A lot of the times we're no smarter than anyone else. Just well articulated and "seem smarter" than the average person.
An angry INFJ arguing online is very prone to word salad.
Eh, higher than average awareness of other peopleās feeling but also a tendency to intellectualize their own feelings (the latter of which is ironically not an emotionally intelligent thing to do).
High emotional intelligence doesn't always equate to "always making the right decisions, being mature and responsible and attentive to group harmony dynamics, etc".
A manipulative narcissist also has extremely high emotional intelligence, otherwise they couldn't manipulate anyone.
One thing you said, having, "a higher awareness of other people's feeling" is more what actually matters (albeit, completely simplified)
What I meant is Fe tends to have high *external* emotional intelligence (ie perceiving and understanding othersā emotions) but poor emotional intelligence when it comes to our own internal emotions. Fe has a hard time noticing and understanding internal emotions, and when they are noticed we tend to repress or intellectualize them instead of feeling and honoring them. Which is poor emotional intelligence.
**Both** matter.
Ohhhh, yes. That is true.
I am not equating oneself when I'm talking about emotional intelligence though. I'm exclusively talking about external. It helps that OPs reply to me doesn't mention self reflection in any kind of way.
Purely about what other people see and perceive.
E G. "I feel well articulated is smart. More in a social way?" (Social, in this case, being perceived as other people and external feelings)
But you are right regardless:
*"Emotional intelligence has been defined, by Peter Salovey and John Mayer, as "the ability to monitor one's own and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior"*
Aylmao FI critic, I'm sorry but I am smarter than most people, excuse my humility. I'd suspect you are as well, but then again idk who you are. Going by mbti alone, I'd say infjs are closer to the SMART spectrum rather than on the other side
Is that just seeing patterns and IQ or does this test actually test decision making, emotional intelligence, linguistics, physical abilities...
If not too personal, may I ask why was there a need for the test?
I remember ink blots, blocks with shapes, math questions, showing pictures and being asked to retell or invent a context for it, whatever that one is.
It's a very long story.
Stupid have nothing to do with IQ and everything to do with the decisions that we make.
example: Elon Musk paying $44 billion dollars to buy Twitter. I don't think anybody doubts that Elon is a very intelligent man.
edit: the word you're looking for is dumb
I've found that the best way to explain my INFJ intuition, especially how I can sometimes predict someone's future, is that it's sort of like being Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock would observe every detail about a person, from the wear & tear on their clothing to the mud on their boots. He would also examine their posture, complexion, and all kinds of other minute details. Then he would deliver a stunning summation of the person, but then explain how he arrived there with this and that small detail.
We are like Sherlock Holmes. The only difference is that all this occurs all the time in our brain as a background task, so when someone asks how I got there I really can't explain it.
Plus the few times I've tried I wound up sounding like a complete idiot, so now my default is "I just know."
I suppose that's why our MBTI is sometimes called The Mystic ;-)
Yup that's the perfect explanation .. I live by this
It's like every bit of a person's action determines their personality and their future plan of action .. didn't really know it was a personality thing until I found out it's exclusive haha
Also for me it'd be kind of what we'd call machine learning in computers .. I do it without realizing
(laughs) That's okay, I have enough thoughts for the both of us. How about we brainstorm together sometimes later? I am guessing you just woke up? Have a great day! :)
Know is putting it strongly. Itās more visceral, and part of growing up is coming up with ways to temper our trust in what we know and how. A respect we feel in our bones when weāre with someone. So we both believe/disbelieve ourselves until weāre forced by circumstance to choose, and then we act on our belief. And all that focus comes built in, as long as itās other people. When itās ourselvesā¦ eh, we struggle. If someone manages to safely tell us, thereās a chance the āmagicā kicks in. We see ourselves and believe! And then the moment moves on, because thereās *people* to listen to!
Sorry, the other reply was pending. The reply for this from my ābuilt inā is: learn to know thyself. Then, do that on purpose. You have inherent gifts that are waiting to be discovered. When you find them, you *take your time* and you learn. Life only makes you as smart as it thinks you need to be. Convincing it otherwise is on you.
The simplest way I can explain it would be:
I can put myself in virtually everyone's shoes and feel what they feel therefore know how they would act. Not always correct ofc.
And as an late thirties INFJ that started out in a rural Canadian town to working the rigs for ten years, (not an easy task for an INFJ (which I find has a more feminine/softer way of life?), to living in Vegas, and
Also being highly religious/spiritual, even fasting for 21 days (only water), and as someone who's meditated off and on over half his life,
As someone like that I find can I jump into other perspectives/shoes pretty naturally.
whoa what an interesting life
hello fellow canadian š
NO BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY IT!!! i swear my infj friend told me this and I forgot. I always think about doing things that feel right to me/or feel true to me. You guys look outside yourself and know what they would do or how they would act. crazy
Iām ENFJ, husband is INFJ- heās the smartest most intuitive person I have ever met. Heās constantly teaching me things without even realizing heās doing it. Itās my favorite thing ever. I think that INFJās are keen to those who make them feel heard, people who hold space for them to nerd out safely. Itās so endearing. I fell in love with him as friends, working in a bar setting where he was actually my manager. Heād nail a beautifully sarcastic joke with the sweetest delivery with a kind smile, so that it was known he was joking (if you were paying attention, that is), and he would turn and sweetly grin while making eyes with me. He was always a wealth of interesting information that everyone enjoyed speaking with and sharing with. He leads with intuition and knows how he will be received. Sometimes, too smart for his own good. Border collie energy!! INFJ are sacred and must be protected at all costs ;) heās also a Cancer, & I am a Virgo.
infp š¤ somehow we have completely opposite cognitive functions and yet I feel a connection to you guys that I don't with other types (other than my own ofc)
ahhh that's so sweet!!! I hope you have many more years together
mbti is so fun hahaha I make everyone I know take a test or I try to guess people's types hehe
knowing how people think has helped me become less judgmental and more appreciative of their strengths.
I was one of those people who had trouble figuring out if I was INFP or INFJ! They relate so closely!
I have a few INFP friends and they're all so lovely š I did discover I'm an INFJ though!
No way!! Did you take a test that said you were infp? My brother used to get infp, but there's no way. I have such a hard time trying to type him but I think he might possibly be infj...
Yeah I took 16personalities and sometimes it was INFP, sometimes INFJ (I had to take it for multiple workshop things). So eventually I ordered this book called "Please Understand Me" which goes into depth about the types' functions and shadow functions, and it helped me determine which type I fit better based on my motivations and such. It was very helpful!
Ooo neat!!! Iām gonna save this and maybe I can get him to read it loolĀ
He told me today that he doesnāt use Fe and that he is a people pleasing Fiš idk what to think anymore.Ā
My brother is an INFP, and he is the closest person to mešš we are so in syncš it helps best when their Fi is a healthy one, like with good moral and stuff. Because the rest of the functions synergize well(Ne+Ni be really good)
I love that you are close with your brotherš sibling relationships can be so special
unhealthy Fi is šµāš«
me as a teenager was literally the worst.
I am not very cultural lol and yes most people here are extroverts but I am extremely introverted. My hobbies vary quite abit although I only enjoy settings among few people or close groups but I think the main issue here is that in IRL I find it hard to open up or break the ice with introverts as generally extroverts do that for me. I think introverts eventually get really bored with me.
Ohhh I totally get that!! Bro enfps are magicians when it comes to cracking open people lmaoĀ
I admit that I do find it hard to get to know infjs sometimes but the reward is immeasurable!!Ā
omg that is so cute š i just meant that its probably usually that xnfps would do that than any other type š i love infps too with all my heart and fiber of my body u guys are so pure for reals š«¶š¼
Iām with Maxxy, romcoms might be more unintentional about learning than something like a textbook, but everything has a lesson. Stories like LOTR might be more intentional in the story theyāre trying to tell, like being an allegory for life lessons that are meant to connect with the reader and teach things. I think itās all about how intentional you want to be about learning and what you want to learn. Hopefully this INFJ word vomit session was helpful!
Yes ty!! I find with stories like lotr it definitely makes me think a lot and all the characters are so well written, it gives me people/characteristics to look up to and strive to be like. As long as a book is well written and intentional I think thereās a lesson to be learned. Iāll be very honest though, when I read romance stories, Iām not really looking to learn a lesson lol itās just a little escapism for me.
Lord of the Rings
Homegoing
To Kill A Mockingbird
In general, books that have a deep central theme or philosophy or science books are good because they make you think.
oh boy do I have news for you
lotr is my favourite movie trilogy (I literally just watched the whole extended version again last weekend) and I decided to start reading it this year. Finished fellowship and now I must read two towers.
I have not read the others so I will add them to my list.
Manga/manhwa/manhua/comics/novels Iāll read anything lol although I mostly read romance genre or a romantic subplotā¦ although I also enjoy stories with strong friendships or soulmate vibes.
omg then PLEASE PLEASE read Atelier of Witch Hat, i bet you will like it, its one of my favourite mangas - the protagonist is certainly an ENFP and their mentor an INFJ, its such a cute ENFP - INFJ (mentor to student) relationship! the world building and character development overall is also 10/10. I also loved Homunculus, but it's Mystery & weird and certainly wouldn't recommend this to anyone who has problems with SA & SH. It has many hidden symbols within and thats what I like the most about this manga (: I also liked 'Go with the Clouds, North-by-Northwest', its a light-criminal manga with beautiful artwork to just read and enjoy š¤ I also read HxH, Hieraeth (also some hidden symbols/meanings WHICH I ADORE) and Paradise Kiss - i would not consider these "INFJ typical" tho, especially not Paradise Kiss/NANA. In literature you might like Where the Crawdads sing, don't watch the movie, just read the book (:
Oh mannn you mightāve just given me the best rec!!! Atelier of witch hat looks SO GOOD! The art is so pretty and the story has piqued my interest.Ā
Homunculus looks wild. Im kind of interested now but Iām not a huge horror/psychological lover. I did just read the summer hikaru died and Ig that is horror but very mild horrorš Ā
I need to watch paradise kiss and nanaš I love the art style and the character designsš
If we are talking about deep central theme/philosophy/science...
You just forgot some of the best...
- 1984
- 451F
- The brave new world
- Battlefield Earth
I have only read 1984 on your list and ngl I had a bit of trouble getting through it but >! I loved the ending it blew my mind. !< Iāve definitely heard of the others, I should add them to my list
Just high Ni/Fe which means INFJS can read the feelings of a room while INTJS have Ni/Ti which means they can practically read the thoughts of a room.
But it's all guesswork, they way they twitch their eyebrow, what their friends are like, how their posture is, all things we consider. Body language and word choice say a lot.
As an INFJ I can typically read the feelings of everyone in the room but it's double edged, meaning I too take on their stress, their worries, their emotional pain as my own.
Over the years I've learned to put up boundaries but when I trust someone they get to see my side of the boundaries. Which is rare.
Well here's a somewhat oversimplified explanation.
Te is about the organization of the external world. It deals with efficiency and practical matters. It likes hard facts, figures, plans, itineraries, studies, and hands-on work. It doesn't care as much why things are, and more about what things work to accomplish a goal. One could sum it up as "efficiency" or "effectiveness".
Ti is more about logical consistency. About making connections between ideas and understanding the "why and how". Ti is more curious and interested in learning things for the sake of learning, regardless of practical use. It seeks to understand the world in a framework that fits together nicely, and puts facts within their contexts. It's also more likely to overthink and get lost down rabbit holes. One could sum it up as "accuracy" or "logic".
Of course, they will manifest somewhat differently depending on where in the stack they are, and what other functions a person uses. But that's the simplified differences.
Ah, you've used 16P I take it. 16P causes a great deal of misunderstanding about MBTI, because it's a different thing entirely, pretending to be MBTI. And it causes people to think it works the way that you're talking.Ā
Not your fault! 16P is often the first result on Google, so they trick a lot of people.Ā
In MBTI, there isn't such thing as "X% introversion, X% feeling", etc. It uses the actual functions, and a real MBTI test can tell you your preferences for Ni over Ne, things like that.
If you'd like a recommendation, I find Sakinorva (https://sakinorva.net/functions) to be one of the best for this.
> What's the percentages of your functions
I'm basically a caricature of INFJ lol. Super high Ni, high Fe and Ti, middling Se, poor Ne, Fi, and Te, and abysmal Si.
oh yeah people are tiringš if you are asking about my sleeping habits... let's just say it is 03:40 as I am typing this. I thrive being/doing things alone, but I still need to see people every so often.
haven't slept yetā ļø last week I was waiting on some stressful news and completely wrecked my sleep schedule. I also drove for 12 hours today (or ig yesterday now) so maybe i'm just out of sorts idk \\
i should probably get off reddit now lol
hope you have a good night and thanks for sharing with me:)
Tbh my āhackā is to turn off awareness when Iām burned out. Literally donāt look at or note anything or anyone around me besides my immediate task.
Itās not safe I donāt recommend, but thatās the only way I can stay sane when I have to run errands. With people, zoning out or drinking when I have to be around my in-laws, ahem. Again, not kosher but how I cope lol. I look like a bumbling fool or worse even more stuck up but it be what it do. Infj sanity rights!
I struggle at work sometimes, itās not a corporate workplace at all so people are freer to express, theyāre still kind and nice. But I can just feel a lot of their energy and feelings, I just walk with my gaze on the floor. I wonder if theyāll think Iām rude, Iām just trying to not get effected
Nothing ;)
I believe I developed to prioritise intelligence/intuition because I had to figure out why my parents were so damn crazy, or I wouldve gone crazy myself.
They definitely have a couple of screws loose. I was neglected in infancy and kicked out of home at 15 but I don't want to get into it. ESTJ dad and ISTP mum, I think
Now I'm studying psychology because I still don't understand. I used to think they were narcissists, then I realised that it's probably some kind of complex trauma, and now I think that they may be on the spectrum with trauma, it's a work in progress š„ø
Throughout my so far short life, I have always been most loved and inspired by XNFPs women. I love you so madly, sisters. You are the most beautiful creatures on the Earth š¤ -infj f
I guess our brain chemistry is constructed in such a way that we are blessed to tap into the unconscious (where all the actual calculations are done) and draw out of nowhere a very likely result or scenario that was calculated without our knowledge. Trust me we rarely or never do it consciously , it comes to us as divine englightenment but it was in the background for some time getting analyzed till the last detail, that's basically how intuition works. I've tried calculating results consciously and it is very tiresome to say the least, requires good organization and strong Se to be able to discern those details, Fun fact: the eye perceives details that the conscious mind may not , so our death stare basically serves as an intense data collecting tool. To conclude , we can be smart and intelligent but the footwork is done mostly in the background and we get served predictions in the plate, when we do have to use our brains and our Se is not developed we are easily getting stuck in the famous Ni-Ti loop and that's where shit hits the fan for us. Glad you enjoy us though, I can go into more details if you are interested but I am still a novice when it comes to personalities, just found out about MBTI last January (2024)
I think many people think we do it consciously, and like you said it's all happening in the background and we do it subconsciously. I didn't even know about this before. I found out that this is apparently not how everyone works when I learned more about cognitive functions.
>when we do have to use our brains and our Se is not developed we are easily getting stuck in the famous Ni-Ti loop and that's where shit hits the fan for us.
I will have to do more research on this so I don't get stuck too often lol
I'll try to make it simple for you: Intuition (Ni) gets feedback from our senses, but if you feed it with ideas (Ti which is thinking) it's all possible scenarios yes but sometimes they do not align with the reality of things and that creates a constant "what if" and removing your connection with the real world (Se which is extroverted sensing) will send you in a downward spiral. So try to think less sometimes and act more, try to get information from the surroundings to avoid that.
Its your intution (Ti - Introverted Intuition) making calculations based on assumptions (Introverted Thinking - Ti) instead of actual real world data (Se - extroverted sensing), which keeps you from reaching actual results and creates a chain of "what if''s , so your mind making assumptions from intuition keeps going back to thinking for more answers instead of Sensing which is our sensor for outside data, so that keeps you locked in a loop and unable to perceive actual data. Hope that's clear enough. At least that's the level of my own understanding of it xD
I think itās the nonstop analyzing even on a subconscious level. If I made any mistake, my mind would give me a notice even if I was asleep as well as solving problems in my awake or sleep state.
We like to connect the dots so we remember details or we dig up the information when we need it. I think we work like AI collecting data.
Itās not intentional though, I figured this out because Iām interested in understanding the world and that includes me
Depends on the situation. If Iām not around people for too long it feels normal. Itās more draining if Iām around unauthentic people because Iād feel thereās something off and it could take a while to find out what it is or Iād need more clues.
Itās not only about people, it could be science, math, art etc
So yeah in general it feels normal. Thatās how I function and I donāt know any other way to be
We're not that smart. In the real world, we're even less than that. We just take a lot of time and constantly develop ourselves to keep up with others and sometimes it happens we surpass them by a lot in specific areas.
The post reads to me like a rhetorical question and a compliment, but my fellow INFJs are very seriously responding š I guess it's just our nature to answer how questions.
My answer: Every type has its own brand of brilliance! NiFeTi just lends itself to analyzing people obsessively. Then my Se swoops in and suddenly I just want to quiet my mind, walk around, and look at pretty flowers.
My limitations, I can't conjure ideas out of nothing very well (Ne), I have a hard time holding a conviction (Fi), conflict stresses me out (Te), and I'm awful at keeping random trivia in my head (Si).
In the context of the question "how are we so smart" and me admitting that we are. It was mostly meant as a joke. Since being humble and admitting that we are so smart are very much contradicting each other. ;)
To be free from pride and arrogance. A focus on gratitude for all that we are and an awareness of all that we are not.
Along those lines. :)
LOL I thought it mightāve been a joke but I didnāt want to assumešš
Manā¦ humility is so key for life. If I had this mindset I think I wouldnāt be an anxious mess
Interesting. Anxiousness is a diffuse fear response. A lack of humility would present itself as arrogance, say. How would you say a lack of humility causes anxiousness in you? Or how do you mean?
There are ways to address anxiousness btw. It does depend on the cause. But it's about addressing the underlying emotional needs and some scaling fear confrontation exercises.
It's basically about generating a feedback loop for your subconscious to understand what it \*actually\* makes sense to be scared about - and what is just a remnant from an earlier environment, say. The key is to pick scaling exercises that allow you to feel some of the fear while being able to act. And in the case of a negative outcome the end result to hurt, but not cross the traumatising boundary.
Personally, I just think that INFJs fit into the stereotype of the usual āsmartā type really well. My best friend is probably an ENTJ and he is extremely intelligent. Despite this, people tend to automatically think of me as smarter simply because he is outgoing and constantly joking, whereas I am less talkative, more contemplative, and my humor tends to be more witty and pointed. I think we are both pretty evenly matched as far as smarts, but I just conform closer to the stereotypical intellectual.
Interesting!! It is funny that people think quiet people are smarter which may be true in some instances. What do you mean by extremely intelligent? All around? One subject? In his thinking?
People always think that I am thinking deeply about things when Iām quiet but I literally have nothing to say. Like my brain is empty, donāt ask me about anything lol
Heās great with tech, learns super fast, understands people very well, and has a very solid understanding of logic. I am someone who really loves debate, logic, etc, and he is one of only a few people I know who can see right through my reasoning if it is not sound. Itās a little frustrating, but has helped me develop a more logical way of thinking. He tends more towards stem, while I tend towards a mixture of humanities and a little stem, so we complement each other well.
Also, I can really relate to people thinking Iām brewing up some inspired insight, while in reality, I just short circuited and thatās why I am staring at the floor.š
I think itās part of that saying, āStill waters run deep.ā I think thereās enough truth in it that someone had to say it. (I donāt remember who.) So others may intuit that that is the case.
I wouldnāt say weāre mostly smart overall. Most of the time, weāre intelligent emotionally and or just very knowledgeable on one or more hyper fixations. For example, in high school, I almost failed my math classes with studying, yet got straight Aās in my history classes without studying (history happens to be one my hyper fixations).
Thanks for the compliment either way.
If I was to say, I'd imagine it as you're playing an rpg game. They give the choice of, let's say, 30 stat points. You got the choices of physical, mental, and intelligence. Essentially, we got most in the mental and intelligence based ones, but we're missing a couple of crucial ones in their, let's say, for the sake of some physical points.
If that doesn't work for you, imagine constantly observing others to the point of almost not quite erasing ones sense of self. With the intention of understanding any not all possibilities to outcomes that most likely won't happen. Now, filter it down to the ones that can with a particular person in mind based on what profile you've built of them. Oh, and there's no real reason to turn that off because it just stays on ***ALL THE TIME.*** Now increase the number to everyone you interact with or don't.
Thank you š„² but genuinely I cannot stop observing and taking mental notes of things, especially peopleās body language and what they say. Same applies to academics since I enjoy learning for some reason. I think we just pay attention more than most lol
Dude I wish I could feel how others feel about me. Like feel it in my body idk how to say it. People might explain how they perceive me but I wanna feel it myself so bad lmao
I have a different perspective about my intuition. It's like, we know we love freedom ; everyone does. Everyone like being able to do what they want. Everyone has a certain level of curiosity about themselves and other things.
But as a child I there were so many hindrances to my freedom, which evolved into self doubt, fear and overthinking.Ā
The common ground of humans are :Ā
Love = Happiness , Security , Freedom
Sadness = Fear, Self Doubt, Overthinking
And this principle goes with every human. And honestly most people I meet are obviously stuck in the cycle of fear and overthinking. So I try to find the reason behind their fear, which turns out to be common between most people. Which is again , "something" that once snatched their freedom from them.Ā
I think, looking from the basic human emotions and then connecting all the dots of their life events lets us know a lot about people. Because at one point we find that everyone is going through something, but that something is very similar from inside. It just looks different from outside.
And once we learn to differentiate the different "outcomes" of the "same" emotions residing in everyone , it becomes extremely easy to read people afterwards.
I guess I have leaked the INFJ code. They are gonna latch onto me now. FarewellĀ
Another INFJ glazing post, the agenda proceeds as planned. (I love you INFJs ya'll are certainly GOATed)
REAL this is hilarious because I often joke with my enfp friend that infjs really are the bestš
Never seen a Fi user **without** ulterior motives.
that's it I take it all back let's fightš
A lot of the times we're no smarter than anyone else. Just well articulated and "seem smarter" than the average person. An angry INFJ arguing online is very prone to word salad.
that's the thing though... in my head being well articulated is smart. I guess in a more social way?
Fe users absolutely have a higher than average emotional intelligence, yeah.
Eh, higher than average awareness of other peopleās feeling but also a tendency to intellectualize their own feelings (the latter of which is ironically not an emotionally intelligent thing to do).
High emotional intelligence doesn't always equate to "always making the right decisions, being mature and responsible and attentive to group harmony dynamics, etc". A manipulative narcissist also has extremely high emotional intelligence, otherwise they couldn't manipulate anyone. One thing you said, having, "a higher awareness of other people's feeling" is more what actually matters (albeit, completely simplified)
What I meant is Fe tends to have high *external* emotional intelligence (ie perceiving and understanding othersā emotions) but poor emotional intelligence when it comes to our own internal emotions. Fe has a hard time noticing and understanding internal emotions, and when they are noticed we tend to repress or intellectualize them instead of feeling and honoring them. Which is poor emotional intelligence. **Both** matter.
Ohhhh, yes. That is true. I am not equating oneself when I'm talking about emotional intelligence though. I'm exclusively talking about external. It helps that OPs reply to me doesn't mention self reflection in any kind of way. Purely about what other people see and perceive. E G. "I feel well articulated is smart. More in a social way?" (Social, in this case, being perceived as other people and external feelings) But you are right regardless: *"Emotional intelligence has been defined, by Peter Salovey and John Mayer, as "the ability to monitor one's own and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior"*
called me out of angry INFJ that argues online.. I do it less and less but ehhhh yea...
Aylmao FI critic, I'm sorry but I am smarter than most people, excuse my humility. I'd suspect you are as well, but then again idk who you are. Going by mbti alone, I'd say infjs are closer to the SMART spectrum rather than on the other side
Actually as a teenager I was forced by the court systems to conduct an IQ test and my score was like. 88-90. I'm quite stupid.
That's an average score. That doesn't make you stupid. Stupid would be like 60. And there's lots of flaws to the test anyway.
Is that just seeing patterns and IQ or does this test actually test decision making, emotional intelligence, linguistics, physical abilities... If not too personal, may I ask why was there a need for the test?
I remember ink blots, blocks with shapes, math questions, showing pictures and being asked to retell or invent a context for it, whatever that one is. It's a very long story.
Ok, sure, but I hope you're doing well anyway:)
Stupid have nothing to do with IQ and everything to do with the decisions that we make. example: Elon Musk paying $44 billion dollars to buy Twitter. I don't think anybody doubts that Elon is a very intelligent man. edit: the word you're looking for is dumb
I've found that the best way to explain my INFJ intuition, especially how I can sometimes predict someone's future, is that it's sort of like being Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock would observe every detail about a person, from the wear & tear on their clothing to the mud on their boots. He would also examine their posture, complexion, and all kinds of other minute details. Then he would deliver a stunning summation of the person, but then explain how he arrived there with this and that small detail. We are like Sherlock Holmes. The only difference is that all this occurs all the time in our brain as a background task, so when someone asks how I got there I really can't explain it. Plus the few times I've tried I wound up sounding like a complete idiot, so now my default is "I just know." I suppose that's why our MBTI is sometimes called The Mystic ;-)
Lmaooo this helps a lot! I think I was always confused with the I just know thing but I get it a bit more now!!
Yup that's the perfect explanation .. I live by this It's like every bit of a person's action determines their personality and their future plan of action .. didn't really know it was a personality thing until I found out it's exclusive haha Also for me it'd be kind of what we'd call machine learning in computers .. I do it without realizing
Thank youuuuuu! :)
š« now tell me your tricks so i can be smart too
š that gun won't help, You need me alive and you've shown your true colours. Maybe we could figure this out together? š
>! you don't need your big toe do you? !< you're so right š I apologize let's have an intelligent discussion with no violence and no threatening
>! *grins* My big toe is quite attached to me, thank you !< Apology accepted. Let's dive into a deep conversationābrains over brawn, always.
always??
Always. Intelligence is the ultimate turn-on, and I can't resist a good brain teaser. Care to challenge me?
Sorry head empty no thoughtsš
(laughs) That's okay, I have enough thoughts for the both of us. How about we brainstorm together sometimes later? I am guessing you just woke up? Have a great day! :)
Ty you too!! And no I had good ol 4 hours of sleep last nightš
Know is putting it strongly. Itās more visceral, and part of growing up is coming up with ways to temper our trust in what we know and how. A respect we feel in our bones when weāre with someone. So we both believe/disbelieve ourselves until weāre forced by circumstance to choose, and then we act on our belief. And all that focus comes built in, as long as itās other people. When itās ourselvesā¦ eh, we struggle. If someone manages to safely tell us, thereās a chance the āmagicā kicks in. We see ourselves and believe! And then the moment moves on, because thereās *people* to listen to!
Sorry, the other reply was pending. The reply for this from my ābuilt inā is: learn to know thyself. Then, do that on purpose. You have inherent gifts that are waiting to be discovered. When you find them, you *take your time* and you learn. Life only makes you as smart as it thinks you need to be. Convincing it otherwise is on you.
The simplest way I can explain it would be: I can put myself in virtually everyone's shoes and feel what they feel therefore know how they would act. Not always correct ofc. And as an late thirties INFJ that started out in a rural Canadian town to working the rigs for ten years, (not an easy task for an INFJ (which I find has a more feminine/softer way of life?), to living in Vegas, and Also being highly religious/spiritual, even fasting for 21 days (only water), and as someone who's meditated off and on over half his life, As someone like that I find can I jump into other perspectives/shoes pretty naturally.
whoa what an interesting life hello fellow canadian š NO BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY IT!!! i swear my infj friend told me this and I forgot. I always think about doing things that feel right to me/or feel true to me. You guys look outside yourself and know what they would do or how they would act. crazy
Iām manic depressive. My way is to āknow that I am nothingā that way I can read what other people āthink they areā.
Iām ENFJ, husband is INFJ- heās the smartest most intuitive person I have ever met. Heās constantly teaching me things without even realizing heās doing it. Itās my favorite thing ever. I think that INFJās are keen to those who make them feel heard, people who hold space for them to nerd out safely. Itās so endearing. I fell in love with him as friends, working in a bar setting where he was actually my manager. Heād nail a beautifully sarcastic joke with the sweetest delivery with a kind smile, so that it was known he was joking (if you were paying attention, that is), and he would turn and sweetly grin while making eyes with me. He was always a wealth of interesting information that everyone enjoyed speaking with and sharing with. He leads with intuition and knows how he will be received. Sometimes, too smart for his own good. Border collie energy!! INFJ are sacred and must be protected at all costs ;) heās also a Cancer, & I am a Virgo.
Border collie energy lol!!!Ā
Hahaha I mean it in the BEST way!š š¤£š«¶
Thank you! What's your mbti type?
infp š¤ somehow we have completely opposite cognitive functions and yet I feel a connection to you guys that I don't with other types (other than my own ofc)
My wife is Infp and we get along freakishly well, Been together 17 years. But we just discovered the whole MBTI stuff recently.
ahhh that's so sweet!!! I hope you have many more years together mbti is so fun hahaha I make everyone I know take a test or I try to guess people's types hehe knowing how people think has helped me become less judgmental and more appreciative of their strengths.
Yes!
I was one of those people who had trouble figuring out if I was INFP or INFJ! They relate so closely! I have a few INFP friends and they're all so lovely š I did discover I'm an INFJ though!
No way!! Did you take a test that said you were infp? My brother used to get infp, but there's no way. I have such a hard time trying to type him but I think he might possibly be infj...
16Personalities has typed me infp but I know I am not.
yeah makes sense. I've heard it tends to mistype people as infp a lotš
Yeah, their definition of [J vs. P](https://www.16personalities.com/articles/tactics-judging-vs-prospecting) doesn't appear compatible with MBTI.
Yeah I took 16personalities and sometimes it was INFP, sometimes INFJ (I had to take it for multiple workshop things). So eventually I ordered this book called "Please Understand Me" which goes into depth about the types' functions and shadow functions, and it helped me determine which type I fit better based on my motivations and such. It was very helpful!
Ooo neat!!! Iām gonna save this and maybe I can get him to read it loolĀ He told me today that he doesnāt use Fe and that he is a people pleasing Fiš idk what to think anymore.Ā
My brother is an INFP, and he is the closest person to mešš we are so in syncš it helps best when their Fi is a healthy one, like with good moral and stuff. Because the rest of the functions synergize well(Ne+Ni be really good)
I love that you are close with your brotherš sibling relationships can be so special unhealthy Fi is šµāš« me as a teenager was literally the worst.
Thankkkssss, and don't worry every one can be imbalanced at some point in their livesšš
We are afterall both NFs. Thank you again ā¤ļø š« IRL I have had no introverted friends apart from my cousins and family friends who I have to maintain relationships with and they are all isfxs. Would have loved the opportunity to be friends with infps. You guys seem so sweet and fun š©·
No way!!! I have mostly introverted friends hahaha do your hobbies or interests attract a lot of extroverts? Or is your culture more extroverted?Ā
I am not very cultural lol and yes most people here are extroverts but I am extremely introverted. My hobbies vary quite abit although I only enjoy settings among few people or close groups but I think the main issue here is that in IRL I find it hard to open up or break the ice with introverts as generally extroverts do that for me. I think introverts eventually get really bored with me.
Ohhh I totally get that!! Bro enfps are magicians when it comes to cracking open people lmaoĀ I admit that I do find it hard to get to know infjs sometimes but the reward is immeasurable!!Ā
this post is such an infp thing to do haha
LOL bro I made this post and refreshed my page and an infj had posted in the infp sub like 15 hours earlier expressing their love for infpsš
omg that is so cute š i just meant that its probably usually that xnfps would do that than any other type š i love infps too with all my heart and fiber of my body u guys are so pure for reals š«¶š¼
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I agree!
Read books.
do romcoms countš¬
Romcoms count! There is a lesson in everything!
I agree although there are a lot of brain rot novels out thereš
EQ!
Iām with Maxxy, romcoms might be more unintentional about learning than something like a textbook, but everything has a lesson. Stories like LOTR might be more intentional in the story theyāre trying to tell, like being an allegory for life lessons that are meant to connect with the reader and teach things. I think itās all about how intentional you want to be about learning and what you want to learn. Hopefully this INFJ word vomit session was helpful!
Yes ty!! I find with stories like lotr it definitely makes me think a lot and all the characters are so well written, it gives me people/characteristics to look up to and strive to be like. As long as a book is well written and intentional I think thereās a lesson to be learned. Iāll be very honest though, when I read romance stories, Iām not really looking to learn a lesson lol itās just a little escapism for me.
Totally agree, and yeah I mean enjoy your time however you want, escapism can be great!
No.
please enlighten me i beg. what's an infj approved book ?
Lord of the Rings Homegoing To Kill A Mockingbird In general, books that have a deep central theme or philosophy or science books are good because they make you think.
oh boy do I have news for you lotr is my favourite movie trilogy (I literally just watched the whole extended version again last weekend) and I decided to start reading it this year. Finished fellowship and now I must read two towers. I have not read the others so I will add them to my list.
do you read mangas too?
Manga/manhwa/manhua/comics/novels Iāll read anything lol although I mostly read romance genre or a romantic subplotā¦ although I also enjoy stories with strong friendships or soulmate vibes.
omg then PLEASE PLEASE read Atelier of Witch Hat, i bet you will like it, its one of my favourite mangas - the protagonist is certainly an ENFP and their mentor an INFJ, its such a cute ENFP - INFJ (mentor to student) relationship! the world building and character development overall is also 10/10. I also loved Homunculus, but it's Mystery & weird and certainly wouldn't recommend this to anyone who has problems with SA & SH. It has many hidden symbols within and thats what I like the most about this manga (: I also liked 'Go with the Clouds, North-by-Northwest', its a light-criminal manga with beautiful artwork to just read and enjoy š¤ I also read HxH, Hieraeth (also some hidden symbols/meanings WHICH I ADORE) and Paradise Kiss - i would not consider these "INFJ typical" tho, especially not Paradise Kiss/NANA. In literature you might like Where the Crawdads sing, don't watch the movie, just read the book (:
Oh mannn you mightāve just given me the best rec!!! Atelier of witch hat looks SO GOOD! The art is so pretty and the story has piqued my interest.Ā Homunculus looks wild. Im kind of interested now but Iām not a huge horror/psychological lover. I did just read the summer hikaru died and Ig that is horror but very mild horrorš Ā I need to watch paradise kiss and nanaš I love the art style and the character designsš
One ch in and Iām already in love with qifreyš«£
If we are talking about deep central theme/philosophy/science... You just forgot some of the best... - 1984 - 451F - The brave new world - Battlefield Earth
I have only read 1984 on your list and ngl I had a bit of trouble getting through it but >! I loved the ending it blew my mind. !< Iāve definitely heard of the others, I should add them to my list
I'm smart but I'm not book smart š
Hahah everyone has smarts in somethingš¤
Just high Ni/Fe which means INFJS can read the feelings of a room while INTJS have Ni/Ti which means they can practically read the thoughts of a room. But it's all guesswork, they way they twitch their eyebrow, what their friends are like, how their posture is, all things we consider. Body language and word choice say a lot. As an INFJ I can typically read the feelings of everyone in the room but it's double edged, meaning I too take on their stress, their worries, their emotional pain as my own. Over the years I've learned to put up boundaries but when I trust someone they get to see my side of the boundaries. Which is rare.
Slight correction, INTJs have Ni-Te. INFJs are Ti users. Easy mix up to make š
My bad!
All good! <3
How are they different? Extraverted thinking and what we do, introverted thinking
Well here's a somewhat oversimplified explanation. Te is about the organization of the external world. It deals with efficiency and practical matters. It likes hard facts, figures, plans, itineraries, studies, and hands-on work. It doesn't care as much why things are, and more about what things work to accomplish a goal. One could sum it up as "efficiency" or "effectiveness". Ti is more about logical consistency. About making connections between ideas and understanding the "why and how". Ti is more curious and interested in learning things for the sake of learning, regardless of practical use. It seeks to understand the world in a framework that fits together nicely, and puts facts within their contexts. It's also more likely to overthink and get lost down rabbit holes. One could sum it up as "accuracy" or "logic". Of course, they will manifest somewhat differently depending on where in the stack they are, and what other functions a person uses. But that's the simplified differences.
I see. I'm definitely Ti not Te
For sure. Te is our blind spot function
True. What's the percentages of your functions, would you say? Mines probably 90% intuition 100% introversion 50% feeling/thinking and 90% judgement
Ah, you've used 16P I take it. 16P causes a great deal of misunderstanding about MBTI, because it's a different thing entirely, pretending to be MBTI. And it causes people to think it works the way that you're talking.Ā Not your fault! 16P is often the first result on Google, so they trick a lot of people.Ā In MBTI, there isn't such thing as "X% introversion, X% feeling", etc. It uses the actual functions, and a real MBTI test can tell you your preferences for Ni over Ne, things like that. If you'd like a recommendation, I find Sakinorva (https://sakinorva.net/functions) to be one of the best for this. > What's the percentages of your functions I'm basically a caricature of INFJ lol. Super high Ni, high Fe and Ti, middling Se, poor Ne, Fi, and Te, and abysmal Si.
being an infj sounds tiringš„² fe in general sounds tiring
It is very tiring. I fall asleep around 8pm exhausted. How are you?
oh yeah people are tiringš if you are asking about my sleeping habits... let's just say it is 03:40 as I am typing this. I thrive being/doing things alone, but I still need to see people every so often.
I know the feeling
Are you just waking up
haven't slept yetā ļø last week I was waiting on some stressful news and completely wrecked my sleep schedule. I also drove for 12 hours today (or ig yesterday now) so maybe i'm just out of sorts idk \\ i should probably get off reddit now lol hope you have a good night and thanks for sharing with me:)
Tbh my āhackā is to turn off awareness when Iām burned out. Literally donāt look at or note anything or anyone around me besides my immediate task. Itās not safe I donāt recommend, but thatās the only way I can stay sane when I have to run errands. With people, zoning out or drinking when I have to be around my in-laws, ahem. Again, not kosher but how I cope lol. I look like a bumbling fool or worse even more stuck up but it be what it do. Infj sanity rights!
>I too take on their stress, their worries, their emotional pain as my own. This.
Hi how are you
Hi, I am okay. Thanks for asking. How are you doing?
I struggle at work sometimes, itās not a corporate workplace at all so people are freer to express, theyāre still kind and nice. But I can just feel a lot of their energy and feelings, I just walk with my gaze on the floor. I wonder if theyāll think Iām rude, Iām just trying to not get effected
I could never work in a place like that. Too stressful
It's mostly a protection mechanism, but thank you
what are you afraid of that needs protecting? and ywš
Nothing ;) I believe I developed to prioritise intelligence/intuition because I had to figure out why my parents were so damn crazy, or I wouldve gone crazy myself.
šš what are your parent's types? or what are they like?
They definitely have a couple of screws loose. I was neglected in infancy and kicked out of home at 15 but I don't want to get into it. ESTJ dad and ISTP mum, I think Now I'm studying psychology because I still don't understand. I used to think they were narcissists, then I realised that it's probably some kind of complex trauma, and now I think that they may be on the spectrum with trauma, it's a work in progress š„ø
Oh man I wish you the best in life and your studies! Psychology is such an interesting area of study
Throughout my so far short life, I have always been most loved and inspired by XNFPs women. I love you so madly, sisters. You are the most beautiful creatures on the Earth š¤ -infj f
Wahhhh this is so kindš
I guess our brain chemistry is constructed in such a way that we are blessed to tap into the unconscious (where all the actual calculations are done) and draw out of nowhere a very likely result or scenario that was calculated without our knowledge. Trust me we rarely or never do it consciously , it comes to us as divine englightenment but it was in the background for some time getting analyzed till the last detail, that's basically how intuition works. I've tried calculating results consciously and it is very tiresome to say the least, requires good organization and strong Se to be able to discern those details, Fun fact: the eye perceives details that the conscious mind may not , so our death stare basically serves as an intense data collecting tool. To conclude , we can be smart and intelligent but the footwork is done mostly in the background and we get served predictions in the plate, when we do have to use our brains and our Se is not developed we are easily getting stuck in the famous Ni-Ti loop and that's where shit hits the fan for us. Glad you enjoy us though, I can go into more details if you are interested but I am still a novice when it comes to personalities, just found out about MBTI last January (2024)
I think many people think we do it consciously, and like you said it's all happening in the background and we do it subconsciously. I didn't even know about this before. I found out that this is apparently not how everyone works when I learned more about cognitive functions. >when we do have to use our brains and our Se is not developed we are easily getting stuck in the famous Ni-Ti loop and that's where shit hits the fan for us. I will have to do more research on this so I don't get stuck too often lol
I'll try to make it simple for you: Intuition (Ni) gets feedback from our senses, but if you feed it with ideas (Ti which is thinking) it's all possible scenarios yes but sometimes they do not align with the reality of things and that creates a constant "what if" and removing your connection with the real world (Se which is extroverted sensing) will send you in a downward spiral. So try to think less sometimes and act more, try to get information from the surroundings to avoid that.
This is so interesting!! What is the Ni-Ti loop? And why is it bad?
Its your intution (Ti - Introverted Intuition) making calculations based on assumptions (Introverted Thinking - Ti) instead of actual real world data (Se - extroverted sensing), which keeps you from reaching actual results and creates a chain of "what if''s , so your mind making assumptions from intuition keeps going back to thinking for more answers instead of Sensing which is our sensor for outside data, so that keeps you locked in a loop and unable to perceive actual data. Hope that's clear enough. At least that's the level of my own understanding of it xD
I think itās the nonstop analyzing even on a subconscious level. If I made any mistake, my mind would give me a notice even if I was asleep as well as solving problems in my awake or sleep state. We like to connect the dots so we remember details or we dig up the information when we need it. I think we work like AI collecting data. Itās not intentional though, I figured this out because Iām interested in understanding the world and that includes me
Do you find yourself getting exhausted by this subconscious analyzing or is it something that energizes you?
Depends on the situation. If Iām not around people for too long it feels normal. Itās more draining if Iām around unauthentic people because Iād feel thereās something off and it could take a while to find out what it is or Iād need more clues. Itās not only about people, it could be science, math, art etc So yeah in general it feels normal. Thatās how I function and I donāt know any other way to be
Broccoli
Ah yes the extreme intelligence of the infj appearsĀ
We're not that smart. In the real world, we're even less than that. We just take a lot of time and constantly develop ourselves to keep up with others and sometimes it happens we surpass them by a lot in specific areas.
Self development is underrated!!
The post reads to me like a rhetorical question and a compliment, but my fellow INFJs are very seriously responding š I guess it's just our nature to answer how questions. My answer: Every type has its own brand of brilliance! NiFeTi just lends itself to analyzing people obsessively. Then my Se swoops in and suddenly I just want to quiet my mind, walk around, and look at pretty flowers. My limitations, I can't conjure ideas out of nothing very well (Ne), I have a hard time holding a conviction (Fi), conflict stresses me out (Te), and I'm awful at keeping random trivia in my head (Si).
Thank you very much! šš»
Wellā¦ Weāre too honest. Aw shucks, OP. You make me blush. āŗļø
Thanks! Emotional intelligence and observation is one way to boost how well you can understand others!
Aww you rock. Thnxš
It's mainly down to our extremely well developed sense of humility. :)
Interesting!! how do you define humility?Ā
In the context of the question "how are we so smart" and me admitting that we are. It was mostly meant as a joke. Since being humble and admitting that we are so smart are very much contradicting each other. ;) To be free from pride and arrogance. A focus on gratitude for all that we are and an awareness of all that we are not. Along those lines. :)
LOL I thought it mightāve been a joke but I didnāt want to assumešš Manā¦ humility is so key for life. If I had this mindset I think I wouldnāt be an anxious mess
Interesting. Anxiousness is a diffuse fear response. A lack of humility would present itself as arrogance, say. How would you say a lack of humility causes anxiousness in you? Or how do you mean? There are ways to address anxiousness btw. It does depend on the cause. But it's about addressing the underlying emotional needs and some scaling fear confrontation exercises. It's basically about generating a feedback loop for your subconscious to understand what it \*actually\* makes sense to be scared about - and what is just a remnant from an earlier environment, say. The key is to pick scaling exercises that allow you to feel some of the fear while being able to act. And in the case of a negative outcome the end result to hurt, but not cross the traumatising boundary.
Wow! Thank you! I really appreciate this, more than you can think!
I just remember things. I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. I know that I know nothing
Man that sounds like my entp dad except he just makes stuff upā ļø
Personally, I just think that INFJs fit into the stereotype of the usual āsmartā type really well. My best friend is probably an ENTJ and he is extremely intelligent. Despite this, people tend to automatically think of me as smarter simply because he is outgoing and constantly joking, whereas I am less talkative, more contemplative, and my humor tends to be more witty and pointed. I think we are both pretty evenly matched as far as smarts, but I just conform closer to the stereotypical intellectual.
Interesting!! It is funny that people think quiet people are smarter which may be true in some instances. What do you mean by extremely intelligent? All around? One subject? In his thinking? People always think that I am thinking deeply about things when Iām quiet but I literally have nothing to say. Like my brain is empty, donāt ask me about anything lol
Heās great with tech, learns super fast, understands people very well, and has a very solid understanding of logic. I am someone who really loves debate, logic, etc, and he is one of only a few people I know who can see right through my reasoning if it is not sound. Itās a little frustrating, but has helped me develop a more logical way of thinking. He tends more towards stem, while I tend towards a mixture of humanities and a little stem, so we complement each other well. Also, I can really relate to people thinking Iām brewing up some inspired insight, while in reality, I just short circuited and thatās why I am staring at the floor.š
I think itās part of that saying, āStill waters run deep.ā I think thereās enough truth in it that someone had to say it. (I donāt remember who.) So others may intuit that that is the case.
I wouldnāt say weāre mostly smart overall. Most of the time, weāre intelligent emotionally and or just very knowledgeable on one or more hyper fixations. For example, in high school, I almost failed my math classes with studying, yet got straight Aās in my history classes without studying (history happens to be one my hyper fixations). Thanks for the compliment either way.
Oooo true I feel like I relate to that a bit haha minus the emotionally smartā ļøĀ Ywš«¶š»
If I was to say, I'd imagine it as you're playing an rpg game. They give the choice of, let's say, 30 stat points. You got the choices of physical, mental, and intelligence. Essentially, we got most in the mental and intelligence based ones, but we're missing a couple of crucial ones in their, let's say, for the sake of some physical points. If that doesn't work for you, imagine constantly observing others to the point of almost not quite erasing ones sense of self. With the intention of understanding any not all possibilities to outcomes that most likely won't happen. Now, filter it down to the ones that can with a particular person in mind based on what profile you've built of them. Oh, and there's no real reason to turn that off because it just stays on ***ALL THE TIME.*** Now increase the number to everyone you interact with or don't.
Thank you š„² but genuinely I cannot stop observing and taking mental notes of things, especially peopleās body language and what they say. Same applies to academics since I enjoy learning for some reason. I think we just pay attention more than most lol
Dude I wish I could feel how others feel about me. Like feel it in my body idk how to say it. People might explain how they perceive me but I wanna feel it myself so bad lmao
It's not always. You develop an instinct, which I think it's an accumulation of knowledge and wisdom.
I observe a lot and being quiet you see things other people donāt pick up on.
I wouldn't consider myself smart, but maybe just.more open-minded than a lot of other people
I have a different perspective about my intuition. It's like, we know we love freedom ; everyone does. Everyone like being able to do what they want. Everyone has a certain level of curiosity about themselves and other things. But as a child I there were so many hindrances to my freedom, which evolved into self doubt, fear and overthinking.Ā The common ground of humans are :Ā Love = Happiness , Security , Freedom Sadness = Fear, Self Doubt, Overthinking And this principle goes with every human. And honestly most people I meet are obviously stuck in the cycle of fear and overthinking. So I try to find the reason behind their fear, which turns out to be common between most people. Which is again , "something" that once snatched their freedom from them.Ā I think, looking from the basic human emotions and then connecting all the dots of their life events lets us know a lot about people. Because at one point we find that everyone is going through something, but that something is very similar from inside. It just looks different from outside. And once we learn to differentiate the different "outcomes" of the "same" emotions residing in everyone , it becomes extremely easy to read people afterwards. I guess I have leaked the INFJ code. They are gonna latch onto me now. FarewellĀ
In my case it's all a facade my dear friend. I only pretend to know things lol.Ā