I seem to end up reading Jason Evans’ article on INTP overload an awful lot. I think I frequently end up in ‘overload’. I’ll quote this bit for you which is particularly relevant to me at the moment, and not just for isolation but also for work habits, etc:
If you feel isolated, I bet that you can regurgitate the huge amount of information and analysis you’ve amassed on the subject. You could tell me about the friction in your childhood. How your parents didn’t seem to get you. How when you said this, they heard that. You could give me your theories. Your observed truths. The way your relationship with your college roommate started with great promise, but cooled and ended up with you being increasingly alienated. You’ve deconstructed your interactions. Theorized about what kind of person you need to find and where you might find them. You can tell me how many times you were hopeful that you found one, but then a progression of events proved that you were mistaken.
All of this information builds into an ever-growing conceptualization of the problem. Why does it grow? Because we want to solve problems exactly and fully, and nothing else will suffice. As we apply each potential solution and step back to observe the result, we’ll take each point of failure as a new challenge to be analyzed. It’s our rational optimism at work. A solution must exist, we just have to try harder.
The trap of INTP is that your thorough and unflinching approach to solving problems inherently increases their size. Size, in turn, begins to empirically prove that the solution may be impossible or beyond your abilities. So what do you do? You try HARDER. The complexity of the problem grows. HARDER YET. Bigger. The building overload spawns negative emotions. Fatigue, frustration, and disappointment mount, finally fermenting into despair.
…
What I’m proposing is really very simple. However, it’s foreign to usual INTP thinking. If overload is created by being exacting and looking too big, then happiness can achieved by being less exacting and going small. But here’s the catch. Small means pieces, not grand solutions. Discrete little victories. Each one might not amount to much, but if you walk around collecting pebbles, you will eventually have a sack of pebbles as heavy as a boulder.
Rational optimism. Just trying harder. Usually the world sees that as a good thing, but letting go of it and just having little victories and enjoying the moment is really very difficult. I for one, as an INTP, usually cannot see any other options aside from trying harder or giving up. I forget about just going with it. The problem solving becomes this sort of mask over the world. I can’t see the simple answer for the complex one. I will spend all day trying to figure out why I can’t do something until I realise I just have to stop thinking that way and do it - at which point I start to theorise about how I can get around my research problem and just do it. It’s a bit of a loop, I suppose, now I think about it.
I asked awesome INTP about: “5. I will offer and accept only rational, results-oriented behavior and communication.” his reply was the above and: #5 is about where you’re putting your energy. It’s about optimization. Drama and bullshit die in a vacuum. They usually can’t be fought directly. They lose a war of attrition, though.
So that explains why you don’t engage stuff that isn’t helpful, but you DO engage stuff that is, because it ALSO dies in a vacuum. Plugging your ears to the whole irrational rant is a bad idea, because there might be some diamonds in the rough.
1) Dominant Introverted Thinking
Structure, justice, consistency, precision, contemplation, analysis, integrity
2) Auxiliary Extroverted Intuition
Processing many different ideas at once, connecting the dots, observing
3) Puerile Introverted Sensing
Rule based, impressionistic, doing things by the book
4) Repressed Extroverted Feeling
Harmonic, spiritual, soothing
The mystery of emotion is also evidence in the INTP’s use of music. He always chooses to listen to music which suits his current emotional state, be it aggression, warmth, excitement, relaxation or whatever. Hence, the emotional state is assumed to be an unchangeable, mysterious property of himself. It is easier to choose appropriate music than to attempt to influence this. People with introverted Feeling, Fi, however, will deliberately choose to listen to music which helps them change and improve their mood. INTPs could never do that. They feel an unpleasant sense of disharmony whenever a music style clashes with their emotional state. Indeed, it is remarkable how much attention they pay to their emotions when music is involved.
This is true. I abhor listening to cheerful music when I’m feeling irritated or melancholy. I don’t always choose to listen to music based on my perceived emotional state, but when I do I pick music that matches. Moods come and go, but I don’t try to change them—I just ride them out. Occasionally I even revel in them.
I wonder, though…even when I don’t consciously choose music to suit my feelings, is it possible that I do so subconsciously? In my case specifically, does my general preference for “angry music” mean that I am, at some level, angry almost all the time? (This could be true. A friend of mine once asked me why I was so angry at everything, which made me pause because I didn’t think I was a particularly angry person. Just…easily irritated, even if I don’t show it.)
Firstly: http://thelithiumcat.tumblr.com/post/26703513699/music-expression-and-experiencing-of-feelings-and-the
Secondly, my dad commented the other day that my music is ‘angry’. I don’t think of it that way at all. It’s just not emotional. I can’t stand love songs, for example. I’ve long considered my music choice to be part of my emotional suppression. I don’t think it means I’m always angry. I’m not. I’m just more comfortable, most of the time, not dealing with, er, more tender emotions. I hate that phrasing but I can’t think of a better one. Anyway, I think this choosing music which compliments one’s mood is an inexact concept. What one thinks of the music is subjective, to start with. I think that the music choice is more related to how accepting one feels of emotions at any one point. Following that is the exact emotions and which music is appropriate. However, as an INTP, I think it tend to be rather binary. Either I want to suppress them or I want to feel them. I’m very picky about emotional music I can bear listening to without being frustrated and annoyed.
Quoting an INTP, of course! It’s interesting seeing him seek someone’s reaction to an idea, not necessarily supporting the idea but, supporting the consideration of the idea.
No.
First, let’s make it clear that it’s hard to type a character accurately 100%. Unless of course you are the creator of said character or are the character in question.
That being said, I’ve noticed people saying that Loki is an INTP; and that is ridiculous. He may pretend to be, but he’s crazily emotional and very short sighted. If anything I’d say he’s an ISFJ. (I’m not going to go into huge detail here, but…)
1. He refuses to listen to what others are saying because he’s too blinded by what he’s experienced. (S)
2. He’s fueled by his emotions, he may keep them in check sometimes; but everything stems from how he’s feeling what his mood is.
I am by no means an expert here so refrain from any abuse and such, because I’m not one of those crazy fans etc. Though feel free to discuss your take on it. I just don’t think he’s an INTP. I suppose you could mistake his F for T because you’re comparing him to Thor, which makes him seem more a T; but there are other factors to take into consideration. This is not a black and white subject.
Sayeth the INTP. If you ever think to yourself “I need to figure this problem out, I wish someone would ask me questions” find yourself an INTP. Though, they might lose interest in the questioning once they have an hypothesis that they want to test.
—(via isinterestingenough)
