Poll:Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert

[Amethyst]

I consider the MBTI to be twaddle. What type does that make me?

Amethyst

 

[Gabieta]

I consider the MBTI to be twaddle. What type does that make me?

Amethyst

Twaddle-Dee or Twaddle-Dum?

 

[inky]

INTJ here. From what I've read, INTJs need a lot of space and independence. They are the most independent of all the types and have a strong need for autonomy. Generally, they prefer to work alone. INTJs dislike rules and artificial limitations. Additionally, they are decisive, organized, and good planners and long-range thinkers. They are more focused on the future than on the present.

Makes us a natural fit for ER, I suppose.

 

[SumDay]

INTJ here. From what I've read, INTJs need a lot of space and independence. They are the most independent of all the types and have a strong need for autonomy. Generally, they prefer to work alone. INTJs dislike rules and artificial limitations. Additionally, they are decisive, organized, and good planners and long-range thinkers. They are more focused on the future than on the present.

+1. I could have written this post.

And I find the older I get, the more introverted I've become. I've gotten really bad about accepting invitations from friends to do things. Unless I really, REALLY want to do whatever it is, I generally decline. My need to be with people just for the sheer sake of socializing isn't nearly as strong as my desire to relax, putz around the house, read, garden, etc.

I'm going to have to have a sit-down with some of them, because I know they're taking it personally. Good thread OP!

 

[JoeWras]

This whole MBTI thing is weird. I swear that INTJ's are obsessive about it, hence the discussion above. Many other personality types are clueless or don't care.

I'm an ISTJ. Took the official test back at megacorp 1 in the 80s when they were considering me for management. I remember talking about it, then forgetting the whole thing until I came upon this thread. I do recall some friends talking about it from time to time. I still don't see the big deal. It is an interesting tool, with limits. Maybe even "twaddle."

But maybe that's why I'm an "S" and not "N". The INTJ's see the possibilities, the ISTJs just see it and think, "OK, so what. Next problem."

I'm pretty sure DW is INFJ. We share a lot, but I can come across as a cold hearted bastard in her view. NF and ST sometimes don't mix.

But for investing, cold-hearted bastard decisions are good. She leaves it to me to make those hard, logic decisions even in a down market. She's taught me to cough up some of it and give it away for good causes.

 

[FIREd]

Please don't call it the BM test ! Lets think of another shortcut.

And then they wonder why others are so draining...

 

[Nemo2]

The DW and I both hate it when people drop over unexpectedly.

Some 40 years ago. my (then) wife and I lived in a highrise apartment building in Toronto...........one Sunday there were buzzes on the intercom from the lobby......since we weren't expecting anyone we chose to ignore them.

Next day I ran into an acquaintance with whom I was quite 'friendly........he said that he and his girlfriend, (whom I'd never met), "Dropped over to your place yesterday".

I replied "Oh, was that you?".

Things were never the same.

 

[JoeWras]

DW and I are not so fond of drop in guests either. Introverts hate it.

But there's a deep inner part of me that would love to love it. I admire people who welcome drop ins. I have a friend who lives for drop-ins. One of his kid's friends became a frequent drop-in, and my friend eventually adopted the kid (for so many good reasons, lives were changed for the better). I admire that so much, but that's just not in me.

Some 40 years ago. my (then) wife and I lived in a highrise apartment building in Toronto...........one Sunday there were buzzes on the intercom from the lobby......since we weren't expecting anyone we chose to ignore them.

Next day I ran into an acquaintance with whom I was quite 'friendly........he said that he and his girlfriend, (whom I'd never met), "Dropped over to your place yesterday".

I replied "Oh, was that you?".

Things were never the same.

 

[Nemo2]

I admire people who welcome drop ins. I have a friend who lives for drop-ins.

My late wife, (not the one in the previous story), told me that when/after she and her ex first got married, (at a young age), they were always surrounded by people........then she realized that they really had nothing in common.

My wife now, (the one I should have always been married to...except I never knew her 'back when'), are quite content with each other's company......her daughter once said to her, (when the topic arose)..."Oh, I'd never dream of throwing a surprise party for you guys".

 

[imoldernu]

ENFP I guess...

Happened overnight in high school... from the invisible man to the top of the world as a result of national sports recognition.
Comfortable in crowds, deep thinker, empathetic... but lacking the savoir-faire to turn it into business success at the top level. Understand politics, but not a politician.

... but definitely not a Scientologist.

 

[Skyward1]

I was actually the example of an introvert that an English teacher used in high school when describing introverts and extroverts. I briefly attempted to convert to extroversion when I was younger but it was hard to fight nature. Now I embrace it and have become more introverted as I get older.

My dream as a young man was living in a cabin on a lake in the wilderness that was only accessible by water plane. Now I live in the suburbs so I guess I have come a long way.

 

[David1961]

Are there any other ISFP's here?

 

[Amethyst]

Twaddle - as in a lot of solemn nonsense.

I just don't cotton to the notion of boiling people down to "types." There are at leat 7 billion types of people, and the fact that we all possess traits is hardly news. I think the whole thing was just cooked up to make money off of companies. Look at the ridiculous questions on the test (which I've been made to take multiple times at work): "Do you prefer the word 'warm' or the word 'cool'"? Somewhere, somebody is laughing...

Amethyst

Twaddle-Dee or Twaddle-Dum?

 

[Focus]

I am considered an extrovert ... Then the daughter (thirteen at the time) needed help coming out of her shell ... we enrolled her in the Barbizon School of Modeling ... Money well spent. You can be changed.

That's the attitude I's have to deal with all the time -- the assumption that there's something wrong with being an introvert that needs to be "changed" to conform with what in the U.S. most consider the cultural norm.

I have a very extroverted friend who says he's getting somewhat more introverted as he gets older. I'm an introvert who's getting even more introverted as he gets older. Is there a tendency to shift toward introversion with age?

I'm also a P. Find it interesting that this is considered so much rarer here among early retirees than Js. Wonder why?

 

[Walt34]

I'm INTJ, DW is ISTJ. Other people think we're weird but that's okay, their loss.

I got a good laugh out of this one:

INTJ: Outside Contradictor - Are often baffled by the strange and incomprehensible recreational rituals of other people, such as going to parties, watching television, and having sex. Instead, they prefer to spend their leisure time installing twin missile launchers in their cars to deter tailgaters.

Decades ago I actually did mentally toy with the idea of installing Estes Rockets on the back of my car with white flour "warheads" on the ends to deter tailgaters.

 

[ClockWatcher]

Going beyond Meyers-Briggs, there is an interesting study using the Big 5 Theory of personality traits and it's relation to preparation for retirement posted at The University of Michigan Retirement Research Center’s website.

http://www.mrrc.isr.umich.edu/publications/papers/pdf/wp279.pdf

It is titled Personality Traits and Economic Preparation for Retirement.

The abstract states:

This paper assesses the effects of personality traits on economic preparation for retirement, wealth accumulation, and consumption, among persons 66 to 69 years of age. Among the five chief personality traits of neuroticism, extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness, we focus most on conscientiousness. We find levels of adequate economic preparation for retirement ranging from 29 percent to 90 percent and that conscientiousness positively affects the proportion of persons adequately prepared for retirement, while neuroticism negatively affects it. Both consumption and wealth increase with conscientiousness but wealth increases faster, indicating that more conscientious persons save more out of retirement resources.

Specifically regarding the subject of introversion/extroversion, the paper reports:

extroversion negatively affects preparation for retirement among single males

 

[Marita40]

As an introvert, I don't understand the whole social media/exhibitionist craze. I can't figure out why people have such an overwhelming need to talk all the time on their cell phones and in public places where everyone can overhear the conversation. I don't "get" Facebook or the explosion of personal blogs where people trump out all their personal information, photos, and excruciatingly boring details of their daily lives. Are there any introverts that enjoy this kind of stuff?

 

[Walt34]

Are there any introverts that enjoy this kind of stuff?

No.

 

[JoeWras]

Twaddle - as in a lot of solemn nonsense.

I just don't cotton to the notion of boiling people down to "types." There are at leat 7 billion types of people, and the fact that we all possess traits is hardly news.

I somewhat agree with you, that's why I quoted your word. I liked it. But I think there is *something* to the idea. I guess my ISTJ came out and I researched this whole thing after reading the thread. Most researchers have taken the concept and further refined it with complex refinements. Do the math and you'll get a near infinite variety instead of 16.

Specifically regarding the subject of introversion/extroversion, the paper reports:
extroversion negatively affects preparation for retirement among single males

Nobody should be surprised.

How many of people here have gone to a bar and "bought a round of drinks for EVERYONE" in the bar? Heck, how many people here have even been to a bar or had one drink? (See other thread.)

E males go crazy over stuff like buying rounds at the bar. And they love to wager during golf, and they spoil their girlfriend, break up, get a new one and spoil the next. And they buy way too much car. Etc. No way you can save money like that.

But you know what? A lot of these guys love their life and that's fine with me as long as you don't come crying to me when you are 64 asking for me to fund you. (Cold-hearted bastard comes out in me.)

 

[roger r]

How many of people here have gone to a bar and "bought a round of drinks for EVERYONE" in the bar? Heck, how many people here have even been to a bar or had one drink? (See other thread.)

I think in general society there is pressure for all people to be extroverts and alcohol is one avenue that can turn the introvert into a gabbler. At least that's how it was for me as a moderate social drinker. It took me a while to be comfortable with my quietness and ignore the pressures. Now the thought of going to a bar gives me the heebie jeebies.

 

[pletal]

I am an introvert, but people tend to think I am an extravert, so they don't get it when I don't show up for company-wide functions (outside of business hours). It's not like I don't like people. It's just that being social tires me after a very short time, plus I get kind of bored. I do have a small circle of very good friends and that's it.

Wow, I could of wrote that. Except I don't like most people. In most social settings it seems to be most people are jockeying for position on the social status ladder, kind of bores me they ask "what do you do?" I guess they mean what I do for a living? I tell them I save 60 percent of my take home pay, it is usually a conversation killer.

 

[LOL!]

I think any self-proclaimed introvert with more than about 10 posts on this forum is not an introvert.

 

[Brett_Cameron]

I think any self-proclaimed introvert with more than about 10 posts on this forum is not an introvert.

agree

 

[JOHNNIE36]

That's the attitude I's have to deal with all the time -- the assumption that there's something wrong with being an introvert that needs to be "changed" to conform with what in the U.S. most consider the cultural norm.

Maybe that is your assumption, but when two extroverts have a daughter that has no self confidence, cannot carry on a conversation with two or more people (in person), is a wallflower at all gatherings, never started a conversation, etc..., it was our opinion that she needed be more outgoing.
Right or wrong, this method worked for us.

I had never given any more thought about introverts vs extroverts until this thread surfaced. The percentage of members that are introverts is amazing. Now I can see why it's easier to be members of forums such as this. The introvert never has to address the posters face to face and it's easier to take stands on issues that they would never do with someone in person. I'm not saying this is bad, it's just something I never thought about.

I would like to now from some of you introverts if I'm correct in my assumption. Is this why introverts join forums such as this?

 

[Which Roger]

I had never given any more thought about introverts vs extroverts until this thread surfaced. The percentage of members that are introverts is amazing. Now I can see why it's easier to be members of forums such as this. The introvert never has to address the posters face to face and it's easier to take stands on issues that they would never do with someone in person. I'm not saying this is bad, it's just something I never thought about.

I would like to now from some of you introverts if I'm correct in my assumption. Is this why introverts join forums such as this?

The reason I joined this forum is that it's really the only place to interact with other FIRE types, since they are so few and far between in our society. And we all have something in common with each other. Also, as an introvert, I have difficulty making "small talk" in social gatherings where I don't have a lot of common interests with the others, but I really open up in groups where I know everybody (some of my friends might even characterize me as obnoxious) or when I meet somebody who has the same interests as I do.

I wonder what the actual ratio of Is to Es is for ERs in society as a whole? It's highly skewed toward Is in this forum, but the other factor at work is that Is are more drawn to forums like this than are Es.