From: w2lee@argo.acs.oakland.edu (Walter Lee)
Subject: Re: yet another INFP
Reply-To: w2lee@argo.acs.oakland.edu
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester, MI
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 05:40:28 GMT

In article <C004Eq.6Ho@ecf.toronto.edu>, deviass@ecf.toronto.edu (Deviasse Robert) writes:

>I have a BS in Inorganic (solid state) Chemistry and I'm also going for a second
>BS in computer science. I'm extremely analytical and I've been described by
>some as being the closest thing to a "binar"(ST old generation) that they've
>ever seen. So what am I doing scoring 90% F! We I suppose it's because I believe
>that emotions can be factored into logic. After all, it's not logical to hurt
>those you care about. Logic is very important and is never an option (for me), 
>but it is a means, not an ends. (How's that for being a T for F reasons:) )
>I suppose your profession of choice is a very poor indicator of your personality
>type.

Wonder what's bringing all the INFP's back to school for computer degrees...

(I had written)
>> Someone, I think it was Jon Noring, the patron saint of this newsgroup, posted
>> a list of the 16 MBtypes, with a short descriptive paragraph and % prevalence
>> for each.  As I recall, INFP was your basic Mystic On A Mountaintop.  (or
>> cultural anthropologist?)  I find "Western Civ" to be something of a
>> straitjacket sometimes.
>
>Well I prefer the description in "Please Understand Me" (a very good book, BTW)
>that calls the INFP, "the Prince or Princess of mythology, the King's 
>Champion, Defender of the Faith, and guardian of the castle". Sir Galahad and 
>Joan of Arc are described as INFPs.

Actually now that you mention it, I think that's what Jon quoted in his
article.  "Mystic on a mountaintop" was just the same thing in my words.  More
or less.  Seems everyone here is praising "Please Understand Me" to the stars. 
I'm sold on a copy.

>One thing I've been curious about is that when I was younger (up to about grade 6), 
>I was a quintessential ISTJ. So what caused be to become the (almost) opposite
>INFP type? Well, it was a long evolution and it was completely rational
>(at least I can rationalize it). My former ISTJ-ness has been very helpful
>and I'm about to put myself in ISTJ-like modes when necessary. My question
>is, how stable are these types? All books I've read suggest that types
>are more or less perminant. But my life experiences seem to indicate otherwise.
>One can give the excuse that my personality type had not yet fully developed,
>but this does not seem too satisfactory, since it is possible to be mature
>yet who's type has not "matured".

Really?  I was SERIOUSLY ISTJ during my high school years.  (ISTJ is a little
like anal-retentive, right? :)

>
>> 
>>  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>  Walter Lee                                          w2lee@argo.acs.oakland.edu
>> 
>> You can judge a leader by the size of the problems he tackles -- people
>> nearly always pick a problem their own size, and ignore or leave to
>> others the bigger of smaller ones.
>>                                 -- Anthony Jay
>Well I could argue that the size of the problems tackled determine the ego
>of the leader, but I won't since I'm not feeling particularly ENTP today:-)

Actually, I get all my signatures from a cute little U!@#$%x utility called
"fortune" (as in cookie (as in /usr/games/fortune)).  As I am writing this, I
have no idea what "my" signature will be this time.  How's THAT for an INFJ
quirk?

>Any opinions/comments/references will be warmly recieved,
>    Robert
>
>-- 
>/-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------\
>| Robert N. Deviasse            |"The things that are not easily attained,    |
>| EMAIL: g2devi@cdf.utoronto.ca |    are the things we cherish the most."     |
>+-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------/
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Walter Lee                                          w2lee@argo.acs.oakland.edu

The one good thing about repeating your mistakes is that you know when
to cringe.