# Is this intuition?



## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

Hi! I've been pondering a quality of mine, and I'm uncertain whether or not to view it as intuition or something else.

To cut to the chase: I instantly perceive ways in which something can go wrong, and this makes me really cautious and maybe a bit rigid. I get nasty hunches, and clear, vivid images of awful outcomes and sometimes I've actually had to make sure that "shit hasn't hit the fan" if I get a hunch like this of a family member, for example. This happens naturally, and all the time. Literally all of the time. Someone suggests something, and I tell them all the possible ways of how it could go wrong/right, and I'm probably quite a bore to my more spontaneous friends, lol. Or when I see something supposedly "funny" on tv, I have to explain to the person with me why it wasn't funny to me and what could have gone wrong.

F.ex. I dated a guy who liked to drift. This was never funny or exciting, because I knew he would eventually hit something, and he'd have to pay for the repair, then he'd be all moody for a long time because of the expenses, and I'd have to look at his sour face and listen to the whining about something that would have inevitably happened sooner or later. Of course it did happen, but no one listened to me.

Is this intuition, general nervousness or something else?

If this isn't intuition, could someone provide an example of what intuition is like? The concept is still a bit unclear to me.

Thanks in advance.


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## EMWUZX (Oct 2, 2014)

I'm not sure if that's iNtuition or not, sorry! However I can clarify at least one type of N for you.

The following is an explanation of Ni by OberonHuxley from the ENTJ forum (please ignore the theatrical speech, he's a bit... odd):



> INTROVERTED INTUITION - Jung referred to intuition simply as the image making faculty. When we imagine an apple on a table for example we are using intuition. Introverted intuition is when we come to a single solution for a problem we've been working on. It hits us like a lightning bolt and it is likened to the ah-hah moment. This might occur after we have been doing homework for hours on something we don't fully understand...leave, and then come back to it realizing that the picture is much clearer now...we can imagine it in our heads.


I'll do some research on Ne a bit later and come back here. I need to clarify that for myself anyway.


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## FourLeafCloafer (Aug 5, 2014)

It's a common quality that ticks me off to no end if someone has it in excess: it makes them scared of doing anything that is potentially risky. In most cases it is not that bad though, and indistinguishable of common sense.

It might be some form of intuition, but I'd sooner say Si or Ti, because you are depending on experience and an inner idea of how the world works. I'm not an expert though.


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## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

stultum said:


> It's a common quality that ticks me off to no end if someone has it in excess: it makes them scared of doing anything that is potentially risky. In most cases it is not that bad though, and indistinguishable of common sense.
> 
> It might be some form of intuition, but I'd sooner say Si or Ti, because you are depending on experience and an inner idea of how the world works. I'm not an expert though.


Why would anyone do anything if they knew there was a dangerous risk attached? Not sure if this has much to do with it, but I'm a J and I lack spontaneity anyways. Would P's not be concerned of risk as much as J's, or is that quality linked to another letter?


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## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

EMWUZX said:


> I'm not sure if that's iNtuition or not, sorry! However I can clarify at least one type of N for you.
> 
> The following is an explanation of Ni by OberonHuxley from the ENTJ forum (please ignore the theatrical speech, he's a bit... odd):
> 
> I'll do some research on Ne a bit later and come back here. I need to clarify that for myself anyway.


Thanks! And that'd be of great help : )


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## FourLeafCloafer (Aug 5, 2014)

meristem said:


> Why would anyone do anything if they knew there was a dangerous risk attached? Not sure if this has much to do with it, but I'm a J and I lack spontaneity anyways. Would P's not be concerned of risk as much as J's, or is that quality linked to another letter?


Simple. Because otherwise nothing will ever happen. I'm not afraid of climbing a tree because I feel like it, or jumping into a river on a dare. Yes, I know that you can get hurt if you fall from a tree, and that there are lots of unhealthy things in our rivers, but really, I'll take the risk. Going outside is dangerous in and of itself. I'm not afraid of embarrassing myself either. Lots of people are so afraid of what people they don't even know will think of them. If you want to sing karaoke, just do it! Go eat that pint of custard pudding for lunch, you don't have to be ashamed, you're an adult! And for Pete's sake, stop putting hand sanitizer on everything your kid uses, they'll need to fight those pathogens or they might get something worse later. 

I'm not afraid of cycling in the dark in my city, as there are only three reported rapes a year, and no serial rapists. There's plenty of people around. Just don't go into dark alleys. I wouldn't cycle alone after dark in the rural area where my parents live though. Two murders in four years, with a much smaller population... and there's not nearly as many people out.

In short, there's nothing wrong with being sensible, but don't overdo it. Would you rather take the small risk of hiking a narrow trail with a long drop on one side, and have a memory for a lifetime, or spend just another boring day at home?


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## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

stultum said:


> Simple. Because otherwise nothing will ever happen. I'm not afraid of climbing a tree because I feel like it, or jumping into a river on a dare. Yes, I know that you can get hurt if you fall from a tree, and that there are lots of unhealthy things in our rivers, but really, I'll take the risk. Going outside is dangerous in and of itself. I'm not afraid of embarrassing myself either. Lots of people are so afraid of what people they don't even know will think of them. If you want to sing karaoke, just do it! Go eat that pint of custard pudding for lunch, you don't have to be ashamed, you're an adult! And for Pete's sake, stop putting hand sanitizer on everything your kid uses, they'll need to fight those pathogens or they might get something worse later.
> 
> I'm not afraid of cycling in the dark in my city, as there are only three reported rapes a year, and no serial rapists. There's plenty of people around. Just don't go into dark alleys. I wouldn't cycle alone after dark in the rural area where my parents live though. Two murders in four years, with a much smaller population... and there's not nearly as many people out.
> 
> In short, there's nothing wrong with being sensible, but don't overdo it. Would you rather take the small risk of hiking a narrow trail with a long drop on one side, and have a memory for a lifetime, or spend just another boring day at home?


I think you're barking up the wrong tree!  I don't really see what use risking things would be. What do I gain from it? I might like eating the custard for 5 minutes and then I'd get painful diarrhea and curse myself for doing it. Or I might get an adrenaline rush from hiking that narrow trail but that adrenaline rush will be gone in another 5 minutes. 

In a way nothing matters, because everything is fleeting. Recurring events that I enjoy like exercising, being with my family or expanding my knowledge on my Major are the ones that matter. Why would I risk those things that could continue for a lifetime to experience a rush that might possibly end up taking my life/breaking my arm/getting myself raped and traumatized for life? My brains just aren't wired to enjoy spontaneity and "living in the moment", I think. It's interesting to discuss this though! 

But anyways, I don't think I'm being overly sensible. I enjoy a drink now and then even though it isn't the healthiest thing to do, etc. I just like maximizing my security so that I may continue enjoying life for as long as possible!


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## Texas (Mar 24, 2013)

meristem said:


> Why would anyone do anything if they knew there was a dangerous risk attached? Not sure if this has much to do with it, but I'm a J and I lack spontaneity anyways. Would P's not be concerned of risk as much as J's, or is that quality linked to another letter?


My daughter is INFP and you sound really similar. Some of what you're talking about certainly sounds like intuition mixed with some generalized anxiety.


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## Elistra (Apr 6, 2013)

Meristem = the growing, most metabolically active parts of a plant, is it not? Interesting choice of nickname, heh.

Broadly speaking....

Se: Your current sensory input from your five senses.
Si: Your past experiences/sensory input.
Ne: The broad scope of everything that _could_ be. 
Ni: That which could be, sifted for probability and down to its strongest candidate.


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## LetsHarmonize (May 29, 2014)

This sounds more like anxiety than a cognitive function. I think anxiety is linked to the Si-Ne function pair, but that's just my theory. I'm an INTP, but have mild GAD (general anxiety disorder). My ENTP friend has Panic Disorder.


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## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

Elistra said:


> Meristem = the growing, most metabolically active parts of a plant, is it not? Interesting choice of nickname, heh.
> 
> Broadly speaking....
> 
> ...


Yes, that's correct. That was the first thing to pop to my mind when I was thinking about a nickname.

Now that you put it that way, it sounds like Ne or Ni to me.


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## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

LetsHarmonize said:


> This sounds more like anxiety than a cognitive function. I think anxiety is linked to the Si-Ne function pair, but that's just my theory. I'm an INTP, but have mild GAD (general anxiety disorder). My ENTP friend has Panic Disorder.


I don't suffer from any mental disorders, and it's absolutely not nearing GAD or anything like that, at least I don't think so. More like general cautiousness because I like thinking things ahead.

N's function was to see possible futures, right? Would an N not also consider the negative outcomes? I have trouble believing that an N, after seeing how wrong something could go, would still pursue that action. That'd be just... downright stupid.


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## LetsHarmonize (May 29, 2014)

Assuming that the chance of a horrible outcome is reasonably small, plenty of Ns will do something potentially dangerous for fun. ENxPs (Ne-doms) in particular are optimistic and see how much fun they could have or miss out on. They might think something like, "I'll never know if I enjoy it or not if I don't try it."

ISxJs have Ne as an inferior function, so it sometimes acts as a source of stress. I made a thread about Ne in SJ types that a got a few responses similar to what you described: http://personalitycafe.com/sjs-temperament-forum-overseers/303618-define-ne-your-perspective.html

You said you were a J earlier in the thread. Have you figured out I vs E and T vs F? If you have, personalityjunkie.com has profiles for the 16 types which include how that type uses their functions. Read through the profiles of whatever 2 types you narrowed down to and see if you match the descriptions of the given functions.


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## FourLeafCloafer (Aug 5, 2014)

meristem said:


> I don't suffer from any mental disorders, and it's absolutely not nearing GAD or anything like that, at least I don't think so. More like general cautiousness because I like thinking things ahead.
> 
> N's function was to see possible futures, right? Would an N not also consider the negative outcomes? I have trouble believing that an N, after seeing how wrong something could go, would still pursue that action. That'd be just... downright stupid.


That's a bit short sighted I think. People who pursue dangerous endeavors generally know what risk they are taking, and deem the possible positive outcome worth the risk. Going outside is a risk, but you probably go outside anyway. Attending a party with a barbecue where you don't prepare your own food is a risk, but you just hope that nothing you eat is undercooked, and that the person who prepares the food knows about cross-contamination.

People who take more risks than you aren't necessarily stupid. They might just have different priorities.


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## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

stultum said:


> That's a bit short sighted I think. People who pursue dangerous endeavors generally know what risk they are taking, and deem the possible positive outcome worth the risk. Going outside is a risk, but you probably go outside anyway. Attending a party with a barbecue where you don't prepare your own food is a risk, but you just hope that nothing you eat is undercooked, and that the person who prepares the food knows about cross-contamination.
> 
> People who take more risks than you aren't necessarily stupid. They might just have different priorities.


I didn't say the people taking risks are stupid, I said that in some cases the risktaking itself is stupid. Of course not in the case of the risk being food poisoning, being embarrassed in public or something small like that, but in the case of for example drinking so much you pass out at a bar & possibly get raped, mugged or kidnapped. Or sold to human trafficking. Or or or...!

Often times I do feel like SOME people just don't _understand_ the risks, did you watch Scarred when they aired it? Haha. This does not apply to all of course.


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## meristem (Sep 2, 2014)

LetsHarmonize said:


> Assuming that the chance of a horrible outcome is reasonably small, plenty of Ns will do something potentially dangerous for fun. ENxPs (Ne-doms) in particular are optimistic and see how much fun they could have or miss out on. They might think something like, "I'll never know if I enjoy it or not if I don't try it."
> 
> ISxJs have Ne as an inferior function, so it sometimes acts as a source of stress. I made a thread about Ne in SJ types that a got a few responses similar to what you described: http://personalitycafe.com/sjs-temperament-forum-overseers/303618-define-ne-your-perspective.html
> 
> You said you were a J earlier in the thread. Have you figured out I vs E and T vs F? If you have, personalityjunkie.com has profiles for the 16 types which include how that type uses their functions. Read through the profiles of whatever 2 types you narrowed down to and see if you match the descriptions of the given functions.


Thanks for the link, I'll check it out. 

I'm most definitely I, and a T. I keep getting INTJ from tests, but I like to be certain.


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## 1yesman9 (Jul 10, 2014)

... Isn't this exactly what every Ni dom with Inferior Se ( INXJ ) does?

You come to a clear logical conclusion of what will probably happen in the future, but aren't sure of how you got there due to your lack of recognizing the details in the concrete world that lead to that conclusion.


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## milkshake (Oct 9, 2014)

Intuition is seeing the big picture and see meaning behing specific things. Well i can say this can lead to Anxiety yes. Being INTP is such a pain in the ass.


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