Comments | abstract_minds: Mixed Types

gwyd in abstract_minds

Mixed Types

Mar 18, 2004 17:49

I think it's interesting that people are made so uncomfortable by the idea that some people straddle the dividers on the MBT. My tendancy to flip-flop between I and E lead people on another list to immediate start trying to persuade me that I was one or the other. In reality, both INTP and ENTP descriptions fit me equally well. (To make it worse ( Read more... )

Comments 7

laurens10 March 18 2004, 18:16:12 UTC

I was reading a rant today against the MBTI that accused the MBTI of being a bad system because it locks down people into a single type without any awareness of nuance, but that hasn't been my experience with the MBTI at all. I've always been exposed to it as being composed of traits that are placed on a spectrum ("oh, so I'm 75% Introverted... huh") rather than a four letter code somehow handed down from on high.

Typically, I am much more comfortable looking at things from a continuum than from strict categories, but then again, I'm an NF, so there ya go. :P

kamitra March 19 2004, 02:00:24 UTC

I use the box as guidelines, generally. Lines that show a grid or system, but people have a hard time understanding what I say when I use the terms like that.

INTP description fits me well, but the INFP description fits me even better. I tend to apply NT methods and concerns to my NF goals and perceptions regarding life, I've noticed.

My mother is right between the middle on /everything/ and I kind of like seeing all the sides of her. Sometimes she has that 'business' tone, and sometimes she's all fun and play. And sometimes business is fun, or fun is business.

gwyd March 19 2004, 16:25:40 UTC

I tend to think that being on the border means you have a balanced personality. This gives people like us more options.

a2utodidact April 9 2004, 17:27:50 UTC

that's what I always thought. ;)

a2utodidact April 9 2004, 17:27:35 UTC

...this is like me. I'm fairly balanced on all sides except for S - I'm not very practical but maybe I will start working on that to lead a happier life. *grin*

To speak for 10% of the population... synx March 19 2004, 09:43:25 UTC

I myself being a rational, ENTP to be precise, I don't have a problem with mixed types. As the quiz says, how do you act _normally_ - there are many situations whereby you can change your typing, who is nearby, what kind of social situation, how tired you are, etc. I think keirsey was trying to determine 'essential self' - what type you are once you strip everything away.

I'm not so sure that is a day to day useful concept, since we don't normally operate without all our complex social conditioning.

Of course I can see how some people might get upset the carefully determined taxonomy has been ruined..

Re: To speak for 10% of the population... a2utodidact April 9 2004, 17:29:13 UTC

If I stripped away everything, I would choose to be an ENFJ - it sort of includes a lot of the other aspects that are in me. But I don't want to choose. ;P