Incredible breakdown, Alyssa! It always amazes me how humans tend to take complex ideas and over-simplify them when they require the least bit of effort to understand and implement. The oversimplification of this topic, I fear, has led to many people putting a personality leash themselves. I'm excited to explore this idea to see if/how it can help me better operate in my relationships with myself and others.
There certainly seems to be something in the nature of us that wants to reduce and simplify. I think it becomes exacerbated by what is easily sharable and catchy on the internet. Unfortunately in this case it leads to reductions that don't always emphasize the complexity of our personality.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions on the ideas explored :)
This is fascinating! As I was reading the descriptions, I realized much of it for me is situation/context dependent. Previously I'd thought I was definitely an introvert, but this has given me incredible new insight. Thank you!
Glad to hear that :) Yes, it is very nuanced. Each of the functions correspond to different ways we perceive, how we approach situations, etc. And so, we are moving through expressions of introversion and extraversion all of the time. We are complex beings!
This was incredible, thank you, Alyssa! I always enjoy it when writers discuss how something we commonly believe is actually more nuanced (or entirely different). This was a wonderful example of that. Also, I learned that I am more extraverted than I thought.
You're welcome, and thanks for reading. I find it helpful to consider how introversion/extraversion is expressing itself in many different areas of life. That helps me see how both of those energies show up and how we are indeed a mixture.
That’s a great point, Alyssa! I also find that my energy state (whether I’m feeling happy or tired, for instance) can impact how these energies show up for me.
Fascinating read! I spent 5 years or so studying MBTI and Jung. TBH, I have found Human Design to be profoundly more accurate.
For example, MBTI usually types me as an ENTJ (rare for a female, btw), but occasionally an ENFJ. So, not SOOOO different. But when my mom passed away, I typed as an INTJ while grieving.
Human Design says I am both I and E. I am a 6/2 Mental Projector, which means that I am very much interested in others, especially observing and experiencing others and seeking new experiences like an E, but the 2 in my fraction (called Profile Line) is a hermit energy that needs periods of alone to process (an I trait). I am a classic ambivert, actually. And my chart says I have almost equal parts Logic as well as Perception (so the T and the N)
I'm not familiar with Human Design, sounds like I've got some reading to do!
I think the confusion (especially with the typical MBTI framing and lack of nuance with online testing) is that the type code leads people to think that they are just using extraversion or introversion.
In actuality, the type code merely denotes the primary functions expression of extraversion and introversion. The rest of the functions are a mixture of E and I.
For example, an ENTJ uses:
- Extraverted thinking
- Introverted intuition
- Extraverted sensation
- Introverted feeling
In that sense, we're all ambiverts, using a mixture of functions in varying degrees of extraversion and introversion. As Jung says, there's no such thing as a pure type. Once that's established, I think the Jungian Typology framing is still very helpful in discerning personality preference, areas of struggle/shadow, and ways to develop.
Hope that makes sense. Thanks for sharing on Human Design and your personality, very fascinating!
Incredible breakdown, Alyssa! It always amazes me how humans tend to take complex ideas and over-simplify them when they require the least bit of effort to understand and implement. The oversimplification of this topic, I fear, has led to many people putting a personality leash themselves. I'm excited to explore this idea to see if/how it can help me better operate in my relationships with myself and others.
There certainly seems to be something in the nature of us that wants to reduce and simplify. I think it becomes exacerbated by what is easily sharable and catchy on the internet. Unfortunately in this case it leads to reductions that don't always emphasize the complexity of our personality.
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any questions on the ideas explored :)
That's a fair point Nolan. It's intriguing how simplification can sometimes lead to misunderstanding.
What specific strategies are you considering to deepen your understanding and improve your relationships?
Thanks! I’ve actually shared this article with my wife and friend, and we’re going to chat about this concept and possibly find links to astrology!
Great idea!
This is fascinating! As I was reading the descriptions, I realized much of it for me is situation/context dependent. Previously I'd thought I was definitely an introvert, but this has given me incredible new insight. Thank you!
Glad to hear that :) Yes, it is very nuanced. Each of the functions correspond to different ways we perceive, how we approach situations, etc. And so, we are moving through expressions of introversion and extraversion all of the time. We are complex beings!
Yes Jenna, what helps me is to think introversion as a spectrum rather than a binary.
It's not whether you're introvert or not. It's -how- introverted are you. Same applies to many things in life.
This is fascinating and inspires me to read more about Jung.
I agree with Sashya, from my humble personal experience, Human Design is more accurate/sophisticated than MBTI.
Thank you for this in-depth read!
Glad you found it helpful :)
This was incredible, thank you, Alyssa! I always enjoy it when writers discuss how something we commonly believe is actually more nuanced (or entirely different). This was a wonderful example of that. Also, I learned that I am more extraverted than I thought.
You're welcome, and thanks for reading. I find it helpful to consider how introversion/extraversion is expressing itself in many different areas of life. That helps me see how both of those energies show up and how we are indeed a mixture.
That’s a great point, Alyssa! I also find that my energy state (whether I’m feeling happy or tired, for instance) can impact how these energies show up for me.
If people ask I just say individuated centrovert and watch them scratch their heads ;)
hah!!
Fascinating read! I spent 5 years or so studying MBTI and Jung. TBH, I have found Human Design to be profoundly more accurate.
For example, MBTI usually types me as an ENTJ (rare for a female, btw), but occasionally an ENFJ. So, not SOOOO different. But when my mom passed away, I typed as an INTJ while grieving.
Human Design says I am both I and E. I am a 6/2 Mental Projector, which means that I am very much interested in others, especially observing and experiencing others and seeking new experiences like an E, but the 2 in my fraction (called Profile Line) is a hermit energy that needs periods of alone to process (an I trait). I am a classic ambivert, actually. And my chart says I have almost equal parts Logic as well as Perception (so the T and the N)
I'm not familiar with Human Design, sounds like I've got some reading to do!
I think the confusion (especially with the typical MBTI framing and lack of nuance with online testing) is that the type code leads people to think that they are just using extraversion or introversion.
In actuality, the type code merely denotes the primary functions expression of extraversion and introversion. The rest of the functions are a mixture of E and I.
For example, an ENTJ uses:
- Extraverted thinking
- Introverted intuition
- Extraverted sensation
- Introverted feeling
In that sense, we're all ambiverts, using a mixture of functions in varying degrees of extraversion and introversion. As Jung says, there's no such thing as a pure type. Once that's established, I think the Jungian Typology framing is still very helpful in discerning personality preference, areas of struggle/shadow, and ways to develop.
Hope that makes sense. Thanks for sharing on Human Design and your personality, very fascinating!
You can totally get a free chart on my site if you are curious www.sashyaclark.com
Thank you :)
We are not our personalities.