Why this collection of INTPs?

[Sapphire Harp]

When I looked for a online group of INTPs to join, I only examined a single forum and happened to join it and I've greatly enjoyed playing and discussing with everyone since. I didn't look around and sample the other sites out there. But I'm wondering something these days.

Do you think our forum attracts a particular subsection of the INTP population?

I know there's enormous variance amongst the particular types... Is this group a random sampling of those out there? Or is it a narrower, more specific part of the larger category?

And please, no degrading remarks towards other sites. Just to say it upfront.

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Part of what leads me to wonder is the amazing appropriateness that has occurred in the 'Knowing your going to do it one day' thread. I think it's a marvel for the internet that it has developed in just the way that it did.
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[Deleted member 1424]

I haven't really looked at the other forums that much, so I can't offer much in the way of perspective. I think this forum attracts people who are lonely in a, for the lack of a better term, spiritual sense. I have friends and I have family; but I've never met a 'kindred spirit.' I think most of the people here feel like aliens in the real world. As if no one can understand what is really happening, and worse yet they don't care even to try.

I never posted there, but 'the knowing your gonna do it one day' thread is a very powerful and frightening one. In my own case I think of suicide in utilitarian terms; as a contingency plan for when I ultimately fail. It's been very enlightening reading the posts there. I also really appreciate the diversity of the threads here. We have goofy, scientific, philosophical, and even emotional threads; that as a whole mirror the nature of the INTP.

Oh if only the whole internet had developed in such a way.

 

[Artifice Orisit]

In comparison to INTPcentral this place is more, civilised.
By implication INTPcentral is very uncivilised.

Do you think our forum attracts a particular subsection of the INTP population?

I'd say this place is home to more borderline INTP people than other threads and non-INTP infiltrators who seek to better understand INTP people.

It's almost like a secret club that exists purely for its social function, rather than for some predefined purpose.

 

[chocolate]

I think the forum consists of very nice people who are open-minded and support each other. Also, most of them happen to be INTPs for obvious reasons. But the former and the latter are not dependent on each other, and I feel that the former is what makes it extra-special.

I feel like I can say anything here, and I don't have to worry about either being laughed at or offending people by accident. I trust the people here. I liked the word you used: appropriateness.

One thing I like a lot also is that it doesn't get vulgar here: there is a higher level of sophistication than can be found in other places.

 

[saffyangelis]

I think that the difference between here and many of the other MBTI related forums that I've looked at (After I found this one) is that we're much more forgiving here. We'll try and explain our point of view, rather than just slagging off someone else, and instead of fighting over what has been said, if a person comes across as too harsh, and then they apologise, we can accept the apology, until on a few forums I've seen when the offending member was then told off for not sticking with their view, generally in a post worse than the one that started it all off.

We work as a community here, and despite the fact that it is still anonymous, I don't think anyone here actually wants to hurt people, instead of slagging someone off about their point of view we try to help each other to think instead of just attacking every viewpoint that doesn't agree with yours. Rather than arguments, we hold discussions, and instead of using anonymity to let us be idiots, we use it to talk about things we don't feel we can discuss in real life.

 

[Ogion]

Interesting observations. It brings me to the thought that maybe many more people could be like us or would fit in, but just never show up and so we ignore them.
Who knows, that student sitting a row from me could very well be just like us, but without the framework of a forum, sort of a place 'officially' ('publicly') designated to facilitate such contact, i would never get in contact with these persons.

To be honest, it's a saddening thought.
And so i am even more grateful that this place exists and that i get to be a part of it.

Ogion

 

[Red Mage]

I don't think this forum represents a particular subsection of the INTP population. I think it represents all subsections of the INTP population. That's the beauty of this forum. We all come from diverse backgrounds. Some of us are dinosaurs, some humans, some robots, some dragons, some alien virus-created mindslaves, etc. While sometimes we take jabs at each other for our different backgrounds, we can set aside our petty squabbles -- like "can humans and dinosaurs coexist?" and "is there a place for humans or dinosaurs after the Singularity?" and "can there be robot dinosaurs?" and "do dinosaurs have large enough brains to be mind-controlled?" -- and just be INTP together.

 

[thebarran]

Enjoyed this thread, am new here and this post showing my its not all humorous ____ and some real discussions take place

 

[Ermine]

I don't know if this forum appeals to a certain kind of INTP. You'd have to somehow ask all the lurkers around here. But something I've noticed is that the people here are profoundly spiritual, whether they're religious or not, have the desire to connect with others, and and are openminded, not just in the conventional sense but the way we share our minds with each other, are forgiving, and are open to any absurd idea one might propose.

It also seems that the INTPs here focus on the N part of our personality more than anything, while other forums might focus more on the thinking or perceiving aspect.

 

[Jennywocky]

I haven't really looked at the other forums that much, so I can't offer much in the way of perspective. I think this forum attracts people who are lonely in a, for the lack of a better term, spiritual sense. I have friends and I have family; but I've never met a 'kindred spirit.' I think most of the people here feel like aliens in the real world. As if no one can understand what is really happening, and worse yet they don't care even to try.

I didn't read the rest of the thread yet nor had an answer in mind... but yeah.

And the people here basically have not resorted to outright cyncism or dealt with it by decrying the main culture or abandoning the spiritual/communal spirit altogether -- defensive measures I see more commonly elsewhere. They just accept it for what it is, accept the feeling of loss, and try to figure out what it means for them.

Honest and open and seeking.

 

[Da Blob]

I'm old, intelligent and bored. The forum always seems to be in flux, new people join most stay just for a short time but a few remain for some odd reason of their own.

I kinda see the forum as a walk on a beach after a high tide. There is all sorts of flotsam and jetsam left on the shore by the ebb tide. Of course there is the inevitable junk and garbage, but there are also an amazing number of messages in bottles. Messages often carefully crafted by a soul on a desolate shore somewhere, then sealed and thrown into the Cyberspace Sea. I am amazed how many of these messages once unsealed and then translated are messages of Hope...

 

[flow]

That's a really great metaphor DB.

 

[FacetiousPersona]

yeah, we just need to get that facetiouspersona to go to INTPcentral so that she doesn't bring us down to that level.

Here's an example of how open-minded and accepting this community is.


People seem to consider the ambiance of a forum prior to joining. They often decide whether to join or not based upon the feel and appearance of the community. I think each MBTI forum certainly has a unique environment with evident differences, and these differences will combine to form distinct communities that will appeal to different types of peoples.

This community is smaller in comparison to the other MBTI communities, which may encourage the people who are higher on the introverted scale to join on average. This forum's unique attraction could be defined through the lower activity and popularity. There will be other unique features of this community that define it from the other ones and create a unique appeal.

Certain individuals will compare the MBTI communities when interested in joining one to determine which one is suitable for them personally. Their preferences will be relevant to this decision generally, but preferences are different for each individual. It is inevitable for communities to be appealing on a subjective level -- selected after being contrasted with the person's preferences. This will lead to communities being preferred for different reasons to the people judging each of them.

An example of this would be Person A valuing humor most and Person B valuing intelligence most. If they were both searching for a forum and discovered two communities, Community A and B, they will most likely choose one according to their interests (assuming there's no ignorance/misjudgments involved or a friend is not persuading them to join a specific one). If Community A clearly has the best humor and Community B clearly has the highest intelligence, it is likely that Person A will choose Community A and Person B will select Community B. It is choice through their interest/preferences/conditions. The one which has the highest appeal to what they are seeking will prevail.

There will be other influences when one is deciding which forum to join, of course, but this is a simplified example of a possibility on average conditions. There will be other interests of the person (not merely one at the highest, such as humor intelligence) for the person to compare, which creates complexity we cannot perceive entirely.

 

[Da Blob]

The revolutionists are often thought of as scumbugs by their suppressors, Bloby. Rise, my friend, and bring us above the title of troll to that of kings.

Ummm that's Blobby with two B's.
I have been a 'king' before - except for the obvious perks, the role is not worth the trouble. I mean you get blamed for everything, the taxes, the stuff that happens in the dungeons, the economy of all things - i mean what has a king to do with an economy, you know the law of supply and demand?
No thanks, I would rather be free of men than a king of men...

 

[Ogion]

Hehe, i agree, Da Blob

Ogion

 

[Sapphire Harp]

If I read the map right... I think there's a topic buried under all this! Maybe... just maybe, we can get it going again. Please jump on in; I think more and sometimes redundant responses are better than less.

By the way, some of the responses are immediate so it's not all unified. I apologize for that (so don't tear into me on that one... )
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I haven't really looked at the other forums that much, so I can't offer much in the way of perspective. I think this forum attracts people who are lonely in a, for the lack of a better term, spiritual sense. I have friends and I have family; but I've never met a 'kindred spirit.' I think most of the people here feel like aliens in the real world. As if no one can understand what is really happening, and worse yet they don't care even to try.

I think I had much the same reasoning when I found the need that pulled me to this forum. I don't feel like an alien so much... but when I'm out in the world, or at work... it just seems like there are an enormous amount of variables to track. Everyone going different directions and pursuing different ambitions. It's tiring to try and keep track of the endless cris-crossing of people.

Part of the need I found was for an intuitive connection with others... and a patient one. I have a thought I'm working on which will be a thread soon. There's something about life that urges us to only give another person a few seconds long chance to be worth our time. I feel something different here - I hardly ever skip posts or comment until I've read the whole of the discussion. I don't know how many else here make it a priority, but I have a guess that it's higher than many-a-forum.
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I also really appreciate the diversity of the threads here. We have goofy, scientific, philosophical, and even emotional threads; that as a whole mirror the nature of the INTP.

Oh if only the whole internet had developed in such a way.

Well... I think the internet developed as a perfect mirror of what humanity is and does right now. It wouldn't be fair to have the things we value be pre-eminent over everyone else, would it? But I'm very glad for this corner that has been developed as such.

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I'd say this place is home to more borderline INTP people than other threads and non-INTP infiltrators who seek to better understand INTP people. It's almost like a secret club that exists purely for its social function, rather than for some predefined purpose.

I don't think I understand, Cognisant. Borderline in what way? Borderline to fitting another mbti type better?

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I feel like I can say anything here, and I don't have to worry about either being laughed at or offending people by accident. I trust the people here. I liked the word you used: appropriateness.

Appropriateness is my first choice, but I also have reverent on the tip of my tongue. I think the efforts of a lot of people are coming together to create something unique and poignant. Perhaps it looks like a mutli-headed something all talking to itself, but there is a lot of worth in it.

...Perhaps the most moving threads could one day be compiled into one very odd chicken soup for the soul book. But, of course, if such a thing were planned, it would never work... Wu wei applies here, perhaps?
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One thing I like a lot also is that it doesn't get vulgar here: there is a higher level of sophistication than can be found in other places.

Being one of the worst offenders on that mark, I think I can lament 'if it were only true...' But I see a refusal to embrace or permit vulgarity in the forum. And a willingness to move beyond the events. I'm still rather embarrassed from losing my patience before and I think I'll have a deeper reservoir now from those events having happened.

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On a few forums I've seen when the offending member was then told off for not sticking with their view, generally in a post worse than the one that started it all off.

That sounds specifically horrifying. How could you ever mature if you were attacked for changing? (P.S. Politicians... I feel for you all.)

We work as a community here, and despite the fact that it is still anonymous, I don't think anyone here actually wants to hurt people, instead of slagging someone off about their point of view we try to help each other to think instead of just attacking every viewpoint that doesn't agree with yours. Rather than arguments, we hold discussions, and instead of using anonymity to let us be idiots, we use it to talk about things we don't feel we can discuss in real life.

I recall a Penny Arcade comic which expressed it as such: "Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = Total Fuckwad". I can certainly appreciate that as the difference between INTP heavy sections of the internet and the rest... But is intpforum distinguished against the other INTP laden sites in this regard?

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Interesting observations. It brings me to the thought that maybe many more people could be like us or would fit in, but just never show up and so we ignore them.

Aye... I never really felt it myself, but I've heard a great number of people say they were very hesitant to start posting... and half the time, I see just a few posts before they fade into the background again. So, in that regard, we are attracting people who either do not feel the barrier, or are drawn across it for some reason. A number of them are pulled by a particular thread - and these are often the ones who quickly fade, I think.

Does anyone feel like we're posting for an extensive audience? I don't experience it, myself. I only feel a connection with those who post back in each thread, there's no way to know who's merely reading.

I suppose I'm working on a general theory of INTPness... of how to create a sustainable life right now. That keeps me here a lot these days, and if I can lay ground work for others to figure it out, too, that's a course which is even more right to pursue.

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I don't think this forum represents a particular subsection of the INTP population. I think it represents all subsections of the INTP population. That's the beauty of this forum. We all come from diverse backgrounds.

Maybe I don't think that's right? Of what I've heard said about INTPcentral, there is a bitterness about INTP difficulties that is present there and not here. I think we sometimes exhibit a sadness about these difficulties which edges towards frustration sometimes, but it is not the prevalent mood. This notion makes me think we have a particular group.

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Enjoyed this thread, am new here and this post showing my its not all humorous ____ and some real discussions take place

Welcome to the forum TheBarran! I'm glad you appreciated this random thought and the discussion it provoked.

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Something I've noticed is that the people here are profoundly spiritual, whether they're religious or not, have the desire to connect with others, and and are openminded, not just in the conventional sense but the way we share our minds with each other, are forgiving, and are open to any absurd idea one might propose.

It also seems that the INTPs here focus on the N part of our personality more than anything, while other forums might focus more on the thinking or perceiving aspect.

I can't quite feel what to do with your ideas Ermine... Would you elaborate on them, please? Perhaps you could say what gives you these impressions? Particularly the intuitive thought... I still have difficulty understanding the intuitive aspect of the MBTI - moreso than the rest.

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I didn't read the rest of the thread yet nor had an answer in mind... but yeah.

And the people here basically have not resorted to outright cyncism or dealt with it by decrying the main culture or abandoning the spiritual/communal spirit altogether -- defensive measures I see more commonly elsewhere. They just accept it for what it is, accept the feeling of loss, and try to figure out what it means for them.

Honest and open and seeking.

There it is. That's what I was remembering when I was writing to Mac OS X Ocelot. Is that the extent of it? Hmmm... the tone is heavily influenced by the most frequent posters...

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I kinda see the forum as a walk on a beach after a high tide. There is all sorts of flotsam and jetsam left on the shore by the ebb tide. Of course there is the inevitable junk and garbage, but there are also an amazing number of messages in bottles. Messages often carefully crafted by a soul on a desolate shore somewhere, then sealed and thrown into the Cyberspace Sea. I am amazed how many of these messages once unsealed and then translated are messages of Hope...

It's a very pretty metaphor. What is the hope of the messages to you, Da Blob?

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This was an interesting discussion.

Thank you for your concern, Lor. With any luck it'll happen again.
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[Da Blob]

It's a very pretty metaphor. What is the hope of the messages to you, Da Blob?

One of the key indicators of depression is the loss of Hope in the future and a focus on the Past. In fact I have called depression an addiction to the Past. So many depressed people are obsessed with events in their pasts, sometimes a single event that lasted .0000000000001% or less of the total time of their lives thus far will have a tremendously adverse effect on .999999999999% of their Time remaining on this Earth.

Being an INTPian there is a tremendous potential for depression, and who knows maybe the Lurkers are INTPians who are just too depressed to join the community and post, but they have enough energy to read with us.

However, I do not think that Lurkers see us as a bunch of depressed social outcasts, but rather a group of people, who have decided to turn the social curse of INTPness into a personal Blessing... Thus exhibiting an attitude of hope in a solitary existence


BTW It has been mentioned before, there is enough raw material in the archives for a number of books and there are certainly enough "Characters" in the community to fulfill any role in a fictional account. Personally I hear echos of a Shakespearean Tragi-Comedy in the making... Perhaps, some day an INTJ will wander in and make it so...

 

[Sapphire Harp]

One of the key indicators of depression is the loss of Hope in the future and a focus on the Past. In fact I have called depression an addiction to the Past. So many depressed people are obsessed with events in their pasts, sometimes a single event that lasted .0000000000001% or less of the total time of their lives thus far will have a tremendously adverse effect on .999999999999% of their Time remaining on this Earth.

That's an enormous truth, I think... I wonder how that cross-references with the 'Socializer's Remorse' thread?

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Being an INTPian there is a tremendous potential for depression, and who knows maybe the Lurkers are INTPians who are just too depressed to join the community and post, but they have enough energy to read with us..

Do you suppose that this collection of INTPs here is among the more extreme and depressed varieties of INTP? More extremely introverted than the average INTP? Since it is a bell-curve range, it reasons that there are INTP individuals who are socially adept in any regard they choose. Would we be able to recognize them as such, or have they drifted so far as to be best described as X-I,X-N,X-T,X-P individuals?

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BTW It has been mentioned before, there is enough raw material in the archives for a number of books and there are certainly enough "Characters" in the community to fulfill any role in a fictional account. Personally I hear echos of a Shakespearean Tragi-Comedy in the making... Perhaps, some day an INTJ will wander in and make it so...

Do you recall where it was mentioned before? Also, I think a INTJ overseer wouldn't be necessary; I'm a part time J if I need or want to be. :P Also, I think if there's one MBTI aspect that many people on this site rest on the borderline of, it's the J-P division. More than the I-E and the N-S, anyway.
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[Luzian]

Do you think our forum attracts a particular subsection of the INTP population?​

Yes, people who typed "intp forum" in google, and were too lazy to go further than that.

 

[sagewolf]

I'd say this place is home to more borderline INTP people than other threads and non-INTP infiltrators who seek to better understand INTP people. It's almost like a secret club that exists purely for its social function, rather than for some predefined purpose.

I don't think I understand, Cognisant. Borderline in what way? Borderline to fitting another mbti type better?

I think what he meant (or at least part of what he meant) is that a lot of people here have either more developed Fe or Ne, or even Fi/Ni, than on other INTP forums. Auburn's name leaps out at me as I type this, because she's definitely an example of that kind of member, and it was that kind of interaction that lured me to this place initially. It leads to a freer, more flowing discussion style, a community that's very accepting of differences in opinion and viewpoint, and an atmosphere that's just generally more pleasant to be a part of.

 

[Chronomar]

I looked at INTPcentral (just now), and it seems more...open (in the bad way). By that I mean it seems less like secret club. The people seem less like me, and things are either too serious or too caustic or too silly/strange. I think there are many more people here with high N levels, and not so much in the INTPcentral.

The light colored background at INTPcentral also made it feel less like a secret club...I like the black one here.

 

[Ermine]

I think what he meant (or at least part of what he meant) is that a lot of people here have either more developed Fe or Ne, or even Fi/Ni, than on other INTP forums. Auburn's name leaps out at me as I type this, because she's definitely an example of that kind of member, and it was that kind of interaction that lured me to this place initially. It leads to a freer, more flowing discussion style, a community that's very accepting of differences in opinion and viewpoint, and an atmosphere that's just generally more pleasant to be a part of.

Auburn's a he, but there are definitely a lot of "developed" INTPs here.

 

[echoplex]

Yes, people who typed "intp forum" in google, and were too lazy to go further than that.

Haha, yep. This is probably the biggest reason, even if there are others (like some ppl hating other forums and coming here instead). I wasn't even aware of an INTP Central until it was mentioned here.

 

[Toad]

INTP Forum will become like INTP central eventually...it's the natural evolution of forums.

 

[FacetiousPersona]

INTP Forum will become like INTP central eventually...it's the natural evolution of forums.

Yes, everyone becomes an asshole after sufficient time in any environment.

 

[Razare]

This forum will be good so long as we don't lose the black background. White backgrounds hurt my nocturnal eyes.

 

[Toad]

The dark seems to be more accommodating to INTP's it seems.

 

[Sapphire Harp]

I think what he meant (or at least part of what he meant) is that a lot of people here have either more developed Fe or Ne, or even Fi/Ni, than on other INTP forums. It leads to a freer, more flowing discussion style, a community that's very accepting of differences in opinion and viewpoint, and an atmosphere that's just generally more pleasant to be a part of.

Aye, I'm starting to appreciate how that's probably the case. That's part of what drew me in, as well. I originally perceived it as an unexpected amount of patience and willingness to approach threads in the tone / manner their originator used.

The people seem less like me, and things are either too serious or too caustic or too silly/strange.

Perhaps it's a case where everyone is exaggerating themselves to get a response? One of the things that has drawn me and kept me here is there is an actual exchange, instead of a sense that one is shouting into a void.

INTP Forum will become like INTP central eventually...it's the natural evolution of forums.

Natural evolution of age, or of size? If the forum greatly swells in number, yes, I can see how it will become increasingly difficult for moderators to keep up. On the other hand, I think this place has a culture that is fundamentally different from INTP central... As long as new users appreciate and value that culture and do what they can to propagate it, the forum's distinct characteristics have a chance to last.
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[Red Mage]

Yes, people who typed "intp forum" in google, and were too lazy to go further than that.

I found this forum on this INTP profile. It's the top link in the resources section. INTP Central is further down the list, so I didn't notice it until it was mentioned on this forum.

 

[Toad]

Natural evolution by by both age and numbers.

When a forum first starts, there are so many important and deep topics to discuss. After all these topics are exhausted, we see people making less interesting topics to fill the void until another important topic comes up.

 

[brain enclosed in flesh]

Natural evolution by by both age and numbers.

When a forum first starts, there are so many important and deep topics to discuss. After all these topics are exhausted, we see people making less interesting topics to fill the void until another important topic comes up.

agreed.

 

[sagewolf]

When a forum first starts, there are so many important and deep topics to discuss. After all these topics are exhausted, we see people making less interesting topics to fill the void until another important topic comes up.

But as old members leave (sadly) and new members join, those topics can be revived and rehashed. Still, i agree with you mostly. So much more that's interesting seems to happen here than on bigger forums like INTPc or INTJforum.

 

[Tyria]

I like the background and layout of the forum. The people are nice too; most are willing to listen to other opinions and offer intelligent discussion. So far I haven't seen much flaming either.

 

[ntfbfi]

I have been to some other personality forums, they are good too. Yet, my personal view is they are not as 'active' and 'lively' (if you get what i mean) as here. I do find some great opinions and posts there, but I am more interested by the posts in this forum. I don't know if it makes any sense to you guys.

 

[Invoke Ninja's True Power]

I don't like the format of the other personality type forums as much as here. Technically I found the INTJ forum first but that doesn't count as I was doing a search for INTP websites and for some reason it found the INTJ one first. I checked it out for a minute but it looked like not quite my cup of tea. I don't particularly care for the "I'm always right" attitude that is typical of an INTJ. I have a very big INP so naturally J types are just going to piss me off. I don't have a lot of appreciation for an inflexible mind, although I do recognize the importance of being able to think/do things in a timely fashion since always considering every option can be quite the eater of time.

 

[sagewolf]

INTJ forums are actually pretty nice; I used to visit one a bit, but time constraints demanded I pick one forum to spend my time on and this was the one.
Different viewpoints are refreshing, although this is a pretty diverse forum in itself.

 

[walfin]

One thing I like about this place is the welcoming of newbies, and accepting them as full-fledged members of the community immediately. No minimum posts requirement, no restricted areas, and no venomous attacks of newbies, expecting them to "toughen up". Some people like a "challenge". Others do not. Especially when real life has enough such "challenges".

I don't particularly care for the "I'm always right" attitude that is typical of an INTJ.

Yes, and more than that, I didn't like how using qualifiers was perceived as a lack of confidence (where it is more an attempt at precision). The minute you show uncertainty, you're pounced on. Which means that it's not the most refined ideas that make it through, but the ones with the most unyielding proponents (which is what happens in real life and thus is what should not happen here. Why would I want this forum to be just like real life?)

 

[Invoke Ninja's True Power]

The internets? like real life? what an absurd idea. If the internets were like real life I would never get to view pornography when I want to. I'd have to come up with some way to impress the website I'm on or smooth talk it with some code or give it something shiny and expensive......*shivers* what a scary thought
thank god/deity/whatever force you wanna call it for porn