# Is being INTJ trendy?



## Chemical Teddy (Mar 19, 2015)

After spending a considerable amount of time immersed in the whole MBTI thing I just can't help to notice the hordes of people on various forums claiming to be INTJ. It's somewhat stunning.

I understand that it would make perfect sense for an INTJ to be more likely to research MBTI than your average ESFJ (And thus it might make sense why such a low percentage of the population would be vocal on such sites), but even so I can't help to be somewhat skeptical.

It appears to me that being INTJ became trendy. 
There seems to be an ever-increasing influx of cool INTJ characters (especially in anime) and I suppose it would make some sense if people mimicked the behavior of their favorite anti-heroes/heroes.
A lot of people seem to have this cardboard cutout view of the INTJ personality where every INTJ is a super successful unemotional genius, silently scheming from being the scenes.

It would make sense that a lot of people would like to be that kind of person.
And thus a million greasy long haired kids wearing a slipknot shirt decided that being INTJ would instantly make them edgier and smarter than everyone else. There was much rejoicing to be done on that day as they self-typed themselves as INTJ, perpetuating INTJ stereotypes and making actual INTJs cringe at the sight of it all. Or maybe not?

I have no idea. I just wanted to see what other people think. Do any of you have that impression as well? Do you think being INTJ became trendy? If so, why do you think being INTJ became trendy? What are all the INTJ appeals?What factors are at play?

I'm curious.


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## Lunaena (Nov 16, 2013)

I have somewhat of the same impression.


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

Do any of you have that impression as well? Do you think being INTJ became trendy? If so, why do you think being INTJ became trendy? What are all the INTJ appeals?What factors are in play?

Yes


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

Yeah, it's the reason there are so many fake INTJs on here


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## chanteuse (May 30, 2014)

I believe that the rarer personalities being portrayed more often in media and print form is because ppl don't want to watch/read characters like them, unless it's in a satirical form as in the movie Office Space. All the stereotypical sensor characters that ppl encounter in work place were exaggerated for laugh. 

The book Ender's Game, the siblings are supposed to be INFJ (Ender), ENTP, and INFP. 

As for the influx of NTs/NFs on line, average intuits enjoy forum discussions more in comparison to average sensors. The fact that many intuits find it hard to find quality conversation or exchanges in real life is why they congregate on line. If this makes an impression that more ppl claim to be XXTJ on line, it may just be a distorted on line presence of the type.


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## Pressed Flowers (Oct 8, 2014)

INFx is uber trendy in my circles. Heck, F is trendy in my circles. But I guess that's because I hang out with a bunch of girls 

I think a lot of it is that people just test as INTJ, particularly when they... wrongly estimate themselves. Introverted traits seem favorable. Thinking traits seem smart. Intuitive traits seem brilliant and sophisticated. Judging traits seem responsible. I don't want to suggest that all people who mistype as INTJ are just projecting themselves as something they're not, but I think that could be the case in some circles, particularly those with younger and less self-actualized individuals.


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## Glory (Sep 28, 2013)

JTHearts said:


> Yeah, it's the reason there are so many fake INTJs on here


Nah, INTJs like projecting an idealised, heroic version of themselves; _A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power_


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## aendern (Dec 28, 2013)

1. I sincerely doubt that there exists a single person who is intentionally typing themselves as an INTJ due to some sort of trend that they perceive to exist.

2. Online tests are obviously biased toward an INTJ test result. The questions practically force to you pick certain answers due to how poorly-worded they are. And it just so happens that these answers lead to INTJ results.

3. The vast majority of people who believe themselves to be INTJs have no knowledge of Carl Jung or really anything other than a test result they received from a test they took that one time. To them, INTJ means about as much as "Sagittarius" or some other nonsense.

I agree with everything @alittlebear said.



JTHearts said:


> Yeah, it's the reason there are so many fake INTJs on here


Do you have proof of this, or is this just what your heart tells you?


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## The_Wanderer (Jun 13, 2013)

Yes, /thread.

Oh, and being _intuitive_ is trendy.


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

The_Wanderer said:


> Yes, /thread.
> 
> Oh, and being _intuitive_ is trendy.


But they have psychic powers and stuff


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## aendern (Dec 28, 2013)

Retsu said:


> But they have psychic powers and stuff


My favourites are the people on the "guess the type" subforum who type all the famous people they like as INFJs.


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

emberfly said:


> My favourites are the people on the "guess the type" subforum who type all the famous people they like as INFJs.


"But Deadpool is totally INFJ"

I also enjoyed the Queen Elsa debacle where people thought she was INFJ. She couldn't intuit her way out of a paper bag!


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

emberfly said:


> Do you have proof of this, or is this just what your heart tells you?


How am I supposed to have proof of what people think and what they actually are? It's just that I seem a lot of "INTJ"s on here who aren't really INTJs and just use that label to make themselves feel superior


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## Dao (Sep 13, 2013)

I don't understand why the INTJ type would be perceived as trendy. Many people who type as INTJs online are cranky, bitter, sarcastic and socially awkward. I identify most with the INTJ stack and looking back at myself from several years ago, I would not want to be friends with myself. It was also a genuine challenge to learn to open up and make friends, and I lost many friends because I was so argumentative and blunt, which made life lonely and difficult. Being an INTJ has its strengths but I also think the potential drawbacks are fairly significant. I wish I were an ESFP or an ISFP. Maybe people think they understand the stack more than they actually do. But I doubt anyone would think being an INTJ is trendy.


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## reckful (Jun 19, 2012)

I've been at INTJforum for almost six years and PerC for close to three years, and one of the lamest memes that regularly pops up at these forums is the notion that there are lots of _fake INTJs_ around, because everybody wants to be a "Mastermind," bla bla bla.

In the spoiler are some membership stats and analysis for PerC and Typology Central. For each type, the first percentage is the percentage of that type at the forum, the second percentage (in parentheses) is the estimated "general population" percentage from the official MBTI folks (from this page), and the final number on the right is the self-selection ratio for that type — i.e., the ratio of the forum percentage to the general population percentage.


* *




Below are recent membership stats for Personality Café and Typology Central. For each type, the first percentage is the percentage of that type at the forum, the second percentage (in parentheses) is the estimated "general population" percentage from the official MBTI folks (from this page), and the final number on the right is the self-selection ratio for that type — i.e., the ratio of the forum percentage to the general population percentage.

November 2014 membership stats for Personality Café:

INFJ — 9133 — 15.7% (1.5%) — ssr: 10.5
INTJ — 7307 — 12.6% (2.1%) — ssr: 6.0
INFP — 11865 — 20.4% (4.4%) — ssr: 4.6
INTP — 7825 — 13.5% (3.3%) — ssr: 4.1
ENTP — 3709 — 6.4% (3.2%) — ssr: 2.0
ENTJ — 1681 — 2.9% (1.8%) — ssr: 1.6
ENFJ — 1904 — 3.3% (2.5%) — ssr: 1.3
ENFP — 4915 — 8.5% (8.1%) — ssr: 1.0
ISTP — 1926 — 3.3% (5.4%) — ssr: 0.6
ISFP — 1986 — 3.4% (8.8%) — ssr: 0.4
ISTJ — 2094 — 3.6% (11.6%) — ssr: 0.3
ESTP — 635 — 1.1% (4.3%) — ssr: 0.3
ISFJ — 1374 — 2.4% (13.8%) — ssr: 0.2
ESFP — 620 — 1.1% (8.5%) — ssr: 0.1
ESFJ — 573 — 1.0% (12.3%) — ssr: 0.1
ESTJ — 542 — 0.9% (8.7%) — ssr: 0.1

November 2014 membership stats for Typology Central:

INFJ — 1782 — 16.1% (1.5%) — ssr: 10.7
INTJ — 1437 — 13.0% (2.1%) — ssr: 6.2
INTP — 1958 — 17.7% (3.3%) — ssr: 5.4
INFP — 2016 — 18.2% (4.4%) — ssr: 4.1
ENTP — 781 — 7.0% (3.2%) — ssr: 2.2
ENTJ — 298 — 2.7% (1.8%) — ssr: 1.5
ENFP — 1156 — 10.4% (8.1%) — ssr: 1.3
ENFJ — 321 — 2.9% (2.5%) — ssr: 1.2
ISTP — 304 — 2.7% (5.4%) — ssr: 0.5
ISFP — 256 — 2.3% (8.8%) — ssr: 0.3
ISTJ — 278 — 2.5% (11.6%) — ssr: 0.2
ESTP — 100 — 0.9% (4.3%) — ssr: 0.2
ISFJ — 181 — 1.6% (13.8%) — ssr: 0.1
ESFP — 84 — 0.8% (8.5%) — ssr: 0.1
ESTJ — 74 — 0.7% (8.7%) — ssr: 0.1
ESFJ — 65 — 0.6% (12.3%) — ssr: 0.05

Looking at the PerC stats (the larger sample): 62% of the members are INs (as compared to 11% of the general population), and 83% of the members are N's (as compared to 27% of the general population).

Every S type has a self-selection ratio of 0.6 or lower, and no N type has a self-selection ratio below 1.0. And the _lowest_ self-selection ratio for the IN types is _13 times higher_ than the _highest_ self-selection ratio for the ES types.

The stats suggest than an average MBTI IN is something like _40 times more likely_ than an average MBTI ES to join a personality-related internet forum.

And the stats for Typology Central are strikingly similar to the ones for PerC.



_All four_ of the IN types are way overrepresented at the all-types forums. And what's more, the self-selection ratios of all twelve of the other types are also strikingly consistent with a type-related explanation that says that (1) an N preference has a very large impact on the likelihood that someone will participate in personality-related internet forums, and (2) introversion also has a substantial impact (but not as large as an N preference).

Did Keirsey call INTJs the "Masterminds"? Yes, he did. And he called INTPs the "Architects" and INFPs the "Healers" and INFJs the "Counselors." And if those INTJ self-selection ratios largely result from the fact that it's so damn cool to be a Mastermind, I guess it must be almost twice as cool to be a Counselor, eh? And pretty damn cool to be a Healer or an Architect, too.

A similar meme in forum posts is the idea that a large percentage of forum N's are mistyped S's because it's cooler to be an N, or because the S/N items on the MBTI (or on "online tests") erroneously skew people in the N direction.

Buuut S/N is actually the only MBTI dimension where the overall (male and female together) percentages aren't close to 50/50, and the skew is in the S direction. Less than 30% of people come out N, according to official MBTI statistics. And I don't buy the idea that there's a big N skew in "online tests." I've been participating in type-me exercises for over five years now — including seeing lots of people's results on the _official_ MBTI — and it's rare, in my experience, for an MBTI forum member to come out N on HumanMetrics or one of the other unofficial online tests and come out S on the official MBTI.

Among the regular PerC posters, I suspect that the percentage of purported INTJs who are actually another type may be smaller than the percentage of posters who think that the percentage of purported INTJs who are actually another type is large. And I also suspect that, among the regular posters, the percentage of purported INTJs who aren't INs is very small.

I'm endlessly pointing out that I think it's not uncommon for INFJs to mistype as INTJs, so I wouldn't disagree that it's likely there's a not-exactly-tiny group of purported INTJs here who are actually INFJs. And I suspect there's a smaller group of purported INTJs who are actually INTPs. But other than those two subgroups — most of whose members are probably not that far from the middle on the mistyped dimension — I'd guess the great majority of the other "INTJs" are actually INTJs.


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

People look on the surface most of the time.
I too liked the label of Mastermind, who wouldn't?
Yet all the hate and flack from the Fe camp where quite disturbing.
I found myself unaffected by the Fe when the real INTJs cringed over their exposed PoLR.

It was actually a relief finding I was ISFP rather than INTJ.
The stereotypical baggage was quite heavy to bear.

As for a trend or not, I dunno I havn't been in the INTJ forum for a while.


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## Aeidrung (Mar 21, 2015)

I hope that every human being one day will find himself in the position, from which he is going to see what he really is. Without faking and pretending


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## Highway Nights (Nov 26, 2014)

Shimmerleaf said:


> I don't understand why the INTJ type would be perceived as trendy. Many people who type as INTJs online are cranky, bitter, sarcastic and socially awkward. I identify most with the INTJ stack and looking back at myself from several years ago, I would not want to be friends with myself. It was also a genuine challenge to learn to open up and make friends, and I lost many friends because I was so argumentative and blunt, which made life lonely and difficult. Being an INTJ has its strengths but I also think the potential drawbacks are fairly significant. I wish I were an ESFP or an ISFP. Maybe people think they understand the stack more than they actually do. But I doubt anyone would think being an INTJ is trendy.


This is exactly why though. In internet culture, it's apparently cool to be "cranky, bitter, sarcastic, and socially awkward". Hence the "INTJs". I don't think there's some big conspiracy to mistype themselves, but I think they're already answering the shaky at best dichotomy tests less than honestly with themselves. Most of them are probably still INxx types though, it's pretty much a given that they'll be overrepresented here.


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

reckful said:


> A similar meme in forum posts is the idea that a large percentage of forum N's are mistyped S's because it's cooler to be an N, or because the S/N items on the MBTI (or on "online tests") erroneously skew people in the N direction.
> 
> Buuut S/N is actually the only MBTI dimension where the overall (male and female together) percentages aren't close to 50/50, and the skew is in the S direction. Less than 30% of people come out N, according to official MBTI statistics. And I don't buy the idea that there's a big N skew in "online tests." I've been participating in type-me exercises for over five years now — including seeing lots of people's results on the _official_ MBTI — and it's rare, in my experience, for an MBTI forum member to come out N on HumanMetrics or one of the other unofficial online tests and come out S on the official MBTI.


that's not true, all those statistics are lies


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## Zeta Neprok (Jul 27, 2010)

Eh, I don't really know if it's "trendy" or not. When people say they're a certain type I feel like I have to give them the benefit of the doubt. I mean, it's REALLY hard to tell what someone's type is based on their forum posts (and even then I suck at typing people IRL) so I generally just assume that most people are aware of their type. I mean who knows themselves better than themselves?


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## Chemical Teddy (Mar 19, 2015)

reckful said:


> I've been at INTJforum for almost six years and PerC for close to three years, and one of the lamest memes that regularly pops up at these forums is the notion that there are lots of _fake INTJs_ around, because everybody wants to be a "Mastermind," bla bla bla.
> 
> In the spoiler are some membership stats and analysis for PerC and Typology Central. For each type, the first percentage is the percentage of that type at the forum, the second percentage (in parentheses) is the estimated "general population" percentage from the official MBTI folks (from this page), and the final number on the right is the self-selection ratio for that type — i.e., the ratio of the forum percentage to the general population percentage.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the post and the statistics. It's very interesting.
I was never implying that more than 5-10% of the INTJ forum population miss-typed themselves.
As Hornet pointed out though, the label of the mastermind is rather appealing and I can see why it would convince some people to type themselves as INTJ. Especially since they don't understand all the cons that go with being such a person.

I also mentioned the whole "intuitive types would enjoy this kind of things more than S types" albeit briefly and vaguely in my original post. I was just interested in what people thought and I'm very happy you responded and provided statistics. It was a substantial response and a nice read.

At the very least we can learn more and shatter some misconceptions about INTJs, no?


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## ScarlettHayden (Jun 8, 2012)

Apparently. I have no idea how.


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## Dao (Sep 13, 2013)

Rebelgoatalliance said:


> This is exactly why though. In internet culture, it's apparently cool to be "cranky, bitter, sarcastic, and socially awkward". Hence the "INTJs".


That makes sense considering most MBTI communities like this one have large young adult populations; I think the above traits betray a lack of understanding and experience and I say this as someone who has been through the asshole phase before.


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## Chemical Teddy (Mar 19, 2015)

Rebelgoatalliance said:


> This is exactly why though. In internet culture, it's apparently cool to be "cranky, bitter, sarcastic, and socially awkward". Hence the "INTJs".


Awesome, exactly what I wanted to point out. I think a good example of this is Dr.House. He's the crankiest, most bitter and sarcastic guy around and the internet loves him. Hell, I love him too.


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## Zosio (Mar 17, 2015)

JTHearts said:


> that's not true, all those statistics are lies


Why is it that you're so hostile about Ns? Almost any time I see a post from you around the forum you're making some backhanded comment about us. Were you bullied by Ns or something?


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## chanteuse (May 30, 2014)

@reckful

thank you for the write up and investigation. 

i wonder how many on PerC do not specify their type like I. I don't do it because I want to keep an open mind on all functions and not be in the MBTI box.

On line world IMO mirrors real world. There will always be posers, wannabes, and confused. Also ppl who don't care one way or another. But majority, as shown on the stats you gathered, doesn't veer too far off the chart.


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

zosio913 said:


> Why is it that you're so hostile about Ns? Almost any time I see a post from you around the forum you're making some backhanded comment about us. Were you bullied by Ns or something?


I'm not hostile about Ns, I'm hostile about those fake "statistics" that Ns use to try to make themselves feel special


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## misfortuneteller (Apr 4, 2015)

INFJ is trendy for the chicks, like how INTJ is trendy for the guys. I don't find it stunning at all.


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## Zosio (Mar 17, 2015)

JTHearts said:


> I'm not hostile about Ns, I'm hostile about those fake "statistics" that Ns use to try to make themselves feel special


What proof do you have that the statistics are fake? If you're going to make a statement like that, provide your own evidence to back it up. 

Ns aren't generally seeking out statistics to make themselves "feel special" -- they just exist regardless. Also, you're failing to realize that being in the minority doesn't exactly give you warm and fuzzy feelings all of the time. A lot of Ns -- especially the NJ types who make up the lowest percentages -- face isolation and a lack of understanding from their family and peers. I'm an INFJ, the rarest type, and I can assure you that the "special snowflake" feeling has never even come close to outweighing the feeling of loneliness. 

Ns flood these forums because it's one of the few places where we feel like we can meet with like-minded people. You going around and complaining about how prominent we are around here isn't benefiting anyone.


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## Son of Mercury (Aug 12, 2014)

Why yes, yes it is.


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## Highway Nights (Nov 26, 2014)

misfortuneteller said:


> INFJ is trendy for the chicks, like how INTJ is trendy for the guys. I don't find it stunning at all.


I wouldn't say that either are even remotely trendy off of the internet. But it's not stunning that you would find more of those two types on a typology forum for the same type of reasons that I doubt many N types subscribe to the farmers almanac.


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## Scrabbletray (Apr 27, 2014)

INTJ and INFP seem to make up 50% of people in a lot of online forums when they talk about MBTI (INFJ is high too). I think some of it makes sense (introverts are much more likely to be on online forums), but some of it is also just the poor quality of the online tests and the fact that people choose the answers that sound best even if they don't match as well. The online tests are kind of crap, I've gotten INTJ, ISTJ, ISTP etc.


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## Highway Nights (Nov 26, 2014)

a1b2c3d4 said:


> INTJ and INFP seem to make up 50% of people in a lot of online forums when they talk about MBTI (INFJ is high too). I think some of it makes sense (introverts are much more likely to be on online forums), but some of it is also just the poor quality of the online tests and the fact that people choose the answers that sound best even if they don't match as well. The online tests are kind of crap, I've gotten INTJ, ISTJ, ISTP etc.


I agree. I almost never end up as an S in dichotomy tests, usually either ENTJ or ENTP or ENFJ every one in a while. I thought I was an N for a long time because of that. The hostility towards sensors didn't help much either. I prefer function tests but even those are pretty wonky and usually give me ENTJ or ESTJ.


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

zosio913 said:


> What proof do you have that the statistics are fake? If you're going to make a statement like that, provide your own evidence to back it up.
> 
> Ns aren't generally seeking out statistics to make themselves "feel special" -- they just exist regardless. Also, you're failing to realize that being in the minority doesn't exactly give you warm and fuzzy feelings all of the time. A lot of Ns -- especially the NJ types who make up the lowest percentages -- face isolation and a lack of understanding from their family and peers. I'm an INFJ, the rarest type, and I can assure you that the "special snowflake" feeling has never even come close to outweighing the feeling of loneliness.
> 
> Ns flood these forums because it's one of the few places where we feel like we can meet with like-minded people. You going around and complaining about how prominent we are around here isn't benefiting anyone.


I'm ESFJ and I face isolation and a lack of understanding. It's not something that happens because of your MBTI type.


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## Zosio (Mar 17, 2015)

JTHearts said:


> I'm ESFJ and I face isolation and a lack of understanding. It's not something that happens because of your MBTI type.


That's really not the point. 

The point is that you're needlessly hostile toward Ns and it isn't doing anyone any favors, including you.


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## NurseCat (Jan 20, 2015)

LOL I've noticed this too. INTJs are definitely the most popular type.

I agree with you about the influence of fiction. It's amazing how many supervillains in movies and anime are INTJs. I think it's simply because INTJs are cool. 

The perplexing thing for me is how many types are commonly mistyped as certain other ones. INFPs mistype as INTJs all the time, ESFJs mistype as INFJs, ISFPs mistype as INFPs, ISTJs mistype as INTPs and etcetera. The weirdest is ISFJs in shadow mode mistyping as ENTPs or ESTPs.


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

zosio913 said:


> That's really not the point.
> 
> The point is that you're needlessly hostile toward Ns and it isn't doing anyone any favors, including you.


NO. I am NOT being hostile to Ns. I am being hostile to what I see as fake statistics. You tried to defend those statistics by saying "I'm so misunderstood because I'm an INxx!!" well NO. Anyone can have social problems, including ESxx. I am NOT being hostile to Ns.


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## Twisted Mind (Aug 28, 2014)

JTHearts said:


> NO. I am NOT being hostile to Ns. I am being hostile to what I see as fake statistics. You tried to defend those statistics by saying "I'm so misunderstood because I'm an INxx!!" well NO. Anyone can have social problems, including ESxx. I am NOT being hostile to Ns.


Indeed anyone can have social problems. To me, it's clear though that society is SJ-adapted - a result from SJ-personalities being the majority of population. I never interpreted being a "rare" type as flattering. I always felt "weird" and ironically it was a relief to find out I'm not to only one who is _somewhat_ like me. The statistics make perfect sense to real life, I rarely meet people who think like me.
It also makes sense in the aspect that society _needs_ to have a majority of SJs, a society with a majority of INTPs most probably would not go around. INXXs _should_ be uncommon because the world doesn't need and wouldn't be able to handle more than a few of us.
That being said, being a rare type does not make you more or less unique in my opinion. EVERYBODY is a unique person, cognitive functions is just a small part of what makes up an individual.


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## Miss Nightingale (Aug 10, 2013)

JTHearts said:


> NO. I am NOT being hostile to Ns. I am being hostile to what I see as fake statistics. You tried to defend those statistics by saying "I'm so misunderstood because I'm an INxx!!" well NO. Anyone can have social problems, including ESxx. I am NOT being hostile to Ns.


These social problems stem from the lack of understanding INxxs, or even Ns in general, would have towards their peers. The main difference between intuitives and sensors is that intuitives are attracted to the abstract and intangible while sensors are going to be more interested in the practical. I can get why sensors would regard the views of intuitives with doubt, or with suspicion even, being too theoretical and whatnot, and would therefore find N-esque topics boring, and uninteresting. I have only met a few intuitives in my lifetime, people who have Se or Si as either their inferior function or PoLR function. 

Basically, the isolation doesn't come from the trend of "hating humanity because everybody sucks and I'm such a misunderstood special snowflake", but rather the topics that intuitives are likely to be more interested in, which most people are going to find pointless.


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## miranda1 (Jun 10, 2014)

Twisted Mind said:


> It also makes sense in the aspect that society _needs_ to have a majority of SJs, a society with a majority of INTPs most probably would not go around. INXXs _should_ be uncommon because the world doesn't need and wouldn't be able to handle more than a few of us.


This is not a personal attack but I've already read this a few times so I'd like to say : 
why is it a common idea that society needs to have a majority of SJ ? All the more if it's indeed the case, we know that the world is not ideal right now so how do we know if it wouldn't be better with a majority of other types ? Or equal amount of each type ?
That could just give different worlds with different ways of functionning ...


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

emberfly said:


> Me . . .


Good to know your stance.


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## aendern (Dec 28, 2013)

hornet said:


> Good to know your stance.


Slight tangent, but I think many of the type labels used on PerC are terrible.

For example: ISFP, Artists. Pretty bad and not terribly accurate.

INTJ, Masterminds. Not terribly descriptive, nor exclusive to INTJs.

INFJ, the Protectors. This one is probably the least good description, really. . .


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

emberfly said:


> Slight tangent, but I think many of the type labels used on PerC are terrible.
> 
> For example: ISFP, Artists. Pretty bad and not terribly accurate.
> 
> ...


I propose an entirely new set of labels portray all types accurately and I will probably do this when my phone isn't on critically low battery.
The Duty Fulfillers for ISTJ is quite crap as well. COGS IN THE MACHINE


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## aendern (Dec 28, 2013)

Retsu said:


> I propose an entirely new set of labels portray all types accurately and I will probably do this when my phone isn't on critically low battery.
> The Duty Fulfillers for ISTJ is quite crap as well. COGS IN THE MACHINE


Actually I think Duty Fulfillers is one of the best ones. I think it very accurately describes them . . . 


But, to play Devil's advocate, . . . "hardest worker you will ever meet" is another very accurate label for them.


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

emberfly said:


> Actually I think Duty Fulfillers is one of the best ones. I think it very accurately describes them . . .
> 
> 
> But, to play Devil's advocate, . . . "hardest worker you will ever meet" is another very accurate label for them.


I see your point but i don't agree with that being their main description if only because it implies an incapability to think for themselves, which i would guess is why we have mistypes. Hardest worker on the other hand, yes.


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## miranda1 (Jun 10, 2014)

Twisted Mind said:


> Those are wise, open-minded words. However this is what I think:
> *Sensors* are the engine, that keeps society rolling.
> *Intuitives* are the steering wheel, that from time to time change the direction.
> 
> ...


But what if the world being a majority of SJs oppresses other types so much that they are more likely to be unhealthy, decreasing their efficiency in society ? Like the effect the impact of each type is not proportional to their population but exponionential-like.


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

Retsu said:


> I see your point but i don't agree with that being their main description if only because it implies an incapability to think for themselves, which i would guess is why we have mistypes. Hardest worker on the other hand, yes.


All the labels imposes a onesidedness that is quite unheard of.
That was the purpose of MBTI after all, to sort women for work.
It is a pragmatic tool for a collective purpose.
No attempt at seeing the individuals potential underneath and creating space for that.
Jung wanted individuality, Myers tainted that a bit.
She sacrificed the individual on the altar of universal understanding.
The individual has a true possibility of individuating.
Universal understanding is as unlikely as world peace.


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

miranda1 said:


> But what if the world being a majority of SJs oppresses other types so much that they are more likely to be unhealthy, decreasing their efficiency in society ? Like the effect the impact of each type is not proportional to their population but exponionential-like.


No

SJs can be failed by the system too. Can end up on welfare etc. There are real issues like race and religion that cause oppression, not MBTI.


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

hornet said:


> All the labels imposes a onesidedness that is quite unheard of.
> That was the purpose of MBTI after all, to sort women for work.
> It is a pragmatic tool for a collective purpose.
> No attempt at seeing the individuals potential underneath and creating space for that.
> ...


Yeah, I heard of those origins too. I haven't thought of it that way before, so thanks. It's why I don't use type labels myself.


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## Doran Seth (Apr 4, 2015)

I am an INTJ. I felt like an outcast for the majority of my youth. As an adult I have fit into social groups better, but I still feel I don't relate to most people. I have been plagued with depression for years and have suffered great academic, professional, and personal harm because of it. Maybe it is just me, but I believe many of the characteristics of my type are the sort of elements that led to my problems. Researching MBTI helped me to understand myself and start to find real solutions. I also learned about others and how they think, which contributed to my growth and healing. 

I constantly think about issues I cannot solve and I struggle to relate to others in many ways. It's so much fun! I feel so cool and trendy. I'll gladly trade types with any fake INTJ who fits in socially and you can become a cool, trendy, depressed hermit!


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## Lord Bullingdon (Aug 9, 2014)

J Squirrel said:


> Must be the avatar. Clearly Skeksis are INTJ, being all dark and broody and evil.


Ah, but what's their enneagram type?


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## ninjahitsawall (Feb 1, 2013)

Chemical Teddy said:


> Is being INTJ trendy?*
> *


Yes, for non-INTJ's that want to appear smart superficially.

In the past I've gotten negative INTJ-like vibes from people like standoffish doctors and bureaucrats I've had to encounter, who I would rather not associate myself with. Don't know if they were actual INTJ's that I just hated as people, or if they were posers, lol.



> ...and making actual INTJs cringe at the sight of it all. Or maybe not?


Introverts generally dislike attention. 



> I have no idea. I just wanted to see what other people think. Do any of you have that impression as well? Do you think being INTJ became trendy? If so, why do you think being INTJ became trendy? What are all the INTJ appeals?What factors are at play?


Longer answer of what I said before: 
There's this weird trend where nerdy = cool and intelligence is (overly)valued in society. (Yes, I just said that. Because people become intellectual snobs and sometimes they aren't even actually intelligent. Just have a complex about it and want to appear that way). So that probably has something to do with it. I think a lot of people convince themselves they're NT in general for the same reason. 

Also, it probably became trendy the same way hipsterism became trendy. Because flaunting individuality and a lack of social conformity is trendy and attracts attention.

It's like one of my NT friends says (INTP), anyone who is actually 'different' isn't going around bragging about, more struggling with it, haha.


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## Chemical Teddy (Mar 19, 2015)

Doran Seth said:


> I am an INTJ. I felt like an outcast for the majority of my youth. As an adult I have fit into social groups better, but I still feel I don't relate to most people. I have been plagued with depression for years and have suffered great academic, professional, and personal harm because of it. Maybe it is just me, but I believe many of the characteristics of my type are the sort of elements that led to my problems. Researching MBTI helped me to understand myself and start to find real solutions. I also learned about others and how they think, which contributed to my growth and healing.
> 
> I constantly think about issues I cannot solve and I struggle to relate to others in many ways. It's so much fun! I feel so cool and trendy. I'll gladly trade types with any fake INTJ who fits in socially and you can become a cool, trendy, depressed hermit!


See, everything you said could apply to me as well. I was also an outcast and when I was around 14 I was diagnosed with clinical depression. I had psychotherapy, popped happy pills and all of that good stuff. I always felt misunderstood and there were times where I didn't leave my room in months. I've suffered greatly in every way because of it. Health, academic success and friendships pretty much withered away and I was left in a pretty bad position. The thing that upset me the most is that my parents and teachers insisted on labeling me as lazy even though they knew there was much more to it. I guess that I know where you're coming from, at least to a certain extent.

An outsider wouldn't understand this though. They wouldn't understand the cons of being an INTJ and all the burden that comes with it. That's why it would be even more appealing to them. 

I don't think that I would like to trade my place with anyone though. All the hardships I went through made me incredibly strong and the insights I gained are invaluable to me. I think you should look at it like that.


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

Doran Seth said:


> I am an INTJ. I felt like an outcast for the majority of my youth. As an adult I have fit into social groups better, but I still feel I don't relate to most people. I have been plagued with depression for years and have suffered great academic, professional, and personal harm because of it. Maybe it is just me, but I believe many of the characteristics of my type are the sort of elements that led to my problems. Researching MBTI helped me to understand myself and start to find real solutions. I also learned about others and how they think, which contributed to my growth and healing.
> 
> I constantly think about issues I cannot solve and I struggle to relate to others in many ways. It's so much fun! I feel so cool and trendy. I'll gladly trade types with any fake INTJ who fits in socially and you can become a cool, trendy, depressed hermit!


I've met cool trendy/whatever INTJs so be careful how many traits you export to that label.
You might want to consider how your enneagram 5 and your instinctual type is contributing to this.
In my experience being a type 9 and an Sx/Sp has a way bigger impact on my social life
than being an introvert.


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## Doran Seth (Apr 4, 2015)

Thanks @Chemical Teddy. I included the last part of my post to solidify my point and I don't really want to trade types. I fully accept myself as I am and I don't want to trade places with anyone else. I guess this thread and some of the posts just hit a nerve.


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## Chemical Teddy (Mar 19, 2015)

hornet said:


> I've met cool trendy/whatever INTJs so be careful how many traits you export to that label.
> You might want to consider how your enneagram 5 and your instinctual type is contributing to this.
> In my experience being a type 9 and an Sx/Sp has a way bigger impact on my social life
> than being an introvert.



Duly noted. How did you know I was a type 5? I didn't look much into enneagrams and you mentioning them kinda inspired to me take the test. What gave me away? I'm curious.


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## Miharu (Apr 1, 2015)

I agree. To some extent, I do doubt even myself. The only thing that still makes me believe I even am one is the fact that I had no idea about MBTI and thus couldn't possibly be biased in my answers to several tests I took months ago, before I read up all about the types. I've also asked some MBTI enthusiast friends to type me and they mostly typed me as either INTJ or INTP. I've researched a lot about each type (but mainly focused on INTP/INTJ) and I could say that I leaned towards INTJ the most. And again, I still doubt my type, but it's about the closest thing to me right now. 

It surprises me, too, how often INTJs come up everywhere. Makes me cringe when a supposed 'INTJ' comes up with a thread like, "Help me express my emotions, I feel like a robot" or something along those lines.. Those textbook-INTJs make me doubt they're even INTJ in the first place. 

And I have no idea how people like 'classic INTJ' characters on television. Those characters are exaggerated and, well, assholes. But I understand that there's something mysterious and cool about them, the fact that they're aloof, smart, and all that.


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

Chemical Teddy said:


> Duly noted. How did you know I was a type 5? I didn't look much into enneagrams and you mentioning them kinda inspired to me take the test. What gave me away? I'm curious.


Well considering I was speaking to someone else, nothing...
However one can see other peoples set enneagram type, buy clicking on the face under their avatar pic.
Yours say 5w6, dunno if that is a recent addition or not.
If it has been there a while I could have looked there, *if* as I said I was quoting you.
I did however look at Dorans type and it said 5.
I don't know if that is his true type, but that is his problem.
My only idea was to make him look elsewhere for the reasons he is not satisfied with his social life.


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## westlose (Oct 9, 2014)

I always loved Myers Briggs stereotypes and fake archetypes.


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## J Squirrel (Jun 2, 2012)

Retsu said:


> The Duty Fulfillers for ISTJ is quite crap as well. COGS IN THE MACHINE


Would that make an INTJ the ghost in the machine?



Kipposhi said:


> Ah, but what's their enneagram type?


I'm going with type 5, which would explain the feathers.


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## Blue Soul (Mar 14, 2015)

I've noticed most INTJs are 5w6, but I just don't have any 6 in me at all (very little). What does that say about me? Theories?


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## Retsu (Aug 12, 2011)

J Squirrel said:


> Would that make an INTJ the ghost in the machine?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm going with type 5, which would explain the feathers.


Yes


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## VinnieBob (Mar 24, 2014)

yes it is
it's all the rage now, i mean who doesn't want to be a emotionless robot with zero social skills what so ever
the dating life of a solitary oak in the midst of a desert and to be so hated amongst societal standards?


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## Cesspool (Aug 8, 2014)

INTJ's are like ISTJ's, just not as good at life.





























Lol.


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## reckful (Jun 19, 2012)

hornet said:


> That was the purpose of MBTI after all, to sort women for work.
> It is a pragmatic tool for a collective purpose.
> No attempt at seeing the individuals potential underneath and creating space for that.


The idea that the primary purpose behind Briggs and Myers's development of the MBTI was job placement is pretty much just one of those internet memes that get passed around.

Briggs and Myers developed the MBTI with the same core aim as Jung — namely, to help people better understand themselves and others who differed from them. Briggs was working on her own typology — not with any business purpose in mind, as I understand it — before Psychological Types was published, and later published two articles about Psychological Types in _The New Republic_. The Myers-Briggs typology was basically just a family hobby for the next 20 years or so, until the outbreak of World War II prompted Isabel Myers (Briggs' daughter) to start work on an MBTI _test_ because — as described in the introduction to Gifts Differing — "the suffering and tragedies of the war stirred Myers's desire to do something that might help peoples understand each other and avoid destructive conflicts." In addition, as noted on a CAPT website, "she noticed many people taking jobs out of patriotism, but hating the tasks that went against their grain instead of using their gifts."

Your post said, "No attempt at seeing the individuals potential underneath and creating space for that," but on the contrary, Myers' focus was on the _employees_, not the employers, and she wanted the employers to try to do a better job recognizing each individual's "gifts" rather than giving them "tasks that went against their grain."

The revised Preface (by Peter Myers) to the 1995 edition of Gifts Differing notes that Briggs and Myers put together an initial (largely untested) version of the MBTI in 1943 in hopes that it might be used in connection with wartime job placement, but no one was interested, so _that trial version was never used for that purpose_. Undaunted, Myers forged ahead with her type work, and for many years most of the widespread administration of the MBTI (during its initial development and evolution) involved student populations. It looks like the first official publication of a version of the MBTI indicator (Form F) didn't happen until 1958. And the test questions themselves, besides not having anything remotely resembling a predominant job focus, were painstakingly developed and adjusted based on statistical factor-correlation results — just like a Big Five or any other respectable personality self-assessment test.

Gifts Differing includes a chapter on Type and Occupation, along with chapters on, among other things, Type and Early Learning, Type and Growing Up, Type and Marriage, and Good Type Development. As Myers explained:



Myers said:


> In this material I hope parents, teachers, students, counselors, clinicians, clergy — and all others who are concerned with the realization of human potential — may find a rationale for many of the personality differences they encounter in their work or must deal with in their private lives. ...
> 
> Whatever the circumstances of your life, whatever your personal ties, work, and responsibilities, the understanding of type can make your perceptions clearer, your judgments sounder, and your life closer to your heart's desire.


As a final note, and for what it's worth, the official MBTI folks have made it clear they consider it inappropriate and _unethical_ to use the MBTI in connection with hiring, firing, job placement and/or promotions, and also consider it unethical to _require_ any employee to take the MBTI in the first place. (For more on that, see here and here.)


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

@reckful
Okay so I picked up a meme on that one.
Seems fair and accurate as I remembered reading it online somewhere.
Probably on this site.

I'll try to go a lil bit more easy on Myers then, for now.


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## ninjahitsawall (Feb 1, 2013)

westlose said:


> I always loved Myers Briggs stereotypes and fake archetypes.


Oh god I hope Te logic doesn't sound like this to others. LOL


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## westlose (Oct 9, 2014)

Blue Soul said:


> I've noticed most INTJs are 5w6, but I just don't have any 6 in me at all (very little). What does that say about me? Theories?


There are no correlations between enneagram and cognitive functions.
Cognitive functions are about mental structure, and enneagram is more about spiritual motivations. So there are no correlations between both. For example, Entropic is a type 8 INTJ.



ninjahitsawall said:


> Oh god I hope Te logic doesn't sound like this to others. LOL


Well sometimes it does, because Te users are focused on empirical data. They seek the truth, and an objective comprehension of a system. So those types often appear as confident and knowledgeable. But they are not necessarily jerks, there are good and bad Te users. And same goes with Fe, I've seen some pretty bad uses of Fe.

So it just depend on the person.


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## AllyKat (Jan 24, 2014)

emberfly said:


> Actually I think Duty Fulfillers is one of the best ones. I think it very accurately describes them . . .


I think it gives the impression that we exist purely to serve others. If I fulfill duties it's because I feel I should, or that it's the right thing to do, rather than because it's what I exist to do. I wouldn't say it's the dominant feature of my personality by any stretch, although I imagine most who know me from the outside would agree with you. Perhaps it's true in how others perceive us. 

To be honest, I'd rather just go for a drive somewhere, forget the responsibilities, park up somewhere nice and go take some photos for a few hours. Maybe I say that now because I've been doing so much duty fullfilling of late that I'm overdue finding some time to do it... 

I don't like it as a name, but perhaps it's more accurate than I want it to be. 




emberfly said:


> But, to play Devil's advocate, . . . "hardest worker you will ever meet" is another very accurate label for them.


The older I get, the less I think this is true...


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## Sixty Nein (Feb 13, 2011)

I don't know about you guys, but "Duty Fulfiller" doesn't really do ISTJ that much justice. I find that they are generally too chill of a type to really do that. Si doms are so strange. It's like living in the Wizard of Oz in person. 

As for the topic at hand. Eh, I don't really see "type" very well. But I do think there is more N types that mistype themselves as S types. As "Theory" and such is associated with school, and school fucking sucks.

The type that I'd most likely want to be IMO is an ISTP. They are very versatile in what they can do, and it's a type that has a lot of freedom. They hit just the right spots without really having that many weaknesses in their portrayals. INTJs are dorky, socially awkward cunt. INFJ are pansies, INFP are crybabies. INTP is more of a nerd than INTJs but less of an asshole. ISTP? The fuck do they have goin' against them in the metagame? Nothing, but they aren't as "refined" as the above types. If I was goin' to ring up some bets as to who would win the type derby, then ISTP is the darkhorse, a pedigree of a lower status, but maybe of a higher breed.


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## BroNerd (Nov 27, 2010)

Keirsey calls the INTJ "The Mastermind". A lot of people want to be seen as that.. More exciting than the ISFJ Protector or ESTJ Supervisor.

The profiles for INTJ also tend to make them seem like "the smart and successful type" which a lot of people probably want to be associated as. There are many reasons in my opinion.


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## Convex (Jan 5, 2015)

BroNerd said:


> Keirsey calls the INTJ "The Mastermind". A lot of people want to be seen as that.. More exciting than the ISFJ Protector or ESTJ Supervisor.


Or ENFP - The Inspirers.


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## BroNerd (Nov 27, 2010)

Convex said:


> Or ENFP - The Inspirers.


Lol yea. I guess my type has kind of a cool name too


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## Convex (Jan 5, 2015)

BroNerd said:


> Lol yea. I guess my type has kind of a cool name too


or INFJ - The Protectors, whichever one you represent.


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## Cataclysm (Mar 16, 2015)

They're supposedly one of the rarest types and as stated above, often seen as intelligent and successful. And because a lot of people want to feel special and smart they're going to tell themselves and others that they're INTJs.


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## Wisteria (Apr 2, 2015)

Its very easy to be mistyped as an INTJ in online tests (I am always typed as INxJ in the myers briggs assessments).


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## reckful (Jun 19, 2012)

jennalee said:


> Its very easy to be mistyped as an INTJ in online tests (I am always typed as INxJ in the myers briggs assessments).


Of course, the fact that you, in particular, are always typed as INxJ in MBTI assessments is only evidence that it's "easy to be mistyped" if you are not, in fact, an INxJ.

In my view, the fact that you "always" come out INxJ (on multiple tests, including Nardi's function-based test), combined with the fact that you ID as an Enneagram 5w4, combined with the Interests list in your profile ("Music, Art, Reading, Fiction, Science, Psychology, fashion, people, etc, etc."), indicates that it's a lot more likely that you're a mistyped INxJ than that you're an ISFP — and if that's true, it's possible at least some of those "online tests" deserve more respect than you're inclined to give them.

It has also come to my attention that at least one of your recent posts suggests you're under the influence of what's arguably Keirsey's biggest mistake (ISFP as the quintessential "artist" type), and just in case you're interested, you can find quite a bit more about the mistyped-"ISFP" possibility — and a link to the official "Step I" MBTI — in this post.


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## ninjahitsawall (Feb 1, 2013)

westlose said:


> Well sometimes it does, because Te users are focused on empirical data. They seek the truth, and an objective comprehension of a system. So those types often appear as confident and knowledgeable. But they are not necessarily jerks, there are good and bad Te users. And same goes with Fe, I've seen some pretty bad uses of Fe.
> 
> So it just depend on the person.


Haha. Well I meant the part where superficially it sounds like he's giving an empirically-based argument, but he's more using circular reasoning to validate his own ego, which roughly is like, "I am smarter than everyone. Newton has the same personality type as me, and he was smarter than everyone else. Therefore, I am smarter than everyone" :tongue:


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## Kingdom Crusader (Jan 4, 2012)

The test results for myself and both brother's friends came out INTJ. Neither of us had any prior knowledge about typology going into the test. I'm an INTP and I've typed his friends as ISTJ and ISFP. I don't think it's a trend if you don't know anything about Jung & MBTI.


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## idoh (Oct 24, 2013)

When I just started and knew nothing about MBTI I typed as:

* *






INTJ via my school's naviance test, but I am pretty sure this was bad. Two of my friends who also got INTJ on it came out ISTP on the official test, and one who got ISTJ on the naviance test gets INTJ on online ones, so forget this
I became interested in the personality thing, came here and got ISTJ on the 16type quiz from this website, but still didn't think IxTJ sounded like me
Again after that I got ISTP on the 16 personalities website which I related to the most up until that point


Even before that, in around 7th grade, we took a communication styles inventory which seemed kind of similar to the MBTI but not exactly. It had four categories: thinker, feeler, sensor, and intuitor. I scored feeler as the highest followed by sensor. I actually managed to find a link to the first page of it here




I guess the only choice I actually felt pressured to answer was thinker, for obvious reasons such as being good at math/science/etc. and logical sounding better. But it was probably just a phase I went through since I did get feeler in middle school, and you're less likely to be honest as a teenager because of peer pressure. I only started questioning that I was intuitive after staying here for awhile and becoming biased, before that I never thought it was me. I did try asking my cousin and friend to fill out that short five question test for me and they both got ISFP and ISTP. another friend who I am less close to got INFP. so idk. (at least they all said turbulent, hehe)

I think when the person is UNBIASED (doesn't know about the MBTI), the test will at least be close to accurate as long as it's a good one like the official or 16personalities.com. 

But I definitely don't see how people "want" to pick the intuitive choices, because like I said so far many of the people I gave it to came out as sensors like ISTP and ESFJ (and one INFP, and others I forget right now), and awhile back when I posted the thread people said the test was worded unfairly and you were dumb if you picked the sensing or feeling answers  not the case since one of the people who came out ISTP is really smart and in all honors/ap classes with me


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## VinnieBob (Mar 24, 2014)

Kerik_S said:


> Hail! The fuckless dicks!


FUCK THE FUCKLESS DICKS
damnit i just gave a fuck 
i was gonna use that fuck next weekend
FUCK!!!!


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## chrestomanci (Dec 16, 2015)

reckful said:


> Woo hoo! Just what this forum needs, and just in time for the new year! Another condescending poster who knows she's a _real N_, but by God, she wants everybody to know she's onto the fact that the forum is crawling with imposters who, out of ignorance or a desire for "coolness," are calling themselves N's but are _really S's_.
> 
> Dear chrestomanci,
> 
> ...


Look, I wasn't talking about this forum. I was talking about Tumblr, where there are a lot of people who want to be an INTJ because "It's my favourite anime character's type, and they're so clever and antisocial and such a dickhead and it's so KAWAII ^-^". You have to admit that with the way sensors are portrayed in general - stupid machines that "use their five senses or whatever" - there are probably a lot of young impressionable people who would prefer to be an intuitive. I don't care if you're an "authentic INTJ". I didn't personally call your type into doubt (and if you're so sure of it, why are you so defensive?) What I said was that I have seen a lot of people mistype themselves elsewhere, likely without even realising they're doing it.

So calm the fuck down, eat a Snickers or whatever, and stop being a dickhead. It's not worth your time, as I don't care what people say on an _online personality forum._ Seriously. Find something better to do with your time, you're wasting it here.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

@Chemical Teddy

I personally wouldn't know. I mean how could I? :tongue:


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## Prada (Sep 10, 2015)

I wouldn't say it's "trendy" but it's very easy to be mistyped as INTJ both by tests and real people mainly because a lot of people think that MBTI is all about stereotypes, not functions. Heck, I've seen people who typed characters very often to say that "they don't type using functions but descriptions". Of course, an average internet user will relate to INTJ description quite a lot. Also, in shows, INTJs are usually portrayed as the smart, confident and quirky characters of the team. Or smart and ambitious in case they are villains. These characters can act as a wish fulfillment and people type themselves based on what they want to be like rather than what they really are like.

Regarding mistyping on tests, Intuitives with social anxiety or shyness will almost always score INTJ even if they were ENTP. Partly because people are rarely brutally honest with themselves and quite often think they are better at something then they really are. And partly because the tests score expression of functions rather than functions themselves. I know there is no other way to type but a computer will have much greater margin of error in something as subjective as thought process than a human.


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## Convex (Jan 5, 2015)

chrestomanci said:


> On Tumblr, there are a lot of ENTPs and INTPs, but I think most of those are real, especially since Tumblr is the type of site that can appeal to us. That's not really a problem, but the amount of fake INFJs and INTJs is ridiculous. First of all, neither of those is a common type. There's no way fifty percent of mbti blogs are run by real INFJs. The thing is, a lot of them are likely ISFJs or ISTJs who want to be a "cooler" type than they are. Which is stupid. I'm sick of the intuitive bias which means that INTJs are suddenly all cool unemotional scheming masterminds and INFJs are apparently all precious special deep cute emotional psychic Jesus snowflakes. Sensors are awesome, and there is no way intuitives are smarter or better. So many great scientists were likely sensors, and I know so many talented, cool, "deep" sensors.
> 
> I'm not angry at the fake INT/FJs, I'm angry at the intuitive bias. I just wish they would stop mistyping themselves. MBTI is meant to be a way to understand yourself better, and you can't do that if you're lying to yourself about what type you even are.


I need to coin a term for people like you.


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## Kerik_S (Aug 26, 2015)

chrestomanci said:


> Look, I wasn't talking about this forum. I was talking about Tumblr, where there are a lot of people who want to be an INTJ because "It's my favourite anime character's type, and they're so clever and antisocial and such a dickhead and it's so KAWAII ^-^". You have to admit that with the way sensors are portrayed in general - stupid machines that "use their five senses or whatever" - there are probably a lot of young impressionable people who would prefer to be an intuitive. I don't care if you're an "authentic INTJ". I didn't personally call your type into doubt (and if you're so sure of it, why are you so defensive?) What I said was that I have seen a lot of people mistype themselves elsewhere, likely without even realising they're doing it.
> 
> So calm the fuck down, eat a Snickers or whatever, and stop being a dickhead. It's not worth your time, as I don't care what people say on an _online personality forum._ Seriously. Find something better to do with your time, you're wasting it here.


I don't want you to get an infraction because I agree with everything you say (minus the insults). If you can edit it, edit those out.

I found reckful defensive as well, and I immediately thought that they could be one of those people that knows on some level that they didn't type themselves fairly.


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## chrestomanci (Dec 16, 2015)

Kerik_S said:


> I don't want you to get an infraction because I agree with everything you say (minus the insults). If you can edit it, edit those out.
> 
> I found reckful defensive as well, and I immediately thought that they could be one of those people that knows on some level that they didn't type themselves fairly.


Yes, I have been informed that calling people dickheads is apparently "not acceptable". I can't figure out how to edit the post though, not sure if I can? I take back the second part of the post, though, for the record.

I should probably just be a nicer person and not insult people in the first place. Although what reckless posted wasn't exactly pleasant either, and was definitely over defensive, considering I don't think I said anything too offensive in the first post. All I said was that I had noticed some people on Tumblr that called themselves INTJs and INFJs and were probably mistyped. I didn't even say it was necessarily even their fault.

Funny that an authentic INTJ would have such a quick temper, although of course type isn't an indication of that...


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## reckful (Jun 19, 2012)

chrestomanci said:


> Yes, I have been informed that calling people dickheads is apparently "not acceptable". I can't figure out how to edit the post though, not sure if I can? I take back the second part of the post, though, for the record.
> 
> I should probably just be a nicer person and not insult people in the first place. Although what reckless posted wasn't exactly pleasant either, and was definitely over defensive, considering I don't think I said anything too offensive in the first post. All I said was that I had noticed some people on Tumblr that called themselves INTJs and INFJs and were probably mistyped. I didn't even say it was necessarily even their fault.
> 
> Funny that an authentic INTJ would have such a quick temper, although of course type isn't an indication of that...


Dear chrestomanci,

For future reference, my angry posts don't generally start with "Woo hoo!"

I hope this clears things up.

Your pal,
reckful


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## Kerik_S (Aug 26, 2015)

reckful said:


> Dear chrestomanci,
> 
> For future reference, my angry posts don't generally start with "Woo hoo!"
> 
> ...


It was still sarcastic and defensive. Defensiveness doesn't have to be explosive.


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## ptt (Dec 28, 2015)

I am an INTJ myself and I have posted a SURVEY thread to understand what kind of parents give birth to INTJ.

Please go to particitpate in my survey in great number to shed light into fake INTJs and true INTJs.

The thread title is "SURVEY for your parents types & your siblings types"


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## ptt (Dec 28, 2015)

I am an INTJ myself and I have posted a SURVEY thread to understand what kind of parents give birth to INTJ.

Please go to particitpate in my survey in great number to shed light into fake INTJs and true INTJs.

The thread title is "SURVEY for your parents types & your siblings types"


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## Kerik_S (Aug 26, 2015)

ptt said:


> I am an INTJ myself and I have posted a SURVEY thread to understand what kind of parents give birth to INTJ.
> 
> Please go to particitpate in my survey in great number to shed light into fake INTJs and true INTJs.
> 
> The thread title is "SURVEY for your parents types & your siblings types"


Good advert for a good cause. Idk about the nature vs. nurture aspect


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## magi83 (Sep 25, 2012)

Mistyping is pretty common. You don't need to spend much time in the community to find individuals have clearly mistyped. There's a girl who posts MBTI videos on YouTube who claims she thought she was an INTJ for 7 years. You only need to watch 30 seconds of one of her videos to realise she is quite an obvious Fe dom/aux. 

As MBTI became quite a fad, it was to be expected that it would attract lots of newcomers who weren't exactly equipped to delve into the finer points of the underlying theory. And there's enough BS out there regarding how wonderful certain types are to attract those who are more interested in stroking their own egos than anything else.

I'm pretty indifferent to all of this. What purpose does it serve to complain about the 'special snowflake' status of certain types other than to protect your own special snowflake status? Identifying as a type doesn't confer any special qualities on you. In fact it's utterly meaningless as anything other than a tool and framework to better understand yourself and others.

The problem is that attempts to describe certain archetypes has resulted in a tendency to confer intrinsic qualities on certain types while the link between type and those qualities is incidental.


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## Kerik_S (Aug 26, 2015)

magi83 said:


> Identifying as a type doesn't confer any special qualities on you. In fact it's utterly meaningless as anything other than a tool and framework to better understand yourself and others.


For some people. I don't know if it's an E-type Sexual Variant thing, but I really liked the idea of coming here and finding like-minded individuals. Keeping the integrity of the types intact makes it easier to find people rather than coming back into contact with more evidence that we're struggling to find each other. It's not about being a special snowflake-- it's about not feeling like an alien.

Highlighting how different I am by being a false representation of my type-- in an overly-obvious manner-- highlights how difficult it is for me to find people who relate to me in that particularly way that I want.

It's not that I want to be some protected class of persons. I just want to know where to find people who get it because I encounter situations where people blatantly tell me that the way I think is foreign (and occasionally shame me for it, though that doesn't work as much the more confident I get).

　


> The problem is that attempts to describe certain archetypes has resulted in a tendency to confer intrinsic qualities on certain types while the link between type and those qualities is incidental.


Yeah. And if there are fakers in the group identifying falsely with the group, they tend to serve as biased confirmation for people making those false ascriptions:

Their understanding is shallow, so they work on stereotypes and base archetypes, so they behave in ways that "confirm" people's stereotypical notions of their _not_-type. xD It's ludicrous and there _is backlash_, happening_ now_.

EDIT: Stupid input. Stupid output.


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## peter pettishrooms (Apr 20, 2015)

If you're an unstable tumblr girl whose blog consists of Doctor Who gifs, Supernatural fan fics, and follows John Green, then yes, it's trendy. 

Other than that, it's a much more bland type than the Internet likes to exaggerate. Ni ain't all what it's cracked up to be. The function gets me frustrated at times at how random it is. I could make time for creativity by attempting to write parts of a song only to generate nothing when I force myself. Then after three wasted hours and doing the laundry later, the ideas will start pouring in and I have to rush to get them all down on paper before I lose them.


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