[VII]

I was going down the debate forum for the first time and realized that I had a hard time following debate etiquette. That is to keep your emotions in check and not sound angry.



The thing is, I would never respond to a debate question if it didn't strike a nerve/emotion, which means that I probably never keep a cool head when it comes to arguing about something. (which is pretty rare)

Does anyone else here enjoy debate? Or is debating another thing that most ENFP's aren't suited for?

[Aegis]

Personally I think that enneagram type has a lot more to do with this than MBTI.

I'm not an ENFP but as a fellow NF, an INFJ (protector/counselor) type 2 enneagram (helper), I find it absolutely impossible to be angry at someone else who is debating with me. It just doesn't happen. I don't have to put any conscious work into not being angry; its just automatic. That said, sometimes I do get a somewhat annoyed and hurt sometimes when someone else is angry at me for no good reason.

[VII]

Maybe Impassioned is a better word for angry.
IDK ignorance really makes me mad.
I mean Impassioned.

[polyglot]

I tend get very hot-headed when debating something, especially if I feel attacked. I'm not good at staying calm or "keep my emotions in check" as you said :P

If I enjoy it, not really... If I manage to stay out of it I feel much better afterwards. I always regret having entered one, and I always tend to answer and/or defend myself, so once I enter a debate it's not easy to pull out. I get very upset..

I think I'm enneagram 7 if that has anything to do with it...

The more I stay out of arguments the better. I hate conflicts and try to avoid them as much as possible. However, sometimes I "have to" speak up :P

[Nafatali]

Personally I think that enneagram type has a lot more to do with this than MBTI.

I'm not an ENFP but as a fellow NF, an INFJ (protector/counselor) type 2 enneagram (helper), I find it absolutely impossible to be angry at someone else who is debating with me. It just doesn't happen. I don't have to put any conscious work into not being angry; its just automatic. That said, sometimes I do get a somewhat annoyed and hurt sometimes when someone else is angry at me for no good reason.

I find that INFJs make very good debaters. For a type that is so in tune emotionally, you certainally know how to tune it out when it comes to a hearty debate.

Personally, I found out very early on that I am an utterly hopeless debater. The only way people can get me to really debate them is if they fire me up/trigger an emotion (or if I'm just in the mood for starting something in which case those are just silly debates). Then those same emotions bring me crashing down in flames XD.

[Vaan]

Personally I think that enneagram type has a lot more to do with this than MBTI.

I'm not an ENFP but as a fellow NF, an INFJ (protector/counselor) type 2 enneagram (helper), I find it absolutely impossible to be angry at someone else who is debating with me. It just doesn't happen. I don't have to put any conscious work into not being angry; its just automatic. That said, sometimes I do get a somewhat annoyed and hurt sometimes when someone else is angry at me for no good reason.

Yep being a 1w2 i don't get angry, perhaps irritated but not outwardly angry easily, but i also give up after i realise i wont get the result i desire (Perfectionistic 1 in me)

[Eerie]

I love debating. It's...fun. But because I'm an enfp, people will often project their emotions onto me. "You're being emotional" "calm down" when these people don't realize that debating is something that I do for entertainment. I also run into not being taken seriously because I'm an enfp. I agree with whomever said it was more about enneagram than mbti. I think I get a certain amount of satisfaction from the conflict.

[Paradox1987]

Personally, I love debate. I love to hear others' points of view. However, I dislike debating with people who are unable to address the issue appropriately. For example; people often mistake defence for support. This annoys me massively, because I defend people for a living. That barely means I support any criminal endeavour they have undertaken.

Impassioned debate requires a certain amount of detachment, and a good understanding of tautology and teleology in my opinion. Despite being an ENFP, I've never once been accused of being too emotional about something (in a debate). However; yes certain things will push my "irritation triggers", e.g. I do not like being proselytised at; and I do not debate with bigots. Thus I would not bother to meaningfully engage in e.g. "homosexuality; good or bad" debates with someone beyond distributing information such as the prevalence of homoerotic/homosexual behaviour throughout the mammalian kingdom. For those who refuse to accept that humans are simians; well, debate with them is not for me.

The real point of debate, for me, is to assess my point of view against the myriad other opinions that exist in the world. Then and only then do I feel that I can make an informed decision as to the merits of my opinions/lifestyle choices. I enjoy debate because it is my livelihood. Without debate, I would have no food in my fridge.

That having been said, I'd add the caveat; I abhor arguing. I find it silly to get riled up and start firing ad hominems or non sequiturs at people. I don't "go personal". There is no need, if you disagree about an action, argument won't lead to tranquillity, and in my experience will exacerbate underlying animosities. I prefer to discuss, explore each other's point of view and then compromise or cease interactions as appropriate. For what it's worth, I'm a 2w3.

[MuChApArAdOx]

Online debates for the most part are fruitless. Yes, i do engage at times, usually for entertainment. When trying to debate through text, we can't be sure what the other people are really thinking. We can't see body language, sound or tone, so words can be very inaccurate. It can be fun at times IRL, although i'm much more a lover than a fighter. I do at some point get emotional if i feel like i'm being attacked, then i get angry, so its ends up being nothing more than negative energy, blah!

[The Sundancer]

Heck yes! I have been a debater since I learned how to talk :D A good argument/debate is so much fun in my book. And yes, I do get ruffled up, heated, and very into an argument. Spices things up >D

I think when I debate is good enough it's hard NOT to get heated up. I have a hard time reigning myself and acting like a robot when I am arguing/debating but I think my emotions give my an advantage sometimes and makes it better for me.

It should be known that I can get opinionated, passionate, and aggressive. And I do have a hot-temper. I am a feisty one >;D It's in my nature. My parents have been calling me firecracker since I was a kid.

I am a type 7w8 :D

Here is some stuff about type 7, more specifically 7w8, that I think can apply to this conversation:

general description

Average 7/8s are often aggressive and flamboyant. Seven's talkativeness and charisma combine with eight's outgoing power to create a personality that may be well-suited for starting big projects, but ill-suited for continuing them. Unlike the gentler 7/6, 7/8s are not afraid to make themselves unpopular. In fact, sometimes they seem to delight in generating shocked antipathy. 7/8 is not as careless of image as the rougher 8/7. 7/8 usually wants to be fun to look at, sometimes to colorful, elaborate extremes....

....... Some 7/8s find work that combines excitement and aggression.....

"I am optimistic, outgoing, and good at doing many things..... Most people view me as friendly, attractive, and charming....I can be defensive and argumentative."

Wings
Sevens with a strong Eight wing (7w8) tend to be powerful, assertive, impatient, gregarious, hedonistic, boisterous, self-centered, and unfaithful. They usually are more grounded in their feelings and are more in touch with their anger.[\

The Seven with an Eight-Wing
The traits of the Seven and those of the Eight-wing produce a personailty combination which is very aggressive, since each component type is aggressive. Persons of this subtype are aggressive in two ways: in the demands they make on the environment and in the strength of their egos to enforce those demands. No one frustrates people of this subtype without hearing about it.

These excerpts were taken from the Type 7 board if you are interested in learning more