Postby Raiden no Kishi » Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:01 pm
Technically speaking, the MBTI categories aren't words - they're initialisms (since you didn't ask, acronyms form words, initialisms don't.) [/pedantic]
Hey, another ISTJ here.
Your Type is
ISTJ
Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging
Strength of the preferences %
78 38 62 33
ISTJs are often called inspectors. They have a keen sense of right and wrong, especially in their area of interest and/or responsibility. They are noted for devotion to duty. Punctuality is a watchword of the ISTJ. The secretary, clerk, or business(wo)man by whom others set their clocks is likely to be an ISTJ.
[color="Indigo"]Well, I'd like to believe I have a keen sense of right and wrong, and that I'm devoted to my duties. I'm actually getting a lot better at being punctual - I'm usually quite early to all my classes and things.[/color]
As do other Introverted Thinkers, ISTJs often give the initial impression of being aloof and perhaps somewhat cold. Effusive expression of emotional warmth is not something that ISTJs do without considerable energy loss.
[color="Indigo"]Not so good with the emotions, no.[/color]
ISTJs are most at home with "just the facts, Ma'am." They seem to perform at highest efficiency when employing a step-by-step approach. Once a new procedure has proven itself (i.e., has been shown "to work,") the ISTJ can be depended upon to carry it through, even at the expense of their own health.
[color="Indigo"]I do love the facts. And I'm generally a creature of habit, for better or worse. I'm working on the "better" part, though.[/color]
ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don't keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don't mince words. Truth wins out over tact. The grim determination of the ISTJ vindicates itself in officiation of sports events, judiciary functions, or an other situation which requires making tough calls and sticking to them.
[color="Indigo"]Yes, it does bug me when people don't do what they say they'll do, but I don't have the confidence to say anything about it. I would agree that truth wins over tact with me, but I try to be tactful.[/color]
His SJ orientation draws the ISTJ into the service of established institutions. Home, social clubs, government, schools, the military, churches -- these are the bastions of the SJ. "We've always done it this way" is often reason enough for many ISTJs. Threats to time-honored traditions or established organizations (e.g., a "run" on the bank) are the undoing of SJs, and are to be fought at all costs.
[color="Indigo"]Actually, here's a bit where I divert from the profile. I say screw what we've always done - if there's a better way, let's do it if we can. Better is better.[/color]
Functional Analysis
Introverted Sensing
Si is oriented toward the world of forms, essences, generics. Time is such a form, a quantifiable essense of exactitude, the standard to which external events are held. For both of the IS_J types, the sense of propriety comes from the clear definition of these internal forms. An apple "should" have certain qualities, against which all apples are evaluated. A "proper" chair has four legs, (and other qualities this poor INTP can only guess). Jung viewed introverted sensing as something of an oxymoron, in that the natural direction of senses is outward toward the object, rather than inward and away from it. One has the sense that Introverted Sensors are drawn more to the measure of the concept of the perceived object than to the experience of that perception.
[color="Indigo"]I don't know if I'm quite that Platonic - in fact, I like it when someone messes with norms we take for granted - within reason. I do think about the nature of some things, though.[/color]
Extraverted Thinking
The moderation of the Te function serves to socialize the expression of these forms. When the Si function is ready to relinquish the data, Te may speak. Otherwise, silence is golden. ISTJs seem to have a few favorite forms (the tried and true) which may serve for most occasions. My ISTJ dad woke me every morning with the same phrase for more years than I care to remember. Asked, "How are you?" he answered with the same stock phrase. ("As well as my age and habits will permit" was used for about two decades.) "It's a good form, a sound form--it's the form for me."
[color="Indigo"]I am pretty quiet unless I'm very sure about something, and even then I might hold my tongue anyway. I'm trying to learn to mix things up more, because otherwise I get bored.[/color]
Introverted Feeling
Since Fi is turned inward, it is rarely expressed. Perhaps this enables the ISTJ to resolutely accept that "we are all doomed." When told that Lazarus had died, Thomas said, "Let us go and die with him." (He could just as well have said something like, "I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later.") Only in times of great distress is the Introverted Feeling expressed (as I witnessed in my dad when a neighbor's son was killed in a hunting accident). Otherwise, feeling is inferred, or expressed nonverbally, through eye contact, or an encouraging smile.
[color="Indigo"]What. WHAT. No. Learn to read Scripture, n00b. The passage in John 11 has Thomas saying, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him." Notice that capitalization? It means Jesus, not Lazarus. If you'd read the verse in context like an intelligent person, you'd have picked that up from the disciple's mentioning that the Jews were looking to execute Jesus by stoning. Thomas' statement was out of loyalty to Christ - he was willing to go die with Him and encourage the rest of the disciples to do the same.
Moving on, though: yes, I am a pessimist (though I believe in the general capacity for improvement). Yes, I do tend to show emotion pretty subtly. Now if only I could stop laughing before I finish a joke. @$%&@* . . .[/color]
Extraverted iNtuition
The Ne function of an ISTJ does not serve [HIM, KTHX] very well. It needs a lot of help. [HE] was surprised, for example, to find that someone [he] had talked with only by phone had red hair, because [he] "didn't usually like" people with red hair! This inferior Ne seems to be a major source of, and a natural breeding ground for, stereotypes. Failure of the banking system is but one bogeyman which arises from the fear which feeds on the ISTJ's mistrust of real world possibilities. The shadow inhabiting the inferior Ne strikes at the precious forms and standards in the heart of the dominant Si function.
[color="Indigo"]Number one: redheads are awesome. I grew up with a very close friend who was and still is a clever, funny, and very pretty redhead. As such, I tend to associate redheads with awesomeness. (Yes, I know it was an anecdote from someone else's life - shut up) I do the best I can not to stereotype people. The guys on my dorm hall, however, are mostly crude, idiot jocks, not because they're athletes, but because I regularly observe their jackassery. The only thing worse than negative stereotypes are the people who inspire them. Thank you, stereotypical homeschoolers. : : shakes head : : Also, I don't fear real world possibilities - possibilities are generally cool. To use the example, I don't really worry about the banking system. I do worry about the government shafting the people in multiple ways, financially being one way (note that this is regardless of who the President is or who has a majority in Congress - I'm an equal-opportunity mistruster; also, this should not be taken as an invitation to debate about politics, obviously), but I think a lot of the major institutions are relatively secure until proven otherwise.[/color]
Famous ISTJs:
Thomas (Christ's disciple) [color="Indigo"]Yeah, I kind of identify with the man from the portrayal we have of him in the Gospels. It also helps that Thomas is my middle name.[/color]
U.S. Presidents:
George Washington
Andrew Johnson
Benjamin Harrison
Herbert Hoover
George H. W. Bush
Paul Coverdale (U.S. Senator, R-GA)
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (U.S. Olympic athlete)
Evander Holyfield, heavyweight boxing champion
Fictional ISTJs:
Joe Friday
Mr. Martin (hero of James Thurber's Sitting in the Catbird Seat)
Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh)
Fred Mertz (I Love Lucy)
Puddleglum, the marshwiggle (Chronicles of Narnia) [color="Indigo"]This cracks me up SO. MUCH.[/color]
Cliff (Cheers)
.rai//
[raiden's liveJournal][color="Indigo"]"I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you . . .
stranger."[/color]
Strollin' in at dawn, wakin' up at noon's gonna catch up to me soon
'Just sleep when you're dead' is what I said 'cause I'm jumpin' off the moon