Te is a function that defines objects by their interactions with other objects (Je) while also experiencing them as having an inanimate (T) character. Causal dynamics are thus registered mechanistically as impersonal clockwork operations following cleanly from their premises. This inanimate assignment occurs even if the objects are technically alive; in this case, the entities are still examined clinically but as complex biological systems with various requirements for optimal functioning. These needs may be met through actions, while those actions are still registered as being mechanical.

Process-Orientation

Like all types, the Te user is motivated by a desire for truth, which they pursue uniquely. The Te user will instinctively understand reality in a process-oriented manner, seeking to answer questions of truth as a relationship between the antecedent and consequent. Te's core curiosity is the space between the input/output and what happens within it, making Te an altogether causality-oriented process. While all people can -- if their attention is so turned -- reason out a causal sequence, the Te user will do so with far greater speed and regularity. They will love theories, systems, models, and languages where there are interactions between variables and actions that can result from their calculations. This often leads to a magnetic attraction to computer programming, the art/language of pure logical computation, and the relationships between objects- whether physical or intangible variables (digits, numbers)- that become the primary focus of the Te user.

Moreover, when this habit becomes excessive, it can lead to a mechanical mind that always tries to make sense of things through logical sequences. The Te user may apply the same computational approach to other more human domains of life and come across as robotic to family or friends. They may develop a reputation as a code junkie or nerd as they spend a great deal of their time engrossed in technical pursuits. The Te user wants more than anything to understand "how things work," how the pieces fit together, and how all of this comes about through the collision of variables. The Te user is not content with a general answer but desires to know the precise order of operations that leads necessarily to the actions we see before us.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

Because of this attitude, the Te user quickly develops a thirst for scientific questions. Their pursuit of knowing the dynamic workings of things leads them to ask, "How do bacteria create organic matter out of chemical reactions at the bottom of the ocean?" "how do moons like Titan fit into the formation of the early solar system?" or "Where do ultra-high energy particles come from?" The Te user will commonly develop an affinity for domains such as astronomy, biology, chemistry, and physics, the latter offering a concise platform and language for understanding causal and objective relations. The Te user is highly pragmatic in their pursuit and framing of truth, often evaluating the reality of a thing by its observable effects. They tend towards empiricism and highly value precise measurement in their understanding. Quantification is critical to the Te user, as it allows for the rigorous study of phenomenon and their interactions. This proclivity often blossoms into an appreciation and immersion in engineering, which presents a practical operationalization of those essential laws. The Te function is responsible for much of our scientific advancement in the past century. There is little more stimulating to the Te user than to achieve ever higher orders of aptitude through the discovery, creation, and application of elegant logistical systems.

Economics & Business/Law

However, their understanding of causal relations is broader than the sciences. Indeed, many Te users will forego the sciences and apply their logistical comprehension directly to the financial sector. They will gravitate to fields like economics, law, and, by extension, government for its interconnection with the former. Moreover, just as the scientists do in their respective domains, the Te economist will understand the social world as a system of variables which, if rightly maneuvered and arranged, will give specific, predictable outcomes and revenues. Numbers, graphs, and statistical reports may populate stacks on their desk as they wrestle with bureaucracy. Many Te users will start business enterprises, taking the road of the entrepreneur and businessman. Over a few Te users have developed an acute interest in politics, campaigning for high and low office positions.

Moreover, while they can be seen from all stripes, the strong Te politician more naturally aligns with a classical/laissez-faire economic policy where people and business owners can trade willingly based on an agreed value/demand without government interventions. Over-regulation and over-taxation, the Te user may protest, is an unethical exploitation of the efforts of business owners. The Te user may hold a meritocratic view and wish for their (or anyone's) financial success to depend solely on their hard work and not have their assets appropriated by ideological infringements.

Challenge & Conscientiousness

Moreover, this financial proclivity arises from a deeper drive in the Te user, a native, and often powerful, compulsion towards agency. The strong Te user cannot stand being idle and may be plagued by a craving for challenge, action, and achievement, impulses that are all the more facilitated by their procedural comprehension of life. They will tend to be efficient, constantly wishing to "get things done" and optimally structure their lives. An affinity for order often develops from this compulsion, which drives many Te users to regiment their energies, developing diligence and structure carefully. Some may go as far as to organize their house/work by labels and folders, while others may have a disorderly house but a specialized protocol in their areas of interest. In all these manifestations, Te's capacity for agency is combined with an insensitivity to feelings - particularly of one's weakness. Once a goal is set in the mind of the Te user, they may become a diehard busybody and be unyielding in their expectations of themselves to the point of physical exhaustion. Staying busy may have its addictive quality, aside from the benefits of becoming self-empowered and achieving security. Thus, many strong Te users experience burnout at some point in their careers as they push aside the body's limitations and place their ambitions above moderation and health. This tendency may also earn them a reputation for being militant and unrelenting. Family members and loved ones may retaliate against an overly controlled home environment.

Management & Leadership

However, despite the complications this potency may cause at home or with their intimates, the Te user's conscientiousness is highly coveted in the workforce. So long as their tasks and obligations align with their long-term goals, they can perform consistently and will have fewer problems than many in climbing the chain of command and landing in managerial positions. They will instinctively understand and accept the need to do what is necessary and not just what is easy. Their solutions-oriented mentality adds confidence, effectiveness, and resoluteness to any leadership roles they may undertake. However, this added responsibility can also lead to frustrations for the Te user who, when in a group setting, is confined/limited by the motivations and wills of others who may not share their level of resoluteness. It can be challenging to negotiate duties with others, as the Te user often lacks the grace or tact to present their reasoning in a friendly and sensitive manner. Navigating the emotional landscapes of others is one of the Te user's most significant difficulties. It may feel tempting and far more straightforward for them to take the reigns and finish the task by themselves than to mediate a middle ground with others.

Bluntness & Argumentation

This difficulty with emotional negotiation is compounded partly by Te's blunt articulation, which is often outspoken and unfiltered. In their pursuit of succinct and forthright argumentation, the strong Te user may develop a reputation for being tactless. Unless great efforts are taken to mitigate this bracing verbal effect, niceties will be omitted from the Te user's delivery as they present their reasoning matter-of-factly and with a deadpan expression. They will speak their minds even (or perhaps especially) on taboo or politically controversial topics. It is of less concern to the Te user that their opinion be popular with the crowd than for it to be genuinely theirs. However, this honesty can also be highly refreshing to others, as the Te user will not shy away from stating the facts as they appear before them with no compromise or dilution of truth - especially when others may be biting their tongue for fear of offense. However, many Te users learn over time to smooth the edges of their presentation by incorporating dry or sarcastic humor. The Te user can be very witty, interjecting commentary at a moment's notice and releasing the tension in the room that their frankness would otherwise cause.

-Behaviors Under Stress

Steamrolling