a certain human necessity to believe and hope.

=/

Hence the attempt to describe my approach to solving a problem. Maybe you could relate to that? As I noted, I'm not certain of my 'type'. But having a place to observe people that seem to think similarly is a comfort. Be it that I'm detached or not.

Thanks for your reply, it made me think. I also _fully_ agree on your 2nd paragraph.

 

[Auburn]

It is indeed a comfort to observe others who are similar, definitely.
Observation is always beneficial to refining understanding.. :3

Which is actually why I don't relate to what you said, though. Do you mean you burn (discard?) data? Wouldn't it be counter-productive to do so? How about archiving data instead? Or perhaps I misunderstood your metaphor... hmm..

I tend to approach a problem by referencing everything I know on the topic, brainstorming possibilities for the realm of what I don't know - and using calculation to deduce which of those possibilities is more advantageous.

 

[KMaki]

Actually I think the metaphor is rather accurate on my case. I agree that probably it would be more beneficial to store the info, but I just simply like the 'flame'. You know the moment that it all kinda comes together. Some piles burn with a slow flame, some piles totally explode.

I generally do not approach questions in order to get a final answer. I approach them because the unclarity bothers me. When the pile burns, it's like 'case closed, that's a relief'.

I think the resulting synthezized info is actually stored somewhere, but I don't systematically do that. It just happens as a result of the compulsory problem-solving.

--EDIT
I understand you 'not getting it', because the metaphor does not account for the synthezized data block that comes out as a result, though. Needs a bit of honing, methinks.

--EDIT 2

I tend to approach a problem by referencing everything I know on the topic, brainstorming possibilities for the realm of what I don't know - and using calculation to deduce which of those possibilities is more advantageous.

This I respect. I don't think I'm systematic at all. Or perhaps I am, but I cannot 'follow' my thought process that actively, when I'm solving something. The problem just pulls me in and makes me do stuff.

 

[Auburn]

Ah, I see...
Yes..

What you're saying sounds precisely how the mind of a Perception [N/S] dominant works. I've seen/read similar thoughts before in others.

The mind of a Discernment [F/T] dominant is very methodical and more systematic in it's deduction process. This is actually akin to Jung's concept of the Rational vs Irrational types. Meaning, if we take these posts you've made as any indication of your type you're likely an Ne dominant or, less likely, an Ni dominant.

 

[KMaki]

Thanks for another insight! The Myers-Briggs system is still 'burning', when applied to my metaphor, so allow me a question, even though this thread seems to derail a bit. (Alternatively óne could give me a more suitable forum area to post this question into).

Would you say that the medium affects the e/i balance? As I am very reserved in real life social situations, unless I know specifically what I'm talking about, but in internet situations I seem more relaxed to bounce ideas around, which I think is more an e type thing. Additionally, THIS specific forum makes me even more relaxed.

 

[Auburn]

Heh, it's a funny thing..

From having known many Ne dominants in real life, they're prone to be quite reserved as well. I haven't met a single Ne dominant who would consider themselves an extrovert. In reality they're not - at least not by the conventional understanding of the word. But the jungian definition of the word pertains more to do with other things.

Burning! O:

Um, I dunno exactly what to say about the medium. I do find that many people online use the internet as a place to let loose the personality they repress in real life. It is a platform where the contents of one's psyche can be expressed more raw.


I know I definitely show more emotionality online than offline..

 

[KMaki]

Yeah, I'm burning the system. :P (But with your latest reply I think I'll have to add some more blocks into the fire.)

Wow. This has been insightful. Thank you again. Hope to spend some nice time here.