Inferior Function cannot be satisfied directly

[Reverse Transcriptase]

I thought of this quote when I read: "Feeling" http://www.intpforum.com/showthread.php?t=5613 and I almost replied... but decided that this was thread-sized not reply-sized.

http://greenlightwiki.com/lenore-exegesis/Main_Propositions

The callings of the Inferior Function cannot be satisfied directly. They're too far opposed to a person's current investments, and virtually unknowable from their present perspective. Trying to steer through life by your Inferior Function really does lead to a sacrifice of self: dishonorable, out-of-control, even infantile behavior.

Extroverted feeling is our inferior function, and we suck at using it. And it's okay that we suck at it.

I haven't explored that wiki very far, but I want more of an elaboration...

How do we satisfy our inferior function indirectly? It makes a lot of sense to me when it's been phrased that way. When I say "I love you" to my mother it feels totally fake, pushed, framed. But sometimes I get a strong desire to help someone I care about, and I usually go about doing it in... more logical project-like ways.

http://greenlightwiki.com/lenore-exegesis/Inferior_Function

A possible Ti perspective is that directly using the inferior function is simply not true to the principles of "how the mind works."

Anyway, some more discussion/thoughts on this would be fantastic.

(Disclaimer: Lenore, the person the wiki is based on, is using her own theory or take on the MBTI. I think her theory is close enough to canonical MBTI that it's fine.)

 

[checkplus]

That's actually something that's been on my mind a lot lately. The thing that seems to be the best is... sex, or at least intimacy with a partner. Logic doesn't serve us too well there, so through simple positive and negative reinforcement, we start using our Fe more and more. It's kind of like a crash course. That's why many intps don't reach a level of mature Fe until middle age. Meeting someone who will bare with us is tough.

Another point I want to make is that feeling good isn't really a Fe reaction (I don't think). It's just positive reinforcement from your brain to your brain when it sees what your doing as being good or helpful.

 

[ckm]

Ah, in essence this is exactly what I wanted to discuss in my thread, but I made it too specific to my own situation. So thanks for making this.

Jung defines the shadow (inferior function) as:

...the "negative" side of the personality, the sum of all those unpleasant qualities we like to hide, together with the insufficiently developed functions and the contents of the personal unconscious.

He goes on to say:

Although, with insight and good will, the shadow can to some extent be assimilated into the conscious personality, exprience shows that there are certain features which offer the most obstinate resistance to moral control and prove almost impossible to influence. These resistances are usually bound up with projections, which are not recognized as such, and their recognition is a moral achievement beyond the ordinary. While some traits peculiar to the shadow can be recognized without too much difficulty as one's own personal qualities, in this case both insight and good will are unavailing because the cause of the emotion appears to lie, beyond it may be to the neutral observer that it is a matter of projections, there is little hope that the subject will perceive this himself. He must be convinced that he throws a very long shadow before he is willing to withdraw his emotionally-toned projections from their object.

Note: I don't have an online source for these, because I copied it from hard copy (The Essential Jung: Selected Writings, if you're interested).

So, unless I'm mistaken, our task (according to Jung) is to recognise our projections.

 

[Geminii]

With me, I think it manifests as wanting to see people have good things happen to them. I try and help with little things day to day, much of my career has been helping people in one way or another, and when I drew up plans for my ideal job, I had to include a number of white knight components purely for psychological satisfaction.

 

[Adymus]

Great question, and Lenoir Thompson is absolutely right. Pressing on one's inferior function directly is only going to drain them of stimulation of they need to use their Dominant and Auxiliary functions.

The Dominant function and Inferior functions will always suppress each other. When a person is able to use their dominant function, they are stimulated and energized. It costs the most energy for a person to use their inferior functions.

If an INTJ is constantly being poked and shaken by Se, they will not be able to go inside and form an Ni model. If an INTP is constantly being called to the attention of the social dynamics in an environment (Fe), they will not being able to effectively withdrawal to check their Ti model. Since these types are not being aloud to use what stimulates them, and they are being pulled back to what drains them the most, then this "calling" to their inferior is will only cause stress on the person. It is not a healthy use of Inferior functions at all for a person.
Satisfying an inferior function, is doing so in hierarchical order of your other functions. Essentially you are using your inferior functions in the service of the functions that stimulate you. For example, an INTP who uses his Fe to give a lecture on Quantum mechanics. Or an INTJ Martial artist who uses Ni to predict their movements, Te to plan out an attack, and Se to execute it. Using your inferior functions in service of what stimulates you the most is the most healthy use of an inferior function; not to mention best for developing it.
The reason this is "Indirect" is because it is the Dominant function that must be stimulated before the Inferior can be properly used.
As I said before, the inferior function is the most costly of energy, therefor one must generate this energy from their Dominant function first to be able to afford the expensive price of the inferior.

 

[Kokoro]

Satisfying an inferior function, is doing so in hierarchical order of your other functions. Essentially you are using your inferior functions in the service of the functions that stimulate you. For example, an INTP who uses his Fe to give a lecture on Quantum mechanics. Or an INTJ Martial artist who uses Ni to predict their movements, Te to plan out an attack, and Se to execute it. Using your inferior functions in service of what stimulates you the most is the most healthy use of an inferior function; not to mention best for developing it.

Would you please give one more (different or maybe more detailed) example of using the inferior function in this way. I am trying to make sure that I understand this fully.

 

[shoeless]

this is part of the reason i think i might be more of an ENTP than an INTP. i find Fe really doesn't "drain" me as much as it does other INTP's. i feel i use it relatively efficiently, in general, not that it's the bane of my existence or anything.

anyway, i can agree with enjoying seeing good things happen to other people. if i have a friend who makes a "love connection" or whatever, i find myself genuinely happy for them. i also try to offer help, understanding, empathy, and a shoulder to cry on as much as possible. (depending on the person -- if i don't particularly like you, which really only happens with a select few people, then i'm not likely to want to deal with your shit.)

so yeah. i dunno.

 

[Jesin]

this is part of the reason i think i might be more of an ENTP than an INTP. i find Fe really doesn't "drain" me as much as it does other INTP's. i feel i use it relatively efficiently, in general, not that it's the bane of my existence or anything.

You still have to be able to stop and think for a bit to recharge afterwards, though, yes?

 

[shoeless]

...honestly, i don't know. i have a difficult time discerning what exactly "recharge" means anymore. i mean, i'll stop and think about it, yeah, but it feels more like... processing, than it does recharging. to some extent i might even find it energizing, but i don't really know if that's Fe.

example: right before a show (that i acted in... the complete works of shakespeare abridged... yada yada), backstage, my friend had an emotional breakdown about her parents, and she was crying and everything. all i could do was just stand there and comfort her (she was quite literally crying on my shoulder) and though it sort of threw me for a loop, i somehow felt... i dunno, compelled to give the most kickass performance of my life that night. and i delivered.

so, honestly, it's really hard for me to say. i think i'm just type-confused. I'M AN ENIGMA.

or something.

 

[Jesin]

i mean, i'll stop and think about it, yeah, but it feels more like... processing, than it does recharging.

Yeah, I think that's actually a better word for it.

It's also "recharging" in the sense that, if you have to use your Fe for too long without getting a chance to stop and think, you're probably going to get really stressed out.

 

[shoeless]

yeah, i could see that.

still, it feels less like an inferior function -- which so often seems to be described as the devil, like something so oppressive and awful that many people just can't bear to deal with it -- than it does perhaps, i dunno, my tertiary function (as in an ENTP).

i'm curious as to how Si manifests as an inferior function. might have to look into that.

 

[Jesin]

inferior function -- which so often seems to be described as the devil, like something so oppressive and awful that many people just can't bear to deal with it

Um, no, that isn't really what inferior functions are like. If we're mature enough, we can use them fine and even enjoy it. It's only unhealthy when we try to use them too much without going back to the dominant function for too long. That's when we get really stressed and then bad stuff happens.

Also, I think the inferior function doesn't get used by default in our normal thought processes in most circumstances, so for INTPs who haven't really used Fe before, there can be an initial reaction along the lines of "Woah, what, what is this, are these feelings? I didn't know I had those. NOW WTF DO I DO WITH THEM?"

 

[shoeless]

i know that's not really what it's like, but that's how it's often portrayed.

still though, i've been trying to figure out the difference between tertiary and inferior. i still don't really get it. adymus?

 

[Auburn]

Si in the Inferior Position
Si provides information about the fixed and stable, the facts / constancies of the universe. At it's best, it provides such information as a firm basis for proceeding forward into the world. Where Si occupies the inferior position (as it does for those with dominant Ne), it is strongly tainted with unconscious contents. In these cases, Si may manifest as negative/malevolent images of eternal tendencies in people and situations that will not change. Such tendencies may well be present, but inferior Si sees the part as the whole. Inferior Si is also linked to feelings of nostalgia, overwhelmingly vivid internal imagery and a selective recall of facts and memories that are highly emotionally charged.

Shoeless - I'm not sure if this helps much but it's just a bit about Si in the inferior position that I found online - for what it's worth.^^;

And the Devilish function usually refers to the 8th function, which is the inverse of the Dominant but in the same orientation [i/e]. The inferior is nicknamed the Shadow function I believe. P=

 

[Anthile]

Ne #1: "And now imagine that with ninjas riding on dinosaurs! It will be a completely new experience."
Si #4: "But that makes no sense, ninjas and dinosaurs lived in completely different eras. We will just do it like we always did it."

 

[Jesin]

Eh, that applies to Ne and Si in INTPs too, though.

 

[Fukyo]

Si #4: "But that makes no sense, ninjas and dinosaurs lived in completely different eras. We will just do it like we always did it."

That could go for dom Si even, especially the bold part.