# INFP or ISFP? (maybe I'll finally figure it out this time)



## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

I'm back on these boards again, haha. Ugh.


*N things I do:*
-I love to read, and I have ever since I can remember. Apparently I was reading at a grade 9 level in grade 2
-I think a lot about possibilities and questions, about absolutely everything
-I worry about the future almost constantly, both mine and the world's
-I get lost in thought and forget about time
-when I'm drawing, I almost always have an idea in my head of how I want it to turn out, and if I can't make it like that, I get disappointed. I don't like "trusting the process," I want to control it from beginning to end and I want to get exactly what was in my head (which never happens)
-I want to learn about every theory I can get hold of; string theory, the big bang, evolutionary psychology (but I usually get bored when the terms aren't explained in a way that I understand. I have a compulsion to learn about science despite being very right-brained). I wish I could stay in school for free, forever
-I want to understand everything

*S things I do:*
-I am EXTREMELY sensitive to temperatures, smells, tastes etc. I have trouble focusing in class if the room is too cold or too hot
-I LOVE being out in nature and just experiencing the smells, the feeling of the wind, the view, etc.
-when I'm drawing, I often start in on detail too soon, or I want to jump into the detail without laying the groundwork first
-abstract art annoys me because I often find that the message isn't clear, and also that it is often not aesthetically pleasing. I think visual art should both look good and mean something
-I'm hypersensitive to touch and hate being touched by strangers or hugged without warning (although hugs are marginally better). The only time I feel comfortable being touched is in very controlled situations, like a dance or martial arts class. (and yes, I'm a virgin, lol ... although I would love to have a boyfriend, I imagine it would take a very long time for me to relax enough for contact) (actually I'm starting to think this one may be a disorder rather than a personality trait ...)

*(possibly) both:*
-if someone is talking to me, I often a) going off on a tangent in my head about something they've said and then realising a few minutes later that I no longer have any idea what they're saying, or b) get completely distracted by watching their face and movements until I've lost track of the conversation (I often have to look away while people talk so that I can properly listen to them)
-I love fashion and art and pretty things, but I always end up analysing WHY I like them and whether or not they're useful to the world (and then getting depressed when I feel like they aren't)
-I like to have both theories and examples in order to understand something fully
-I read all the time when I was little, but I also played competitive sports and later took up dancing for fun
-I love listening to music for the sound itself and the feelings each song gives, but I also love to look up the lyrics and the meaning behind them, as well as the artist's bio


I've read up on cognitive functions (Ne vs Ni) and they just confused me more; I genuinely think I use both of them, as well as Se and Si, but that's impossible according to the MBTI system.


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## Helios (May 30, 2012)

Hmmmmm. Interesting. Could you fill out a questionnaire? You can find them in a sticky thread on this subforum.


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

Sure! Just a min.

_Edit:
0. Is there anything that may affect the way you answer the questions? For example, a stressful time, mental illness, medications, special life circumstances? Other useful information includes sex, age, and current state of mind.
_Age 23, female, currently a bit frustrated with not being able to find my type, but otherwise fairly calm and content._

1. Click on this link: Flickr: Explore! Look at the random photo for about 30 seconds. Copy and paste it here, and write about your impression of it.
_
View attachment 42002

I find this picture extremely boring. Usually I find that colour palette calming, but in this photo it just irks me. It looks like a classic example of humans invading nature and making it ugly. It doesn't engage my imagination in any way. I'm finding that the more I look at it, the more I dislike it. I can't figure out what the building is for, which also annoys me. The entire thing reminds me of hyper-realistic painting, which I hate because it seems so sterile and plastic. I'm a little surprised by what an unpleasant reaction I've just had.

_2. You are with a group of people in a car, heading to a different town to see your favourite band/artist/musician. Suddenly, the car breaks down for an unknown reason in the middle of nowhere. What are your initial thoughts? What are your outward reactions?_
First of all, going with a group of people in a car to a different town to go to a concert sounds like something I would not do very often. I would most likely be fairly high-strung and pessimistic to begin with, but also excited to see the show. I would be hoping the experience would be worth the money and travel, and I would wonder about what set would be played, where the tour would go next, etc. (I would let my brain wander). When the car breaks down, I would panic internally a bit, then try to think of why it could have broken down. I would try to recall everything I know about cars (which isn't much). Then I would try to figure out which of the people in the car knew the most about cars and get them to see if they could fix it. I would try to keep calm and comfort anyone freaking out. Then I would go back to worrying about whether we would get there in time, what would happen if we couldn't fix the car, who we should call; possibilities and which would be the best courses of action.

_3. You somehow make it to the concert. The driver wants to go to the afterparty that was announced (and assure you they won't drink so they can drive back later). How do you feel about this party? What do you do?
_I would be completely torn. On the one hand, this would be an experience I probably would never have again, and I wouldn't want to disappoint my friends. On the other hand, parties are not my favourite thing. There would be lots of people and noise, and most of the people would probably be off their tits, if you'll pardon the expression. I would probably agree to go to the party after making my friends promise that they wouldn't leave me alone.

_4. On the drive back, your friends are talking. A friend makes a claim that clashes with your current beliefs. What is your inward reaction? What do you outwardly say?
_This is very situational. I would have an internal struggle about whether it was worth an argument or not, and I would also wonder why the friend held that belief. I will always avoid hurting feelings if I can, and I would be worried about losing my friend through the argument. If I did speak up, I would try to keep the argument rational and I would consider both sides. I don't like to be wrong, but I also don't want to be small-minded.

_5. What would you do if you actually saw/experienced something that clashes with your previous beliefs, experiences, and habits?
_I would be upset at first, and then I would try to calm down and question why it was happening and what was motivating the person to do whatever they were doing, and I would think about why I disagreed with it. I would be very hesitant to get involved, and I would be even less likely to interfere if it involved a stranger. Again, this is very situational and I'm having a hard time understanding exactly what the question is getting at.

_6. What are some of your most important values? How did you come about determining them? How can they change?
_I value intelligence (including imagination, logic, creativity, and open-mindedness) and kindness. I think I've determined those just through life experience; I think those values are the most important ones for living a life in which you are a good person (for its own sake and for the sake of being nice to other people, and possibly making their lives and the world in general a better place) and in which you attempt to understand as much of the world as you can while you have the chance.

_7. a) What about your personality most distinguishes you from everyone else? b) If you could change one thing about you personality, what would it be? Why?
_a) I have a very odd sense of humour. It's usually dry and a little bit dark, but at the same time very silly and occasionally nonsensical. I haven't met many people who laugh at the same things. b) I would like to change how pessimistic and easily depressed I am. I worry often and it gets very tiring. I have been clinically depressed before (although thankfully I haven't been for a long time now) and it's not very nice.

_8. How do you treat hunches or gut feelings? In what situations are they most often triggered?
_I always pay attention to gut feelings because I think of them as valid input from the subconscious, although I sometimes try to reconsider them if I think they're very illogical or potentially harmful to me or others. I try to consider the facts I know and reconcile them with my hunches. They're usually triggered by meeting new people or being forced to make a decision (I hate making decisions). I tend to get very quick first impressions and then try to convince myself not to judge until I have more experience with the person or situation.

_9. a) What activities energize you most? b) What activities drain you most? Why?
_a) I am most energised when I have time to myself in which to do whatever I want. This can be walking, hiking, drawing, reading a book, watching a movie, being around animals, taking pictures, etc. Sometimes I get energised by talking to people but it's better if it's one-on-one and someone I know well. b) I am always drained by being around people, sometimes even just one at a time if I don't know the person well. Sometimes I feel like I need to have some human contact just to keep myself mentally and emotionally healthy, or just because I'm bored, but it's always work because I'm constantly considering how the other person's feeling and how to keep us both happy and not bored.

_10. What do you repress about your outward behavior or internal thought process when around others? Why?
_I try to repress judgement because I want to see the best in people, and also because I hate being judged (I try to treat others how I'd like to be treated). I also repress fear because I tend to get anxious around other people, mostly because other people are unpredictable. What if that man on the bus turns out to be a nutcase with a knife? What if that girl decides she doesn't like me and then spreads rumours? Basically I worry a lot and I try not to let people see that because it might make them worry, or it might make them think I'm someone to be avoided.




@*FacelessBeauty*
Well that was a lot of rambling. Some of this sounds very T, doesn't it =/ I think I've trained myself to use more T over the years. I don't like being called irrational, but sadly I think I often am. Basically there's a constant war going on in my brain between F and T, although I'm fairly sure I'm more F on most days. I think this might be a T-leaning day; hopefully that doesn't skew the data too much.

This also sounds very anxious, reading it back ... I don't like questionnaires very much. I always feel like I'm going to misinterpret a question and then my answer will give misinformation about me to others. Misunderstandings are something I really don't like.

ugh I feel like I'm just talking nonsense at this point
My original post is clearer, I think.



Edit 2:
Just found this:

"While ISFPs may get discouraged in typical classroom settings, as adults, they are often more optimistic and satisfied than INFPs. INFPs frequently have a depressive or melancholic bent, as their Ne struggles to find meaning in a world that can seem indifferent to the “impractical” gifts they have to offer."

That sounds just like me =/ I'm always worrying that I won't be able to find a job, or that I'll get bored in the one I do find.

Edit 3:
Should I post some of my art? Would that help? (sorry for all these edits)


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

Just found this:

"*But Ni is useless without Se, and vice versa. 
Ni can't see the bigger picture without experiencing a part of it (Se). Se can't boldly go out in the world and do things if it does not have the inner conviction that things will go right (Ni).

Si is useless without Ne, and vice versa.
Si will not be able to build a system if it can't discern the innate differences between objects and the multiple possibilities in the outside world (Ne). And Ne can't fly and speculate without knowledge of what should be (Si) in contrast to what can be."
*
From here: *http://personalitycafe.com/articles/51137-4-perceiving-functions-box-3.html*

Se, Ni sounds more like me. So I guess I must be an ISFP with a weak S.
(actually I think I'm weak in everything except I, and maybe P in some ways)


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## Helios (May 30, 2012)

Are you satisfied with your type? Sorry I haven't gotten back to you. >.<
I thought INFP was a better fit, but ISFP works just fine.


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## Yomotsu Risouka (May 11, 2012)

Between the two? You seem more INFP to me. Your reaction to the image doesn't seem like Se at all.


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## Ludi (Dec 25, 2011)

Twigs said:


> Sure! Just a min.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No, no, you are not ISFP, that I can assure....Certainly an *INF* type.

Would you tell us how you perceive INFJs and INFPs? Short sketches will do.


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

Thanks for the replies everybody!

Well, I just read the personality junkie profile of INFJ, and that seems to fit as well, but I've never thought of myself as a J =/ But then I suppose types have more to do with the functions than the individual traits anyway. Ugh, I don't know.

@*Ludi*
I perceive INFPs as being very head-in-the-clouds, and generally wanting to escape the world instead of dealing with it (I don't necessarily mean this negatively). I also think of them as being very empathetic to other people and wanting to save the world (I'm careful of other peoples' feelings, but I'm usually too lazy and timid to take up causes).

I'm afraid I don't really know very much at all about INFJ ... I'm reading everything I can find about it at the moment.


Edit:
I read the whole article and identified with most of it, especially these parts:

"It is difficult to broadly classify INFJs as either right-brained or left-brained since they utilize both sides of the brain with equal adeptness. INFJs are both creative and responsible, artistic and logical, spiritual and scientific, intuitive and analytic."
"INFJs see two people in everyone. They see the public persona, the outer shell, that everyone else sees ... [and] an individual’s inner world."
"Growing out of their distrust of first-blush appearances, INFJs are reluctant to trust majority opinion. They are often the last to read a bestseller."
"For INFJs, discovering truth involves getting a better handle on the nature of this connectedness and the holographic patterns of the universe."
"They think by way of images rather than words. Their intuitions often manifest in the form of symbols, images, dreams, or patterns."
"Perhaps more than anything, INFJs love spending time engrossed in meaningful conversation."
"As with all Introverts, INFJs’ first order of business is an internal one. They enjoy tinkering with ideas, perspectives, theories, visions, stories, symbols, and metaphors."
"Despite what may seem a penchant for complaining or forecasting doom, INFJs exemplify what it means to be open and forthright. As one INFJ put it, “I don’t know how not to be honest.” This is why INFJs are constantly championing authenticity, since authentic expression by way of their Fe is their most natural mode of operation."
"For INFJs, expressing themselves through their Fe is critical to their psychological and physical health and well-being. Even if doing so does not provide them with immediate solutions to the problem at hand, they tend to feel better once they have expressed their feelings, whether through words or tears."
"[they feel] torn between allegiance to their Ni penchant for truth versus their Fe people-pleasing."
"In attempt to temper their perfectionism, some INFJs may try to content themselves with being mere producers of ideas without direct involvement in their actualization. In typological terms, they focus on N while downplaying the importance of S. This may be why some INFJs are drawn to academics, since the academy allows them develop their theories more or less independently of their application. INFJ writers also enjoy the opportunity of expressing their ideals without direct concern for their application."


Well that's a bit of a shock. I don't think of myself as being a J at all. Although I guess that's just because I had misinterpreted what it means to be xxxJ.

Off to read a few more articles now.


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

Sorry to drag this back up again, but I found an AMAZING video.






Basically functions are much more important than they're given credit for, haha. I think if I had seen this video a year ago, I wouldn't have gone through so much uncertainty and frustration, or at least it wouldn't have been as prolonged as it has been.

So yep, I'm fairly sure I'm an INFJ. Weird to think of, but everything fits.


Edit: Now I'm confused about INFJ vs INTJ (Fe vs Fi and Te vs Ti). I knew it seemed too good to be true x_x


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

I also keep seeing something that's been bothering me: "counselor" is often suggested as a good career choice for INFJs. When I am with unhappy people, I become unhappy. I can't help but soak up their feelings. I've been depressed before and it's not an experience I'd like to repeat. I've also ended up being the "counselor" or "caretaker" for a couple of depressed friends and I never want to do that again. So why would I choose a career that would continually depress me?? Wouldn't being a qualified counselor require a certain level of detachment?

Another confusion: Se vs Si. From the descriptions I've read, Se takes in concrete information from the outside world, and Si retrieves concrete information from your memory. But how on earth can you have Si without Se? Where does the concrete information come from if not from the outside??

Edit: Welp, I think I'm going to have to give up for a while. I haven't found enough clear examples to distinguish the functions from each other and I can't tell which ones I use =/ I think I'll settle for continuing to try to be both left- and right-brained.


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## Wakachi (May 24, 2012)

Because SI is actually visceral reactions and indexing them in your memory.

If you look at seal clubbing and go "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH", then you remember that reaction in that context. You can either run away from seal clubbing to run away from the "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH" reaction or you can become Mother Theresa and do everything to keep the seals healthy. She's the classic ISFJ who is all about providing physical comfort to the world, with her own hands.

Immature Si-doms/auxes think the fact gives the reaction, not the human nature. That's why some of them are rigid and go "have it my way" because they don't realize that their internal physical feeling is not universal. 

As Si goes down the function stack, it becomes more about plain facts and more personalized if it's baked with Fi. With Ti, you have a library of systems in your head.


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

Wakachi said:


> Because SI is actually visceral reactions and indexing them in your memory.
> 
> If you look at seal clubbing and go "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH", then you remember that reaction in that context. You can either run away from seal clubbing to run away from the "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH" reaction or you can become Mother Theresa and do everything to keep the seals healthy. She's the classic ISFJ who is all about providing physical comfort to the world, with her own hands.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply!
So Si is less open to new outside experiences? And they would take in new information through Ne, Fe, or Te ... I guess I'm just having trouble understanding what "sensing" means in an MBTI context. If extraverted sensing means using your five senses to take in information, how can you not use that? (sorry, I'm a bit daft about this)


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## Wakachi (May 24, 2012)

Twigs said:


> Thanks for the reply!
> So Si is less open to new outside experiences? And they would take in new information through Ne, Fe, or Te ... I guess I'm just having trouble understanding what "sensing" means in an MBTI context. If extraverted sensing means using your five senses to take in information, how can you not use that? (sorry, I'm a bit daft about this)


well, it's like those reaction test games. You "see" the thingy popping up but your brain doesn't register until some time later. Today, I walked out in sandals but I didn't realize they're two different types of sandals...

You can just think that some people don't make judgement quickly and instinctively based on their auditory, visual, and somatosensory systems in the brain. I have "some" extroverted sensing to realize I'm holding a bottle of water, but expect me to go open another bottle of water because it totally slipped my mind taht I already have an open bottle of water.

For Si, think of it as like marching through new experiences step by step and keeping track of the ecosystem as one walks. Some get frightened easily and runs away back into their camp of familiarity while others just see the tent of the already known things reliable to stay the night. Oddly enough Si is a "perceiving" function. 

I'd say Fi/Ti/Te/Fe judges the information and Ne/Se/Si/Ni takes information.

Although, what better to ask .. @_Mendi the ISFJ_ and @_firedell_ for example.

Suppose that N are intuitive of metaphysical connotations, and S is intuitive of physical things.


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## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

Hmm my question in whether you are Fe or Fi.


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## Ludi (Dec 25, 2011)

Twigs said:


> I also keep seeing something that's been bothering me: "counselor" is often suggested as a good career choice for INFJs. When I am with unhappy people, I become unhappy. I can't help but soak up their feelings. I've been depressed before and it's not an experience I'd like to repeat. I've also ended up being the "counselor" or "caretaker" for a couple of depressed friends and I never want to do that again. So why would I choose a career that would continually depress me?? Wouldn't being a qualified counselor require a certain level of detachment?
> 
> Another confusion: Se vs Si. From the descriptions I've read, Se takes in concrete information from the outside world, and Si retrieves concrete information from your memory. But how on earth can you have Si without Se? Where does the concrete information come from if not from the outside??
> 
> Edit: Welp, I think I'm going to have to give up for a while. I haven't found enough clear examples to distinguish the functions from each other and I can't tell which ones I use =/ I think I'll settle for continuing to try to be both left- and right-brained.


Perhaps a lack of systematic thinking here...

Indeed, Fe is the function that looks upon the outer personal setting as the «weather», and therefore, an INFJ could well become «blue» around depressed people, and that is why they try very hard at lifting others' morale, coming up with solutions (oftenly 'philosophical' ones) to improve others' situations... Of course, the INFJ can also understand human nature deeply, due to their introverted nature and their feeling preference (Fi). 

You don't really need to figure the bottom two functions out if you can assure yourself of the upper two.

Also, your first post suggests that you are highly driven by Ni ...and wholly upset by the impulses of Se. The fact that you want to learn _everything _makes you very open-minded...INJs tend to be more open-minded than INPs types, who modulate their curiosity with solid self-consciousness. This is because of the primary Ni, despite of the predictable approach of Fe.

Can you further explain your problem with abstract art, please?


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## Mendi the ISFJ (Jul 28, 2011)

Wakachi said:


> well, it's like those reaction test games. You "see" the thingy popping up but your brain doesn't register until some time later. Today, I walked out in sandals but I didn't realize they're two different types of sandals...
> 
> You can just think that some people don't make judgement quickly and instinctively based on their auditory, visual, and somatosensory systems in the brain. I have "some" extroverted sensing to realize I'm holding a bottle of water, but expect me to go open another bottle of water because it totally slipped my mind taht I already have an open bottle of water.
> 
> ...


Im by no means an expert, but let me think about this a little... my husband is the only other S type that i know in my personal life. My closest friends and family are all N types. 

The biggest differences are what i see in my sister (INFJ) Its almost as if she pays attention at every given moment to all the things happening around us. I am more focused on what i am thinking about, what i came to do etc. 

She also seems to take what she already knows and then make assumptions (something i try hard not to do because ive found that its better to ask than guess) I have been told by a INTJ friend that i have difficulty reasoning. I dont see anything wrong with asking especially since you never know what people are actually thinking. 

So back to my sister, i get alot of "um duh, or why would i ____?" in response to say asking if she wants something. What ever happened to answering a question with an answer??


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

@*Wakachi @**Mendi the ISFJ*
Thanks to both of you! I think I'm still having trouble with this because I recognise both functions; sometimes I think I've lost a pencil only to find that I'm holding it, and sometimes I'm hyper-aware and seem to notice everything going on around me, to a degree of sensory overload. Although, in an INFJ, the Se function is last ... would that mean that they can get lost in thought in a similar way to types that use Si?

In reference to the INFJ, I find I do make assumptions often ... that's one thing that I try to avoid, but it keeps coming back. I keep wanting to generalise and condense everything down to one answer, which is impossible, because the world is too much of a greyscale =/ I keep wishing the world was more black and white, which in turn just makes me feel stupid.

@*Ludi*
I just came back from an art exhibit so my thoughts are a bit jumbled right now =/ I usually try to keep my T as strong as I can so that I don't go completely airy-fairy, because I'm sure it's not one of my stronger functions. I'll try to explain this as well as I can.

Abstract art irks me because I usually don't find it visually pleasing and I don't understand the message the artist is conveying (unless the art is accompanied by context, which I don't find it often is). It seems like the meaning is deliberately obscured, as opposed to an art piece in which effort is made to communicate clearly in a medium other than words. I suppose I think of it as expression that would be better conveyed through a different medium than the one being used. That's with intellectual abstract art; with abstract expressionism, it looks to me like a product of pure enjoyment of the process, which I think is absolutely fine for someone to do just for themselves, but which annoys me when it is presented with the assumption that people should try to understand it, or as if it's a challenge, saying "I enjoyed this but I don't care if you do." One of my least favourite exercises in art class was when we had to draw abstract images to music. I understood the point of the exercise but I felt so ridiculous while doing it.

(I should clarify: when I think of abstract, I think of someone like Kandinsky: just shapes and colours, very non-representative and non-realistic. In contrast, I love J.M.W. Turner, whose subjects are recognisable and representative, but still infused with emotion and drama. Basically I'm boring and I like recognisable subjects)

I think on the whole I find abstract art to be a bit selfish. Which is alright, it's fine to do things just for yourself, but I find that it often seems to be presented without regard for the viewer's understanding or enjoyment. It seems very one-sided when put in a public setting.


And I'm sorry this turned into a mini-essay!! This is what makes me wonder if I use Ne; my thoughts sometimes just jump around (but I've been looking over lots of definitions of the different functions and trying to put metaphors and examples to each of them, and I do keep coming back to Ni, Fe, Ti, and Se ... but then this rambling might be an example of me using Ne badly, which would make it a shadow function ... siiiigh).

(I also apologise for over-use of the semicolon. I'm much too lazy to go back and edit this right now)


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## Wakachi (May 24, 2012)

@_Twigs_

What is your emotional state when you have "sensory overload"? 
I get lost in thought occasionally when I'm trying to work something in my head to the point that my locomotion is functioning but it's not .... seeing the target. I also had moments when I hold a pencil, then try to find my pencil only to realize that I'm holding it. It seems possible that even Si-users can get "lost" in their heads because they tend to have a pretty vivid internal world.

I also do not think it has anything to do with your "T". You probably just wanted to feel you're on *T*ask and working productively. You have no idea how reactive and emotional some people are, but still be using TE or Ti as a dom.

Does your grip with abstract art have to do with a question of competency in the artist's ability to be artists? Do you secretly feel misunderstood by society? If you're pursueing art as a career, do you feel rushed and incompetent to just get out there and work? Or do you just feel that abstract artists aren't socially compatible in terms of art and should keep their private musings private, in their own personal space? Or do you think, that abstract art does not promote good social values?

I'm holding my tongue on abstract expressionism, I don't feel correct assuming you're an S right away (including your semi-colon apology) from the way you view a subject of art, but what do you think of these pencils by any chance?

I see SI and TE being plausible around you, but I want to test the influence of your Ne/Si or Ni/Se axis on more "imaginative pictures".


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## Twigs (Feb 6, 2012)

*@Wakachi*
Honestly I just have no idea what functions I use. I've looked them all up and I think I understand the differences, but I can't tell for example whether I use introverted or extraverted sensing. The only one I was sure about for a while was Ti because I like to be specific (I've always been good at spelling, for example), but now I've stopped being sure of that as well. I wouldn't be surprised if I was an Ni dom because I am happy to stay in my room essentially doing nothing but thinking all day, but then what about Ne? I like to brainstorm and do free association sometimes (although when writing, I like to at least try to have a point, and veering off it makes me feel a bit out of control). And I don't think I'm higher in T than F, because when I talk to people I'm always concerned about whether or not I'm hurting their feelings. I've also realised that I need an almost constant stream of humour or I'll start to get depressed (I tend toward dry humour or wordplay, and it needs to be reasonably intelligent; I've been watching Black Books and while I love most of it, I occasionally get disappointed by an obvious joke. I love QI because you get the double whammy of trivia and comedy. I love trivia (I just spent a couple of hours going through the tvtropes site and I love watching Jeopardy) and it's a running joke with my friends that I remember tons of bizarre useless facts). No idea what type or functions those things correlate with =/

Anyway: The first picture looks a bit unpleasant to me. It looks aggressive, like it would hurt if you touched it. It also strikes me as a bit of a waste of coloured pencils. I don't really understand what the artist meant by it. (I also don't like the warm spectrum of colours, but that's completely subjective).

I like the second picture, but I think the theme is beating a dead horse a little bit ... so many people imitate M.C. Escher, and I just get tired of seeing it after a while. I was impressed with the idea of two hands drawing each other when I first saw it, but now I almost feel as if I've "gotten over it." I like the way the photo has given the greyscale drawing an accidental rainbow tint.
(not sure if this is worth pointing out, but it took me a while to notice that the hand had a shadow and the ball didn't.)

As for abstract art, I think what mainly annoys me about it is that it seems as if the artist is keeping the meaning secret rather than sharing it with me and other viewers. I want to know what they were thinking when they made it. When I don't think it's visually pleasing, I wonder why it's famous (or if it isn't famous, why it's on display at all) I sometimes feel pity for the artist if I think the piece isn't very good. Then I feel guilty for feeling pity because I remind myself that art is very subjective and "good" is different for different people. I keep wanting to know the artist's intentions with the piece. If the intentions are explained, it makes a world of difference because then I can judge for myself whether or not I think they've succeeded and I feel as if I understand both the piece and the artist more. If I'm not given context, I feel as if I have no basis from which to understand it, and I resent that.

Haha, ugh, I think I sound very mean in writing. I usually keep my opinions to myself in real life unless I'm explicitly asked what I think about something.


Edit: Sorry, I forgot to answer the "sensory overload" question. It really depends on the context ... if it's a really good movie, I'll get more lost in the plot due to the music and visuals being well done (and occasionally pull back to notice "oh I like that song/costume/effect"), and then at the end I'll feel like I wish I could stay in the world of the movie instead of going back to reality. If it's a fantastic piece of music, I'll stop everything, turn it up and get completely lost in it (and I'll wonder what the writer was thinking/feeling when they made it). If I'm hiking, I'll enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds, and enjoy feeling like I've left civilisation behind. On the other hand, if it's a crowd of people, inside or outside, I almost always get overwhelmed and jittery and upset. In a crowded room with loud music, I'll wish I was back home alone reading a book.


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## Wakachi (May 24, 2012)

> Anyway: The first picture looks a bit unpleasant to me. It looks aggressive, like it would hurt if you touched it. It also strikes me as a bit of a waste of coloured pencils. I don't really understand what the artist meant by it. (I also don't like the warm spectrum of colours, but that's completely subjective).


I think you're an ISFJ. I can think about a varied of meanings for that, and I don't concern for the actual "truth". 

Not to mention, you're also very pragmatic. Your attitude towards abstract also demands some social bonding. 



> As for abstract art, I think what mainly annoys me about it is that it seems as if the artist is keeping the meaning secret rather than sharing it with me and other viewers. I want to know what they were thinking when they made it. When I don't think it's visually pleasing, I wonder why it's famous (or if it isn't famous, why it's on display at all) I sometimes feel pity for the artist if I think the piece isn't very good. Then I feel guilty for feeling pity because I remind myself that art is very subjective and "good" is different for different people. I keep wanting to know the artist's intentions with the piece. If the intentions are explained, it makes a world of difference because then I can judge for myself whether or not I think they've succeeded and I feel as if I understand both the piece and the artist more. If I'm not given context, I feel as if I have no basis from which to understand it, and I resent that.
> 
> 
> Haha, ugh, I think I sound very mean in writing. I usually keep my opinions to myself in real life unless I'm explicitly asked what I think about something.


Sounds like FE. You care about how you come across.

So why not an ISFP? Well, for me I think Se users are good at playing "spot the difference" but you're focused on one thing in the picture with the hand.

I suppose, in an SI-user's eye, the world is a jungle. Venus flytraps are "aggressive", flowers are "inviting" and so forth. So substitute Venus flytraps and flowers for objects you feel for. The survival instincts, in which we feel scared when a lion roars, or a feel motherly when we see babies are emphasized in an Si-user and projected into concepts and objects in the city world.
@Twigs


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