# How does inferior Te manifest?



## the heart marksman (Nov 17, 2017)

hey i'm wondering how inferior Te really works, from what i've kinda picked up on its kinda like you don't know really where to go in life and taking steps for efficiency can be naturally hard for the ISFP/INFP. when in times of stress though, inferior Te types can be excessively cold and demanding right? or is that more of an ESFP/ENFP thing. thanks in advance!


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## Bastard (Feb 4, 2018)

the heart marksman said:


> when in times of stress though, inferior Te types can be excessively cold and demanding right? or is that more of an ESFP/ENFP thing. thanks in advance!


That is an Fi thing. Not inferior Te.

Te inf: Unaware of how to effectively measure practicality, efficiency and value of goods and services. A stereotypical example would be somebody who dives into alternative medicine and then pays too much for it. There is still a preference for "reliable" information over in-depth analysis, simply an inability to confidently determine reliability without outside help (and _very_ black and white about this outside help).

Compare/contrast Te as weakest shadow inferior: skepticism towards factual information that counteracts one's beliefs. Active dislike of practicality, efficiency and value. Instead prefers own "system" of beliefs and absorbing concepts and ideas and systems of thought.


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## reptilian (Aug 5, 2014)

Low conscientiousness


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## L P (May 30, 2017)

For me it manifests as waiting til the last minute to finally fix a problem you did not_ feel_ like thinking about until absolutely necessary (procrastination) and when you finally try to fix the problem you do a sloppy rush job but the problem is fixed and that's all you care about. The whole time you are doing a sloppy rush job you are extremely stressed and somehow the stress gives you energy to get the job done because you are now doing it like your life depended on it. It sucks, but hey at least you can count on it to get the job done, as sloppy and rushed as possible.

also what @Bastard said about paying too much for some alternate solution, yea guilty as charged. Rushing Te to just get it done and not really thinking through, just trying to ge tit done as fast as possible because you don't want to think about it because it stresses you out so much.


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## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

* Disdain for rules and authority even if they are beneficial for the subject
* Disdain for conformity, again, even if beneficial for the subject
* Denial of logistics, doesn't question if something actually makes sense or not
* May often prefer dreaming instead of doing
* Secretly wishes for fortune and success
* Difficulty sorting thoughts that are constructive and realizable in the concrete world
* May have an_ ''I'm right, everybody else is wrong''_ complex 
* Often sees constructive criticism as a personal attack
* Blames others for failures in life
* Hates jobs and projects that have no personal value for them
* May become overly aggressive and controlling under stress


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## danthemanklein (Mar 30, 2018)

I think it shows different for everyone, but for me, I think the list above and what @Lord Pixel says stands out pretty well. Procrastination is a big one, especially if I wait at the last minute on a homework assignment and I’m rushing to get it done, looking back and forth at the clock to see how much time I have, especially if I’m being too sloppy with my writing, or if I’m just typing a paper without going over it, once again, just constantly rushing it. Another factor is that I can get pretty argumentative and aggressive if I hear something I really don’t like, especially if it’s something that hurts me or if I find it to be offensive for whatever reason. Afterwards, if the conversation gets really heated, I stop arguing and withdraw from it.

Also, “May often prefer dreaming instead of doing.” Yup... yup, yup. Definitely guilty of that one.
“Often sees constructive criticism as a personal attack.” Not always, it depends on context, like if someone is screaming at me, while criticizing me, even if it is constructive, then yes, I would feel as if it’s a personal attack. If it’s just someone giving out constructive criticism in a decent tone, I’ll admit that I might be taken back by it a bit, but I won’t feel like it’s a personal attack on me.
“Hates jobs and projects that have no personal value for them.” Well that can explain why I hated Walmart so damn much, lol.


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## L P (May 30, 2017)

danthemanklein said:


> I think it shows different for everyone, but for me, I think the list above and what @Lord Pixel says stands out pretty well. Procrastination is a big one, especially if I wait at the last minute on a homework assignment and I’m rushing to get it done, looking back and forth at the clock to see how much time I have, especially if I’m being too sloppy with my writing, or if I’m just typing a paper without going over it, once again, just constantly rushing it. Another factor is that I can get pretty argumentative and aggressive if I hear something I really don’t like, especially if it’s something that hurts me or if I find it to be offensive for whatever reason. Afterwards, if the conversation gets really heated, I stop arguing and withdraw from it.
> 
> Also, “May often prefer dreaming instead of doing.” Yup... yup, yup. Definitely guilty of that one.
> *“Often sees constructive criticism as a personal attack.”* Not always, it depends on context, like if someone is screaming at me, while criticizing me, even if it is constructive, then yes, I would feel as if it’s a personal attack. If it’s just someone giving out constructive criticism in a decent tone, I’ll admit that I might be taken back by it a bit, but I won’t feel like it’s a personal attack on me.
> *“Hates jobs and projects that have no personal value for them.” *Well that can explain why I hated Walmart so damn much, lol.


Tbh when people say "INFPs are over sensitive to criticism." I just feel like i don't know what to do about it, like sometimes taking it personal isn't always a choice for me sometimes someone will say something and it'll just feel like a punch in the heart, and then they blurt out "don't take it personal." and I'm like "Too late!" 

I'm at a job I do not care about, and I slack off horribly and I honestly don't even feel like working most days, they had to put me BACK on a 30 day probation period because I came to work late way too many days and productivity went down. I seriously cannot stand jobs I don't give 2 craps about. I hate that you have to do it.

Secretly wishes for fortunes and success. Check. Actually being a CEO of a company working on a project that has personal value to me is like a secret fantasy.

Disdain for rules and authority. No. Disdain for people trying to control you. Yes. Authority is fine as long as they give you the freedom to make your own decisions. I'd rather someone be in authority than myself.

Also fear of being assertive or controlling others is inf. Te.

Difficulty sorting thoughts that are real world ready. Yea sorting them myself yes, this is why i defer to others to just give me the easy facts, preferably someone who knows much better than me. I eat those up, perhaps too quick sometimes. But It's not always easy to apply. 

Dreaming instead of doing. Check.

How is blaming others for failures in life an inf. Te thing? Idk, I wallow in quite a bit of self pity instead of blaming others. I guess I blame life though, just the structure of life.

Over controlling under stress. Not experienced by myself very often but I can see it. I remember one time as a camp counselor when I had to rally up the kids, I literally could not raise my voice and call for a gathering calmly, I had to create some anger in myself and fake like I was some kind of drill sargeant just to get the courage enough to be assertive with what I wanted the kids to do. Very uncomfortable, very not me.


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## Strelnikov (Jan 19, 2018)

Stevester said:


> * Disdain for rules and authority even if they are beneficial for the subject
> * Disdain for conformity, again, even if beneficial for the subject
> * Denial of logistics, doesn't question if something actually makes sense or not
> * May often prefer dreaming instead of doing
> ...


Correct!

I'd like to also add: a love/hate relationship with authority. I do know a couple of INFPs and they seem to enjoy when someone takes over and commands, imposing order where there is chaos, but at the same time they are anti-authority. On one hand they want total freedom, but at the same time may hold in high esteem totalitarian political ideologies.


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## the heart marksman (Nov 17, 2017)

Strelnikov said:


> Correct!
> 
> I'd like to also add: a love/hate relationship with authority. I do know a couple of INFPs and they seem to enjoy when someone takes over and commands, imposing order where there is chaos, but at the same time they are anti-authority. On one hand they want total freedom, but at the same time may hold in high esteem totalitarian political ideologies.


This sounds very like the IEIs I've known. Seems Beta NF too.


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## tinyheart (Jun 17, 2016)

I got angry today and instead of making me cry or feel guilty it made me feel invigorated does that count.


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## Fatal Destiny (Oct 4, 2018)

Not IxFP myself, but from experience with the INFP in my life:

One time during a period of extreme stress, she got into a state she described as a "rut" that she couldn't get out of. In this rut, per her description, she was only able to focus on one priority that could only be met through a set of rigid, repetitive actions.

She experienced this as a form of relentless logic that she could not get her mind to break out of or expand upon.

From the outside, my observations during that time, she had a robotic cold obsessive quality to her actions and interactions. It was kind of like watching/dealing with a malfunctioning computer that had the wrong parameters and logic paths programmed into it. And even though she was at times aware that she was in this rut, she flat-out told me that she felt completely unable to break out of it.

I think that could be a real world example of inferior Te "erupting" in a context specific way, as the article linked in the first comment suggests it can.

I've also seen Te-inf at other times supporting Fi values while pretending Fi has nothing to do with it. This has happened when the INFP is angry from having Fi value lines crossed. If it wasn't so damn mean in its emotional energy, it would be comical for me to witness/experience. It's like this completely illogical stance that in that moment is utterly convinced that it is nothing but logical.


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## ANAXEL (Feb 16, 2017)

I don't think so. I think that's still Fi.


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## Eric B (Jun 18, 2010)

From what I've seen, unpreferred (tertiary or inferior) Te will lead the FP to tend to go along with the Te judgments of others. This will work in tandem with Fi in stuff like peacemaking and "weighing" values, to determine which to follow. (Descriptions that may be harder to find, with Fi often described across the board in terms of "doing what you want regardless of others", which is more likely the TJ's less mature Fi, working in tandem with their Te, but you do see this in descriptions sometimes, like them easily being swayed by others or having a hard time making decisions).

Using temperament and Interaction Style, the Te types are the "most directive", Fi types are the least so (and FJ and TP are inbetween). That's because FP's are all both "Informing" and "motive focused", which both represent "people focus". TJ's are "directing" and "structure focused"; both of which are "task focused", or more "critical".
When first noting this, I wondered how Te being 3rd and 4th for the FP's would figure. I eventually realized that the tertiary and inferior, being connected with lower, more "vulnerable" complexes ("child" and 'aspirational") will tend to "_look up to_" the products of the function in higher places in other types.

So where inferior Te is often described as the FP becoming like an unhealthy TJ, this is more under stress. In normal everyday situations, it will support opposite behaviors.


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## Silwin (Aug 16, 2017)

Generally I procrastinate a lot, but I also feel that deadlines are necessary otherwise I would accomplish nothing in my life.


> Secretly wishes for fortune and success


True, I have this wish but at the same time I don't consider it very important. I'd prefer a life where I do what I like, even if I won't get rich or successfull.


> May have an ''I'm right, everybody else is wrong'' complex


Mostly in moments of stress, when I need my crap done, I may become authoritative and consider everyone else as useless or wrong.


> Often sees constructive criticism as a personal attack


I hate this, but it is so true. Sometimes I have a hard time not considering criticism as an insult to my intelligence or my competence.


> Hates jobs and projects that have no personal value for them


That's pretty much my relationship with school, I hated it so much. Now at university I study what I like and I feel much more relaxed.


> Difficulty sorting thoughts that are constructive and realizable in the concrete world


Maybe this one is mostly related with NFP, I think that an Se would be able to see which thought is realizable or not. The problem maybe is to be willing to realize it.


> I'd like to also add: a love/hate relationship with authority. I do know a couple of INFPs and they seem to enjoy when someone takes over and commands, imposing order where there is chaos, but at the same time they are anti-authority. On one hand they want total freedom, but at the same time may hold in high esteem totalitarian political ideologies.


This is very interesting. I wouldn't say that I have in high esteem totalitarian ideologies (I don't think that I have in high esteem any political ideology) but I have this weird fascination with their systems and with their order.


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## SilentScream (Mar 31, 2011)

In extreme stress, it's critical to the point of becoming very abusive.


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## MD_analyst (Jan 29, 2018)

Lord Pixel said:


> For me it manifests as waiting til the last minute to finally fix a problem you did not_ feel_ like thinking about until absolutely necessary (procrastination) and when you finally try to fix the problem you do a sloppy rush job but the problem is fixed and that's all you care about. The whole time you are doing a sloppy rush job you are extremely stressed and somehow the stress gives you energy to get the job done because you are now doing it like your life depended on it. It sucks, but hey at least you can count on it to get the job done, as sloppy and rushed as possible.
> 
> also what @Bastard said about paying too much for some alternate solution, yea guilty as charged. Rushing Te to just get it done and not really thinking through, just trying to ge tit done as fast as possible because you don't want to think about it because it stresses you out so much.


This makes sense, but an unhealthy ENTJ or INTJ can also do an inefficient job just to get things done, because they are so focused on achieving the end goal by any means necessary. So how can you tell if this is due to an inferior Te or due to utilizing dominant Te in an unhealthy way?


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## L P (May 30, 2017)

MD_analyst said:


> This makes sense, but an unhealthy ENTJ or INTJ can also do an inefficient job just to get things done, because they are so focused on achieving the end goal by any means necessary. So how can you tell if this is due to an inferior Te or due to utilizing dominant Te in an unhealthy way?


Well procrastination might be a big difference. Because with inf Te, Te matters are usually avoided, until they have no choice but to confront the issue. So maybe unhealthy Te does not avoid Te matters until the last minute?

Also calling an inf Te user incompetent might bother them more than a higher Te user because since their Te is inf it feels like that is a problem they have that they cannot easily fix about themselves.

And it's probably more rudimentary and less thought out, jumping on any solution that seems to promise their problem being solved without really doing research and potentially buying into a scam.


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## Guajiro (Nov 16, 2017)

*In the grip of Te*:
An inability to work and move past the way things work when it goes against your values because your values are completely against the way the world works.
You feel the world is unfair, you don't have the energy to *do it* because the "doing" is out of alignment with your Rational Judgement of "What is fair/unfair; good/bad; what has worth and what doesn't"
Not being abble to move past the "The way the world works is unfair" is when you are in the grip.

*Inferior Te as an Aspiration (balancing the inferior function):*
A sense of transcendence and realization because you managed to actualy put into reality your judgement of how the world should be according to your values, and you succeced in changing the way the world worked into how you think it should work in order to be in accordance with your *Fi*. Also learning more about how the world actualy works to be more balanced in your Feeling judgements about what is worth fighting for, wich will prevent you from having too idealistic expectations of the world.


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