# Fe vs Fi: Music + Mood



## Master of Visibility (Nov 5, 2011)

Ok, here we go. I have noticed recently (posts as well as some quizzing of those around me) that there may be a trend between Fe users and listening to music that resonates with their mood and Fi users listening to music to alter their modd if they are dissatisfied with it.

Personally, I will listen to music with lyrics that matches my mood as it enhances the meaning to me. Whether the meaning is sad or happy. My ISTJ father has stated that he will listen to music in order to alter his mood.

The purpose of this thread is to get proved wrong or to make myself feel clever, so I ask you humbly to answer the poll and/or leave comments that will make this question/answer session more productive. Almost all opinions are welcome.


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## Seeker99 (Jan 13, 2010)

Haha, maybe it's not the most healthy attitude, but I definitely like to match music to my mood, even if I'm sad. I like to wallow. If I'm upset about something, I COULD just put on some happy music and get over it, but that's kind of invalidating the way I feel. So I embrace the sadness, and wallow for a bit. But eventually that gets boring, so I just get over it!


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## HandiAce (Nov 27, 2009)

Fe user here. I must say that when I'm down in the dumps, I find it hard to listen to happy upbeat music. I can listen to it, but it's impact on me is not what it should be. I sort of want to be in surroundings that cater more to my mood. I tend to dwell a bit until I've come to terms with my feelings. This usually happens only when in a negative mood.


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## Boots (Nov 26, 2010)

I am interested to see the comments on this one - I ~think~ I am an Fe user (though I get into loops of confusion in this regard and end up not knowing what to think, which is why these kinds of threads are useful for me). What I ~can~ say is that I agree with HandiAce... for the most part I listen to music that complements my mood. If I'm in a really upbeat mood I get irritated with slow, melancholy music. If I'm feeling quiet and introspective I find loud/fast music jarring, discordant and upsetting. 

There are times that I will choose a music type to try to change my mood, but honestly I think that only works if I'm already swinging toward that mood. In those cases the music will help pull me there a little faster, but if I'm not ready to move on the music will just frustrate me.

~ Pb ~


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

I am an Fi user, and I listen to music that matches my mood, *especially* if I am sad. Trying to listen to cheerful music when I am sad only makes me tense and irritable, because it clashes with my feelings and forces me to put a lot of effort into ignoring it so I can focus on whatever I need to be thinking about to relieve the sadness. If I am sad and have to be somewhere where happy music is playing, I have to use earplugs to avoid its toxic effect on my feelings, which need to be soothed with something melancholy.

Listening to music that matches my mood tends to have a therapeutic effect because I feel validated by it and connected to it. It is in harmony with my resting state and does not require expending energy I don't have.


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## Monty (Jul 12, 2011)

Hmm ive thought about this a little before but i didnt think too much about it then. I dont usually listen to music that necessarily matches my mood if i am sad or angry. When i am angry i dont listen to music because it makes me even more angry, even if i love the song. When im sad, i dont necessarily listen to _sad_ music, but maybe a bit more thoughtful and complex. But theres not always a sad or melancholic feel, because if i do that then i feel like im being way too dramatic and/or feel like im being angsty.(lol)

However, when im happy, i usually find muself listening to the cheerful stuff. When im feeling neutral i can listen to anything.


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## sts06 (Aug 12, 2010)

Fe user and definitely tend to resonate with my mood. I used to have a tape I made for myself called 'sad songs' which I used specifically for wallowing to. Having said that, there are times when I try to alter my mood. I, quite unconsciously, used a particular band's (very upbeat) music to get me through day-by-day during a very hard year last year, and now I notice that if I hear one of those songs I immediately get a sense of 'yay, happy place' no matter how I was feeling before. Clearly that music had the effect of being a happy place I could retreat to during the hard times. That was, like I said, unconscious though. When I consciously choose music I do tend to match my mood. I have angry music, cheerful music, sad music, stirring music etc that I turn to when I'm feeling those things -- generally to enhance the feelings and make them last longer. Like @Seeker99 I think I feel that if I pep myself out of the feelings deliberately that I'm invalidating them.


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## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

Had to say other because I do both.

Fi user: like to use it to modify, change it completely, or match my mood. I just stay away from certain things when I'm horribly depressed or anxious.


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## Dark Romantic (Dec 27, 2011)

I do both, but I lean more toward altering my mood.


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## FuzzyLittleManPeach (Aug 29, 2011)

Fe - I listen to music that resonates with my mood.


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## Dark Romantic (Dec 27, 2011)

This topic would have a stronger correlation with the enneagram than with MBTI.


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## Master of Visibility (Nov 5, 2011)

Dark Romantic said:


> This topic would have a stronger correlation with the enneagram than with MBTI.


Interesting you would say that, it does sound like a distinct possibility. If you can could you please elaborate? for example, are you saying that someone with a 4 in their type might be more likely to exibit this correlation between mood and music behavior?

From the poll votes (if they are any sort of indication) it seems that Fe users lean towards this behavior while Fi users either don't care or don't have a preference. I am willing to admit that I was off base, but this is quite interesting.


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## Razorfield9 (Feb 14, 2012)

I'm Fe (not sure), and I generally select random music which ends up _changing _my mood _if_ I get into the music. I really get into it at times.


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## AlltheIntuitiveFeels (Dec 20, 2011)

Fe, and it varies. I'll listen to anything if I'm happy, it won't change my mood. If I'm unhappy, I usually listen to something that matches my mood- lets me wallow for a while, gain some catharsis.
Make of this what you will, though: I listen to music for theory/compositional purposes pretty often, as well. I study music, so I'll often listen to something if it poses an analytical challenge or I think the composition has done something really creative or new, regardless of my mood or the mood of the song, and not get much out of it emotionally, besides some amount of satisfaction or excitement.


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## Koukol (Feb 16, 2012)

Don't quite know. I do tend to listen to music to put myself into moods. For instance Ambient, to put me in a calm, contemplative mood, suitable to work.


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## Angelic Gardevoir (Oct 7, 2010)

Pretty sure I'm an Fe user, and I don't listen to music when I'm in a bad mood. I tried to listen to a song I liked when I was anxious once to try to calm me down, but it didn't work. It only led me to want to listen to more music in an effort to avoid my anxiety. However, once I was able to calm down by running a soothing song through my head, but only because I focused on calming down so I could sleep. Yeah, I'm weird like that. -_-


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## Master of Visibility (Nov 5, 2011)

Angelic Gardevoir said:


> Pretty sure I'm an Fe user, and I don't listen to music when I'm in a bad mood. I tried to listen to a song I liked when I was anxious once to try to calm me down, but it didn't work. It only led me to want to listen to more music in an effort to avoid my anxiety. However, once I was able to calm down by running a soothing song through my head, but only because I focused on calming down so I could sleep. Yeah, I'm weird like that. -_-


I guess there is a significant difference, for me as an INTP I do not have real bad mood's I just feel a bit unsettled or tired and music will usually help. I can imagine that for someone who has Fe higher up in their functions it can be quite strong and not have the same effect that it has on myself.


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## pretty.Odd (Oct 7, 2010)

I listen to music that matches my mood, especially when I'm sad, I keep a special playlist of The Smiths, Bright Eyes, and miscellaneous depressing songs on repeat.


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