Inconstancy

[brain enclosed in flesh]

I put this on the end of another post, but I think maybe it should be its own thread, just because I want to get more viewpoints-

Does anyone else feel like they have no idea what they're talking about half the time? For example, I'll write something in here as if it's gospel, when I really don't know how I feel about it or what my actual opinion is or how things were in the past. It's almost as if I don't have a clear picture of myself at all. One second I think I'm completely this way, one second I think I'm completely this other way. And I jump to conclusions because something makes sense to me, but then afterward I find some other information which fills in the picture a bit more and I have to correct it under penalty of death and I feel like the most inconstant person on the planet.

 

[Agent Intellect]

i feel exactly this way. its the same when i read any post, i don't know if what i extracted from it was exactly what they meant. but, then again, i am filled with self doubt (even about things i think i know) so maybe i'm just crazy.
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[severus]

I am like that this as well. I think it's pretty typical for INTPs.

 

[Beat Mango]

Oh shit yeah. I used to get all antsy about it, trying to work out exactly what my position was before I wrote anything. This didn't go down well for uni essays, where you have to structure your argument around a particular thesis and stick to it. I couldn't work out what my position was! Especially considering that words can always be misinterpreted, that didn't help things. Now I just try to be more free with what I'm writing and just accept that it won't necessarily be representative of my overall viewpoint. There's probably many things I've posted on this forum that I don't quite agree with.

EDIT: and it can be especially annoying in conversation with people - I told a girl I'd just met yesterday that I loved her, just being silly and I didn't mean it, but yeah the look on her face said I may have made things a bit awkward.

If I could engage in some amateur MBTI speculation, I think this may be a result of the Ne, where Ni would have the opposite effect.

 

[Ermine]

Oh shit yeah. I used to get all antsy about it, trying to work out exactly what my position was before I wrote anything. This didn't go down well for uni essays, where you have to structure your argument around a particular thesis and stick to it. I couldn't work out what my position was! Especially considering that words can always be misinterpreted, that didn't help things. Now I just try to be more free with what I'm writing and just accept that it won't necessarily be representative of my overall viewpoint. There's probably many things I've posted on this forum that I don't quite agree with.

Me too. Whenever people ask me for my opinion, I'm so tempted to say "yes but..." or "no but...". Why can't I just state the pros and cons?

 

[Toad]

I always write everything that's in my head down first, then while i'm editing I usually out what the hell I was talking about.

Sometimes I find that I am making complete bullshit up. But then I wiki it and it was actually true. I must be a genius.

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

Oh shit yeah. I used to get all antsy about it, trying to work out exactly what my position was before I wrote anything. This didn't go down well for uni essays, where you have to structure your argument around a particular thesis and stick to it.

I can do that, as long as its not something that really matters. That's what I liked about English Lit classes- like it really mattered what I thought about Milton's Satan. My problem is with writing something like an editorial for a newspaper or... posting stuff in this forum. And also saying stupid things to people (like you and the girl you told you loved) and then wondering why the hell I said it when it doesn't really matter and I don't really feel it. I'm way worse about this when I'm drunk. Probably the main reason why I no longer drink much. It drives me nuts because I want to be this consistent person... no I don't. And it doesn't, really.

 

[EloquentBohemian]

We are consistent in our inconsistency.

 

[juturna]

I just avoid the whole dilemma but biting my tongue and not speaking at all. Some people mistake it for apathy though, not that I ever care enough to tell them it isn't.

 

[meshram.alok]

I was just gonna say the same thing as Eloquent Bohemian.

 

[Waterstiller]

It's part of the reason why I don't like being around people or saying anything.. what's the point if I'm always shifting? Rather than dealing with the incongruence of past and present self I'd rather just leave. Same goes for this forum, and the more statements I make (as opposed to questions or hypotheticals) the more I feel the urge to leave.

I feel like the system I use is very constant, but the details are always shifting as new data comes in. And other people usually only see the details. I get around it much of the time by prefacing my thoughts by saying "I would say ____ if _____ is the case." I never take stances.. sometimes I wish I could, but they change so fast because all I ever do is test them and everything seems to break the more you test it.

That said.. I like talking about how I feel about things. It doesn't bother me when my feelings change because I understand that they're subjective. Sharing my thoughts is always a let-down because they seem to be geared to understanding objective reality, which is an endeavor that is quite futile.

 

[Tyria]

I try to think of things that may be exceptions to the general rule that I am stating. I prefer to be general since the devil is in the details

Every form of communication has it's ups and downs. Posts only have a discrete amount to them (unless you go back and edit them). But then again, I don't think most people would want to try to read a post that is longer than a book :/

 

[Enne]

I put this on the end of another post, but I think maybe it should be its own thread, just because I want to get more viewpoints-

Does anyone else feel like they have no idea what they're talking about half the time?

Yes, but that's usually because I'll delve into a subject matter that branches into other thoughts that branches into possible viewpoints, that branches out into reasons for choosing the viewpoints, that relates back to the -

Wait. What?

 

[Sapphire Harp]

It's a tricky thing - and I don't particularly enjoy the feeling either... the feeling that I while I may believe what I'm saying right now, I could very well not tomorrow... When I'm acutely aware of it, it's very uncomfortable.

I guess the only thing available to do is just go with it... say what you've come to with what you've learned so far - and when you change you mind, explain what's different as best you can when it comes up... Even among the best philosopher's works and literature... I'd guess more than half of the great works are half-baked, works-in-progress that eventually became embarrassments to their authors... Or in the progress of writing creating them, their creators completely changed their minds...

You can try to wait until you've perfected your view on things... but you might be waiting until the day you die. It's a sad possibility... and maybe the right thing to do, but you can't live if you're doing that...

One of the things demonstrated to me about the creative process of theatre... is sometimes you have to totally commit to an idea or approach that ultimately is shown to be completely flawed because that failed effort is what brings you closer to your actual goal... You don't unearth the faults until you try and build your foundation in the wrong spot...

This topic also reminds me of how the U.S. grills to a crisp any politicians who change their mind... For them, having the most appropriate thoughts is their profession... They are expected to have collected all the information necessary to make the right judgement before they say anything... But that's their profession and the choices they make affect peoples lives in profound ways... I don't think our lives typically involve those kind of stakes...

(This is, of course, the only reason I can think of that explains why the media is so harsh on inconstant politicians... I doubt most of those flaming said politicians are actually aware of a reason like this and merely do it because it makes high-rating news... and it's fun to attack public figures...)
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[Kuu]

No work of art is ever finished. The trick is to get past the embarrassment, and just put your current work / opinion out there. If it changes, you can revise it later... there's really no need to make such a fuss (why so serious?). Its much better than waiting fort that perfect moment, that instant of cohesion when everything is right; that will never happen.

(I will probably repent on having posted this but whatever. Posting intellectual WIPs is what makes this forum what it is)

 

[Citizen X]

I have the same problem when talking about politics and nationalism.

I'm not a nationalist person, and I don't waste my time with something meaningless as politics/voting. But sometimes, after exposing my view, I'm really left wondering if I really do believe all that, or, if I do believe on it, if it is the right thing to stand on.

I personally think "nationalism" to be a more sophisticate form of pack mentality, and I dislike the entire spectrum of populism it drags with it. That is NOT a good opinion to have, specially here in Mexico where everything is political, one way or another.

 

[JoeJoe]

Hell yeah. In school, even if I have a specific opinion on something, I often say something that speaks against this opinion because I find it important to consider.

Sometimes there is something, which I find very interesting, but I don't have a real opinion. And when someone asks me what I think about it I feel totally incompetent (took me some time to figure out what feeling that was) and say nothing at all, leading to uncomfortable silences and such.

 

[ntfbfi]

There was a time when I talked to others about my opinions, let's say I started off with point A, and elabrated it, we discussed it for awhile, then they agreed with me, stop discussing point A and ready to move on. All of sudden, I just came up with an opposite idea of point B and I talked about it, they were silent, and i felt like I was debating with myself at that time.

 

[Invoke Ninja's True Power]

I put this on the end of another post, but I think maybe it should be its own thread, just because I want to get more viewpoints-

Does anyone else feel like they have no idea what they're talking about half the time? For example, I'll write something in here as if it's gospel, when I really don't know how I feel about it or what my actual opinion is or how things were in the past. It's almost as if I don't have a clear picture of myself at all. One second I think I'm completely this way, one second I think I'm completely this other way. And I jump to conclusions because something makes sense to me, but then afterward I find some other information which fills in the picture a bit more and I have to correct it under penalty of death and I feel like the most inconstant person on the planet.

I prefer to call it versatility

 

[preilemus]

Yes, i know exactly what you mean. I will be in the middle of a post, and start finding valid arguments that go against the very thing I'm currently typing.

Ive scrapped so many posts because they presented one-sided interpretations of an issue which no longer reflected my multi-sided thoughts. The safest kind of post for me are ones of a ponderous nature, because I cant help but feel a little regret when I stick an opinion out there.

 

[B4nd1t_one]

i like to avoid saying anything unless ive deduced that i am right.
it often takes a long time for me to speak