# How Does Your Inferior Function Manifest?



## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

Yup that IS inferior Si. _''Thigs should be this way''_ all of a sudden...

Inferior Ni: _''Things wil happen this way...''_ all of a sudden...

But in both cases, there is very little to no data to back it up unlike Pi Doms who can give you an encyclopedia of facts as to why things are or should be.


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## Electra (Oct 24, 2014)

I say things out load then I regret it


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## atamagasuita (May 15, 2016)

They say it's Ti. 

But i don't believe it.

I have no weakness


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## RoboticForest (Feb 12, 2017)

I do this inferior Fe thing better than other INTPs. Long story short : I spent more than an entire year reading about and doing what I can to develop functions. My Fe development accelerated around last May once I was satisfied with how Si was going. 

But before I tell you about that, I'd say I still get unhealthy Fe when I'm very stressed. I get emotional about not "belonging" or being "accepted". My mind sees signs of being hated when there's none. I get more easily offended. Usually I end a session like this by reminding myself of how I'm accepted and belong somewhere — not in public though. I don't want people to see how I'm crying tears of joy. 

My healthy use of Fe though? It'd be finding objective truth (Ti) for the betterment of others (Fe). It works like this. Step 1 : Ti Gain an interest in the truth of something. Step 2 : Ne. Find multiple ideas and possiblites around this truth. Step 3 : Si. Find a concrete detailed way to experience this truth while learning from past mistakes Ne made. Step 4 : Fe. Be aware of what others want, how they want it and share this truth to help.

I notice I go through cycles of this — I just naturally get the desire to organize my life this way. When I get to the Fe stage — I notice I get more warm. More extroverted. More thoughtful of how others feel. This usually pulls me to share what I've learned on different forums or real life friends. Fe is still my inferior of course — so often I'd end this stage feeling tired, curious and in need of solitude. The previous stage lasts longer the Fe stage. 

I still vaguely keep Fe goals in mind — I've thought of plans to do things better for others in the long term — but I pursue this thinking of it as impersonally as a math problem than some idealistic compassionate dream. :wink:


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## atamagasuita (May 15, 2016)

Why am i seeing an image of an adorable cute kitty? 

I'm weakening


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## Turi (May 9, 2017)

Not me, but, you get the gist.


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## Reila (Jan 17, 2017)

Fe makes me feel things, like empathy, for other people. In theory, this is a good thing. The issue is that I hardly ever do anything with the empathy I feel. My self-preservation instinct doesn't allow me to act on it unless I am sure there will be no big negative consequences for me. I know, that sounds bad, but that is who I am. I have acted on what my Fe told me to do a few times and more often than not, I regretted it.

Fe also makes me cry my eyes out when watching films, anime and stuff. I like that, it is invigorating. 

Because it is not as well developed as my dominant and auxiliary functions, Fe causes me to feel uncomfortable towards affection and the touch of people. Like, almost everyone I have met. There are a very small group of people of who I feel comfortable being touchy. It kinda sucks because I love hugs, but unless I am having a relationship with someone I am in love with, I don't really hug all that much.

Well, I do have my dog and I probably hug her more than she would like.

At its worst, Fe pushes me into becoming an irrational buffoon who acts on whatever stupid emotions she is feeling at the moment. Now, I don't think acting on emotions is a bad thing by itself, it is just not common place for me. I am not used to it and when Fe manifests itself in such way, the emotions coming out are never ever positive ones. So the few times Fe manifested in such way, I regretted the things I say. I am more mature now and I have my ways to somewhat control Fe.


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## austinfett (Jul 30, 2016)

Weak Se... When I was younger I would get bored and resolve stress by eating junk food, playing games, not dealing/realizing anything about reality. Being the harsh introvert that I am, Fe was/is also neglected. Pure Ni-Ti will get you into trouble when you tell someone they look like "x" and then I'd wonder why they'd get offended only to realize I just insulted them in a terrible way, leaving me feeling guilty XD.

As I've gotten older, Se has become a source of energy and inspiration for my Ni. Negative Se is particularly draining though, such as an unclean house.


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## Mandarintea (Sep 11, 2017)

zosio913 said:


> From my personal experience:
> 
> *INxJs (Se):* "Gimme that stimuli!" or "Get that f***ing stimuli away from me."
> *ExTJs (Fi):* "I just realized that I feel something about this. And I don't like what I feel about it. What is this?"
> ...


ROFL! I love this. This is so true for me as an INFP. I just start telling the people closest to me why they get on my nerves, and I start saying all of the crap I've let build up in my mind that I thought was too mean to say. I don't want people thinking I'm mean. Or selfish. Or naggy. But maaaan, when that Te acts up, it all comes out! Honestly, I feel simultaneously relieved and guilty after I do it- every time. It's like puking all over the floor- you feel so much better, but it's embarrassing! hahaha

That, and when Te acts up, I begin obsessing over researching random things when I should be doing other purposeful things. I begin self-sabotaging with my time management like crazy. Not that my time management is ever great even on my best days.


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## pwowq (Aug 7, 2016)

zosio913 said:


> *IxTPs (Fe):* "Holy s*** there's people here?"


Good experience. I relate.


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## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

He forgot *ISxJs:* _''Unexpected event? It's gonna cost me my life savings isn't it? I have bills and rent to pay! What am I going to do?? Maybe my parents can help me out for a while! Maybe they'll tell me it's my problem and I'll find myself out on the streets! It's September, winter is coming soon, how am I going to survive?? Maybe subsist in that nice little park I saw, there were tons of racoons. But raccoons have rabies! I could die! Come to think of it, I do feel a bit off today. Do I already have rabies!? OMG! I need to see a doctor! But I can't afford medecine anymore!!''_


Not but seriously, you'd be surprised at how it looks like this sometimes....





And in case you wanted a contrast with Inferior Se: _''Unexpected event that I have no answer for? F*ck it! I'm gonna down this bottle of Jack, head to Vegas and blow all my life savings. Thank you, life...''_


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## Turi (May 9, 2017)

Stevester said:


> He forgot *ISxJs:* _''Unexpected event? It's gonna cost me my life savings isn't it? I have bills and rent to pay! What am I going to do?? Maybe my parents can help me out for a while! Maybe they'll tell me it's my problem and I'll find myself out on the streets! It's September, winter is coming soon, how am I going to survive?? Maybe subsist in that nice little park I saw, there were tons of racoons. But raccoons have rabies! I could die! Come to think of it, I do feel a bit off today. Do I already have rabies!? OMG! I need to see a doctor! But I can't afford medecine anymore!!''_
> 
> 
> Not but seriously, you'd be surprised at how it looks like this sometimes....
> ...


Wow, so that's _kinda _inferior Ne?
Sounds like a great basis for a comedic relief character in a TV series.


Inferior Se can also manifest a bit like.. if I get asked a question that I don't have an answer for.. then I'll say.. give me a minute.. then I'll go play my guitar and come back half an hour later and offer a solution that was already suggested by someone else while I was gone.
Or even worse, I'll come back and offer a suggestion that was made directly to me, before I walked off, that I either didn't hear, didn't notice, or wasn't paying attention to at the time.


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## DOGSOUP (Jan 29, 2016)

It manifests as avoidance to think about my inferior function.

Which only leads to more trouble :rapture:

Or I overestimate my ability to think.

Either way, pretty typical stuff.

I don't think the experience can be put into words as it exists in my head. I've had better luck explaining all sorts of vague nonsense but not the extent to which negative thinking can take over without warning signs.


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## Turi (May 9, 2017)

DOGSOUP said:


> It manifests as avoidance to think about my inferior function.
> 
> Which only leads to more trouble :rapture:
> 
> ...



My wife is an ESFJ and a lot of the times comes across as more of a thinker than me, she thinks about practical real-life stuff - what are we getting from the shops, how much money we need to earn to pay X amount of rent if we move from here etc.

I feel like as an inferior function, her Ti is likely what has her targeting people (Fe), rather than issues and problems (Ti) when she's feeling stressed out.
So rather than suggest things I could do to earn more money - like maybe look for other jobs while I'm at work, or offer places I could contact to play gigs at etc etc - actual solutions to problems - instead the focus is on me needing to earn more money, me being too lazy, me being too chilled out etc.. the negative focus is on me as a person, not the actual problems that need addressing.

I think there's an enormous difference between her inferior Ti and my tertiary Ti/Te (whatever).

Just throwing up how I as someone married to an Fe dom sees inferior Ti.
It's basically people-centric rather than problem-centric and isn't productive, imo, good for venting about people with her friends and family though - I guess this is how she relieves her stress.


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## DOGSOUP (Jan 29, 2016)

Turi said:


> I feel like as an inferior function, her Ti is likely what has her targeting people (Fe), rather than issues and problems (Ti) when she's feeling stressed out.
> So rather than suggest things I could do to earn more money - like maybe look for other jobs while I'm at work, or offer places I could contact to play gigs at etc etc - actual solutions to problems - instead the focus is on me needing to earn more money, me being too lazy, me being too chilled out etc.. the negative focus is on me as a person, not the actual problems that need addressing.


I'm sorry to hear that, it can't be easy to be at the receiving end of it. But it does sound fairly typical.

Another problem is, even if we develop thinking, it's usually only good for a limited amount of things. I'm friends with an ESFJ and feel like both of us have a special area in our studies/interests where we are able to "fool" people into thinking we have good Ti but it really doesn't cover for the real thing, and in conflict situations you really see how weak it actually is (with all the fallacious "logic" with accusatory tone). 

It's an attempt at being a Ti dominant, just that we won't have that approach consistently on everything, nor is our logic based on anything reasonably defined, really.


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## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

Turi said:


> My wife is an ESFJ and a lot of the times comes across as more of a thinker than me, she thinks about practical real-life stuff - what are we getting from the shops, how much money we need to earn to pay X amount of rent if we move from here etc.


That's very common in SJ types, it's Si meticulousness, covering all the bases and details. Ti only wants to focus on whatpeaks it's interest, which is rarely the case for bills etc. If she were STJ she'd probably just take care of those things and not even mention them to you. But SFJ will say _''*We* need to think about this...''_

If you wanna see her Inferior Ti, piss her off and watch her scream out loud a ''scientific'' list of reasons why you're a terrible husband ^_^


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## Turi (May 9, 2017)

Stevester said:


> That's very common in SJ types, it's Si meticulousness, covering all the bases and details. Ti only wants to focus on whatpeaks it's interest, which is rarely the case for bills etc. If she were STJ she'd probably just take care of those things and not even mention them to you. But SFJ will say _''*We* need to think about this...''_
> 
> If you wanna see her Inferior Ti, piss her off and watch her scream out loud a ''scientific'' list of reasons why you're a terrible husband ^_^


Haha, yeah, you're deadly accurate.

The things she thinks about are never on my mind, but if she wasn't thinking about them I mean.. what the hell would I ever get done.. nothing..

I legitimately forget about bills and saving for registration etc. Not good.

If I handled all our finances we would be massively in debt and I'd probably wind up suicidal as I'd be the shittest husband and father ever.

I have no idea what I would do if she wasn't keeping tabs on "real life".

I understand "J" types in general are supposed to have a handle on things but mate, inferior Se would (and had in the past on multiple occasions) cause me to impulse by things I can't really afford and don't really need.

Inferior Se is probably what made me swap from Psychology to Law with a split-second "decision" that there is no career in my town for psychology so, Law it is.

Terrible decision.
Fucking.. terrible decision.


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## Paradigm (Feb 16, 2010)

So... Apparently, Se is the "over-indulgence" (inferior) function. I'm confused why that's so, because so many Americans/people will stress eat or other similar things. I see this as more of an Si trait (though not limited to), because stress eating (so I've heard) brings back happy memories and apparently releases dopamine in the brain. This is why I don't really relate to Se-inferior as being "over-indulgence," and kind of doubt the validity of it.

The impulsivity reminds me more of inferior-Ne, too, though I've very much been in the middle of ISxJ freak outs over possibilities, so I know that's definitely true, too. Again, given the amount of Americans who "stress shop," as one example, how can something like that be correlated _specifically_ to Se-inferior, which isn't supposed to be very common?

I tend to shut Se out when stressed: I don't interact with anyone, I'm very scared to do _anything_ physical in front of people, I ignore my body besides the bear minimum. I become more sensitive to my surroundings and try to shut stimuli out in response. I have a book somewhere around here that I actually did relate to its inferior-Se description, last I remember; I'll try digging it up tomorrow.


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## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

Paradigm said:


> So... Apparently, Se is the "over-indulgence" (inferior) function. I'm confused why that's so, because so many Americans/people will stress eat or other similar things. I see this as more of an Si trait (though not limited to), because stress eating (so I've heard) brings back happy memories and apparently releases dopamine in the brain. This is why I don't really relate to Se-inferior as being "over-indulgence," and kind of doubt the validity of it.
> 
> The impulsivity reminds me more of inferior-Ne, too, though I've very much been in the middle of ISxJ freak outs over possibilities, so I know that's definitely true, too. Again, given the amount of Americans who "stress shop," as one example, how can something like that be correlated _specifically_ to Se-inferior, which isn't supposed to be very common?
> 
> I tend to shut Se out when stressed: I don't interact with anyone, I'm very scared to do _anything_ physical in front of people, I ignore my body besides the bear minimum. I become more sensitive to my surroundings and try to shut stimuli out in response. I have a book somewhere around here that I actually did relate to its inferior-Se description, last I remember; I'll try digging it up tomorrow.


Yes, I agree.

People love to use the _''Inferior functions take control over you and you become a monster version of them''_ theory. Which is somewhat true, but definitely not as extreme or cartoonish as people make it out to be. For instance INxJ under stress falls into a dowward spiral of drugs, alcohol and promiscuous sex with multiple stranger. It sounds like a cool theory on paper, would make for a nice movie, but I doubt it really happens like that. If anything what I just described is MUCH more likely amongst unhealthy SPs. That's why I'm really tired of every musician being typed as INxJ over at the_ ''guess the type''_ forum and then people explaining that the drug/sex abuse of said musician is Inferior Se. No, it's probably because they are actually creative SPs, but SPs nonetheless, so in self-respecting musician fashion, they show piss poor impulse control in their personal lives. It's not as cool an explanation as the former but probably one that's much more likely. 

I think Inferior functions is simply you unable to tap into that function in any productive way. Hence ISxJ imagining a million worst-case scenarios. It's just broken Ne that becomes useless so it simply tells you a multitude of ways how much your life will suck. It doesn't start to experiment with all sorts of crazy ideas and going thorugh an indentity crisis, that's what unhealthy NPs do, not ISxJs under stress.


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## Paradigm (Feb 16, 2010)

@Stevester 

Yeah, mostly agree with you. And your post made me reconsider a bit: indulgence seems Si, impulsivity seems Se (not Ne). 

It makes me think (even moreso than I did previously) that many INxJs probably... aren't. I tend to think there's a lot of T-doms who type at N-doms around here. SJs and SPs, especially the extroverted ones, are under-represented and often even ignored as a possibility. But FWIW I include myself in that "may be mistyped" category, as I'm always reconsidering ISFP for myself.

I can't find the book I referenced wanting to find (still trying, though!), so I guess I'll do the closest thing and quote Socionics. I know it's not MBTI, and I think it does get some other things wrong, but I think it's an apt description for Se-inferior:


> Extraverted Sensing
> *ILIs are often characterized by their inertia. If left to their own devices, they may choose to do relatively little to interact with the outside world. *When they do interact, they often find their activities empty and unsatisfying. To ILIs, life is characterized by periods of stimulation. *True stimulation is spontaneous, and the intervals between periods of stimulation are often characterized by tedium, inertia, and apathy.* ILIs are not very adept at finding new areas of interest, and may seek to continue to reproduce past experiences instead of moving on to new things. In order to break out of this cycle, ILIs require an active, external, spontaneous stimulus. *This spontaneity allows the ILI to discover new experiences and escape from the confines of his own mind.*
> 
> ILIs are also very indecisive. They may lack the ability to make important decisions, especially regarding their own future. *ILIs do not always know what they want out of life and may have difficulty setting or achieving long term goals. In order to act, the ILI needs a clear, tangible signal* from somebody who is well grounded in external reality and knows exactly what must be done in a certain situation.


The biggest way I can see this not fitting is if an INxJ is unusually ambitious (such as enneagram 1 or 3), which is possible.


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