So what ARE our values, INFPs?

**TaleofMisunderstood** · 08-20-2012 03:12 PM

#1 Value: Combining Authenticity and Empathy.

**MandarinChild** · 08-20-2012 03:14 PM

"Loyalty" is one of those words I find unpalatable for personal reasons, maybe because it seems a bit grand and overly conscious of tradition, connoting deadweight. "Fidelity," however, is a lovely word, because it suggests faithfulness (to ourselves, to fellow humans, to ideals) that is active, that reproduces itself thoughtfully. I like what @Kito contributes about open-mindedness; I too believe that what we deeply know and love--while avoiding whimsy and caprice--should be always be provisional.

ETA: One of my favorite recently encountered quotes: "One can't love humanity. One can only love people." (--Graham Greene) There's no point in worshipping the abstract--it's frequently dangerous, irresponsible--we need to perceive nuance; we need to know that life is more metonymy than metaphor.

**Adasta** · 08-20-2012 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by MandarinChild

"Loyalty" is one of those words I find unpalatable for personal reasons, maybe because it seems a bit grand and overly conscious of tradition, connoting deadweight. "Fidelity," however, is a lovely word, because it suggests faithfulness (to ourselves, to fellow humans, to ideals) that is active, that reproduces itself thoughtfully.

Well put.

**pretyhowtown** · 08-20-2012 03:27 PM

Loving-kindness... Not allowing hatred to become a defense against those I perceive to intend harm. Also, compassion for all living things.
Faithfulness
Pursuit of Knowldge for its own sake
Nature
Authenticity
Balance/harmony...precious and volatile
Striving to see the grey area... Understanding that nothing is inherently good or bad... To see myself as smaller than infinity yet still a part of it, and therefore still important; to see everyone and everything else the same way.

**Colyo** · 08-20-2012 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Adasta

I don't think you mean absolution; absolution is the mass noun form of the verb "to absolve". I think "absoluteness" is probably what you were going for.

You're correct. My apologies.

Originally Posted by Adasta

And when you say "of which", are you referring to "our" way of life, or the absoluteness of which you spoke originally?

The absolute nature of our values.

Originally Posted by Adasta

Also, who or what are "the corrupted"? Do you really think these corrupt people look on anything and wonder if they are truly "corrupt" by some sort of inductive reasoning?

I didn't think this needed elaboration, but here goes.

This is best explained by an example. Have you ever, at some point in your life, been asked about why you made a particular choice at a moral crossroads? Say you were offered a choice between telling the truth at a court hearing, resulting in the unfair judgement of an innocent man, or lying and receiving a large sum of money at the victim's expense. A principled person would refuse the payoff, no matter the amount; to which "the corrupt" would disagree, thinking such a decision foolish and naive.

Which is why they look upon values and moral centres as naive and self destructive. I chose the word 'wonder' rather than 'awe' for this reason.

I'm not saying that only INFP's possess this moral centre, but we certainly possess them, each in our own way; holding these values dear is a defining trait of our type.

**Ardent Lunacy** · 08-20-2012 03:51 PM

I speak for myself and myself alone. What do I believe in? Honor, Self-Sacrifice, Kindness, Loyalty, Tenacity, Resilience, Balance, and Neutral Goodness in general. My friends have told me I'm "Noble to a fault". My best trait, according to those who know me, is that I thrive on the strife I suffer through; I'm tenacious. I'm respected for my tendency to do the right thing - even when it's against my own interests, well-being, and generally an unpleasant experience. I'm outrageously forgiving and sacrifice everything for others; they say. All in all, I believe that doing the right thing supersedes everything - that giving of yourself is the purest way to atone and find redemption. Humans, as we are, are feeble, flawed, fallible, and fleeting: we're imperfect and that's what gives us the power to do good.