# INFP, help the stereotype die today!



## Braverose (Aug 1, 2015)

Hi everyone!
I can become so angry about the incorrect stereotypes you can find on the internet about infps.
No, we're not weak or whiny or...
and I need your help to tell other types why.
thank you!


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## upbeat (Aug 10, 2015)

People who think stereotypes apply to everyone and are true to fact are simple minded. End of story.


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## mushr00m (May 23, 2011)

NEVER!!! Mwahahaha!  

Stereotypes are here to stay!


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## bigstupidgrin (Sep 26, 2014)

If I see a football, I'll throw it around today!


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## funambulist44 (May 7, 2014)

upbeat said:


> People who think stereotypes apply to everyone and are true to fact are simple minded. End of story.


^This

I'm no expert, but I think that the "weak and whiny" stereotype probably stems from the misguided idea that feelings are for the weak. Since it's generally thought that INFPs feel feels the deepest, perhaps they tend to get picked on correspondingly. I don't know if this goes for all INFPs, but the two I know are very optimistic and are often called cute. But once you see just one layer under that, you can see that they are far cleverer than they let on.


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## sinaasappel (Jul 22, 2015)

If you want to break the sterotypesyou have to teach people that FEELING is not emotions in xxfx types
Teach them that it is value judgement
Teach them that it is moral judgement and just because you back morals and judgement with intensity and emotions that doesn't make you whiny
It mkes you strong
And a keen judge


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## ethanlin (Aug 17, 2015)

Being an INFP myself, I've seen about 60% of the time that the INFP type is reinforced, and about 40% when its a healthy INFP living a good, successful and stable life.


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## Ghostsoul (May 10, 2014)

Every MBTI has crappy, untrue stereotypes.
But the Sensing types have it worse, trust me.


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## Ne Plus Ultra (May 18, 2015)

I'm an NT but not a typical one, and I have much respect for feelers. I wish I had better control of my Fe! Anyway, while I realize that feeling in MBTI/Jungian terms is about judgment, not emotion, it disturbs me that feelers have to explain that distinction in order to get any respect because emotion is treated as such a taboo. Why is emotion "weak"? I don't like how thinker values dominate in that regard, at least here in my home country. And I say that as a thinker myself!


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## Crimplene for men (Nov 6, 2014)

I know more people in real life who have tested as INFP than any other type. They are all very different and all really nice people. One is rather explosive and short tempered, but a very interesting and talented musician. 

The MBTI is used like horoscopes by some on here, such as the "How do I get an INTJ girl?" threads (example). This is all based on theories that a dude came up with many years ago, which some have even supposedly debunked anyway. Only an ignorant person would stereotype a person and write them off based on MBTI theory. 

@Ne Plus Ultra My best friends are SFJs and NFJs and my family (apart from my partner) are NFPs. I might be crap with emotional stuff, but I like to think I'm not and was brought up to be very considerate of other people's feelings.


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## ShadowsRunner (Apr 24, 2013)




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## Kitsune Love (Jul 8, 2014)

Every INFP I know is generally very fluffy but when the going gets tough, so do they.

I remember the first time I realized this. "INFP'S ARE ACTUALLY SECRETLY STOIC BADASSES! WOW!"


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## Simpson17866 (Dec 3, 2014)

Nightstorm said:


> Every INFP I know is generally very fluffy but when the going gets tough, so do they.
> 
> I remember the first time I realized this. "INFP'S ARE ACTUALLY SECRETLY STOIC BADASSES! WOW!"


 And if people don't believe this because they haven't seen enough real-life examples, make them watch Castle on ABC :happy:


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## Crimplene for men (Nov 6, 2014)

I'll do some more debunking. Here's the 5 INFPs I know (don't want to go into too much detail and reveal my identity).

1. Really lovely easy going people person, very good with computers, so could mistake them for stereotypical NT type. Extremely competent, does not whine. 

2, Another nice, easy going person. They are really good with computers. Good at maths. Very laid back and easy to get on with, but always simultaneously emits a don't f*** with me vibe. 

3. Very creative. Can be very scary and not the sort of person you mess with. However, very funny and intelligent and good person at heart.

4. Young person, student and very talented & creative. Lovely person but has also mastered the withering put-down. Can be the biggest bitch ever when she wants to be.

5. Old friend. She actually does whine a lot, but makes up for it by being very funny, kind and interesting.


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## Soft_Sound (Feb 25, 2013)

As an INFP, I sorta question how much_ I_ even fit the stereotype.

Yeah, sure I can be a slob and snob but in the right environment I care a great deal how I act and stuff. I like being clean, and the idea of everything having a place. At work I'll work hard to keep my area very clean, at home I'm a terrible terrible slob....

I've read some surprising stuff how materialistic INFP's are and how awful they are with money. All I can say is, I rarely buy stuff and could easily give away just about anything I own. (I actually had a dream yesterday that people were stealing my stuff so I let them borrow it, I expected they were not going to return it, but I wanted them to make the right decision, and in the end -I decided I could live without it in the worst case scenario anyway though I would be sad.)

I like saving money, but I can't seem to get decent enough jobs to do so :'( Like my last job pretty much refused to pay half the people who worked for them so I'm suing them. It's scary.

I'm not doing this for me per say, I could live on nothing and have come pretty close from some events in my life, I'm suing to try and help everyone else who won't. Maybe I'll have some impact IDK. But they should not get away with it. (But I'm also terrified of standing up in court because well, I can't argue well at all and just being there makes me nervous since I'm a very passive person. And when push comes to shove, I'm a _huge_ coward.)

As an INFP, I haven't really ever gotten angry over anything. Like ever, I know too many people who do so I suppose, I'm afraid to get mad. I understand anger is an expectable and acceptable emotion but, I don't know, it's an emotion I refuse to express, I'll just cry or leave instead (Yeah, I guess I sound kinda wimpy) or take a deep breath. (Like once this guy thought I was over-charging him and I explained it 3 different ways, in the end he paid the $3, despite not believing me. I can't think of any other to explain this! It really is $3.) I don't want to lose control, my family tends to become violent and scream/yell so I refuse to ever become that. If someone were to make fun of me, I'll pause and turn the other cheek, I don't care what you say about me,_ go on I can take it_. (*Lies, this really kills me, but I don't know how else to respond. And I don't want them to know how hurt I am.) That tends to leave people unsure of what to say and they tend to go off on some awkward conversation. Like one person made a game about how awful I was, so I told them they had better do a good job on the game then, and in the end they decided to make a different game, they decided they didn't want people to know about it. :S Well, you made the right choice!

But yeah, I'm happy to whine  But I also know there is a time and place and I know when to keep silent. (85% of the time I'm good about this, sometimes I just want pity because I like attention.:tongue: If I'm actually in pain I'm way more likely unable to speak!) As an INFP, it can be easy to just walk to people and befriend them, but it can also be very hard. I think with most of my friends though I was the one to start talking to them originally. And I have all sorts of friends boy or girl. (so many guys thought we were a couple, though...  I can't believe how just talking to you once a day made you think that...I'm sorry, I just like having someone to talk to or you looked like you could use a friend.) So I would say I can be quite social, but it's also pretty easy for me to not leave my house really for months. So some people could easily see me as extremely anti-social, rude and unfriendly, which happens, sometimes I just don't want to deal with people. Sorry, I just need to escape and recover!

Also I am one of those people into programming and digital art...3D Modeling is hit and miss. I have taught it to kids and stuff (I am an awful teacher, but that is due to being so disorganized or not being able to explain well XD I'm working on writing everything out so people feel better about the material. It's tough being a teacher, kids are so different, some pick it up easily, others get lost fast. I also don't like talking so much- talking is a big weakness of mine as I can talk too fast or too quietly.. :< I suppose with time it may get better? I try to stick to more visual stuff and ask my students to experiment A Lot, which some people don't like at all so I'm trying to write up more guides & walkthroughs to help them feel more comfortable. I want like harmony, if you are upset or start to struggle I'll try to help, I have _tons of ideas_! Plus I can always research more.  Research is my best friend. It's saved my life before! Probably yours too. XD *Abstract train of thought there.)


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## Crimplene for men (Nov 6, 2014)

INFP is one of the better MBTI stereotypes! It could be much worse.

I had to come back, because this thread had been playing on my mind. I have 2 close INFP family members and I'm concerned by the self doubting sentiment expressed by some INFPs on here. The OP isn't the first I've seen.

Other types are reveling in their stereotypes.


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## piquancy (Sep 3, 2015)

i'm so far off from INFP stereotypes you would never know it's my real type unless you really know me.
The only one I fit is the whole reclusive, lock yourself up writer thing.

But other than that, I'm not shy, I'm not naive at all, I'll tell you exactly what I think, you'll know if I don't like you and I stand up for myself. I'm good at English and Humanities but I'm even better at Math and Science


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## misfortuneteller (Apr 4, 2015)

We can't though cause it's true, even if we aren't always like that. We are like that most of the time. Our internal feels overpower us 90% of the time.


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## OrangeAppled (Jun 26, 2009)

The stereotypes contradict each other anyway. 
As for me, some apply and others do not. Enneagram often explains this well. When people who know me in person describe me, it sounds more like a 4w5 than most INFP profiles too.


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## stripedfurball (Jun 7, 2015)

Ok, but I feel like this one should be kept:









That killed me, because I'm close internet friends with one other creepy INFP, and it's been a riot.


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