This Decision May Change My Entire Life

[Vykaus]

Sorry about the unfinished post but I have an extreme tendency to throw my sleep schedule into chaos all the freaking time and it's already late for me. Also sorry about the many holes and uncompleted trains of thought but I gotta go. Try and fill in the blanks . Posted because I'm under time constraints to receive replies and I value your opinions even though I've only been here like 4 days. Thanks!

(I was intending to add more about why I want to go into computers rather than psych)

Dramatic title for a dramatic topic... So, I'm due (overdue) to go to college in 2 days and I'm having doubts about my choice of major, as I'm sure many of you can relate. I feel like I already know what answer I'm going to get based on how I'm feeling right now when I write this. I was just crying about the tragic idea of living my life working with computers vs helping people. I haven't cried for myself or my family in a long time so this actually meant something a bit more substantial, at least it seemed so at the time. I usually cry because of beautiful ideas, not people!

quick edit before i go to sleep: i was helping my dad get through some of his issues

Okay, so I feel that I am really good at understanding how people think and temporarily inhabiting the minds of others even if they are like ESFJ's or have strange disorders, perhaps very dull minded or blinded by irrational ideas or insane or basically any kind of reality I can think of. This is largely in part by already personally inhabiting many of these realities, but even if I haven't, I feel like I can create them in my mind. Anyways, I kind of feel like my brain was built to handle this kind of information. Despite this, I feel I can be much more successful (money) using my other talents, maybe happier as well. I wonder, " I can easily not care about people, even my own family.

I feel like I'm choosing between the red and blue pill here. I desperately want the blue pill and I feel selfish about it. A fitting metaphor as I have been wanting to work in virtual reality after some software development work. Also fitting because in the case of working in some sort of psychology profession, I imagine it being a painful, yet possibly rewarding path. I can easily shut this selfish feeling off.

I feel computers give us incredible power.

When helping people with their issues I get a sense of clarity and become calm. Social unease is incredibly lessened, I actually think about this while I'm talking and trying to help someone, which is weird because normally that thought would make me anxious.

So, here are my path choices as I see them:

Work in psychology trying to help people. How many people will I actually help? Will this be a painful path? Will I regret not choosing to get into computers? Will I be happy? Will my pain outweigh my suffering? Do I even care more about other random people than myself?

Work with computers trying to help people/make people happier somehow. How much creative control will I have? Will I regret not getting into psychology?

I absolutely love creating new ideas and new realities. I feel that computers can be an amazing force to help me be successful in this regard. After writing this post, I also realized a possibility of why I enjoy helping people with their problems, because I'm creating their reality in my head. Although this is nowhere near as stimulating as creating completely novel ideas.

I don't want people to need me. I don't want to feel!

As a

 

[ApostateAbe]

Careers are a two-way relationship between yourself and the world. You may want two girls, but if one girls wants you and the other girl does not, you go with the girl who wants you. The world wants another software developer. The world does NOT want another psychologist. If you get your degree in psychology, then you will probably work in something barely related to the degree along with a lot of liberal arts majors. If you make good income, it will be because you have a degree, not because you have a psychology degree. But, if you become a software developer, then you will be providing what people need. My company can use a software developer, and so can many other companies. That is why you will make big bucks. I can't think of a single company that needs another psychologist. This should be a very easy choice. Don't screw it up, because it will matter.

 

[WALKYRIA]

Yo, why every INTP want to go in computer science? It's not because the internet is filled with the nerd INTP computerists that all INTP are into computers. Sure, the net has a lot of resources and is a great tool for INTPs... but psychology/philosophy is the initial best thing. Why? because we are natural philosophers, researchers(in all the areas !) and physicist. The thing is that philosophy isn't as popular as it used to be and becoming a researcher is no more valued by the society + the road is hardcore(a lot of hardworking and annoying J's people!)... so Psychology is the next best thing. COmputers are for the low Fe I guess.


They say that the goal of an INTP is to use their intellect for the people(Ti-Ne and Fe loop): writer, professor, psychologist,psychiatrist, political advisor....

Personnaly I faced the same choice dilemma. I wanted to go in Philosophy but their was no jobs beside becoming a professor( and seriously being a philosopher is not sexually fit... I think we should keep in mind that factor: sexual fitness !); Everybody in my country goes into psychology(it has not a good reputation); I liked physics a lot but my Fe didn't want me to appear aloof and weirdo geeky.

I never thought about computers although I like them; I'm gonna start a blog about psychiatry practice( but someone should explain me how to monetize it !)...
I ended up in med school, because in my country it is pretty easy in the early years( than hardcore later), because it earns twice a thrice more than a computer scientist and thus is a sexually fit job(come on baby girl !), because it's potentially a lay and fun job with prospect of research/teaching activity, high status, possibility of being own boss..Etc . ANd finally, psychiatrist are considered crazy, so I won't care if considered weirdo; it's my job.

IN conclusion, go for the three conditions : what you like, what you do best(something related with creativity, and lay job!), what earns some money. Ideal job is becoming own boss. I'll say psychiatry because It's hardcore but much rewarding at the end, but computer scientist is the easiest way to earn some big bucks. And psychology is not that great(people don't take you seriously because everybody can do psychology !), same for philosophy/ writing/music/ travels/... it should be a hobby not a serious job.




PS: Medecine(hardcore memorization of insignificant factoids !) is almost incompatible with the Pness, so it ensures that inner growth and balance may be made along the journey... We only live once, so go for the hardest possible first.

 

[Vykaus]

That idea kept attacking me when I was vulnerable to it.

Posted while waiting to get into a software class.

 

[Duxwing]

That idea kept attacking me when I was vulnerable to it.

Posted while waiting to get into a software class.

I hope that you're feeling a little better. Creatively integrating your two desires can help you fulfill both of them. For example, you could become a software engineer and help people with their issues whenever you can as a hobby, perhaps referring to local therapists people who need more help than you can provide. You could even meanwhile--as your job--write programs for one or more psychological studies to expand clinicians' understanding of the mind.

-Duxwing

 

[redbaron]

Even if you pick the wrong thing you can always transition into something else.

I suppose that doesn't sound all that appealing to you now, however very few people ever study for one field and then work in that one field their entire lives.

 

[Minuend]

You have already made the decision. You know what you want to do.

The one saying that always helped me see through my own confusion regarding decisions.

Except when it comes to flavours of chocolate.

That's a tricky one.

 

[gedanken]

go to computer.... i was in the same doubt.... i love study people but when i enter college i loved even more programming... so if my experience counts in something you will find that computers are even more interesting to study than people ( they are as crazy as people)

is just what i did and i dont regreat....

 

[just george]

psychology as a profession is actually in great peril, as a lot of the info coming out disproves the validity of a lot of the models, research, and drugs (I know rather a lot about this, since I have a background in pharmacy and keep my eye on the psychotropics, since I believe that they're basically bullshit) - so if you want to do psychology, be prepared for some serious flux on the drug side, but good upswings on the person to person cognitive therapy side.

In other words, if you want to be a counselor, which means dealing with people a LOT, then psychology is okay. If you want to go into it thinking that you'll fix everything with drugs, you're going to have problems.

The thing about computers/computer science that I think is troubling is that it is the type of thing that can be done globally, so in a few short years, you're going to be dealing with competition from places like india, where people do back flips if they're paid $20 a day. I have friends in the web business, app business, and CGI business, and over the past 3 years, all of them have switched to international labor ie they pay guys from Peru and Hungary a tenth of what they would pay an Australian.

If I were advising someone who was going to university etc, I would advise moving towards professions that cannot be outsourced so easily.