# Neophobe or Neophile? Which are you?



## OrangeAppled (Jun 26, 2009)

Neophile is not to be confused with necrophilia 

Neophile: A person with a strong affinity for novelty. In a milder form, it is a person who has a tendency to become bored quickly with old things and seeks novelty for its own sake. There is a distaste for tradition, repetition, and routine. In an extreme form, this preference can border on obsession and become destructive. 

Neophobe: A person with a fear of new things or experiences. In a milder form, it can manifest as the unwillingness to try new things or to break from routine. There is a fear of the unknown and a preference for the comfort and stability of what is familiar. As an extreme, it is a persistent and abnormal fear of anything new, which can be rigid and stunting.

Most people are not at either extreme, of course, but if you HAD to put yourself in one category, which do you lean towards? I'm throwing in temperaments just to make it fun, but I've grouped them NJ & NP instead of the Keirsey way.


----------



## heartturnedtoporcelain (Apr 9, 2010)

I'm very neophilic but within certain parameters. These parameters are defined by social anxiety/generalized anxiety and self-doubt.

Otherwise, I crave novelty. I _love_ learning new things and going new places.


----------



## The Exception (Oct 26, 2010)

Neophile: A person with a strong affinity for novelty. In a milder form, it is a person who has a tendency to become bored quickly with old things and seeks novelty for its own sake. There is a distaste for tradition, repetition, and routine. In an extreme form, this preference can border on obsession and become destructive. 

Neophobe: A person with a fear of new things or experiences. In a milder form, it can manifest as the unwillingness to try new things or to break from routine. There is a fear of the unknown and a preference for the comfort and stability of what is familiar. As an extreme, it is a persistent and abnormal fear of anything new, which can be rigid and stunting.


I would say I have a moderate preference towards neophile. I like new experiences and novelty but I don't need to have it all the time. I'm not a neophobe because I don't fear new things or experiences.


----------



## Seeker99 (Jan 13, 2010)

Leaning ever so slightly toward neophobe.


----------



## The Unseen (Oct 26, 2010)

I can be both, it just depends on the circumstances.


----------



## teddy564339 (Jun 23, 2010)

Overall I'm a neophobe, but so much of it depends on exactly what you're talking about.

In general, I would definitely suspect ISJ's to be neophobes because of our dominant Si, and ENP's to be neophiles due to their dominant Ne. ESP's are probably also more akin to being neophiles because of their dominant Se. But like always with things like this, that's just speaking generally.


----------



## Linus (Apr 27, 2010)

I need my newness or I go completely bonkers
Restlessness, melancholia, etc...

I find it's nice when I'm doing something new in a familiar place, or a familiar activity with a new material/technique that kind of thing. Only once in a while do I go new all the way-- I can feel uneasy, but mostly depends on environment or time constraints. I think this part is caused by my introversion


----------



## geGamedev (Nov 26, 2009)

I get bored quickly and love new ideas/etc but prefer to expose myself to new things gradually. Sudden change makes me a bit uncomfortable. I like to know where I'm headed so I can adapt beforehand.


----------



## Vaka (Feb 26, 2010)

> Neophile: A person with a strong affinity for novelty. In a milder form, it is a person who has a tendency to become bored quickly with old things and seeks novelty for its own sake. There is a distaste for tradition, repetition, and routine. In an extreme form, this preference can border on obsession and become destructive.


I'm pretty sure I'm a neophile...
I'm not really sure who likes repetition, though. Repetition merely drives me ape shit. I've always had a desire to find new ways of doing things...I'm not sure if that's borderline destructive or not. And I really don't like routine or tradition. It's not that they're just 'boring', but a lot of this leads back to how I learn...by free exploration.


----------



## Oleas (Jul 22, 2010)

Ah shoot, I'm so stupid, I clicked on Neophobe when I meant Neophile. Shoot.


----------



## 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 (Nov 22, 2009)

A have traits of both... N and J conflict. I am more Neophobic in my personal life, but Neophilic in wider respects. Heck, I'm a transhumanist.

Neophile: A person with a strong affinity for novelty. In a milder form, it is a person who has a tendency to become bored quickly with old things and seeks novelty for its own sake. *There is a distaste for tradition, repetition, and routine.* In an extreme form, this preference can border on obsession and become destructive.

Neophobe: A person with a fear of new things or experiences. In a milder form, it can manifest as the *unwillingness to try new things or to break from routine*. There is a fear of the unknown and *a preference for the comfort and stability of what is familiar*. As an extreme, it is a persistent and abnormal fear of anything new, which can be rigid and stunting.


----------



## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

Neophile, but not exactly extreme. :happy:


----------



## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

NT-NP Neophile


----------



## Miss Keks (Nov 7, 2010)

3pnt1415926535897932384 said:


> A have traits of both... N and J conflict.


That's with me, too. Though I voted neophile.

It depends really on the subject if I'm neophobic or neophile. Like with computer software I'm pretty neophile, I love it to try out every single new Ubuntu Linux system or other new versions of software. Like that I love new shiny glittering overwhelmingly interesting things like new fashion things or cool furniture, movies etc.

But on the other side I'm pretty neophile when it comes to social things, new hardware, new/altered governmental systems and all the things I don't like to think about. Also I like routine stuff at work and am critical to new systems/software or when I have to exchange teams for a while I don't feel good with.


----------



## Darner (Apr 20, 2010)

Hardcore neophobe.


----------



## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

Neophile-SP. Obviously.


----------



## lib (Sep 18, 2010)

I'd go for the necrophilia. It gives me a hard on.:tongue:

I like the main character in the Matrix trilogy played by Keanu Reeves - does that make me Neophile?


----------



## Maverick45 (Dec 30, 2010)

Neophile for sure. Im bored. Later.


----------



## devoid (Jan 3, 2011)

I enjoy being on a routine as much as most people, maybe more, but I really can't stand to do the same thing every day. I really crave new knowledge, new perspective, new achievements, etc. and it's starting to seep into other things like my physical appearance (I can't seem to make up my mind about my hair - it's gone from halfway down my back to dreadlocks to pixie cut, grew all the way back to my shoulders, then cut it to a bob). I think I have a pretty healthy take on it though; I don't go totally nuts and need new stuff every week or whatever, just new interests.


----------



## Zdorobot (Dec 19, 2010)

I'm a total neophile. New things are great. Change usually doesn't faze me.

I voted incorrectly. I clicked on the first option with NP that I saw, but it was also the wrong one. Oops.


----------

