Most of us are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Go here to take the test. It provides a means to identify various personality types, and how they relate to one another and the world. (I am an ISTJ.)
“Paradigm” is a word that entered popular culture in the last decade. It speaks of a particular way of looking at the world. It might be an “us and them” mentality. Remember the song “You and Me Against the World?” I think of people with this type of outlook as walking around with a perpetual scowl. You can keep others at a distance if your face says “back off.” It also tends to make one susceptible to conspiracy theories. Even if you don’t have a scowl, you may see a Communist under every rock. Wait! That was the 50s. Today it would be the Trilateral Commission, or the Jews, or a government conspiracy to keep us from learning the truth about 9-11.
An opposite paradigm is that “everybody loves me.” I think of how our boston terrier greets guests. As more guests arrive, the excitement builds, until she is racing around the house in total ecstasy. She has no enemies. She would gladly get in a car with a total stranger.
The Myers-Briggs Indicator measures sixteen different combinations of personality traits. Each has its distinct way of relating to others. Once you know your classification, you can google it and verify that you fit the description. It seems that basic personality is largely genetic. You can’t change the way you are born. All you can do is temper it to make it palatable.
I don’t think there is any right or wrong personality. However, some are definitely easier to get along with. If you find yourself stuck with 10 others in an elevator for 18 hours, what kind of personality would you like them to have? How would they like you to behave?
Thinking about how we look at the world makes me wonder how we can give young children the best possible perspective. Do I want them to be careful, or cautious, or optimistic, or all of the above? Our kids are now adults, so it’s too late to correct mistakes that we may have made. How should we teach our children to be likeable adults in a world where the next person they meet may have sinister plans?
Can someone who is suspicious be changed into being loving and open toward others? Do you need to change, or are you happy with the way you are? I’m assuming that you agree with me that we would all like to be loving and open. That speaks of course, to the existence of absolute truth, which we have discussed previously. Otherwise, some would desire to be cruel, and others to be kind, and one would not be better than the other.
As mentioned previously, I am an ISTJ, although I consider myself barely an “I.” My “I” is almost an “E.” Do people who like to blog tend toward certain characteristics in their personality? Look at this description of each classification after you take the test and see if yours is an accurate description of you.
12 comments:
I've read extensively about Myers-Briggs since I was a teenager. The best book on the subject, in my opinion, is Type Talk by Otto Krueger and Janet Thuesen.
I have taken the "big" version of the test offered at schools and workplaces. The Internet versions aren't quite as reliable, because the questions are broad enough that respondents may end up describing how they see themselves rather than how they actually are. The fact that my results remained consistent no matter which test I took suggests that I have a fairly accurate self-perception.
My type is INTP. It's a highly analytical and skeptical type. Some people call it the "nerd" type. I am not close on any of the scales, though my relatively weakest one was T.
The most obvious theory I can offer is that bloggers tend to be introverts (I). The distinguishing feature of introverts is not that they don't like interacting with people, but rather that they're introspective--that is, they prefer the experience of reflecting on their social interactions rather than the interactions themselves.
I agree that there is no right or wrong on this test. And also, none of it is meant to be absolute. What these scales represent are preferences. Moreover, everyone sometimes has to adapt to situations that are against their preferences. There are times to be more social, and times to be more introspective, regardless of whether you're an extrovert or introvert. The same is true of the other scales. The test shouldn't be used as a crutch; you shouldn't say that just because you come out a certain way, that relieves you of the responsibility of adapting to a situation your type doesn't prefer. At best, the test is a guide to understanding other people and can also be helpful in choosing careers or potential mates.
Thanks for the great comments. As an ISTJ I am somewhat less of a nerd than you.
My personality is profile is ENFJ. I really agree with Kylopod's suggestion that introverts tend to blog more due to their preference for introspection. As a strong extrovert, I enjoy reading blogs, but I have no desire to blog myself. I would much rather talk to people about my experiences or thoughts in person than write them out in a blog, and this is probably because blogging cuts out the middleman of face to face interaction- the thing that I enjoy most.
Donald Duck, Rabbit (from Winnie the Pooh) and I are ESFJ's. I identify with Rabbit. scarey...
What is Winnie the Pooh?
When I was a teenager, I read somewhere that Snoopy is an ENFP. I told this to my father, who rolled his eyes and retorted, "He's an M-U-T-T."
I love the Myers Briggs. I am an INTJ.
Hang on, I though you did not like labels?
Kylopod-
Lin is an ENFP, the exact opposite of me, and it has done well for 32 years. Now I can call her Snoopy. The key word for ENFP is visionary, and I can attest to that!
DF-
You're right! I'm torn between my desire to categorize for the purpose of understanding someone, and to not label because it would put them in a box. I'm even tempted to put God in a box sometimes. Do certain personality types tend to use labels more than others? Maybe people in "nondenominational" churches just hate labels. The interesting thing is that by doing that, they are creating their own label. It kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think?
I would expect Thinkers and Judgers especially like labels, and Perceivers probably like them least.
Did the test online. Could not relate to the results.
Hmmm. I've got to find a better tool...
bg
My understanding is that the test on the internet is much shorter, and not as accurate. I suggest you have someone who knows you look at the 16 profiles and try to determine your classification.
In my efforts to learn more about this personality stuff I have found that this website provides a lot of good information on the myers briggs test
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