Thich Nhat Hanh

how do you tell an unhealthy isfp from an unhealthy infp? thanks 🙏

UNHEALTHY ISFPs fight against the influence others may have on them, trying to hold on to their independence and individuality. Steve Rogers/Captain America is a prime example of this in Civil War. They become stubborn and defensive of their way of life, not adjusting to the external world as it really is. Harry Potter and Zuko also exhibit this behavior. They both try their hardest to disregard the input of others in an act to preserve their initial Fi judgments. They both have to accumulate more Se experience in order to have a more objective view of themselves and their judgments. For Zuko it takes being exiled, being with his Uncle who pushes him constantly, and making even more mistakes in book 3 to come to a healthier place where he accepts the influence of others on himself.

UNHEALTHY INFPs fight against opposing ideals they find problematic. They challenge others and their ideas hoping to point out the flaws and prove the person they disagree with to be wrong. They can seem more extraverted when they are unhealthy in this way. In their own way by attacking the ideals of others they are trying to defend their own inner ideals from outside influence. Denying their proper Ne to see other viewpoints and the objective world. Their inferior Te is wielded so they believe they are being rationale in their defensive strategy. Amon from Avatar: Legend of Korra is a great example of this. For a non-villain that does this it is important to look at April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation. This behavior is often why she is mistyped as ISTP/INTP. They see her as more impersonal playing devil’s advocate, but when she is trolling people in her passive-aggressive way she is really on the defense trying to preserve her Fi and point out that everyone else is inauthentic.

The Gist:

ISFPs ignore others to preserve their sense of integrity/authenticity. INFPs fight others, almost like devil’s advocate but trying to prove some moral point. Both are stubborn.

My mom would beat my ass if i used her pans for this

description of the functions as agents of will

Se: mastery - I overcome myself the vessel, I fuse with my intent, I am the hollow of the storm.

Si: equilibrium - I stretch like a ray in epipelagia, adjusting, perfecting, a state of flow no current can disturb.

Te: avalanche - at these altitudes, any snowball is the pebble that takes me down the mountain.

Ti: scythe - to put together I first must take apart.

Fe: amber - I embalm you, gently, in coats of arms like gold.

Fi: paragon - pierce the flesh and find me; the core that doesn’t move.

Ne: hunter - I follow the holloways through faith through myth through fable through fact to the spring.

Ni: traveller - I descend into the deepest cavern, I scale the highest peak, I do not step off the road.

A demonstration of the physics of inertia. (Source)

this is the best thing I’ve ever seen on twitter

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlaying our hard hearts.”

—

Charles Dickens

Opposite Mirrors