Do you have an Fe fetish?

[echoplex]

^ Yeah, I think I feel that way too.

I've noticed that when I'm alone I sometimes recite the dialogue from movies, focusing intently on the tone of voice, inflections, facial expressions, and body language. I find it surprisingly easy to 'become' a character, much easier than simply 'being myself' around people because the flaws can just be blamed on the character and not myself. In fact, acting would likely be a very effective way for me to be more expressive around others. Apparently expressing my own thoughts makes me incredibly anxious but expressing a fictional character's doesn't because it preserves the safety of my precious ego.

 

[soraya]

Adymus, sometimes the way you read my mind frightens me. I'm probably not going to tell you anything new but perhaps the framework I can provide will act as an archetype or framework for your theory on inferior function fetishes (terminology?).

Being INTJ, Se usually pisses me off beyond all reason. However, I also practice martial arts, so both S and N are important.

Ni picks up on trends and patterns in the behavior of martial artists, including myself, which allows me to recognize those behavior patterns in opponents.

Te categorizes those trends and patterns into likely outcomes and allows me to apply them to my opponent. Then I make judgments regarding what strikes I should prepare to give/block.

Fi gives strength and value to the patterns Ni has recognized, judging them valid, and thereby supports the decisions of Te.

But, of course, all of this is worthless if I can't activate my Se as well. I have to use Se, I need to be aware of the moment to deliver a blow quickly and accurately or defend myself. I have to psyche myself into it. It takes a lot of focus to do it and of course I can't channel Se directly, I do it through my other functions so essentially I'm peaking, which is why, even though I do have to use my Se, martial arts makes me feel energized rather than drained. It allows me to use all of my functions in a healthy way by allowing me to use my other functions to reach my inferior. Apparently when I succeed I am terrifying bc when I use my Se I really mean business.

I don't know that I would call it a fetish though... When I do use Se it is intense...but I don't use Se bc I secretly derive pleasure from it. I use it because I need to in order to achieve my goal. I do enjoy the feeling of all my functions working together to achieve my desired outcome but it's not as though I derive a particular pleasure from the use of the inferior. It's just another tool I need to achieve a desired outcome. Perhaps it's the terminology of 'fetish' I am taking issue with or perhaps we're striking at a J/P difference in relation to the inferior function. I need some refinement of the definition here.

Echoplex: Wow, that's a really good point. I've really noticed that in INTPs but didn't realize it till I read what you wrote.

 

[KazeCraven]

^ Yeah, I think I feel that way too.

I've noticed that when I'm alone I sometimes recite the dialogue from movies, focusing intently on the tone of voice, inflections, facial expressions, and body language. I find it surprisingly easy to 'become' a character, much easier than simply 'being myself' around people because the flaws can just be blamed on the character and not myself. In fact, acting would likely be a very effective way for me to be more expressive around others. Apparently expressing my own thoughts makes me incredibly anxious but expressing a fictional character's doesn't because it preserves the safety of my precious ego.

We're definitely role players, particularly when we feel uncomfortable with the people we are around. Everyone is, to an extent, but INTPs have a much more restricted range of natural expression from what I've seen.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I can relate to the role playing phenomenon. I never expose myself in front of others so I vent it out with fantasy, impersonation and movie quoting. I used to do this frequently with my ISFJ buddy, but no longer. My Se fetish though is more of a lust thing.

 

[CoryJames]

To Adymus, I cannot say I completely relate to that. At my College, we are required to take a class called "Rhetoric" that is pretty much practice at orating and speech writing. Even in other classes we make presentations almost once a week. Though I do not particularly like public speaking, being an introvert, I play it off as being extraordinarily comfortable on stage. I would not say that I act in a "theatrical" or "over the top" manner, but I act calm and natural and articulate well, but it feels fake. So I guess in some ways I am with you, but in some I differ?


To Echoplex, I am definitely with you there. I think this something similar to this tendency was discussed in previous posts as the "chameleon" effect. INTPs have the tendency to mirror the characteristics of people around them as opposed to acting as themselves. I think that this may be due to some level of insecurity in our ability to have a personality of our own, probably in some sense because we, (at least I), had frequently realized or been told that my own feelings about things did not match up to the "normal people's", (the inability to relate emotionally, being unintentionally callous towards peoples' feelings, etc), or that they were "wrong", (a sweeping unsupported generalization in my opinion. This habit of role playing would seem to be a sort of outlet or defense mechanism.

 

[PapyrusAirplanes]

I am an Fe fetish.

So many of my acquaintances/new friends believe I'm Miss Outgoing. Apparently I'm always smiling and nice or... something. I also like to act, and seem at ease when speaking publicly. It kind of catches them by surprise when I say, "I really need some alone time," or, "I hate people."

But it all feels really fake. It's good (and comes very easily) to be "nice," but... most of the time my brain is elsewhere and no one knows I'm not paying attention to their crybaby stories and am instead analyzing their Types and speculating how long they would last if dinosaurs were reintroduced to earth.

... But maybe it's better they don't know that.

 

[TriflinThomas]

If I have everything in order [i.e.: speech/paper is completely finished, powerpoint (if needed) is finished, I know most/all the people in the class] I can execute excellent presentations. If not, I usually do average. I do get nervous and jittery but I think it's partly a conditioned response to presenting in front of a group.

 

[Fghw]

I tend to be incredibly theatrical in my approach to expressing emotions, real or otherwise. However that may have something to do with the fact that everything i know about emotions comes from archaic literature.

 

[Duxwing]

I most certainly have a Fe fetish. When give hugs, I give bear hugs, when I speak, I perform, and when I see something cute, I say "Awwwww," and it warms me all the way through. And I often turn my thoughts to those of warmth and sweetness to such effect that I eyelids gently slide down and my mouth looks like this :3.

Indeed, I never go halfway when there are hugs to be had.

-Duxwing

 

[Duxwing]

I most certainly have a Fe fetish. When give hugs, I give bear hugs, when I speak, I perform, and when I see something cute, I say "Awwwww," and it warms me all the way through. And I often turn my thoughts to those of warmth and sweetness.

-Duxwing