Ne, Ti, and forums

[sagewolf]

I'm going to post my understanding of both Ti and Ne here so that if I'm horrendously wrong, you can tell me so, since that would probably render this idea of mine completely invalid.

Ti is the function which is concerned with evaluating, quantifying and defining things according to the information we gather about them. It is also concerned with the systematic analysis, interpretation and synthesis of systems and meaning communicated through them.

Ne is the function which involves gathering information about things indirectly, through subtle or disparate clues in the environment. It is capable of making huge leaps of reasoning (cannot think of a better word here) in order to connect two different things meaningfully. Am I right?

Since Ne is our extraverted function and Ti is out introverted one, Ne (along with the empathy-oriented Fe) is the one we primarily use when we interact with other people (which is part of why people think we're weird ). Ti plays a part: it decodes the words and language used by the other person to conclude the literal meaning of the verbal statements they make, since language is a system. But Ne allows us to interpret that literal meaning in the context of hints such as tone of voice, facial expression, actions and body language to infer what the person is actually saying (in contrast to what they're stating).

The crux of this is that I wonder how good being on forums is for the Ne function. The "Fun" threads here encourage creativity and lateral reasoning in the vein of Ne, but generally almost all of Ne's role in interpreting statements based on supplementary external information is cut away by the fact that we're interfacing with avatars, signatures, and text, instead of another person who gives off cues as they talk. All we have is our previous knowledge of what the poster has previously said and done on this site to make these connections with (and memory of the past is in the realm of Si). We're reducing almost the entire interaction to the Ti/Si axis, which in turn might increase our tendency towards introversion.

Okay I'm done (likely) trumpeting my misknowledge of the types. Ye?

 

[Ermine]

Actually, that was fairly spot on. However, it might be a matter of Ne maturity, but I'm not as good with picking up on clues like body language and voice tone. I've noticed that in an interpersonal light, the Ti is my my center for "smartness" cynicism, and being helpful. My Ne is responsible for humor, making connections, randomness, creativity, and has turned into a makeshift feeling function.

 

[del]

Hey, yeah, your descriptions were quite good!

The stuff about picking up nonverbal cues were spot on too. Lenore Thomson has a section in her book where she says something very similar.

The crux of this is that I wonder how good being on forums is for the Ne function. The "Fun" threads here encourage creativity and lateral reasoning in the vein of Ne, but generally almost all of Ne's role in interpreting statements based on supplementary external information is cut away by the fact that we're interfacing with avatars, signatures, and text, instead of another person who gives off cues as they talk. All we have is our previous knowledge of what the poster has previously said and done on this site to make these connections with (and memory of the past is in the realm of Si). We're reducing almost the entire interaction to the Ti/Si axis, which in turn might increase our tendency towards introversion.

That's very pluasible, and matches the vibes an whatnot I always get on these MBIT forums. It might be why entp.org is so much slower than the various INTP forums and why Typology Central seems dominated by introverts.

 

[sagewolf]

@ Ermine: Yeah, I have problems with my Ne sometimes too, but I'm getting more perceptive all the time. I think things about people, out of the blue. "He's mad." "She's upset." Then I just stand there and wonder what to do about it, so it doesn't really help me much.

One example that I can think of now is a time that I was in the public library reading the newspaper (rainy lunchtime xP). The newspaper is on a desk pretty much covered with magazines and newspapers, and I don't bother moving anything when I sit down. I'd been there about five minutes when a woman came in and walked over to the table. I looked up for about a quarter of a second, and I got the strong impression that she wanted either my newspaper or something under my newspaper.

I don't know if I noticed there was a women's magazine under my paper (that was what she wanted; lucky her, because she was NOT getting my paper), if she broke stride for an instant, looked down in my peripheral vision, or if she just seemed a little awkward, but my Ne connected it all and let me know.

My main use for my Ne: allows me to pre-empt people's desires and requests so that I can avoid actually interacting with them. My extraverted function serves my introversion.

ENTP.org? Never been-- but an INFP forum that I lurk on/post occasionally on is fairly active, so it may well be an I thing. Introverts with Ni/Se might be better suited to the internetz than we Nes, though: the INxJs.

I'm glad you both think I know what I'm talking about. ...I mean, you see that I know what I'm talking about. Yeah.

 

[Gorgrim]

collecting memory might be based on Si, except it has to be tied to something meaningful, when reading the text, where intuition comes into play again. Albeit together with other functions, but still, Intuition beeing used!

Memory itself isnt one of the functions

Anyway, Writing is the introverts favourite communication device, it seems, because of how you can construct it and take your time. So it is no surprise that introverts use forums alot.

I think that it depends on the forum theme wether there's an abundance of Ti or Ni or Si Fi dominant people, but Ti likes systems ( so it would be natural that many INTPS use the internet ) , wouldnt really know what else to say, i gotta go for now

 

[sagewolf]

Introverted Sensing often involves storing data and information, then comparing and contrasting the current situation with similar ones. The immediate experience or words are instantly linked with the prior experiences, and we register a similarity or a difference—for example, noticing that some food doesn’t taste the same or is saltier than it usually is.[...] The process also involves reviewing the past to draw on the lessons of history, hindsight, and experience.

I know memory itself isn't a function. But our use of memory seems to stem primarily from Si. I agree that Ne is used to make some connections, but it doesn't get half the usage here that it would get IRL. Which is bad, because I like my Ne. (Well, bad for me, anyway.)

 

[chocolate]

I'm finding this thread very interesting. I sometimes think I use my Ne too much, to the point that I'm making connections left right and centre without slowing down to think them through. My Ti can usually catch up though...

I agree that this forum is good for Ti overall. The corrupt-a-wish I find very Ne though, I really like that one. More good Ne stuff might be games like balderdash where you have to come up with ideas quickly and consistently or other fast thinking word games.

 

[GarmGarf]

Ne is the function which involves gathering information about things indirectly, through subtle or disparate clues in the environment. It is capable of making huge leaps of reasoning (cannot think of a better word here) in order to connect two different things meaningfully. Am I right?

I've read somewhere that Ni is the function which "involves synthesizing the seemingly paradoxical or contradictory".

We're reducing almost the entire interaction to the Ti/Si axis, which in turn might increase our tendency towards introversion.

Yeah, I've noticed that too. But I don't mind so much; I guess I wanna develop all 4 of my (conscious?) functions to a reasonable degree. Lol, I feel like an RPG character.

 

[Jennywocky]

I've read somewhere that Ni is the function which "involves synthesizing the seemingly paradoxical or contradictory".

I've noticed that when I can see two or more POVs operational at once that seem contradictory and believe them both to be true simultaneously, S people I talk to get really confused and think I'm whacked out.

But they all integrate, to me. They coexist.... and could even be considered not to be paradoxical at all.

Lol, I feel like an RPG character.

keep rolling until you get all 18's!

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

The crux of this is that I wonder how good being on forums is for the Ne function. The "Fun" threads here encourage creativity and lateral reasoning in the vein of Ne, but generally almost all of Ne's role in interpreting statements based on supplementary external information is cut away by the fact that we're interfacing with avatars, signatures, and text, instead of another person who gives off cues as they talk. All we have is our previous knowledge of what the poster has previously said and done on this site to make these connections with (and memory of the past is in the realm of Si). We're reducing almost the entire interaction to the Ti/Si axis, which in turn might increase our tendency towards introversion.

Okay I'm done (likely) trumpeting my misknowledge of the types. Ye?

That's been my experience with forums. That's why I left in the first place... but there's not lots of people around me who understand the whole Ne bit... if that's what I'm using...

 

[FusionKnight]

keep rolling until you get all 18's!

Nobody here has ever done that!

 

[GarmGarf]

I've noticed that when I can see two or more POVs operational at once that seem contradictory and believe them both to be true simultaneously, S people I talk to get really confused and think I'm whacked out. But they all integrate, to me. They coexist.... and could even be considered not to be paradoxical at all.

The same source I gave of the Ni description said something similar to your words when describing Ne: "It involves seeing things “as if,” with various possible representations of reality. Using this process, we can juggle many different ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and meanings in our mind at once with the possibility that they are all true".

keep rolling until you get all 18's!

How many suicides would that require...?

 

[KazeCraven]

I direct my Ne towards finding more impersonal patterns, but I get your point.

While your (OP) reasoning is sound, I think you are taking a huge detour by trying to use mbti to explain something that really is better explained without it. More face-to-face interaction --> better social skills (which includes the ability to pick up on social cues).

If you read a whole bunch of material and brainstorm (or play with numbers, word roots, etc.) you will still be making use of your Ne. Ne is just how we accept new information (a biased filter, if you will).

Lol, I feel like an RPG character.

Life is much more fun when treated like a video game.