Intuitive Feeling Types (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) – The "Apollonian temperament"
It is fascinating to learn about one’s personality type. I found out that it is a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) “NF” (intuitive feeling type) and reading about him is very enlightening. But, I am also very suspicious of the phenomenon of the ‘horoscope’ by which we can psychologically identify with almost everything we read.
The four key generic types of MBTI are represented by the mythical Greek gods: Apollo, Dionysus, Prometheus, and his brother Epimetheus.[1]> It is generally accepted that Apollo (NF) represents the spirit; Dionysus (SP, Feel-Perceive) represents joy or liberation; Prometheus (NT, intuitive thinking) represents science; and Epimetheus (SJ, feel judge) represents duty (or diligence). Apollo (spirit) is opposed to Prometheus (science) and Dionysus (joy) to Epimetheus (duty).
NFs make up about 12 percent of the population. If you are the type of person who never looks for yourself, you most likely identify strongly with the Apollonian (NF) temperament. This person has the goal of becoming.
Put more accurately, this is an excerpt from Please, understand me on the Apollonian temperament:
“How can you achieve a goal when that goal is have a goal? The NF’s “truest” self is the self in search of itself, or in other words, its purpose in life is to have a purpose in life. Always becoming itself, the NF can never really be the same.”[2] (Italics in the original.)
It is quite a paradoxical life for the NF in the quest to become oneself, which never ends. It can be frustrating or reassuring; relief can only come from acceptance of this ‘never complete/a work in progress’ nature. Spiritually, psychologically, and physically, the NF wanders through life and time seeking improvement and is never truly happy without “the search.”
activity without meaning in any role in life[3] for NF it’s useless and frustrating. They need to get meaning from themselves and from others.
Having integrity means unity for the NF and this is being genuine, authentic and in good faith.
Everything has meaning to NFs and they are extremely sensitive to “subtleties in gestures and metaphorical behavior” that are not always “visible” to others.[4]
Some of the most creative people come from the NF branch, including creative writers and artists, while NFs also make up a large percentage of those entering careers in ministry, teaching, psychology, and counseling. “Conveying ideas and attitudes tends to attract NF.”[5]
NFs are also natural leaders, as they enjoy actualizing the potential in others and themselves. His hunger for meaning is not focused on things but on peopleand not in abstractions but relationsand finally, not in action target interaction.[6]
NFs invest heavily in their relationships and an important cause, but to stay deeply attached they need to gain long-term meaning again. Even more specifically, the NF works hard and towards perfection in its work.
Paradoxically, however, once the job is done, no matter how perfect the result, “it never seems to measure up to the magnificence of its conception.” It is also interesting that NFs seem “unwilling or unable to limit a commitment they make to a production, once they become involved. At that point, they can be unreasonably demanding both of themselves and of those around them.”[7]
One thing we can say in the general discussion of personality types and preferences is that there are so many different ways of looking at life, and in this we can see why there is so much conflict in communication. We can’t expect to consistently see things accurately from each other’s points of view, but we can try.
In this type of study we can appreciate our mutual differences as well as our similarities. And just because people think and feel differently doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Personality types explain a lot in the realm of human behavior and interaction.
Copyright © 2009, SJ Wickham. All rights reserved throughout the world.
GRADES:
[1] David Kiersey and Marilyn Bates, Please understand me: character types and temperament (Del Mar, California: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company/Gnosology Books Ltd, 1984), p. 29
[2] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., p. 58.
[3] Roles include (but are not limited to) worker, friend, lover, father/mother, husband/wife, leader, member, son/daughter, etc.
[4] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., p. 60.
[5] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., p. 62.
[6] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., p. 66.
[7] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., p. Sixty-five.