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Zuko: ISFP [Avatar: The Last Airbender] 2017 Follower Favorite Winner.

DOMINANT INTROVERTED FEELING: Fi

Zuko uses primarily a perceptual form of judgement throughout his life. He only evaluates a situation as it is happening to him. This can make him quite adaptable, but we see it work to his detriment in his pursuit of the Avatar. Uncle Iroh points this out when Zuko wants to take Appa. Zuko sees Appa and adapts to the situation trying to take Appa, but Iroh points out, “Then what?” Zuko had this same dilemma when he had the Avatar at the end of Book One. If it wasn’t for the Avatar and is friends Zuko would have died because of his dominant functions tendency to simply deal in the moment in any situation, judging as it occurs.

There is more to dominant Fi than the times Zuko doesn’t think a plan through. Fi is the definition of what we imagine of the word intuition, that gut feeling as the determining judgement of a situation. Rather than deal logically a dominant Fi user like Zuko listens to that inner, subjective voice. This is why we get such a focus on how Zuko is feeling. The words he uses to describe his situation is to see if he is living his life according to his inner judgement. When he gets what he thinks he wants it doesn’t feel right to him. There is still something missing. His decision making isn’t in cold logic or even out of social obligation, but based on his personal feelings, of what will jive with his inner most feelings. It is this feeling that drove him to find the Avatar to defeat and the exact same feeling that drives him to help the Avatar defeat his own father.

Fi being based on self experience in the world drove him to try and be the best son he could be. In his experience this is what made someone a good person. If he found the Avatar he could restore his honor and live up to some sort of meaning in his life. As his sense of his own fate shifts we see him still need an inner meaning to his life to drive him in his actions. He sees it as his destiny to help the Avatar.

SECONDARY EXTRAVERTED SENSATION: Se

Zuko learns best through concrete hands-on experience. He isn’t one for theories and metaphors. He is not like Iroh in this way. Zuko only learns the hard way, instead of learning from Iroh’s teachings. He must experience not just with his Fi, but with his Se in order to a lesson or belief to truly cement itself in his mind. We see this in how hard it is for Zuko to wrap his mind around things his Uncle says. It isn’t that Zuko is dumb. Zuko needs to actually interact with the world to understand something. He needs to go out and touch it and live it.

While his sister Azula has dominant Te and can understand firebending and academics using her conceptual logic, Zuko, in contrast, must wrestle with firebending. Only though really using it and learning from his mistakes, through trial and error, does his skill improve.

Zuko’s Se also links him to the present, to what is in front of him. Seeing the patterns and hidden meaning in things does not come naturally to him. He only learns these lessons and explores these possibilities through his actions. This is why he takes such a long journey to find his true self and to find his own potential and purpose.

His secondary function is what it takes to make Zuko a healthy ISFP. His exposure to the world and experiences outside the Fire Nation help form a different self-image for Zuko that gives him objective consequences to his Fi judgments. It isn’t just about him and his honor, but about the world around him and his personal obligation to that world.

TERTIARY INTROVERTED INTUITON: Ni

Zuko is not introduced to us at the beginning as a very healthy character and we see this in the evolution of his tertiary function of Introverted iNtuition. Introverted iNuition helps the user identify with ideas separate from prevailing cultural assumptions. When healthy this helps Zuko come to terms with his choice to go against his father. Zuko at the start does not have this function developed properly so he lives up to his father’s expectations of him. He focuses on this rather than his own individual perspective, putting his father’s priorities over his own. He believes so strongly that finding the Avatar is his singular purpose. This is the self-image he creates for himself.

We watch his Ni evolve when he goes through his sickness in Book Two. Letting Appa go shatters the self-image he had for himself completely and he needs to process it. His mind weaves metaphors and signs for him in his dreams for him to decypher. But not being naturally inclined to this mode of thinking reverts back to his old sense of self at the end of Book Two. However, he clearly is not the same as he was and is dissatisfied because that old self-image, once shattered, is hard to put back the way it was.

His Ni also fuels him to deflect others’ influence on his self-image as well. This is why we see him fight off Iroh all the time. We see him put down Iroh even when Iroh is in prison in the Fire Nation in order to deflect and hide his inner feelings of uncertainty and lack of happiness. Ni motivates the Zuko to do this because he becomes paranoid of others and their intentions, of what they would do if they knew his inner feelings.

INFERIOR EXTRAVERTED THINKING: Te

We can see how inferior this function is in Zuko when we look at his feelings of how his sister who has dominant Te operates. Although she is extreme, he finds her process to be cold. He isn’t wrong, but when we look at how he lead his crew in Book One and how she leads her crew when she is first introduced, my point becomes clearer. Azula didn’t care about the crew but the objective. Zuko on the other hand, though rough, deeply cared for everyone in his crew. His Fi focuses on the individuals, not on the objective itself. He often puts the safety of his crew first. Although Zuko can make the hard choices and utilize Te, it clearly isn’t his default or something that comes naturally to him. He is far more comfortable dealing with people one on one, inspiring others by example rather than through orders and structure.

Zuko often feels he is compromising himself for the structure of the Fire Nation and his role as Prince. He doesn’t realize this fully till he finally turns away from his father. He was putting his father’s priorities above his own. This is what made him dissatisfied with himself and his inner meaning. It didn’t actually add up for him.

INTJ: The quiet, efficient president who is never seen, but whose logical actions have brought the country economic and military success.

INTP: The cold, shy revolutionary leader who rules the country as fairly as possible and who is found to be developing a secret bioweapons programme.

ENTJ: The ruthless dictator who works tirelessly to turn their country into an empire.

ENTP: The confident rebel who is forever experimenting with new methods of ruling and who is known for their talkative, brutally-honest nature.

INFJ: The self-effacing, democratically-elected president who manages to be both compassionate and logical, running an inclusive and pacifist nation that works for everyone.

INFP: The kindly but disorganised president who rose to power through the party ranks, is famous for their liberal idealist views and who is utterly devoted to the safety of their people.

ENFJ: The enthusiastic and efficient leader who works hard to improve the environment, who lives to serve the people and who is infamous for their willingness to double-cross anyone who gets in their way.

ENFP: The charismatic and talkative revolutionary, known for their sense of humour, their skill debating and their bizarre but fantastic ideas.

ISTJ: The rather private monarch who follows the country’s traditions, who works to ensure everyone is working efficiently and abiding the law, and who has a love of fine wine.

ISFJ: The unremarkable conservative leader who tries to bring their country back to the “good old days” and who is frequently accused of nepotism.

ESTJ: The straitlaced dictator who rules over their people with an iron fist, who wants to maintain the old socioeconomic positions and is constantly improving the economy to make it more efficient.

ESFJ: The charismatic but clueless president who always looks to their advisors to run the country, who cares about the people but doesn’t know how to help them, and spends most of their time out with friends.

ISTP: The cold and logical president who has an extensive secret police force, is rumoured to be dealing with the black market and is not afraid to deal with their enemies in the most brutal ways imaginable.

ISFP: The incompetent monarch who has good intentions, who loves nature and is more or less entirely controlled by their manipulative spouse.

ESTP: The fun-loving and controversial president who makes very questionable policy decisions and who spends most of their time ensuring their family have comfortable living conditions.

INTJ: The king’s ambitious advisor who rose through the ranks at a young age, has a perfect judgement of almost everyone at court, and is looking to subtly push their agenda without losing their head.

INTP: The skilful court physician who, despite being a good doctor, was publicly shunned for stating that germs cause disease, and is now plotting some petty revenge against the royal family that will probably never occur due to procrastination.

ENTJ: The commander of the military and the driving force behind the country’s plans to conquer overseas territories, who is constantly looking to win themselves more influence and is practically unbeatable on the battlefield.

ENTP: The disgruntled rebel who, after being rejected by the army as a teenager for being too small and weak, is inciting violence and is plotting with friends to assassinate the King in the name of a foreign leader.

INFJ: The sympathetic eldest daughter of the King, who pretends to be tender and meek in public but in fact has one of the best tactical minds in the kingdom, and who enjoys writing plays for her people’s entertainment.

INFP: The dreamy, absent-minded author who has royal patronage thanks to their brilliance with the written word, known for the outstanding works of fiction they write and the acts of charity they always look to perform in order to help the local peasants survive.

ENFJ: The outgoing and often gentle queen who acts like the ideal wife when in public, but is highly manipulative and a great influence in court, and who has successfully convinced her husband to pass laws protecting the forest around them and the poor people in the region.

ENFP: The enthusiastic and charismatic statesman famed for their exceptional powers of negotiation, their seemingly endless persistence and devotion to their country, and whose sole flaw is the fact that they are late to almost every meeting they attend.

ISTJ: The noble knight who is head of the King’s Guard, who has been rewarded many times for their dedication to their service, who is known amongst their comrades for their sense of humour and their loyalty to their friends, and has a rather competitive streak revealed only in training.

ISFJ: The meek foreign princess sent over to marry the Prince, known for her trusting and loving nature and the kindness she extends to everyone, who is brilliant at giving advice, and is well-liked by almost everyone.

ESTJ: The influential cardinal who controls the nation’s religious affairs, who is famed for their calculated decision-making, who is making rather clumsy and obvious attempts to enrich themselves through their position and who is a favourite of the King’s as the pair have been friends for years.

ESFJ: The confident socialite lady-in-waiting born into a noble family, who is one of the best conversationalists in court, who has fantastic fashion sense, who is happy to offer advice to anyone who needs it and is a favourite companion of the Queen’s.

ISTP: The mysterious child of a nobleman who ostensibly accompanies their father to court, but covertly works as an agent to assassinate the King’s political enemies. They’re famed for their dry sarcasm, their blunt logic and the skill with which they perform their tasks.

ISFP: The rather nervous and forgetful court painter who originates from another country but was brought over at the King’s request. Known for the quality of their work and the effort they put into the projects they care about, rumoured to have a surprising competitive streak, and who tries their best to make friends at court but is never really that popular.

ESTP: The King’s oldest son, who has a love of hunting, music, food, fine wine and women, who is exceptionally gifted in both academics and in sports, who regularly participates in tournaments to demonstrate his prowess and who is incredibly loving to his fiancée when the two of them are together.

INTJ: The divisive and analytical antihero who is both creative and logical, and whose motives (whilst sometimes questionable) lead to the best results. They are fantastic at debating and have an intelligence admired by all.

INTP: The absent-minded introvert who, despite their quiet and cold exterior and weird sense of humour, has great plans to understand and change the world and who is surprisingly empathetic. They know a lot more than they give themselves credit for, and have a habit of hoarding information on topics they find interesting.

ENTJ: The confident, logical and intelligent commander who is famed for their tactical and organisational abilities, alongside their fantastic sense of humour and their impressive determination. They don’t quite understand emotions, but they do try for things they care about, and value friends very highly - unless they are betrayed.

ENTP: The pun-making memelord who is confident and sometimes makes incredibly stupid decisions, and who likes getting into arguments with people just for the sake of it. They’re not afraid to speak their mind, although they often talk a lot without saying anything meaningful.

INFJ: The creative, organised and surprisingly logical character who is very in tune with the feelings of their friends and is incredibly protective of those they love. Although they can be lazy at times, they have great ideas, and could certainly change the world by doing what they enjoy.

INFP: The bookish protagonist who always has their head in the clouds, and has incredibly strong opinions around morals and ethics. They’re one of the kindest people in the world, and although they can make some very illogical decisions, they can be incredibly passionate and are a great friend.

ENFJ: The charismatic and passionate character who is a natural-born leader, and is prepared to die for the causes they believe in (those which are seen as the best for the world and the people around them). Although they are confident and altruistic, they can be highly manipulative if they wish.

ENFP: The fun-loving and enthusiastic character who everyone loves, mainly for their crazy ideas, their great sense of humour and the logic that underlines everything they do. They are often incredibly determined, despite a tendency towards procrastination, and are very creative.

ISTJ: The orderly and rather shy protagonist who, despite being somewhat disillusioned by their past, is surprisingly devoted to the causes they believe in. They love a good pun and are very loyal to those they love, although they will not hesitate to enact justice on someone who has wronged them.

ISFJ: The seemingly average protagonist who is surprisingly empathetic and in tune with the world around them, with a great understanding of other people and a deep respect for past traditions. They will do anything to protect their family, and are some of the most selfless people on the planet.

ESTJ: The rational and practical leader with a penchant for organising and commanding others, whilst keeping in mind a detailed map of their past experiences so as not to repeat previous mistakes. Although they can be harsh, they’re great conversationalists, and are friends with many others.

ESFJ: The kindly and surprisingly-imaginative character who everyone loves and who has an honest yet sympathetic personality, who loves to keep those around them in a good mood and who adores comedy. They may seem a little weird, but they’re certainly the best kind of person out there.

ISTP: The cold and knowledgeable protagonist who likes to understand machinery and the functions behind it, and who doesn’t care about traditions or the judgement of authority figures in the slightest. They are very creative and have a surprising soft side, although it’s only reserved for the people they care about the most.

ISFP: The quiet and artsy character who doesn’t give themselves enough credit for the skills they have, but devotes themselves entirely to the peaceful causes they believe in and love to live in the moment. They are incredibly kind and surprisingly imaginative, although they often have difficulty making friends with people who don’t quite understand their rich personality.

ESTP: The daring adventurer who seems to be constantly doing something, and who is known for a blunt and down-to-earth sense of humour. They’re not afraid to live their lives and speak their minds, and despite their easily-bored nature, they have a surprising intelligence.

ESFJ Aphrodite (Ἀφροδίτη): Born out of the foam of Uranus’ (God of sky) castrated parts that his son, Titan Cronus, had thrown to the sea. Thus, she emerged from the Ocean in all her beauty and grace and all the water Nymphs and all the Winds came to bow before her. Goddess of love and beauty, of pleasure and of passion as she was, all the men desired her and all the women envied her graces. She married Hephaestus, she desired Ares and she loved Adonis. One could always glimpse her winged son, Eros, god of desire, flying above her as she would’ve often whispered to his ear the next mortal whose his heart was about to be shot by Eros’ arrows.

ENFJ Apollo (Ἀπόλλων): God of light, of sun, of music, of poetry, of truth, of knowledge and protector of the arts. He was everything and he knew it all. People worshiped him all over the known world and build him the most gracious and marvelous temples and oracles, where sunbeams would make the white marbles shine as bright as the sun. In return, Apollo through the voice of gifted diviners would reveal to them what would the future hold. He played his lyre and his daughters, the Muses, would come over from the valleys to accompany his sweet melodies. He loved and protected the young as he, himself, remained a young man forever. He was a healer, but if the mortals were to infuriated him, he would bring the greatest of the plagues on them.

ISFP Artemis (Ἄρτεμις): Twin sister of Apollo as they where both children of Zeus and Leto. Quieter and humbler by nature than her twin brother, she found her call in the deep forests, the mountains and the moon. She befriended all the living things of the wild and devoted herself to their protection. Always bearing a bow in the hand and a handful of arrows on her back, she would hunt in the forests, but she’d never become violent, always honoring her prey. Although she took an oath to remain a virgin, young Orion became her hunting companion and he managed to win her heart. Their love was never meant to blossom, as Artemis shot Orion with an arrow by accident and killed him.

ESTP Ares (Ἄρης): Son of Zeus and Hera as he was, he would grow to become a forceful and a fearful one. Gifted with great physical strength and an everlasting blood lust, he excelled in the battlefields and become a soldier model for the Spartans. He was Aphrodite’s secret lover and together they had many children like Eros, who followed his mother, and Deimos (god of terror) and Phobos (god of fear), who both followed Ares as his warfare companions. The other gods tended to avoid him and on the great Trojan war he was on the losing side, therefore triggering Zeus’ anger towards him. Later, the Romans acknowledged his military intelligence and worshiped him by the name of Mars.

ESTJ Athena (Ἀθηνᾶ): If someone contrived to impersonate the essence of the ancient Greek spirit, it would look like her. It does not surprise that she was goddess of wisdom, handicraft and warfare as well. All three basic elements of the city that she fought with Poseidon for, thus founded and gave it her name, Athens. Athena always wore a helmet, brandished a spear and kept her shield with Medusa’s head on it (that Perseus had gifted to her for helping him in murdering that marine beast) by her side. Legend has it that she was born fully armored from Zeus’ forehead. However, Athena would never initiate an  unreasonable, blood spilling war against her enemies like Ares would do. Wise and strategic as her mind was, Athena favored those with strength and bravery, like Hercules and Perseus, with courage and valiance, like Bellerophon and Jason, as well as those with a sharp mind, like Odysseus, aiding them in multiple ways.

ENTJ Poseidon (Ποσειδῶν): He is known as the sea god, but in fact there was not an element that wouldn’t bow to his will. Poseidon was ruler of the seas, the rivers and all the running waters. He was commander of the earth, the soil, the storms and the mighty earthquakes. He was protector of the noble horses and, as many say, he was the true king of Atlantis. Although he lost supervision of Athens to Athena, the Athenians didn’t forget his volition to become their guardian and they worshiped him almost as much as her. They build him a magnificent temple on the windy top of Cape Sounion, where the waves of the great Aegean sea would crush the rocks beneath it. Poseidon would often help seafarers reach their destination safe and sound. Damn those who would dare sail without a sacrifice to his name for appeasing the tides. A tremendous storm created by a swing of his trident would crash their ship to an unknown land or, even worse, he would drag them all the way down to his wet kingdom. 

ENTP Zeus (Ζεύς): The father of the Gods wasn’t an easy one. As every king that walked the earth, the sea or the skies before and after him, he was whimsical, temperamental and stubborn as a bull. In fact, there were times that he would take the form of a real bull or an eagle, a swan, a bear, a serpent, a flame or even a shower of gold, always to seduce a new love interest of his own. Europa, Cassiopeia, Leda, Alcmene and Ganymede are just a handful of all the women and men he desired and approached while transformed into a creature of beauty, with the sole intention of sleeping with them. It’s no wonder that his wife, Hera, was always mad at him, thus she was the only one that ever managed to scare him a little bit. However, he was Father of everyone and everything. Mortals should not forget that without Zeus, the world would still be at the hands of his tyrannical father, Titan Cronus, whom Zeus with the help of his brothers and sisters managed to overthrow. Thus, he became the true ruler of the skies, bearer of the thunder and enforcer of law and order as well. Among mortals, he was yet another mighty symbol of civilization and justice.

INTJ Hera (Ἥρα): She wasn’t the wife next door. She was the queen of Gods and protector of all the women. Someone could even see her as one of the very first symbols of feminine power in ancient cultures. Her rightful rage towards her unfaithful husband, Zeus, was the fuel of her many vengeful actions against him and his lovers. Although she refused Zeus’ first marriage proposal, after marrying him, she became goddess of marriage and patron of the household and childbirth. Hera could be your worst enemy (even Zeus was sometimes afraid of her), but also your most valuable ally. But, most of all, she was true to herself and to her worshipers. After all, she was the queen-mother of the world.

INTP Hades (ᾍδης) or Plouton (Πλούτων): After the Gods defeated the Titans at the beginning of time, the males ones (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades at that time) gathered together to drew lots of ruler-ship over the world. Although Hades was the eldest between them, Zeus received the sky, Poseidon the earth and the sea, but Hades’ fate was to become king of the underworld. He took Persephone, Demeter’s daughter, for his wife and made her queen at his side. A giant three-headed dog guarded the doors to the underworld, thus making entrance to anyone alive almost impossible. Hades didn’t care for the affairs of the world of the living, or even for the matters of the rest of the gods. Although he wasn’t evil, mortals avoided to refer to him by his name in case they drew his attention. They mostly called him Plouton, which meant “rich”, as all the precious minerals came from the underground, thus the boundary of Hades’ kingdom.

ISFJ Demeter (Δημήτηρ): A rather motherly figure and a well-respected goddess. Demeter loved the earth and everything that came from the soil. She protected farmers and brought to them a good harvest year after year. The humblest seed took root whenever blessed by her. Nothing was more precious to her than her own daughter, Persephone. When Hades abducted Persephone with the intention to marry her, Demeter fell in deep sorrow and not a single thing would grow anymore. Everyone was desperate, and an era of great famine was upon the humans.

INFP Persephone (Περσεφόνη) or Kore (Κόρη): It is said that before her abduction by Hades, Persephone was called Kore, which means maiden or daughter. She was, in fact, the beloved daughter of Demeter, that one day while she was peacefully gathering flowers, Hades came and abducted her, as he was deeply in love with the girl. Demeter was so angry and sad after that incident, that forbade the earth to produce and she begun to wander around looking for Persephone. Zeus heard the cries of the hungry mortals and persuaded Hades to release her. Hades tricked Persephone to eat the seeds of a pomegranate before leaving the underworld, but she ignored that if someone tasted underworld food, they were obliged to come back. Demeter agreed that Persephone would spent half a year on earth and half below it. As a result, the time that Persephone returned to Hades as queen of the underworld, Demeter’s sorrow of her daughter’s absence would make winter on earth. As soon as Persephone come back to earth, she would bring the spring with her. Thus, people worshiped her as a goddess of the springtime and the flowers.

ENFP Dionysus (Διόνυσος, Diónysos) or Bacchus (Βάκχος): This one knew how to enjoy life to the fullest. As the god of wine, theater and ecstatic dance, Dionysus was an emblem of freedom and basically… fun. With vines in his hair, a thyrsus in his hands (a wand of ivy vines and leaves) and a smile on his face, Dionysus would stroll the valleys with his many followers, dancing ecstatically, driving them to divine mania. Mortals would call him “the god who comes”. His companion included goat-legged satyrs and maenads. The last ones were women who, after coming to ecstatic frenzy through dancing and drinking, would please Dionysus through blood-offerings, which in some cases meant that maeneds would kill men with bare hands. Dionysus is said to be a god who dies and rises back from the dead. His many, divine powers still remain a mystery to many of us, mortals.

ISTP Hephaestus (Ἥφαιστος): His form and character does not remind of a god. He was a shy one and would rather spend his time crafting weapons on his hot anvil. However, Hephaestus was the god of fire and served as a blacksmith of gods and heroes. His many creations include Hermes’ winged helmet and sandals, Aphrodite’s girdle, Achilles’ armor, Heracles’ bronze clappers, Helios’ (god of the Sun) chariot, Eros’ bow and arrows and all the thrones of the Gods in Olympus. The legend has it that he was Hera’s son, one that she made by herself out of jealously of Zeus giving birth to Athena out of his head. However, Hera ejected him from mount Olympus, because he was lame on one leg. Hephaestus took revenge against Hera by crafting her a magical golden throne, which, when she sat on, it didn’t allow her to stand up, thus making both her legs useless.

ESFP Hermes (Ἑρμῆς): Also known as the “divine trickster”, the messenger of the gods and the guide to the underworld. Hermes was a pleasant god who protected travelers, merchants, shepherds, athletes and thieves, as he was all of those things himself. His appearance is quite known. A young man with the top of his head full of playful curls, wearing winged sandals, winged petasus (traveller’s hat) and holding the kerykeion (a short staff entwined by two serpents and surmounted by wings). Always being on the move, Hermes loved playing tricks on other gods and mortals.

ISTJ  Hestia (Ἑστία): Hestia was one of the six children of Kronos and Rhea (among Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Demeter) and therefore one of the oldest Gods. She was goddess of the home and domesticity as her name suggests (Ἑστία means “hearth”) as well as protector of households. Mortals used to gift her the first offering of every sacrifice in the household. During the founding of a colony, flame from Hestia’s public hearth in colonizers’ mother city would be carried to the newly founded one. Hestia rejected both the marriage proposals of Poseidon and Apollo, and took an oath of virginity (like Artemis). She cared little for the conflicts of gods and mortals and tended to her domestic matters. Hestia was the simplest and humblest between gods and even offered her place in Olympus to Dionysus, making him the 12th Olympian god in her place, thus showing her divine magnanimity.

ISTP: werewolf (or lycanthrope): Often referred to as children of the moon, werewolves are humans who, due to a curse or magic affliction, have obtained the ability to transform themselves into (fullform) wolves during a full moon.

ISTJ: vampire: A human-like creature with pale skin known to feast on human blood. Usually capable of taking the form of a bat. Afraid of the sunlight or sometimes of crossing over water.

ISFJ: brownie (or house elf): Household creatures that aid in tasks around the house in exchange for some milk, honey, biscuits or cream. They don’t like to be seen by humans so they work at night and spend daytime in the attic, in a warm corner or in hole in the wall.

ESTP: goblin: Mischievous and temperamental, small creatures gifted with magical powers and a greedy nature. They shall steal your jewelry and gold.

INTJ: Lilin (or succubus/incubus): Demonic, night spirits who appear in dreams taking the form of a woman or man and seduce their victims in order to engage into sexual activity with them. Repeated intercourse with a Lilin can cause serious health weakness or even death.

ESFP: poltergeist: Malevolent spirits responsible for haunting humans through physical disturbances like levitating and destroying objects, making loud noises and even harm humans. In their worst, poltergeists pinch, bite, trip or even hit humans.

ESFJ: Watcher (or Grigori): A fallen angel that according to the Books of Enoch fell for Heavens and dispatched to Earth in order to watch over humans. The offspring of a human and a Watcher is called Nephilim.

INTP: jinn (or genie): Sapient spirits with either a kind or benevolent nature. Usually invisible or in shadow form but also able to take many forms and possess human bodies. They travel ceaselessly and instantaneously from one place to another.

ENFP: fairy (or fae, fairie and fair folk): Small structured creatures that inhabit forests, lakes, mountains, rivers and springs. They fly with insect or butterfly wings or even on birds. They use magic to preserve and protect the nature and they sometimes swap human children with their own for unknown reasons.

ENTJ: dragon: Legendary, reptile creatures with many legs and strong wings. Most of them breath fire and live on the mountains, while other are rain and storm bringers.

ESTJ: Leviathan: A giant sea monster which lives in the depths of the ocean and attacks ships to feast on human flesh. Either reptile formed with horns or possesses many octopus legs (like the Kraken) or even giant crab claws.

INFJ: elf: Elves are intelligent supernatural human-shaped beings that possess great magical power, ethereal beauty and ancient wisdom. They either help, endanger or ignore humans. They inhabit forests, hills and mountains and on a misty morning or a starry night they can be seen from afar dancing in circles. Most believe that elves are immortal or live thousands of years, but one can never be sure.

INFP: ghost (or spirit, phantom and spectre): A ghost is usually a spirit of a dead person unable or unwilling to pass into the afterlife. They mostly choose to stay invisible and haunt humans and places they have been when alive. This meets the idea of the “unfinished business” of a ghost on Earth. Children are most likely to feel the presence of such spirits.

ISFP: wil-o’-the-whisp (or ignis fatus or Jack-o’-latern): It is described as an atmospheric ghost light (probably faerie related) which tricks travellers at night into following it and ending up deep into the woods, stuck in a swamp or even dead. 

ENFJ: unicorn: A legendary and rare creature with the shape of a horse and an origin of a magic land. Their most characteristic feature is a horn on the top of their head which possess the power to heal any sickness and render any poisoned liquid potable again. Even seeing a creature as such is said to be eternal luck.

Not necessarily, although there are exceptions (often with ESXP daredevils).

Of the sp-blinds I know, the things they have in common are:

- Having no savings at the end of the month / living from paycheck to paycheck

- Forgetting to prioritize “essentials” in their budget (like rent, paying the electric bill, fixing the broken heater in the winter, or the a/c in the summer)

- Assuming they are going to “last forever” / that not taking care of their body won’t backfire on them at some future

date (abuse including a poor diet, lack of sleep, forgetting to eat, tiring their eyes with screens, and no exercise)

- Having no sense of when they have had “enough” and need “down time”

- Having almost nothing “comfortable” in their space (not knowing what to buy / what they like / no nesting instinct) OR having a ton of clutter / being a hoarder

SP-blinds often “cling” to people with sp as their lifeline and feel panicky without it since they don’t know how to do basic things for themselves (like budgeting, keeping track of their spending, saving money, setting boundaries, having time at home to calm down and introspect, etc) along those lines.

One sp-blind I know has harmed herself multiple times living in a house where it never occurs to her to fix anything that breaks / she does not know how to do it. She has gone two winters without heat, because she never remembers to fix the broken furnace when it’s not cold outside, and when it is, she has no money to fix it with due to her tendency to over-spend / loan people money she does not have. She went last summer without an a/c also because… same story, it broke and she can’t afford to fix it.

Each sp-blind is different, depending on the core type also.

See this post.

- ENFP Mod

Note by sp-blind ENTP Mod. - I want to add that having a six wing or strong thinking function would ideally cut down on the dumb things that sp blind stereotypes are wont to do. For example, fiscally speaking - the last time I quit my job, I hadn’t planned enough savings to sustain me for the gap in between. I do pay my bills on time, but that’s mostly because it is all online. If it actually involved me remembering to prioritize, go somewhere and pay my bills, I am pretty sure I would learn my lesson after a few shut - offs. Food wise, I have the absolute worst diet though I am trying to work on it. She is right in that I do and did live life like I would live forever. Sp firsts treat their body with a great awareness, mindful of what they consume. Sleep isn’t prioritized if I have some big idea or side projects I am working, or if I have someone online with whom I am really feeling the connection, in a manner of speaking. Not knowing when I have had enough? Yes. Not feeling hunger till my vision goes fuzzy? Why, that’s how I spent most of my teenage and early twenties. I have lived life from biscuit to ramen packet, somehow survived to tell the tale.

About boundaries: This is is kind of a huge thing because the sp users know when they are tired, when they should wind down whereas I have no sense of equitable energy distribution, and can end up drained. I push myself and my body unknowingly beyond its limits, and come down HARD.

Sp people: I hadn’t thought about this consciously till I read about how easily the so/sx defaults to the dynamic of transferring responsibility for their growth and survival on to someone with strong sp. I have through my life gravitated towards high sp users, who are probably the reason why I am actually here to tell you not to do what I did.

(Just because you are sp blind does not mean you don’t have an ounce of self preservation. That is a hard-wired instinct in every single one of us. Be it a homo sapien, or an animal, or a bird. What it means is that you don’t prioritize meeting those needs. What it means is that you will willingly sacrifice sp needs to make sure your soc and sx needs are met. So don’t think all sp blind folks will be penniless junkies, it is dependent on Enneagram, and to some extent cognitive type as well)

This summary is based off the premise that you have knowledge of the instincts already. This is strictly the role that the instincts fall into according to their order. 

1. The first instinct in the stacking: Your Shield

What is it: The first instinct in the stack is the instinct that you take the most seriously.

Why: Because this instinct is what we are most insecure about. We overcompensate in this area in order to make up for our insecurity.

How you can tell: You can tell by how a person spends their time and energy. They will most likely get “antsy” about not doing the things concerning their primary instinct.

How it manifests:  The first instinct is not just the one you defend yourself from others as a form of self-protection, but it’s also the instinct you defend to others. This means that we are defending ourselves from the world with this instinct, and that we are also can become defensive about this instinct to others. Which explains why it is the instinct you take most seriously.

Examples:

sp doms will defend against pain from the world by having and sp “bubble” around them. A safe space. They ”dome up” or “put their guard up.” They are able to retreat to a safe place where their boundaries will not be crossed in this space. Sp doms are very sensitive to their own and other peoples’ boundaries. They want to know that you are not going to cause them unease or threat or vice versa. Often Sp doms have noted that they need to feel safe before they can come out of their “shells.”

sx doms will defend against pain in the rawest form. The rawness is their defense. They jump right into things. The intensity of being completely raw is a form of protection because it’s complete immersion. This means that they do get hurt, but they often will take the experience and say “It was worth every second, and I would never take it back, even if it was painful.” If you were to ask an sx dom how they defend themselves from the world, they would most likely reply with “I don’t.”

so doms will defend against pain from the world by creating a “separate social identity.” This means that at an early age this “separate identity” was cultivated in order to not take the pain of socializing personally. To clarify, they don’t take the social world as personally because the identity they’ve cultivated is like creating a character. This is not to be mistaken as being fake. This means that they have created this character, who does showcase parts of themselves, it’s just not always all of themselves fully. So doms often say that they have many social layers to them.

More under the cut…

so blind: dead outside

Interlude 1 - alt-J

New World - David Wingo

Flume - Bon Iver

Downtown - Majical Cloudz

Hearts - Patrick Watson

First Day of the End of My Life - Amigo the Devil

Flickers - Son Lux

June - Florence and the Machine

Wait - M83

The Void - Muse

The City - Exitmusic

Chairman Gou - James Supercave

Vanderlight - Stop Light Observations

Goodbye (ft. Soap & Skin) - Apparat

In a Black Out - Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam

What’s a loop? It’s when you have a problem, or something bugging you, and your first function tries to fix it. But it can’t, so it gives it to your third function, cos it’s good at solving problems for you normally. But the third function is like, ‘what?’ and sends it back to your first. And it just keeps going and freaking you out.

First, I will begin with the generic advice. Then I’ll try and have a go at what that might specifically look like.

Everyone always says you can get out of a loop by using your second function. However, thst makes zero sense. How is an infj meant to stop Ni-Ti thoughts about what it might feel like to die by using Fe? They can’t.

So I’ve tested this, and to get out of a loop you need to use your last function, which will actually redirect you to the second after you have used it well enough. So I’ll start with infj.

Infj

To get out of a Ni-Ti loop, infjs must think about life as it actually is. They must listen to their inferior Se. It’s probably telling them they’re making themselves miserable, and they don’t even like having Ni-Ti thoughts. Worrying about things won’t help, so you should concentrate on the present moment. This doesn’t mean infjs should go out and get drunk or something. It means they should stop confusing themselves by making things vague and make them tangible. Think of all the things you can do now, for all the people around you. Fe may then take over, and the infj should be fixed.

Enfj

To stop a Fe-Se loop, Enfjs have to embrace Ti. Fe-Se mean Enfjs become too in the moment for their own good, and may be over social, and shallow in their social connections. They should think about what it is they want to accomplish in life and if they are actually doing anything meaningful. Once they have worked out what they want to achieve in life, Ni should take over and begin planning how to do this. The enfj should then be fixed.

Entj

The Te-Se loop makes entjs obsessed Roth controlling their environment, and makes them do a bunch of stuff without really considering it. Entjs need to embrace Fi, and have their melt down they are putting off. Are they happy with their life? How do they want it to be? Who do they want to be? Ni should then take over and begin planning how to achieve this in the grand scheme of things.

Intj

To get out of a Ni-Fi loop, intjs must think about life as it actually is. They must listen to their inferior Se. It’s probably telling them their theories make no sense, and aren’t applicable to the present moment. Intjs may be conspiracy theorising, or they may worry that they aren’t achieving anything and will become failures. This doesn’t mean infjs should go out and get drunk or something. It means they should consider their lives as they actually are. Are they actually being useless? Then change it. Are they being useful? Then continue. But how to continue? Te should take over here, creating concrete plans for the intj to follow in life.

Enfp

The Ne-Te loop makes enfps do lots of weird things they think might be helpful, and can make them critical about the weirdest things. Enfps need to use Si to get out of this loop. They should consider the past - people’s past actions, and their own - and pay attention to the details around them. Perhaps fairy lights hanging in their bedroom are stressing them out? (IDK GUYS). Enfps need to step back and consider what they actually want to achieve in life, and if their life has matched that goal to date. If it hasn’t, they need to evaluate what changes they want to make. Fi should take over.

Infp

Fi-Si basically means criticising yourself and all your past actions, until the infp hates who they are. They may feel stuck and irredeemable, because they can’t explain away all the bad things they think they did. Infps need to use their Te. Okay, that was a bad thing. How can I make sure I don’t do that again? How can I fix that? How can I heal my relationship with that person? Ne will then take over and brainstorm the solutions.

Entp

Ne-Fe basically brainstorms all the bad things, and how everyone will be hurt by their actions, or how everyone will laugh at their failure. They may become suspicious of everybody, because they imagine everyone is against them. Entps need to connect with Si, and analyse the past. Do all these people really hate them? Does that really seem like a consistent theory? And is it REALLY likely that x, y, and z will happen? Ti should then take over to help them regain a clearer perception of reality.

Intp

Intps basically reinvent the past when in a Ti-Si loop. They may feel as if everyone is corrupt and stupid, and they are superior to everyone. They can become closed off and hurtful. Intps need to connect with Fe. Do they really think this person is horrible? Or do they remember all the nice things that person did? In a loop, intps may also be convinced they have a terrible disease. They need to use Fe here too. Do they think all the doctors are lying when they say they’re fine? Ne should step in with the answers.

Esfj

The Fe-Ne loop may make esfjs incredibly insecure about their relationships with people, similar to an entp. Esfjs need to use Ti to consider if their fears really make sense. If that person really were going to break up with you, would they really propose? Probably not. Also, here are ten things they did in the past that proves they love you (Si takes over).

Isfj

The Si-Ti loop makes isfjs convinced they’re right based on past experience and internal logic alone. Obviously the isfj needs to get back in touch with Fe to consider how other people are different, but to get there they need to use Ne. Is this really the only way to do this? What if it’s wrong? You didn’t consider these possibilities. Fe should then take over.

Estj

A Te-Ne loop makes Estjs do lots of weird things they may not actually like or want to do. To get out of it they should embrace their Fi melt down and consider what they actually want in life. What is it that’s actually bothering them? Once they work this out, Si can help them fix the problem.

Istj

In a Si-Fi loop, istjs avoid new things and live in a routine they find comforting. To fix this they need to embrace the flood of Ne options, which may be overwhelming. Ne will be telling them they’re unhappy with their strict routine, so embracing it may be overwhelming at first. Te will help the istj work out which ideas are actually practical and worth doing in practice.

Esfp

In a Se-Te loop, Esfps will probably just do everything. Esfps need to step back and actually plan ahead, think some Ni thoughts. What will be the consequences of their actions? Fi should then take over and help them consider what they actually want to achieve and who they want to be.

Isfp

Isfps in a Fi-Ni loop will imagine their future as the most depressing thing they can imagine. They will imagine themselves as victims of circumstance. Te needs to step in here, and help them realise they can control their lives, and stop certain outcomes from happening. Se will then step in and make them realise half the things they were thinking of are unlikely, given current circumstances.

Estp

In a Se-Fe loop, estps may be obsessed with controlling people. They may do way too many crazy things and be overly social and snarky. Estps need to think things through with some inferior Ni. What will be the consequences of their actions? Their Ti can then take over and help them decide what they really want to do.

Istp

A Ti-Ni loop makes istps convinced their logic is correct, regardless of what anyone else thinks. They need to consider everyone else with some inferior Fe. Is that person actually stupid, or could there be some merit to what they said? Se should then step in and help them consider the current circumstances.

So in conclusion, I hope this helps anyone out if their loop. The first step is obviously realising you’re in one. To realise that, just ask yourself if you feel happy or if you feel kind of angsty, like something is wrong, but you’re not sure what. If you feel that way, you’re probably in a loop (or hungry).

That’s… not altogether surprising. Inferior Si is pretty bad with details, Ne-dom relates to everything on some level, and core 6′s can have trouble figuring out their Enneagram tritype. 6′s and 9′s have the most trouble, out of all 9 E types.

You have to look at the head, heart, and gut instincts as separate. They are your METHOD for dealing with logic, emotion, and anger. 

(You didn’t include all of them, but if I don’t include them all, I’ll just get asked.)

GUT: Let’s say someone slanders you. What’s your GUT INSTINCT?

8′s fire back. OH YEAH?? YOU WANNA HEAR ABOUT YOURSELF??? *uses a cannon to kill a mosquito, escalates the episode into a battle* (8w7 may keeps fighting until they win; 8w9 gets tired of it after awhile and quits)

9′s ignore the problem, and hope it goes away, since conflict – ugh. (9w1 may also think it’s a matter of pride not to sink to their shallow reactive level, hence the silence; 9w8 may get mad and blast people after all, then worry about it.)

1′s may either respond, or debate with themselves whether it’s appropriate to respond or appropriate to display their anger in that way; they might wind up keeping their mouth shut, knowing the people who REALLY know them as a good, moral person will not believe the slander anyway; or they might fear that this will damage their reputation and should be addressed in a firm, direct way. (1w2 has less problems reacting and moralizing at people than 1w9, who just wants you to go away and leave them alone, coz you’re ruining their buzz.)

Heart: how are you in your relationships? How do you react IN a relationship? What do you tend to focus on getting and giving from your partner? What’s your actual thought process?

2: if I am a nice, helpful person, I can earn their love. I can be clingy in my relationships, sometimes trying to do too much to please others. I feel disappointed when others do not “do unto me as I do unto them,” but at the same time have a hard time expressing my needs. I feel I don’t deserve to have them filled – it’s selfish to think that way or ask for things. I can clearly see what they need; why is it so hard for them to see what I need in return?? (2w3 wants both you to love them and admire them; 2w1 wants to serve because it’s the right thing to do.)

3: I work hard to keep them interested and impressed with me. I can sometimes boast about how good at things, to cover up my own insecurities. I sometimes like to name drop. It’s important to me that my partner takes me as a successful person. I will become whatever they need me to be, but I also have aspirations. I am going places. I want someone who is also going places. (3w2 wants you to admire and love them, and is more extroverted; 3w4 is more willing to look at their own flaws after reaching their goals.)

4: I’m surprised when people like me for who I am; I expected them to reject me because of *insert thing here*. I sometimes feel like I’m most in love with someone when they are gone – and less in love with them when they are here. I have a hard time looking at them and not wanting what is missing from the relationship. I’ve been accused of not appreciating what I have. But… is this all there is? I want to connect with others but don’t always feel I know how. Maybe if I stand out, if I emphasize something unique about myself, you’ll notice me. (4w3 is more outwardly aggressive and sharing of their feelings; 4w5 is more detached and analytical about their feelings.)

2′s read people’s emotions; 3′s covet approval and admiration; 4′s do neither. They deliberately take opportunities to say, “I’m not like that.”

Head: you are forced to make a major decision at work. What do you do?

5: does all the research, is indecisive and doesn’t want to be rushed, but when pushed to the wire makes a decision based on the knowledge they acquired, an what seems like a safe bet. (5w4 doesn’t consult for opinions; 5w6 does.)

6: analyzes the different possibilities, invites external input, then makes a decision based on what seems like the least-risk-taking method. Cautious and will consult others for their opinions – often reaching a conclusion first, then asking others if it seems like the right choice. (6w5 relies on knowledge also; 6w7 chooses a method that ensures they will not feel ‘trapped’ by the results, leaves an open ending for other alternatives.)

7: considers the best strategy that will require the least amount of labor, and will prevent them from eventual boredom in picking up the pieces. Not big on follow through, and hates being stuck anywhere. (7w6 is more cautious than 7w8.)

I’d suggest thinking about the last time someone crossed or insulted you, and how you reacted. Write down your reasons for doing what you did – as well as what you did, and study them independently. Did you lash out like an 8? Ignore like a 9? Seethe with indignation and try to restrain your anger like a 1? Then look at your last failed relationship. Ask yourself why it failed. How you acted. What you wanted from your partner that they did not give you. What bugged them about your decisions and behaviors. Did you pull them in like a 2? Impress them like a 3? Push them away like a 4?

I discovered I was a 4 when I realized how much, unconsciously over the years, I have always deliberately set myself out to be DIFFERENT from my peers. At 11 or 12, I saw other girls being “silly” and thought, “That’s it. I’m going to be mature and serious.” If they liked boys, I never said anything remotely gushy about boys. If they all wanted to get married one day, well, I didn’t! I’ve noticed I’m still quick to assert the differences between other people and me – especially if they try and tell me who I am. “I’m not like that.” “I don’t do that.” “No, I never feel that way.” Sometimes it’s the truth, sometimes it’s an outright lie. God forbid anyone else on the planet relates to me or is just like me. That was another clue – I could not relate to any of the heart types. And someone laughed and said, “A 4, not ‘relating’ to anything. Oh, the irony.”

So, there’s your insight into a 4, if you need it. ;)

Good luck.

As a fellow 6w7-user, I know the pain it is to find your gut and heart center. ;)

- ENFP Mod

Okay, so this not only happened to me (and most of my friends as they learned MBTI) but I see it happen a lot online, so I want to address it.

Your dominant function is unconscious – you use it so much, and are so good at it, it’s hard for you to recognize it when you’re using it unless you already know it’s there. Once you find your right type, you start noticing what you’re doing when you’re doing it – but the process of figuring that out is hard.

The biggest mistake I see people make is noticing their lower functions (they do not use them unconsciously, thus they pay attention when they show up) and assuming they are higher. You can tell higher from lower functions based on how mature the function is and how it manifests. An EXFP might notice their Te because they use it, and they feel drawn to being logical, detached, and getting things done – and think they’re a TJ until they meet a real one. If self-aware, they will see how much harder it is for them to use Te all day than for the TJ.

The ISXP will notice tert-Ni and think how intuitive they are – until they meet a Ni-dom. The comparison is enormous. One is a literal way of perception that guides each concept that crosses their mind (INXJ), the other is thin hunches, insights, and the desire for intuitive depth.

The higher the function, the stronger it is, and the more it works as it should. High Ne - good at instinctively knowing things, trusting hunches, and thinking in multiple directions on demand, focusing on the wider implications. Auxiliary Ne - does all of that, except it’s always guided by Fi or Ti, which will rule out anything Ti or Fi does not like. Tertiary Ne - playful, funny, reads into things, but not with as much accuracy as high Ne. Inferior Ne - good for writing books and having fun, but doesn’t place much faith in hunches, has no depth to their intuition.

Same goes for high Ni vs. low Ni – high Ni: depth of intuition, inferior Ni: no depth of intuition. High Te - effortless logic and organizational skills; low Te - hard logic, no depth of organizational skills. High Ti - effortless internal frameworks and logical consistency; low Ti - no depth of logic, shallow internal frameworks. High Se - knows how to impact the environment for immediate change, confident in doing so; low Se - shallow impact and awareness. High Si - effortless comparison to former similar situations, strong memory for detail; low Si - shallow comparisons to former situations, zero detail awareness. Etc.

The nice thing is, whatever you suck at, you are AMAZING at your dominant.

So, to combat this problem, you have to pay attention to several things:

Your own defensiveness over a function (usually indicates its lower)

The functions you notice the most (require the most effort – thus, lower)

What you admire most in other people (often they’re using competently your weakest functions, and you have function envy)

Ego can get tangled up in finding a “cool” type and sticking with it, but what you want is your ACTUAL type so you can work on self-development, noticing your blind spots, and working to correct them. You want to be the best ___ you can be, not a “fake” anything.

So, your weaknesses have to match up to your type’s weaknesses. This goes for Enneagram and MBTI.

Just as a reminder, the weaknesses of each type:

ESXP: poor at envisioning future outcomes for their actions or thinking about it.

ENXP: poor at retaining details, specifics, or what actually happened.

EXFJ: poor at detaching from their feelings, and forming consistent arguments.

EXTJ: poor at recognizing / respecting their emotions and handling them.

IXFP: poor at organizing their time for maximum efficiency and sticking to it.

IXTP: poor at reading other people’s emotions and responding appropriately.

INXJ: poor at being aware of sensory input and can ignore outside evidence.

ISXJ: poor at developing and trusting hunches and weak abstraction.

Good luck!