INFP: The Dark Side

[Architect]

A series of posts discussing the dark side of various types. I'll start with INFP's, the Feeling cousins of INTP's.

Thesis: Darth Vadar and Hitler were INFP's.

I frequently hear DV (somewhat humorously) called an INFJ, and Hitler too, but I doubt that. On a scale of narcissism I don't think INFJ types rate that high, but INTP's and INFP's do rate higher. This is because Ti and Fi are rather self obsessed functions. Unlike Ni for the INFJ which is self possessed, but not really as much obsessed I'd say.

I really have a hard time seeing an INFJ being a megalomaniacal evil leader, they're too empathic. But a wronged INFP? No problem, look at Mia Farrow and Woody Allen. Mia is surely an INFP and once she felt wronged (as DV) then there's no limit to her insanity.

Likewise Hitler, I suspect INFP more than INFJ. Think of the INFP inferior Te. This is an external system building motivation. Te is about making corporations, groups or societies structured. If Hitler was an INFP he must have loved making a society the way he wanted. And since it's in the inferior he was no good at it, combine being a pathological individual and you have the sick society that Nazism was.

So the dark side of INFP's is when they get pushed too far in getting their feelings hurt, they can go over to the dark side.

 

[Cherry Cola]

I know Bronto thinks Nietzsche is an INFP and he had many of these traits that you're talking about. I dunno, I don't have any problem seeing an INFJ in the role of the megalomaniacal evil leader. They might not gravitate towards it in general but they certainly have the skills to pull it off which I don't think INFPs do.

 

[The Gopher]

I think we should encourage all types of people to become megalomaniac evil leaders. I think it's unfair how few people get encouragement in this area.

 

[Cognisant]

Like INTPs and their thoughts, if two people were to ever fight to the death over philosophy/history/physics/etc and nothing else but the topic they'd have to be INTPs, I think we can all remember a time when our families were shocked by the quiet ones practically yelling at each other in debate. Although usually it doesn't become bitter until one side refuses to concede defeat on unreasonable grounds and even then INTPs will just call each other idiots/sophists/philistines and be done with it, there's very few physically violent INTPs as far as I know.

 

[Cognisant]

I think we should encourage all types of people to become megalomaniac evil leaders. I think it's unfair how few people get encouragement in this area.

In this regard ENTPs are like dogs chasing cars, there isn't an ENTP alive who doesn't come up with a world domination scheme at least once a year but if one ever actually had the motivation to see it through upon conquering the world they wouldn't have a clue what to do with it.

As far as INTPs are concerned they already rule the world, insofar as they want to.

 

[Jennywocky]

... Way to start the thread out on a bad foot by tying it to typing Hitler. *eyeroll* Now I'm spending all my energy trying not to launch into explanations as to why I don't see how they could be INFPs, even if I personally don't care to defend INFPs, and I hate "type them" discussions in general.

I'm in agreement with you on Mia, though. I'm not really thrilled with Woody's behavior; but yeah, she chews an old bone and will keep chewing until it falls to pieces in her mouth, and then she'll chew more until her teeth fragment and dribble out over lips. (absurdity intended.)

I loved the INFP guy I was with, but it was funny how "HOT" he would get about a few pet issues that ran against his values, and when I say "hot" I mean "rabid." He would just launch into these crazy diatribes that I found somewhat cute and amusing (as long as I was not the target), over a broad social issue for example or even some personal idiosyncracy over an album or book or TV show, as if it were a highly vengeful slight against him personally. His feelings actually get hurt by these large violations in society; and it's actually as if it were personally directed at him, he identifies with it strongly and thus now wants to violently defend himself.

I just didn't get that; I can take things personally as well, but typically I still can see the other side of things, and I also can't maintain a long burn, I'll be mad for about a minute, then ... I have to let it go because I just detach more naturally so as to get perspective. To burn that hot over something for so long leaves me feeling off-kilter and not quite in my right, sensible mind.

The closest I can get, I guess, is when someone is parading around obvious mistakes and even lies/distortions of data and using it to dominate/control others; that violates my sense of truth + independence, and it spurs me on to say something, sometimes. But I pretty quickly just think, 'What an ass,' and move on regardless.

We also had some issues where i did something by accident, his feeligns got hurt, and he just could not let it go. Even after I said I was sorry. It was excruciatingly prolonged. Like, if he felt I should have stood up for him with something, or if I should have read his mind and known his feelings were hurt... my inability to comply instinctively with his needs was seen almost as personal betrayal.

 

[Teax]

Can someone with Ji really 'walk over to the dark side'? Ji is all about structuring the inner worldview, and that is not easy to change.. if ever possible.

Let me define "mental system"="set of inter-coherent ideas relevant to some area of life" (e.g. math, art, relationships...)

Ti is about growing one primary mental system as big as possible, often merging smaller systems together to achieve that goal, at the cost of not being subjective enough. You can even see Ti merging a new issue on the fly, when a seemingly angry Ti just cools down in an instant and 'gains perspective'. The only dark side i see in Ti is that we don't feel the significance of some small occurence consistently(after merging). Being labelled not empathetic enough as a consequence.

In contrast, the problem I see with Fi is that there is no necessary coherence between the small subjective systems, because subjectiveness of oneself is Fi's priority. Any homogenizing and merging would require a compromise in belief in one's own individual significance. So instead the different systems just stay the way they are. Given a chance, Te subjugates the outside world to the strong inner Fi biases. This could manifest as a "holier than thou" personality because of the strong belief, and a "hot" personality, because there is no mechanism to cool off... except maybe forgetting that the transgression ever happened.. which could take a while.

An Fi-dom would have to start off in the wrong direction, ingrained with a skewed moral system at an early age, but once that is done, I can picture any of those cartoonish dark characters being an INFP type, who truly believe in what they're doing. A supervillain of sorts.

 

[TheManBeyond]

First of all i'm not entirely convinced of being an INFP, but in the case i am one, i can relate.
When i was in control for one of my personal interests, being in a band as "the leader" as stupid as it sounds, i was bossy and uninflexible, i couldn't trust anyone for in this case coming up with an actual good idea about our songs or direction, i felt totally like hitler, giving this speeches and crazy stuff, that's why i thought i was an INFJ.
In fact like Teax ^ said, i felt kinda i was the special one. You know nothing about what i have in mind, this is something big, even if it wasn't, little dirty roachs.
When the paifull reality strikes me down i explode and can't cool down.
The problem i have with the world is that i take shit way too personally.

You can almost touch my cuteness.

I also relate to this in my personal relationships, i was pretty domineering and been told psychologic abuser but only when my feelings really got hurt. Maybe this is a silly example: i remember one day i told my ex gf: "i feel bad for you being all day on facebook".
I told her this becuz i knew that she was gonna piss the fuck off, i was basically saying in other words she had no friends. While in fact i felt that way i also wanted to hurt her so i hit her in her weak spot, my words have double meaning, or purposes and i think that while she could felt bad for it i don't think she understood my intentions.
I've said many painfull things that could be cataloged as emotional beatdowns,
I've heard mathama gandhi and lenon also did this. Fortunately i'm definitely not agressive with hands to beat any woman down.

 

[J-man]

Are we talking about the actual historical Darth Vader or the distorted portrayal of him in George Lucas' documentaries?

 

[Cherry Cola]

Do we even have any INFPs on the forum? Nanook maybe?

 

[Grayman]

Do we even have any INFPs on the forum? Nanook maybe?

Yes

I enjoy my value system.

 

[TBerg]

Jung described introverted feeling as an almost compulsion to striving for comfort. Makes sense that a Jew hater wanted to make himself more comfortable by getting rid of the Jews around him.

 

[TheManBeyond]

Do we even have any INFPs on the forum? Nanook maybe?

fuck you you typed me as infp

 

[Cherry Cola]

Yeah but I had forgotten about that, plz mercy

 

[Cherry Cola]

Yes

I enjoy my value system.

Hell no, you're more T than my operative system.

 

[Saoshyant]

A dark INFP? They would probably just off themselves without doing anything. (I realize Hitler offed himself)

I won't get into Darth Vader, but I highly doubt Hitler was an INFP. Sick/Inferior Te is ignoring it and not creating business activity and societies. Hitler was actually really good at creating a new feared society. I just can't see the INFP pulling the resources and leadership to remotely coming close to what Hitler did. The Nazis wanted to create Supermen. Why would a dark INFP want to do that? They typically don't care how efficient another person is.

Look at his speeches and see how animated he was. That is nothing like the INFP's I know. My 2 cents is that Hitler was a sick, sick ESTJ and I am not sure why this typing/idea is not thought of more.

I think you had a good start to your thesis disproving the common INFJ Hitler typing, but were confused how to re-type him.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Except if you look at Hitlers personal life he isn't an ESTJ. It's entirely out of the picture. Whereas INFJ fits the bill pretty well. INFP is also more likely than ESTJ.

Besides Ni is the obsession function. That's what it does, it creates singular all encompassing visions.

I think somepeople are getting Ni wrong.

 

[Saoshyant]

Except if you look at Hitlers personal life he isn't an ESTJ. It's entirely out of the picture. Whereas INFJ fits the bill pretty well. INFP is also more likely than ESTJ.

Please back that up with some actual facts. Why is it out of the picture? Based on what? I just want to go why why why to everything you just said.

 

[Architect]

Look at his speeches and see how animated he was.

Yes that was the first point an INFJ I know brought up. It's fair, and frankly I don't know if I believe he really was an INFP. Hard to tell regardless, he was pathological (to say the least) and ordinary rules probably don't quite apply.

Ignoring the actual man I take the historical figure of Hitler as symbolic of psychotic INFP's at least, not INFJ's.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Please back that up with some actual facts. Why is it out of the picture? Based on what? I just want to go why why why to everything you just said.

Why should I have to do your homework? :S He was an introverted sensitive shyguy weirdo with artistic aspirations. Sound very ESTJ?

 

[Saoshyant]

Why should I have to do your homework? :S He was an introverted sensitive shyguy weirdo with artistic aspirations. Sound very ESTJ?

Good points, I've done some thinking and still think he's an extrovert - a psychotic ENFP.

 

[dark+matters]

I really can see Darth Vader as an INFJ, but not an INFP. Vader feels so deeply, that he uses the power of his emotions to strangle people, and he just... miraculously knows and reveals that Luke is his son, twenty-something years later.

I really like the idea of making a horror movie in which the villains are INFPs though. LOL! I think the action would start off with the hero implying that people are not all equal. Then the villain's slow, smoldering passive aggression would hit a boiling point of half-truths and insinuations that aren't really based in the facts, combined with a bunch of accusations of badness and emotional insensitivity or emotional fakeness, followed by an unstoppable desire to harmonize the relationship, and all ending in a nervous breakdown and the completion of a colorfully illustrated story book.

Actually, I did just read a play in which the antagonist definitely seems to be an INFP. He gathered around all his friends, and asked them to look up their former crushes and state point blank that they loved them. The antagonist enjoyed watching the rejection that would inevitably ensue for his friends, since so much time had passed since most of these people had been in contact with their old, lifelong crushes).

 

[dark+matters]

 

[dark+matters]

Sorry- I'll stop posting these. So hard to resist!

 

[lulabelle]

A series of posts discussing the dark side of various types. I'll start with INFP's, the Feeling cousins of INTP's.

Thesis: Darth Vadar and Hitler were INFP's.

I frequently hear DV (somewhat humorously) called an INFJ, and Hitler too, but I doubt that. On a scale of narcissism I don't think INFJ types rate that high, but INTP's and INFP's do rate higher. This is because Ti and Fi are rather self obsessed functions. Unlike Ni for the INFJ which is self possessed, but not really as much obsessed I'd say.

I really have a hard time seeing an INFJ being a megalomaniacal evil leader, they're too empathic. But a wronged INFP? No problem, look at Mia Farrow and Woody Allen. Mia is surely an INFP and once she felt wronged (as DV) then there's no limit to her insanity.

Likewise Hitler, I suspect INFP more than INFJ. Think of the INFP inferior Te. This is an external system building motivation. Te is about making corporations, groups or societies structured. If Hitler was an INFP he must have loved making a society the way he wanted. And since it's in the inferior he was no good at it, combine being a pathological individual and you have the sick society that Nazism was.

So the dark side of INFP's is when they get pushed too far in getting their feelings hurt, they can go over to the dark side.

You have a problem seeing an INFJ as a megomaniacal leader? Are you kidding me? There's a whole row of INFJ megomaniacal leaders on celebritytypes... an insane INFJ will identify with a group of people SO strongly that they can neglect the other people that will be oppressed by this masterrace/group. Hitler also didn't really have much contact with the people who were exterminated... he was removed and thus only identified with his group. I'm an INFP and even I can admit that I don't feel an INFP would be capable of carrying this kind of movement from start to finish.

Not sure what your obsession with Mia Farrow is, of all people in this world, but I grew up in similar circles as Ronan Farrow and she is a lovely person who spends most of her time on charity work and various causes. I don't know the Woody situation intimately but I do know that by most accounts and from what I've read on all sides of the situation, he's a huge creep. I hope you aren't a /r/mensrights type. Usually the INTPs I know are pretty reasonable when it comes to this kind of thing... And anyway, someone behaving irrationally says nothing about their ability to lead a mass movement

 

[TheManBeyond]

^ wrong. See you can't say someone uses fe becuz they identify themselves with their people. By that logic every revolutionary leader would be a Fe. When that's just a F trait. Look at ENFP in celebrity types. There is che Guevara, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez and at least I agree about Chavez being a blatant Fi, he was my country president for quite a while and I had to eat his speeches every day. Hitler was imo an INFP.
BTW nanook = INTJ.

 

[scenefinale]

A series of posts discussing the dark side of various types. I'll start with INFP's, the Feeling cousins of INTP's.

Thesis: Darth Vadar and Hitler were INFP's.

I haven't given thought to typing these two yet, I don't have enough observational data yet.

But I can speak on the topic. Perhaps my favorite INFP villain, Omar Devon Little of The Wire. (contains spoilers, violence)
http://youtu.be/22ir_jdkYnc

An epic scene showed here is the card table robbery where Omar robs Marlow (another INFP villain).

Also, here is the most accurate typings ever posted on the show's characters. http://intpforum.com/showthread.php?t=20395

 

[lulabelle]

^ wrong. See you can't say someone uses fe becuz they identify themselves with their people. By that logic every revolutionary leader would be a Fe. When that's just a F trait. Look at ENFP in celebrity types. There is che Guevara, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez and at least I agree about Chavez being a blatant Fi, he was my country president for quite a while and I had to eat his speeches every day. Hitler was imo an INFP.
BTW nanook = INTJ.

If you think an INFP would be as systematic, organized and regimented for that period of time like Hitler was, if you think that an INFP would love a movement where everyone marched the same way and looked the same then you really don't understand how INFPs operate. I cannot imagine an INFP having the energy and meticulous organization and love of uniformity to carry out what Hitler did. He had effed up Fe with the Ni vision... we all know his love of symbols, don't we?

 

[TheManBeyond]

If you think an INFP would be as systematic, organized and regimented for that period of time like Hitler was, if you think that an INFP would love a movement where everyone marched the same way and looked the same then you really don't understand how INFPs operate. I cannot imagine an INFP having the energy and meticulous organization and love of uniformity to carry out what Hitler did. He had effed up Fe with the Ni vision... we all know his love of symbols, don't we?

You seem to forget there was a big structure set besides hitler, he was just the scary mask of the monster, like in scooby doo you finally find out there's no an actual phantom. He basically wanted to impose germany his ideals but he couldn't have done it without the help from his party. They saw in him a mesiah and they hired him for this to spread the message and drive nuts people. Ne for his fantasy world.
It is not that hard to get. you see. I believe he used Fi instead of Fe becuz he'd a burning fire pure passion vibe. he could have been a INFJ but it's obviously not that obvious since he was fucking crazy.
Now fuck off.

 

[lulabelle]

You seem to forget there was a big structure set besides hitler, he was just the scary mask of the monster, like in scooby doo you finally find out there's no an actual phantom. He basically wanted to impose germany his ideals, Ne for his fantasy stuff.
It is not that hard to get. you see. I believe he used Fi instead of Fe becuz he's a burning fire pure passion thing. he coudl have been a INFJ but it's obviously not that obvious since he was fucking crazy.
Now fuck off.

Nothing of what you've said is evidence specifically for INFP. INFJs have burning passion too, it's just a matter of how it manifests... their passion is more group-oriented and Fi passion is much more individualistic/focused on giving power to the outsiders. There's no evidence that Hitler's 'fantasy' is Ne over Ni... Ni is visionary in its own way, and much more oriented towards symbolic meaning. Hitler's vision wasn't a fucking fantasy novel, dumbass. Maybe learn more about the differences between INFPs and INFJs... I'm an INFP and have a very hard time believing an INFP would carry out a systematic, regimented, highly organized movement built around GROUP supremacy like Hitler did. Insane INFP villains are more like the Joker from batman

 

[TheManBeyond]

hahahah fuck offf

 

[lulabelle]

hahahah fuck offf

lol

 

[Brontosaurie]

They saw in him a mesiah and they hired him for this to spread the message and drive nuts people. Ne for his fantasy world.
It is not that hard to get. you see. I believe he used Fi instead of Fe becuz he'd a burning fire pure passion vibe.

fuck yeah that's some badass words

 

[ASquare183]

Primary/secondary Fi can come off as a little narcissistic at times. INFPs can become kind of threatened and defensive pretty easily, often in response to others being in disharmony with the INFP's moral values, or as a response to perceived competition with someone else (which may or may not be actually instigated by the other person). INFPs aren't really prone to serious narcissism or aggressive behavior, however. They're more concerned with self-identity, for example, than ruling the world. INFJs, however, can their Fe and Ti to manipulate other people towards attaining Ni success.

 

[TheManBeyond]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnpTWKKWQ1o

at 2:12 he becomes mother teresa.

 

[TheManBeyond]

btw talking about passion Fi and stuff, celebrity types:

Hugo Chavez
President of Venezuela


Chavez: "I didn't plan to become president. I am here because of a hurricane. I am the son of a revolution."

Chavez: "[I have] a passion, a fire burning inside myself."

 

[Cherry Cola]

inb4 celebritytypes worst mbti page there is!!!

 

[dark+matters]

hahahah fuck offf

LOL Yeah, honestly, I'm a little concerned that beating up on Fi when INFPs lead with Fi is a bit controversial for people with Fi in their shadow function to be doing. It's worth taking a look at why INTPs might be feeling the way they/we do about Fi.

Maybe Fi is that threatening for us, due to the likelihood of its being very underdeveloped in our own personalities (personally, I think I've developed mine, but I dunno), but in my INFP besties, they really shine and achieve maximum success when they lean on that Fi and take action upon it. In my darkest hours, that Fi that some good INFPs in my life have employed has really, really pulled me out of some black, demobilizing states. My dark moods seem to be Fi, and I generally do best to ignore those states and distract myself, but their best moments and methods of coping seem to be with Fi.

In the past, when I have used Fi to determine my behavior and world view, and especially when I have done this for several weeks or months... really weird shit has happened. LOL I've scored as INFP before, but... again... weird shit was happening.

Conversely, more than one INFP friend I've had has just gone absolutely bananas on me when I've tried to explain a very unconventional concept in very clear, blunt, to-the-point terms without regard to the emotional side of things. (I'm assuming that this is probably my Ti in action, and that Ti would be the INFP 8th function. The folks I'm thinking of... yeah. They definitely do not shine in those moments. LOL They get confused... angry... they look like they're in physical pain, etc.)

 

[Analyzer]

I always find it funny when Hitler and Nazis are romanticized as the worst outcome of a corrupt State. Sure the whole regime was a bunch of thugs like any other, but Stalin's regime was worse. FDR wasn't some hero either.

 

[TheManBeyond]

^ heheheh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOsABwCrn3E

 

[Saoshyant]

Conversely, more than one INFP friend I've had has just gone absolutely bananas on me when I've tried to explain a very unconventional concept in very clear, blunt, to-the-point terms without regard to the emotional side of things. (I'm assuming that this is probably my Ti in action, and that Ti would be the INFP 8th function. The folks I'm thinking of... yeah. They definitely do not shine in those moments. LOL They get confused... angry... they look like they're in physical pain, etc.)

Yeah its really weird and annoying. INFPs LOVE to argue, but they can't get/see to where I am at. It's like I'm at mile 10 and they are stuck at mile 3 arguing over some little detail they can't get past. It just clicks for us, and it doesn't click for them. Then they want me to explain it to them, when it is clearly not going to click. Perfect example is lulabelle trying to explain to theManBeyond in the posts above ^^.

P.S Don't we have moderators around here?

 

[blahblahbob]

There's lots of INFP villains in literature but we don't like to admit it because it hurts our delicate feelings. I think Hitler was an INFJ personally, but I'm open to the ideas that he was INFP. Darth Vader is definitely an INFP when you take into account Anakin in the first three episodes - but it's hard to make this argument based on the original trilogy alone.

There are two major INFP villains I would point out as archetypal INFP archvillains in literature and they're both complete maniacs:

1. Sweeney Todd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5O9yLhEuTs

2. Evil Willow: http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090303173056/buffy/images/2/22/DarkWillow.jpg

 

[Jennywocky]

...P.S Don't we have moderators around here?

[bimgx=300]https://i.imgflip.com/ff4qq.jpg[/bimgx]

 

[Yellow]

My brother is an INFP who was very coddled growing up. I am sure a better raised one wouldn't be so bad, but I can definitely see the Hitler thing.. or at least an INFP's potential for committing atrocities. However, he also has (high-functioning) Aspergers and with an INFP, it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. But ignoring what I know is the Aspy influence, here is the dark side I see.

Like everyone else noted, he has a rabid temper. I was a very "tough" girl and he was a very "soft" boy, so when he got angry, he would hit me and I (being the older sibling by 2.5 years) wasn't allowed to hit back. Instead I would either dodge, watch him hurt his hand on the wall, and risk punishment for making my brother cry, or just let the blow land and laugh at him (I grew up training/pretending to be impervious to pain.. weird childhood). But I remember the day I had to draw the line with him. I think we were 16 and 18 when he punched me square in the nose for winning a game of Jenga. I just let my nose bleed and didn't break eye contact as I informed him that if he ever hit me again, I was going to beat him senseless. Suddenly, he was able to control his temper around me. He had only acted violently toward me all those years because he could.

And the whole "because I can" thing is rather disturbing to me. He feels a lot of contempt for a lot of people based on his own archetypal constructs and I do wonder if, given the opportunity, he would act brutally toward them in his own brand of justice.

Worse, he is very good at manipulating those around him. Most people who meet him sense his touch of Autism right away (rather than thinking he's just an ass), so he comes off as a sweet young man who wouldn't hurt a fly. My parents certainly never believed that he would ever hit me or my much younger cousins (which he did). When he threatened to shoot up his classroom, his principal sided with him and turned an expulsion into a 3-day suspension (though it helped that as far as we all knew, he had no access to the firearms he specified in his threat).

I'm just grateful that he has the ambition of a sea sponge or he'd be some unsolved serial-whatever.

 

[MellifluousSky]

A series of posts discussing the dark side of various types. I'll start with INFP's, the Feeling cousins of INTP's.

Thesis: Darth Vadar and Hitler were INFP's.

I frequently hear DV (somewhat humorously) called an INFJ, and Hitler too, but I doubt that. On a scale of narcissism I don't think INFJ types rate that high, but INTP's and INFP's do rate higher. This is because Ti and Fi are rather self obsessed functions. Unlike Ni for the INFJ which is self possessed, but not really as much obsessed I'd say.

I really have a hard time seeing an INFJ being a megalomaniacal evil leader, they're too empathic. But a wronged INFP? No problem, look at Mia Farrow and Woody Allen. Mia is surely an INFP and once she felt wronged (as DV) then there's no limit to her insanity.

Likewise Hitler, I suspect INFP more than INFJ. Think of the INFP inferior Te. This is an external system building motivation. Te is about making corporations, groups or societies structured. If Hitler was an INFP he must have loved making a society the way he wanted. And since it's in the inferior he was no good at it, combine being a pathological individual and you have the sick society that Nazism was.

So the dark side of INFP's is when they get pushed too far in getting their feelings hurt, they can go over to the dark side.

Wow...I guess INFP can be Enneagram 8 after all?

 

[8151147]

This is because Ti and Fi are rather self obsessed functions. Unlike Ni for the INFJ which is self possessed, but not really as much obsessed I'd say.

Quote for truths.

Well I'm a bit disappointed with many sources on Internet claim that Hitler is INFJ, INTJ, ENTJ..blah blah.... I understand why they misunderstand Hitler is not a INFP though.

There is a way of approach someone to tell what MBTI type they are. This is a little trick. We can observer and point out 4 MBTI types with very different behaviors. I group them to IJ, EJ, IP, EP.

-EP: active, impulsive, friendly, easygoing, sensitive to environment

-IP: docile, dull, suddenly diehard, extremeness, sink in crowd then suddenly burst, undetermined, obstreperous

-EJ: active, cunning, control other people, ambition

-IJ: easygoing, friendly, careful, seem floating to other but actually hidden, secret...

The differences between 4 above groups lies in judging/perceiving and introvert/extrovert complex.

EP: their dominate function is perceiving extrovert. That's why they easygoing, friendly, sensitive to environment.

IP: theirs is judging introvert. That's mean they judged from their inner, not their outer. Thus they want the inner stuff like memories, ideas, thinking are something must "be like that". And it may not true to the real world. They don't care much about environment, least sensitive.

EJ: theirs is juding extrovert. They want everything outer must be like they want.

IJ: theirs is perceiving introvert. That's mean they easygoing but in their inner. Perceiving function learn, receive information, not give and command like judging.

Thus if we observed Hitler behavior, we could see he has judging function is dominate. Very drastically and extreme. However he is not judging extrovert people, like @Architect point out. He is kinda self obsessed rather than self possessed. Remember he can painting and drawing? It's tend to be introvert than extrovert. And his speech is very smooth, intuitive, it's not for sensative type. And he doesn't have the INTP's witness. All the ambitions, aimings, commands based on his feeling rather thinking.
Therefore look from outside, hard to believe in but yes he is INFP.

The most secure way to know someone's type is trying to guess thier dominate function. Look from inner, analyze deep down the dominate function, his is Fi. Fi cores are based on personal values (ISFP, INFP). He have hatred toward Jews in childhood. And he adapt it later when he became a dictator. It's about hatred, loved. Thus he can't be Thinking dominate function. He use his personal value from his inner to create, make the outer, sadly by anti-planning actions. It's perceiving extrovert behavior (Ne, Se).

Beside, one of other reason many resources on Internet misunderstood him is misunderstanding the MBTI. MBTI is tell how our brain's function work, not how our personalities are. Thus make some misconcepts like Feeling are "good", helpful, Thinking are "bad", evil...blah blah. Then when they look at Hitler' crimes they belive he is thinking type? I belive Hitler is not evil, he is just too stupid and extreme emotion people. It also apply to other F people. There are no Light, Dark side, no good no bad type. They are all one.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

^ I think those temperaments are a great way of looking at the types. Interestingly, your own words seem to argue that Hitler was EJ instead and not IP/INFP. He was indeed active, cunning, controlling of other people, and ambitious. He wanted Germany and the rest of the world to be like what he wanted.


Hitler's persona was about grandiosity, passion, and charisma; he controlled masses through his emphatic speeches and directed energy towards scapegoats. He utilized the archetypes of savior and prophet and adopted the authoritative symbology of the swastika and Aryan ethnicity to further his cause. He long had ambitions to rise to power and manipulated the German system and the German nation to put himself and his party into powerful positions.

IMO the obvious type is ENFJ(Fe-Ni), but I don't blame anyone for seeing INFJ or ESTJ.

 

[The Gopher]

When's the sequel Archy?

 

[MellifluousSky]

A series of posts discussing the dark side of various types. I'll start with INFP's, the Feeling cousins of INTP's.

Thesis: Darth Vadar and Hitler were INFP's.

I frequently hear DV (somewhat humorously) called an INFJ, and Hitler too, but I doubt that. On a scale of narcissism I don't think INFJ types rate that high, but INTP's and INFP's do rate higher. This is because Ti and Fi are rather self obsessed functions. Unlike Ni for the INFJ which is self possessed, but not really as much obsessed I'd say.

I really have a hard time seeing an INFJ being a megalomaniacal evil leader, they're too empathic. But a wronged INFP? No problem, look at Mia Farrow and Woody Allen. Mia is surely an INFP and once she felt wronged (as DV) then there's no limit to her insanity.

Likewise Hitler, I suspect INFP more than INFJ. Think of the INFP inferior Te. This is an external system building motivation. Te is about making corporations, groups or societies structured. If Hitler was an INFP he must have loved making a society the way he wanted. And since it's in the inferior he was no good at it, combine being a pathological individual and you have the sick society that Nazism was.

So the dark side of INFP's is when they get pushed too far in getting their feelings hurt, they can go over to the dark side.

As an INFJ, I have always had an aversion to real hate. I just cannot hold on to it for very long, let alone the irrational hate of the kind that Hitler displayed toward Jews. I came across a personal blog, seemingly written by an INFP, which makes a very logical/rational argument for Hitler indeed being an INFP. It looks pretty painstaking in detail and it caused me to get Heinz Linge's "With Hitler to the End"...Linge being the personal valet of Hitler for 10 years...right up to his suicide and cremation [by Linge himself]. It draws from several different sources, including Mein Kampf, in showing Hitler as possessed of a messianic worldview that he was bent on bringing to fruition, with a curious dearth of logical or rational thought.

http://thinkclassical.blogspot.com/2013/02/music-and-personality-type-part-ii.html

 

[MellifluousSky]

They're more concerned with self-identity, for example, than ruling the world. INFJs, however, can their Fe and Ti to manipulate other people towards attaining Ni success.

Hitler wasn't so much concerned with ruling the world as he was with removing all traces of Jewry from it. He was on a divine/messianic mission of God and the World: "If the German nation loses this war, that will prove it was unworthy of me!" It also has a morbid romantic/Shakespearean element in that Hitler wanted many to follow him into suicide, rather than fall into Russian hands. In the final hours of his life, his hatred toward Jews was non-relenting:

"From time to time during the funereal wedding supper, Hitler left to discuss with Goebbels and Bormann the constitution of the Cabinet with which D–nitz must carry forward the war against “the poisoner of all nations, international Jewry.” April 29, 1945 "Hitler's War" [David Irving/ch44]

It is pretty clear that Hitler held an irrational hatred of Jews and used them perversely as scapegoats for every ill that had befallen Germany. He was invested in hatred clothed within a Divine mission. He uses the word HATE 89 times in Mein Kampf. There is dogma and irrationality to his values/belief system, and his racial theories are more emotionally inspired ravings than dispassionate, rational, and reasoned ideas or thoughts. He fully believed that the National Socialist movement against Jewry would live long after his demise.