DJArendee

ISTP, INTJ, ESTP, ISTJ., INTP...Some of these personalities blend together. You'll notice very layed back ISTJ's, you'll notice very layed back ISTP's and INTJ's. You'll notice uptight ISTP's and uptight INTJ's and uptight ISTJ's.

You'll also notice adventurous ISTP's, and other ISTP's who are perfectly content not being adventurous.

Its interesting how the ISTP's for some reason have a stereotype of not liking commitment. I've seen a few threads in the past where people just come into the ISTP forum and say, "All ISTP's are commitment phobes." Yet supposedly so are ESTP's.

If you think about it, there is no real dividing line between ESTP and ISTP. Stereotype wise, ESTP's are viewed as party starters and the center of attention. So where does that leave ESFP? What is left for them? the F makes them cry a lot or something?

Well, socionics would probably have most ESTP's that fit the party starter stereotype as ESFp's or SEE (sensing ethics extrovert). Where does this leave the STP forums? A complete jumbled mess.

What is an mbti ISTP? Is it clint eastwood? or is it harrison ford? There's a huge difference. Note how clint eastwood is kind of scary and harrison ford is just a fun guy. Socionics very clearly defines why this is, MBTI can not. (Clint Eastwood would either be a socionics ESTp or ISTj, while harrison ford would be an ISTp).

Are ISTP's adventurous? Or are they sensual homebodies that like to read and listen to music and study intillectual things? Well that all depends. The super adrenaline junkies are ESTp's. The sensual homebodies are probably ISTp's, while the hardcore stubborn analysts are LSI's.

So in this sense of the stereotypes, you begin to see how INTJ ISTJ ISTP and ESTP all sorta run together as one big jumbled mess. INTJ's are often LSI's (stubborn analysts), yet so can ISTJ's... yet so can ISTP's. Yet at the same time some INTJ's are so abstract and into analyzing things simply because they don't like having concrete answers (INTp).

What about ESTP's? What IS an ESTP in myers briggs? Is it a fun loving party starter (ESFp)? Or are they hearless dominating bullies that are secretly really goofy (ESTp)? Overall the ESFP and ESTP blend together, at least on this forum.

Lets look at this in terms of functions to get a better understanding of the difference between ESTP and ISTP.

an ISTP leads with Ti, while an ESTP leads with Se. This means that ESTP's use their eyes very frequently and take in tons of information, then at the end of the day (or end of the week even) they'll finally sit down and sort through their thoughts, because they have to consciously engage their auxillary function. If an ESTP doesn't sit down and sort through his thoughts, his mind will become scattered and his brain will essentially overheat.

Meanwhile an ISTP is stuck in these "Ti Ni" loops because they're constantly analyzing, but never taking in new information. So they analyze and analyze everything they've already thought about and never take in new information. They need to get out and explore with that Se, or go on the internet and look up something new.

So both personalities need to meet one another halfway. The ISTP needs to get out more, the ESTP needs to meditate more often. A true ESTP is extroverted not because he likes to party, but because his primary function is extroverted and he is very engaged with the external world. For this reason ESTp's in socionics often are seen as introverts, because feelings are still low on their to do list of functions, so interacting with people can be difficult sometimes.

Take me for example. I'm an ESTp in socionics. I've been an ISTP in MBTI for the last few years but I never identified with all the people sitting around in their ruts. I have about 20 or so best friends. In a way I'd like to say I have a single "best friend" that I know the best, but I don't. I love them all. Meanwhile many of the ISTP's have, if any, one or two really close friends. Yet at the same time I sit in front of my computer for several days at a time! But what am I doing on the computer? I'm on facebook, talking to 4 people at once. I'm on Gmail or skype talking to my brothers. Etc.

Meanwhile I fit the stereotype of ISTP, I love fixing my car, I'm known as mr fixit. I fix computers, etc. I fixed a door hinge when I was in 3rd grade and the teacher was astounded. I LOVE extreme sports, and I'm a gymnast. Yet I am alone and surrounded by ISTP's who do nothing of the sort, except maybe the occassional mountain biking.

So anyway, I see a lot of people around here on the forum saying, "yeah I'm an ISTP with a high Se" or whatever. No not really, you're just a different socionics type, and you're typing yourself based on the stereotypes and not the functions.

Contrary to popular belief, socionics functions and MBTI functions are very similar, if not exactly the same. When you read the socionics functions on wikisocion etc, you're probably going to think, "Se is all about sensing power vacuums" and says nothing about aesthetics (Si). Yet for some reason ESTp's are very artistic in an impatient mobile kind of way (apparently they're known for doing martial arts and gymnastics, for example). ESTp's LOVE bright colors and energy and nature. Yet so do ISTp's. The thing is, you can't simply say Se is "sensing power vacuums." Its much more than that. I'm going to become an INTP here for a minute and say that language cannot fully pin down the definition with complete accuracy. The brain uses Se to gather external information to be analyzed by Ti. This reaches conclusions and whatnot about the environment, so by using your eyes and taking in aesthetic details and environmental factors such as shading, color etc, an ESTp assassin can sense a feeling of safety in the shadows (like a ninja).

So when you read about the functions, don't be fooled... they're exactly the same as MBTI despite what you read. They're simply used in a way that you're not used to because your mind is stuck on the stereotypes.