A week ago I attended an MBTI meetup for the first time. This particular one was focused on the idealist temperament and the amazing thing with this meeting is that we ended up being only INFJs attending. Before going I had never been sure if I ever met another INFJ or not, at least not another male INFJ. So this was going to be a great social experiment for me and maybe I would get some answers concerning the thoughts I have been having about MBTI and how valid it might be.I always wondered if the negative aspects of me as a person was something every INFJ suffered or if it was strictly me and something my life has shaped me into. This is a question that has been haunting me for some time since I would like to find comfort in being an INFJ and that it would explain a lot of it.
Anyhow, I had a great time at this meeting. The most amazing part was the instant chemistry that we all had as a group (7 people). It seems like we got a long straight from the start and had such interesting talks about deep things and MBTI. What strike me the most is that one of the INFJ guys was really similar to me in interests and life experience, he was even originating from the same country as me. Similar humor, taste in music/film, both artists working in almost the same field. Using similar body language and expressions. Quite amazing. We seemed to have a lot in common and sadly enough this person told me he also suffered a bad childhood.
I realized at this meeting that there is other kinds of INFJs that are not very similar to me. Maybe they are not an INFJ but who knows. My intuition tells me that MBTI is mostly a type of tool that tries to describe and predict something that is way more complex then simple cognitive functions. We all use different cognitive processes but in the end there is so much more complex systems in action that make you who you are and how your personality is. MBTI only scratches the surface so to speak. I would like to say that the biggest thing we INFJs share amongst each other is that we have the same moral and value systems in action. Which is why we don’t fit that well in society and might struggle in our lives. We value concepts that simply do not exist easily in the world the way we imagine them. For example the concept of a perfect world where we are all treated equally and live in harmony. This is not the basis of which humans are created from. We are alienated among others because we see things in another light, we see them for what they really are, and we act upon this. But honestly, who would like it any other way?
Hi there!
Thank you. I found your article very intriguing and it actually made a postive difference in my life today. Eight years ago, I was told by my HR at my place of employment that I was an infj…they had me do the MB test as they picked up on my skills and talents as a women technician and discovered I was gifted or so called ” special “. At first I was so clueless as to why they wanted me to do the test. I never heard about it before. Shocking, I know. I always assumed I was just a smart, curious, and determined gal. I fix and creare things with ease. I also have an obsession to seek truth in all that exists in our world and endless universe. It’s truly been a beautiful journey. Someone like me who also spends a good amount of time alone in quiet solitude or in nature, I didn’t understand my company’s excitement about finding out if I was indeed one of the MB personalities. Well…the results of the test indicated I was and after reading about it and doing my own intense research and analysis on it; like my employer i too was intrigued. Infact, I saw myself for the very first time. That was so cool!
I believe we are all unique and capable of so much.
However, I also agree that a simple test shouldn’t lock you in with an identity or label you; rather it should give you insight about yourself. All my life I had people wondering ” what i am” or ” what is she” especially after witnessing me demonstrate a skill or talent. But now, I see how the test was beneficial for me. I got to know me a little more. However, there’s more to me then just being an infj. I think it is very important to connect with people who are like minded and with other infj’s, so you can learn more about yourself, and represent the beautiful infj personality in our magnificent world.
So…Hi! I’m Kiren. It’s nice to meet you. ☺️
I feel that the reason why the other INFJs weren’t that similar to you was that after you take the Myers Briggs test, it shows you the percentage of how much INFJ you are. Everyone has different results, since we’re all slightly different from each other, so maybe that’s the reason why. An INFJ can be slightly more extroverted than another INFJ, and so on.