# How do you experience your inferior function?



## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

So what experiences have you guys had with your inferior function? Under what circumstances do you find yourself using and relying on it most?

Has your relationship with it improved over time? Have you started to see the benefits of it in your life?


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## FallingSlowly (Jul 1, 2013)

It's extremely powerful and has always been thus. I honestly feel that it has a much stronger influence on my life than e.g. my auxiliary. It's pretty much always been a dominant-inferior dynamic for me. Auxiliary and tertiary are there, yes, but they're just blah. I don't know how to describe it any other way. I recognise them in me and others who also use them, but that's about it. They feel lukewarm, for lack of a better word.

I freely admit that I sometimes think if people refer to their "insanely strong auxiliary", they should reassess whether it couldn't actually be their dominant, but that's a different subject.

My inferior also doesn't have primarily negative annotations for me. That doesn't mean that I can use it efficiently, or have much control over it, but I perceive it as a very strong, subconscious drive. I'm usually only conscious of it in hindsight, if that makes any sense - but then all the more so. I don't so much "use or rely on it" - it's just there, and it doesn't always ask me for an invitation 

I'm not a big fan of Beebe's model in general and find it too restrictive in parts, but I personally think likening the inferior to the Anima/Animus is very apt in my case. It's something I always felt I wanted to embrace to be balanced, warts and all. I even admit I like it, despite its a bit raw character...


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

FallingSlowly said:


> It's extremely powerful and has always been thus. I honestly feel that it has a much stronger influence on my life than e.g. my auxiliary. It's pretty much always been a dominant-inferior dynamic for me. Auxiliary and tertiary are there, yes, but they're just blah. I don't know how to describe it any other way. I recognise them in me and others who also use them, but that's about it. They feel lukewarm, for lack of a better word.
> 
> I freely admit that I sometimes think if people refer to their "insanely strong auxiliary", they should reassess whether it couldn't actually be their dominant, but that's a different subject.
> 
> ...


I can relate. 

I find that Fe, my inferior function, plays quite a significant part in my life and governs many of my choices. Though where I differ is that I have found it a huge pain. I invest too much energy in it, adapting myself to the other person in a chameleon-like way and trying hard to not appear weird, cold, or unapproachable in any way. My facial expressions are also highly animated as I try to make sure that the only person doesn't feel not listened to or uninteresting, etc. I find myself agreeing with another person's perspective on a matter because it keeps things easy going and avoids strain. I need me some Fi!

I concentrate on it too much, constantly monitoring and imagining how I'm coming across to people when I'm communicating with them. I could be doing some studying at home and suddenly, WHAM!, I realize how awkwardly I reacted in a social situation early on in the day. Hours later and I'm thinking "so thaaaaaaat's what they mean't!". 

Though I do come out of social interactions feeling good, so in that respect I am happy that my Fe shield appeared. Interesting I choose the word 'shield', the only purpose of which to defend against attack where I should be using it for progression as a person. I forget the importance of my inferior function because I lack confidence in using it.


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## Abraxas (May 28, 2011)

I usually don't. Lol.

Being inferior, I'm usually not aware of it at all, or at least, when I am, I don't want to be because it feels like I'm not being true to myself.

I haven't really gotten much better at it. Just more aware of it in the sense of understanding why I feel so drained sometimes.


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## Cellar Door (Jun 3, 2012)

It's the least accepted and least conscious part of me. Part of being a Ti dom is wanting to say what's on your mind all the time, critically and impersonally analyzing things. Fe is the opposite of that, it's smoothing things over in order to build strong social bonds. To me, it feels like I'm being a fraud when I do Fe stuff sometimes, which is usually when I'm meeting new people or building relationships. I get a sigh of relief when I get to a point when I can say whatever I want with people and I don't need to think about what I say all the time. I understand the value of Fe, and I do what I need to do, but it's something I only have so much patience for. At the same time I think I can come off as quiet and not social because I don't like to participate with mingling and other socializing. So it's really something that I know I need to deal with, and try to do my best, but ultimately I'm just not that good at.


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## Psychopomp (Oct 3, 2012)

Constantly and centrally. In ways, I am defined by it. However, if it is ever forced into direct consciousness and 'given the reins', it shows it's inferiority. 

It is thus best used as a strong unconscious presence, given allowance to paint and dynamicize my interactions. In a sense, this is not the result of bringing it further into the consciousness, but laying my antagonism with it to rest... quieting it, in a sense, without having to psychologically amputate.


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## Abraxas (May 28, 2011)

I just wanted to shine in how interesting I find the difference between my own experience of Fe and the way Ti dominant types experience it.

I type myself in MBTI as INFJ because my cognitive function preference makes me a Ni dominant type, and the rest of my functions are undifferentiated in my unconscious. Only my thinking function tends to be the one that I bring to bear on my intuitions, and just whenever I do, and that means I'm differentiating it slightly, it takes on the introverted attitude of my conscious. That makes my presences go something like this:

Ni Ti/Te Fe Se.

Thats just looking at it from a Jungian model. Obviously MBTI has it's own model.

So, I figured the closest type I could see myself as was INFJ, because my feelings are usually always extroverted, whereas my thinking function could go either way, since I'm more conscious of it. So, that would make me look a lot like an INFJ in a so called "Ni Ti loop."

I remain pretty confident about this every time I read how an INTP experiences Fe. Like it's this obligation that feels like selling yourself out.

I kinda get that way to an extent, but for me, it's not so bad. With my intuition dominant I can see things a lot of different ways and synthesize them into almost any point of view, so I don't really have a hard time "compromising" if you will. It just feels natural to do it and I don't get too de-energized by it.

Although, I do have a kind of interesting experience of it. I find that my values aren't as fleshed out. Like, in the same way my sensation is inferior, making me mostly unaware of it, I'm also "indifferent" to particular values. 

See what I did there? "Indifferent" = "undifferentiated".

And that's kinda like being really laid back. Basically. I'm not too worried about the morality of everything. I mean, I am when it comes to common sense, but everything else is open to opinion so I'm very agreeable. And it doesn't bother me that I do that. It doesn't feel like I'm doing it against my will. It just feels natural.


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

arkigos said:


> Constantly and centrally. In ways, I am defined by it. However, if it is ever forced into direct consciousness and 'given the reins', it shows it's inferiority.
> 
> It is thus best used as a strong unconscious presence, given allowance to paint and dynamicize my interactions. In a sense, this is not the result of bringing it further into the consciousness, but laying my antagonism with it to rest... quieting it, in a sense, without having to psychologically amputate.


When I use it I feel like it isn't being taken seriously, as if the person I'm consoling can feel the awkwardness and the half-hearted attempt to be comforting and helpful. I try to harness it and improve relationships with the groups I'm in but the certainty isn't there, the confidence in using it effectively essentially.


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

When it's a positive, I don't notice Ni. In hindsight, I can see where I've used it during stressful periods. More often I notice it when I'm in distress. There is a big difference between stress and distress. I enjoy stress, I don't enjoy distress. Distress happens at times like when I'm trying to plan too far in advance and Ni tells me that it is all going to be one big cock up. You might imagine I avoid planning. I've gotten better at planning with age. I can even make plans going as far as 6-12 months down the line. But after that, Ni kicks in and all roads point to disaster. It might be paranoia, it might be me panicking. I don't know, I don't experience much of either. I also see Ni happening when I read back things poetry I've written or look at pictures I've sketched. I don't notice it happening when I'm using it in art. I look at the finished product and then think I've exposed more than I'm comfortable with and throw it out.


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

monemi said:


> When it's a positive, I don't notice Ni. In hindsight, I can see where I've used it during stressful periods. More often I notice it when I'm in distress. There is a big difference between stress and distress. I enjoy stress, I don't enjoy distress. Distress happens at times like when I'm trying to plan too far in advance and Ni tells me that it is all going to be one big cock up. You might imagine I avoid planning. I've gotten better at planning with age. I can even make plans going as far as 6-12 months down the line. But after that, Ni kicks in and all roads point to disaster. It might be paranoia, it might be me panicking. I don't know, I don't experience much of either. I also see Ni happening when I read back things poetry I've written or look at pictures I've sketched. I don't notice it happening when I'm using it in art. I look at the finished product and then think I've exposed more than I'm comfortable with and throw it out.


According to a few people on here, I fit ISTP most accurately and I find that when I'm stressed my ability to look at things from a different angle goes out the window. I find myself so caught up in a particular possibility and narrow my focus on the worse case scenario that I become blinded to just how unlikely it is. Terrible use of Ni maybe.

I relate to what you're saying about low confidence in Ni. Once I've actually managed to stay future-oriented long enough to conceive a fairly comprehensive plan, it just feels so vulnerable. As if I'm going to have to turn down any potential better opportunities that may arise in order to keep to the plan. A big goal for me is to actually formulate a plan and complete it, maybe 4 months down the line or something. But it seems much more difficult than it appears to be for other people for some reason.


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## Haydn (Sep 20, 2012)

I do not think that Se is my most inferior function but it is certainly the worst of the the ones I most commonly use. I mostly experience Se as a loss of self control. 


I tend to see abstractly how certain things could be better and I make these plans to bring about the fulfillment of my visions and I tend to carry out these plans under normal conditions. However, when I am stressed negatively, the Se emerges and I become self indulgent and 'substance oriented' shall we say (that substance can be food, shopping, exercise or some other thing), I become terrifyingly impulsive and consumed with a need to experience strong sensory experiences mindlessly and I pursue these rather than my plans/goals and I feel almost like I am in a grip of something terrible and losing all control. 

I think I am naturally ascetic but the Se periodically pulls be into a kind of pleasure centered way of being that I really dislike.


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## LostFavor (Aug 18, 2011)

I had some exchanges with monemi that have made me think I don't have quite the understanding of my inferior Se that I thought I did (not in a bad way). 

That said, it's something that I wish was stronger, but only because I've placed so much importance on it. My increasing awareness of it is like discovering a pair of glasses that I never realized I owned, even though I was wearing them sometimes. 

I get the sense that it's something I don't fully understand how to utilize, but it's something that I could utilize more consciously if I put my mind to it. Short of that, it sits in the background compared to the other ones, giving me nudges every so often.


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## FallingSlowly (Jul 1, 2013)

I think it was @SuperSoaker and a few others I talked about this with in the past, and it seemed as if inferior Se often isn't experienced as negatively as inferior Fe (which doesn't mean it can't occasionally wreak havoc ). 

Back then, we wondered if that was down to inferior rational functions being generally experienced as more stressful because they interfere on the judgement plane, but that was just a random thought...


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

I tend to think that my inferior is always there, because it's the other side of Ni. Ni and Se are in fact the same thing, just a different focus. I have a few moments where it has shown itself in a conscious way, which becomes this idea of completely being lost in the moment and all I can think about is how enjoyable something is right now but I do no longer think of actual consequences of what's going on, and I get weird compulsive ideas like racing a snow scooter into a tree lol. 

Overall though, it's more the lack of it that's striking rather than how it appears when it becomes conscious. I am poor at noticing detail for example. I don't know how many times my girlfriend (Se dominant) has laughed at me now because I typo'd something in Skype I never noticed but she did immediately. It can also manifest in that I suddenly get this very odd realization that things are real and actually exist, lol.

Other than that, I think it manifests as aggression, boundary-pushing and so on. There's more to it but I'm lazy. I also think I have allowed Se more into consciousness now than I did in the past. My relationship or at least awareness of the sensory, is better. It's not great no, never will be I suppose, but I am not as derp as I can be.


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

LostFavor said:


> I had some exchanges with monemi that have made me think I don't have quite the understanding of my inferior Se that I thought I did (not in a bad way).
> 
> That said, it's something that I wish was stronger, but only because I've placed so much importance on it. My increasing awareness of it is like discovering a pair of glasses that I never realized I owned, even though I was wearing them sometimes.
> 
> I get the sense that it's something I don't fully understand how to utilize, but it's something that I could utilize more consciously if I put my mind to it. Short of that, it sits in the background compared to the other ones, giving me nudges every so often.


Like other cog functions, they look very different to a dominant user than they do to an inferior user. Ni looks like a frightened kid to me and it's hard to see how useful that could be to anyone. But I have to keep in mind, that a Ni dominant operates it. Se inferior users seem to see it as a reckless teenager. I've never seen myself as reckless. A risk taker, yes. But I've always made calculated risks. I'm not a gambler. I only take risks when the odds are in my favour. It's interesting how differently people experience the same functions.


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

monemi said:


> Like other cog functions, they look very different to a dominant user than they do to an inferior user. Ni looks like a frightened kid to me and it's hard to see how useful that could be to anyone. But I have to keep in mind, that a Ni dominant operates it. Se inferior users seem to see it as a reckless teenager. I've never seen myself as reckless. A risk taker, yes. But I've always made calculated risks. I'm not a gambler. I only take risks when the odds are in my favour. It's interesting how differently people experience the same functions.


I'm not entirely sure if it's Se but whenever I'm sat down not really doing anything important watching TV or on the computer something like that I'm playing with an object. I could be feeling how heavy it is, bending a pen to see how strong it is, wondering what pieces were needed to build the more complicate objects. I also move around a lot on my chair, wondering what else I could be doing. I actually wish I could listen to the music and also fully hear the TV at the same time. I can't help but take on loads of different things at once.

It's quite funny because my idea of risk is way different to a lot of my family's idea of risk. What looks like a very precariously balanced tray of food is perfectly stable to me. I can tell that it's no where near falling even though it looks like it might, I can feel the friction I have with it.


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

ephemereality said:


> I tend to think that my inferior is always there, because it's the other side of Ni. Ni and Se are in fact the same thing, just a different focus. I have a few moments where it has shown itself in a conscious way, which becomes this idea of completely being lost in the moment and all I can think about is how enjoyable something is right now but I do no longer think of actual consequences of what's going on, and I get weird compulsive ideas like racing a snow scooter into a tree lol.
> 
> Overall though, it's more the lack of it that's striking rather than how it appears when it becomes conscious. I am poor at noticing detail for example. I don't know how many times my girlfriend (Se dominant) has laughed at me now because I typo'd something in Skype I never noticed but she did immediately. It can also manifest in that I suddenly get this very odd realization that things are real and actually exist, lol.
> 
> Other than that, I think it manifests as aggression, boundary-pushing and so on. There's more to it but I'm lazy. I also think I have allowed Se more into consciousness now than I did in the past. My relationship or at least awareness of the sensory, is better. It's not great no, never will be I suppose, but I am not as derp as I can be.


Haha I can definitely relate to your line "I suddenly get this very odd realization that things are real and actually exist", though perhaps not in the sense that you meant it. I find in myself that a huge event could go by and my brain hasn't actually processed it properly. It could be 3 months until I fully realize the magnitude of something that's happened and I think "woahhh that actually happened! guys I can't believe that actually happened". I can over analyze the potential problems that can come about in life a lot, so when a problem does actually arise I find myself being surprised it actually happened. As in I always considered it as a possibility but in the back of my mind I didn't ACTUALLY think it would happen. I also dream about potential futures a lot and it can take a good 20 minutes for me to realize that it didn't actually happen. I finally click and think hold on a minute I handed in my essay a week ago, how could I already be kicked out for failing? 

I entertain a lot of possibilities in my mind, considering what a choice will end up leading to a few months ahead and what the pros and cons are. Though when I consider actually implementing them it's suddenly surprising that there are all these details that need to be right for it to work out how I imagined it. An example is a decision to want to take on an internship and I think about all the benefits, what I could earn, what I will learn. Whereas there are so many other factors to consider. Unrealistic goals I would say.


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## Kintsugi (May 17, 2011)

ephemereality said:


> I tend to think that my inferior is always there, because it's the other side of Ni. Ni and Se are in fact the same thing, just a different focus.


Correct me if I misunderstood, but are you saying the dominant and inferior are, in effect, the same thing? (i.e. Ni and Se). Interesting idea, please elaborate...?


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## Pelopra (May 21, 2013)

i'm fond of all four of my functions.
as for order, and re @FallingSlowly and her claim that strong aux should be questioned as dom... i do have a strong awareness of both Ti (aux) and Si (inf) and I've wondered if that could point to being an INTP... but I suspect not. It's just that minus function usage I'm very extroverted. (Well. when placed in a scenario where my mother tongue is being used. I'm still running fairly introverted where I'm living now.) 
but yeah, it can be harder to "identify" Ne and Fe. I'll read and agree with behavioral or belief-structure descriptions, but it's harder to "feel out" in myself and I wonder if that's because extroverted functions go outwards from oneself, or what?


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## LostFavor (Aug 18, 2011)

monemi said:


> Like other cog functions, they look very different to a dominant user than they do to an inferior user. Ni looks like a frightened kid to me and it's hard to see how useful that could be to anyone. But I have to keep in mind, that a Ni dominant operates it. Se inferior users seem to see it as a reckless teenager. I've never seen myself as reckless. A risk taker, yes. But I've always made calculated risks. I'm not a gambler. I only take risks when the odds are in my favour. It's interesting how differently people experience the same functions.


Indeed it is interesting. I don't know that I'd use the word teenager for my inferior Se, but I do see it as kind of reckless. It makes sense that you would only make calculated risks - my perception in that regard is somewhat stereotypical I think and probably influenced by how I view it in the inferior. In fact, the idea of taking a calculated risk - while it's something I understand perfectly on a conceptual level - is not something I do with much regularity. 

I'm more likely to sweat the lack of information that I have or simply go with a gut/reasoned decision that doesn't feel particularly risky at all. I know that some of my hesitation is anxiety though and isn't necessarily tied to type.


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## ScientiaOmnisEst (Oct 2, 2013)

monemi said:


> Like other cog functions, they look very different to a dominant user than they do to an inferior user. Ni looks like a frightened kid to me and it's hard to see how useful that could be to anyone. But I have to keep in mind, that a Ni dominant operates it. Se inferior users seem to see it as a reckless teenager. I've never seen myself as reckless. A risk taker, yes. But I've always made calculated risks. I'm not a gambler. I only take risks when the odds are in my favour. It's interesting how differently people experience the same functions.


I agree with this. I sometimes see Fe as reactionary and immature. The most common word I find myself thinking to describe the _worst_ of my Fe is "animalistic" (a few times I've wished I had some kind of Fi, since it seems to me so much more refined - like, if you really must feel, at least feel in a way that inspires art or can be similarly intellectualized, instead of getting hysterical crying fits and a craving for any validation you can possibly procure). 

However, when it isn't screwing up my life, my Fe likes to nudge the direction of my higher functions: hell, Fe-driven curiosity in people and how they think is one of the things that got me into typology. A lot of the time when I'm thinking through some new idea or theory my mind will at least briefly drift away from the technical details to "What will the human impact be? How will/could people be affected by this?" 'Course, I justify it by saying I'm looking at the matter from all angles, which would include the human element. 

That said, I still fail at reading people, and sometimes at responding appropriately. I'm cold and distant without meaning to be; actively engaging Fe - comforting someone, for example - feels so unnatural. I won't even give special-day-greetings (my mother gets upset because I don't say "Happy [whatever] Day" to her on those occasions) because I feel fake and stupid saying them.... 



I'm actually a little curious now to see how a Ti-inferior views my dominant.


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

Kintsugi said:


> Correct me if I misunderstood, but are you saying the dominant and inferior are, in effect, the same thing? (i.e. Ni and Se). Interesting idea, please elaborate...?


Yes, they are. It's like a coin or a dice where you see only one side. Toss it around and you see another side.


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## SuperSoaker (Aug 19, 2013)

monemi said:


> There is a big difference between stress and distress. I enjoy stress, I don't enjoy distress.


I'm the same way. Guess it's the SP temperament? Stress is more "oh, fun something happens" while distress is "oh, shit I lost control and it's almost too late to fix it, gaaaah!".

I've become more emotional during distress with age, which makes sense if that function becomes more aware with age.


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

UndercoverInstigator said:


> I'm not entirely sure if it's Se but whenever I'm sat down not really doing anything important watching TV or on the computer something like that I'm playing with an object. I could be feeling how heavy it is, bending a pen to see how strong it is, wondering what pieces were needed to build the more complicate objects. I also move around a lot on my chair, wondering what else I could be doing. I actually wish I could listen to the music and also fully hear the TV at the same time. I can't help but take on loads of different things at once.
> 
> It's quite funny because my idea of risk is way different to a lot of my family's idea of risk. What looks like a very precariously balanced tray of food is perfectly stable to me. I can tell that it's no where near falling even though it looks like it might, I can feel the friction I have with it.


What do you consider a risk then? I don't view a precariously balanced tray of food as risky. Worst case scenario, it falls down and we have a mess to clean up. I'm not careful with this sort of thing. It's just a tray of food. My husband is always warning the kids about spilling drinks or knocking food over. I see it but don't say anything because we learn from our mistakes. I get them to help me clean it up and they learn to be more aware next time. 



LostFavor said:


> Indeed it is interesting. I don't know that I'd use the word teenager for my inferior Se, but I do see it as kind of reckless. It makes sense that you would only make calculated risks - my perception in that regard is somewhat stereotypical I think and probably influenced by how I view it in the inferior. In fact, the idea of taking a calculated risk - while it's something I understand perfectly on a conceptual level - is not something I do with much regularity.
> 
> I'm more likely to sweat the lack of information that I have or simply go with a gut/reasoned decision that doesn't feel particularly risky at all. I know that some of my hesitation is anxiety though and isn't necessarily tied to type.


I make decisions based on how much information is available. The more information and time available, the better informed my decision will be. I like to go to multiple sources of information from different perspectives that are well informed. More weight goes to the opinion of the well accredited. If I don't have time, I make a decision based on the information available and don't worry about it. I dislike going with my gut feeling. I want a logical reason for why I am doing something. Unless I'm doing something for fun. Fun isn't logical. It doesn't need to be. 



ScientiaOmnemEst said:


> I agree with this. I sometimes see Fe as reactionary and immature. The most common word I find myself thinking to describe the _worst_ of my Fe is "animalistic" (a few times I've wished I had some kind of Fi, since it seems to me so much more refined - like, if you really must feel, at least feel in a way that inspires art or can be similarly intellectualized, instead of getting hysterical crying fits and a craving for any validation you can possibly procure).
> 
> However, when it isn't screwing up my life, my Fe likes to nudge the direction of my higher functions: hell, Fe-driven curiosity in people and how they think is one of the things that got me into typology. A lot of the time when I'm thinking through some new idea or theory my mind will at least briefly drift away from the technical details to "What will the human impact be? How will/could people be affected by this?" 'Course, I justify it by saying I'm looking at the matter from all angles, which would include the human element.
> 
> ...


As a tertiary function, I see Fe as a tool. You pull it out of your bag of tricks to assist with decision making when experiencing an impulse. If I do this, what will the people I care about think about it? It seems to work well to a degree as a moral guideline. If it's something I don't want my husband or kids or parents to find out about, I shouldn't do it. It also helps with reading peoples reactions. Given I'm not very good at predicting reactions from new people, I can watch people to see what their reactions are after I make a move. I read their reaction and then adapt quickly. If you can't predict people but you are a social creature, you need to be very good at reading their responses.


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## SuperSoaker (Aug 19, 2013)

FallingSlowly said:


> I think it was @_SuperSoaker_ and a few others I talked about this with in the past, and it seemed as if inferior Se often isn't experienced as negatively as inferior Fe (which doesn't mean it can't occasionally wreak havoc ).
> 
> Back then, we wondered if that was down to inferior rational functions being generally experienced as more stressful because they interfere on the judgement plane, but that was just a random thought...


It can certainly affect your relationship with people around you when you go crazy emotional in either way :-/

I've been blushing and throwing temper tantrums around me and neither feels that good afterwards.


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

SuperSoaker said:


> I'm the same way. Guess it's the SP temperament? Stress is more "oh, fun something happens" while distress is "oh, shit I lost control and it's almost too late to fix it, gaaaah!".
> 
> I've become more emotional during distress with age, which makes sense if that function becomes more aware with age.



I don't even mind the 'lost control and it's almost too late to fix it' stress. Distress comes in when there is absolutely nothing I can do or I'm trying to predict/plan. When someone I care about is hurt or sick and I've gotten them to the hospital and there's nothing I can do, that's distress. When I've done everything I can and we're at the end of the line and it's in someone else's hands, that puts me in distress. I can't _do_ anything about that. When I'm trying to write a will, I'm looking at things that could happen after I'm dead and it's not the part where I'm dead that causes distress, it's trying to predict what people will need from me after I'm dead. I can't predict that far ahead. That is panic inducing. This is where I lose my grip. I always know what to do, until situations like this come up and I don't know what to do.


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

monemi said:


> What do you consider a risk then? I don't view a precariously balanced tray of food as risky. Worst case scenario, it falls down and we have a mess to clean up. I'm not careful with this sort of thing. It's just a tray of food. My husband is always warning the kids about spilling drinks or knocking food over. I see it but don't say anything because we learn from our mistakes. I get them to help me clean it up and they learn to be more aware next time.


A risk to me is climbing up a 60ft tree, or trying to cheat in an exam. 

Balancing a tray precariously is a risk because my dad would go nuts if I dropped it even after his warning to be careful. I think their reaction to the potential risk is one I wouldn't have to face at another family member's house or my own house. 

Though I like to deliberately put myself in dangerous situations sometimes, to experience the thrill. Like throwing dangerous objects up in the air and trying to catch them without hurting yourself or going really fast downhill on a bike.


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## lifefullofwords (Oct 25, 2013)

My inferior function is Se. I have a much better relationship with it than I used to. I've come to really appreciate Se skills and I am trying to develop some of mine. I do believe we can become adept at out inferior function with enough practice. One thing that's helped me is developing an interest in the visual arts, it turns out I have a good eye which surprised me until I learned about Myers Briggs. I think the most common misunderstanding about the inferior function is that it is a function that you will not use or the you will be bad at. It doesn't have to be that way, some people actually make a living off of (or partly off of) their inferior function. My mother is an INFP and she did better in law school than my father, an ISTJ. I've noticed people perceived as brilliant are usually good with all four of their functions.

However, regardless of how good they are with their inferior function, most people are still prone to seeing it malfunction when under serious stress. For example, I can self-indulgent when things aren't going well in my life and occasionally I will do something impulsive. The latter in particular is not like me but it's like I have this whole other side to my personality that emerges once in a while.


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## dulcinea (Aug 22, 2011)

I am aware that I see reality through a filter, so I understand that there are gaps in my understanding of the reality that exists around me. I realize that my mind only consciously picks up on certain details, otherwise I would be overwhelmed all the time by the magnitude of the stimuli coming in. So I have that responsibility to determine in my mind, what information in my present environment is relevant to what I need to know for what I want to accomplish. Sometimes in filtering out information, I make the mistake of filtering out something important, but rarely. I have an understanding that there are gaps in my knowledge of my external environment. 

I can choose to be in the moment, and experience all of the sensory information around me, but I get tired fast. The inside of my mind is very loud. Imagine watching a television set to a rather loud volume playing one channel, and someone putting another television in the room playing another channel. It would become pretty overwhelming fast, even if you could keep up with both without being confused. That's kinda what happens if I stay in the present for too long. I can lower the volume, so to speak, on the thoughts in my head, but I can never really put them on mute, at least not for more than a few seconds. I like being in the moment, though. Se is my favorite function. It's so oversimplified and misunderstood, I think. I find many SPs that I've known are so intelligent, because of their awareness of what's around them.


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## dulcinea (Aug 22, 2011)

lifefullofwords said:


> My inferior function is Se. I have a much better relationship with it than I used to. I've come to really appreciate Se skills and I am trying to develop some of mine. I do believe we can become adept at out inferior function with enough practice. One thing that's helped me is developing an interest in the visual arts, it turns out I have a good eye which surprised me until I learned about Myers Briggs. I think the most common misunderstanding about the inferior function is that it is a function that you will not use or the you will be bad at. It doesn't have to be that way, some people actually make a living off of (or partly off of) their inferior function. My mother is an INFP and she did better in law school than my father, an ISTJ. I've noticed people perceived as brilliant are usually good with all four of their functions.
> 
> However, regardless of how good they are with their inferior function, most people are still prone to seeing it malfunction when under serious stress. For example, I can self-indulgent when things aren't going well in my life and occasionally I will do something impulsive. The latter in particular is not like me but it's like I have this whole other side to my personality that emerges once in a while.


I can relate to your experience. I find, I've learned to have a better eye through visual art as well. Idk if you can relate to this, but in my teens was when I started to teach myself art, and I would become more observant because I would look at a lot of things and think "How do I replicate via brushstrokes, or pencilstrokes" Now, I'm teaching myself graphic design, and what I think is "How do I replicate this by manipulating the vectors in illustrator" xD


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## Ekstasis (Dec 26, 2013)

My inferior function is Se. For me, I have to realize that physical objects actually do exist since I tend to live in my thoughts most of the time.
I also feel like seeing is deceiving...so I have to physically touch the object and let myself know it exists. As someone mentioned in this thread, I feel my energy draining when I try to concentrate around my surroundings really hard. It's like the information that I perceive through my five senses doesn't automatically enter my mind. I have to actually analyze (?) it to know it is in fact, there... I hope that made some sense...
I also wanted to add that I agree about Se and Ni is like that of a coin. They both exists but only one side is prominent when we are so-called using it...but we know the other side of the coin shadowed behind also exist in the back...it's just we lack the skill to utilize it consciously? I can't think of a better word to replace consciously. I just thought that was very insightful to read.


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## lifefullofwords (Oct 25, 2013)

dulcinea said:


> I can relate to your experience. I find, I've learned to have a better eye through visual art as well. Idk if you can relate to this, but in my teens was when I started to teach myself art, and I would become more observant because I would look at a lot of things and think "How do I replicate via brushstrokes, or pencilstrokes" Now, I'm teaching myself graphic design, and what I think is "How do I replicate this by manipulating the vectors in illustrator" xD


That's very interesting. I haven't actually participated in the visual arts but I've decided I want to try my hand at directing someday. I don't know whether or not I'll actually enjoy it but I'm very curious. I doubt I'll be a natural though (Sp is still my inferior function after all) so I've been trying to learn to develop an eye for color and line in the world around me, think about how I would frame a shot, that sort of thing. It's heartening to hear about an INFJ who has a knack for these things because sometimes I think I should just stick to writing, which I'm very comfortable doing. But I like to stretch myself and learn new skills. Plus someday I want to be a screenwriter and I'd like to at least be able to direct my own work. When I write I get a lot of images in my head (that's why I don't want to be a novelist, it would make no sense) and I think it would be very satisfying to see them on screen.


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## LostFavor (Aug 18, 2011)

monemi said:


> I make decisions based on how much information is available. The more information and time available, the better informed my decision will be. I like to go to multiple sources of information from different perspectives that are well informed. More weight goes to the opinion of the well accredited. If I don't have time, I make a decision based on the information available and don't worry about it. I dislike going with my gut feeling. I want a logical reason for why I am doing something. Unless I'm doing something for fun. Fun isn't logical. It doesn't need to be.


Makes sense. When I go to make "important" decisions (stuff that concerns my health and nutrition, for example) I tend to do a lot more cross-referencing and such than I would normally. Some of that is just because my mother taught me to think critically.

I guess the difference is, accreditation is often less important to me than a reasonable argument and some verification. For example, a lot of the stuff I've picked up about MBTI and the functions over the years is from people who simply made a good case and I was able to verify their claims somehow through my own experiences. Sources that claim something but can't (or don't) explain the "why" are immediately suspect to me.

An exception to that would probably be a field like physics, but even then, I still don't feel quite secure in the information until I've heard and tested sound reasoning.

But getting back to the whole "gut" thing, I can't say all of my decisions are logical in that regard. I do have an acute sense of differences in gut feelings though. There's a certain kind of gut feeling I can get that feels forced and directionless - like I'm throwing what I think is a dart at what I think is a board on a plane that I think is reality (in other words, if ask myself what my reasoning is, I may not even have a vague sense of it). That kind of gut feeling is one that I don't really trust - it feels like I'm trying too hard to come up with an answer to a problem.

The other kind is a gut feeling that feels like an answer coming to me when I didn't realize that I was asking a question, or the question was asked so fleetingly and quickly that I've already zoomed past it. I can usually explain this feeling to myself in some vague way and sometimes can explain it to others.


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

UndercoverInstigator said:


> A risk to me is climbing up a 60ft tree, or trying to cheat in an exam.
> 
> Balancing a tray precariously is a risk because my dad would go nuts if I dropped it even after his warning to be careful. I think their reaction to the potential risk is one I wouldn't have to face at another family member's house or my own house.
> 
> Though I like to deliberately put myself in dangerous situations sometimes, to experience the thrill. Like throwing dangerous objects up in the air and trying to catch them without hurting yourself or going really fast downhill on a bike.


The last time I cheated on a test or exam, I was about 6 years old and it was a spelling test. I felt like such a loser for cheating, I didn't do it again. I don't know, it feels like admitting you're not good enough when you have to resort to cheating to pass a test of knowledge. 

I tend to look at things in a risk vs benefit analysis. 



lifefullofwords said:


> However, regardless of how good they are with their inferior function, most people are still prone to seeing it malfunction when under serious stress. For example, I can self-indulgent when things aren't going well in my life and occasionally I will do something impulsive. The latter in particular is not like me but it's like I have this whole other side to my personality that emerges once in a while.


When things are really bad, I withdraw and lose my appetite. My impulsive streak is lost.


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## lifefullofwords (Oct 25, 2013)

monemi said:


> When things are really bad, I withdraw and lose my appetite. My impulsive streak is lost.


That's funny because that's the normal state of things for me. Mostly it works but sometimes I'm glad when my impulsive streak comes out because there's definitely such a thing as taking too few risks.


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

monemi said:


> The last time I cheated on a test or exam, I was about 6 years old and it was a spelling test. I felt like such a loser for cheating, I didn't do it again. I don't know, it feels like admitting you're not good enough when you have to resort to cheating to pass a test of knowledge.
> 
> I tend to look at things in a risk vs benefit analysis.
> 
> ...


If I cheat to win at something I don't feel like I've actually won. I prefer to know that I've won the right way. Though I would consider trying to cheat as a risk.


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

lifefullofwords said:


> That's funny because that's the normal state of things for me. Mostly it works but sometimes I'm glad when my impulsive streak comes out because there's definitely such a thing as taking too few risks.


It's really not okay when I get like that. I've learned not to let myself go. To deal with things as they happen and if I can't deal with it, reach out for help. Don't dwell on sadness or hold onto anger. Sadness will drown me and holding onto anger is like strapping a corpse to my back. It's okay for me to need alone time, but being withdrawn isn't the same thing at all. Being withdrawn is when my mind becomes my prison and it's a miserable place to be.


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## TruthDismantled (Jan 16, 2013)

When I'm stressed I usually turn to alcohol and try to convince myself that it doesn't matter anyway and I'll be able to cope with the negative consequences.


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## Ekstasis (Dec 26, 2013)

dulcinea said:


> I can choose to be in the moment, and experience all of the sensory information around me, but I get tired fast. The inside of my mind is very loud. Imagine watching a television set to a rather loud volume playing one channel, and someone putting another television in the room playing another channel. It would become pretty overwhelming fast, even if you could keep up with both without being confused. That's kinda what happens if I stay in the present for too long. I can lower the volume, so to speak, on the thoughts in my head, but I can never really put them on mute, at least not for more than a few seconds. I like being in the moment, though. Se is my favorite function. It's so oversimplified and misunderstood, I think. I find many SPs that I've known are so intelligent, because of their awareness of what's around them.



The television channel analysis you've wrote is just fantastic. It's like you have taken the thoughts right out of my head. I really can't agree enough how extremely overwhelming it is to focus on the present if I'm not in the right mood for it, I guess. It's almost like trying to read a book in the middle of a rock concert. The voice of your inner mind clashes with the sound that's happening outside...it's too much. But like you said, I also do enjoy living in the moment as well sometimes. It's nice to just let everything go and just breathe.


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## lifefullofwords (Oct 25, 2013)

monemi said:


> It's really not okay when I get like that. I've learned not to let myself go. To deal with things as they happen and if I can't deal with it, reach out for help. Don't dwell on sadness or hold onto anger. Sadness will drown me and holding onto anger is like strapping a corpse to my back. It's okay for me to need alone time, but being withdrawn isn't the same thing at all. Being withdrawn is when my mind becomes my prison and it's a miserable place to be.


Yeah, that makes sense. Ni is your inferior function so habits that are natural to me are rough on you. Some of the Se doms I've been close to haven't dealt well with intense emotions. I always assumed it was because it makes it difficult to live in the moment and that's what comes naturally to those particular people.

I feel the same way about withdrawn vs. being alone though... for me, time alone can be one of the healthiest or one of the unhealthiest things, depending on my mood and the circumstances.


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