(2 minutes reading time)
Personality tests are always in vogue. Who doesn’t want to know what type we are, and to read a few simple psychological explanations and instructions on how best to deal with them?
I have already written elsewhere about the exaggerated boxing in by Human Design. Now the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) came into my field and I can only shake my head.
The categorisation into 16 different personality types, which is also used for Tinder profiles, is really simple. With just four letters, you can tell yourself and others who you are.
- Motivation: Extraversion (E) vs. introversion (I)
- Information intake: Sensitivity (S) vs. intuition (N)
- Decision-making: Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
- Worldview: Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)
As an ENTJ you are a ‘commander’, as an ISTJ you are a ‘logistician’ and as an ESFJ you are a ‘consul’. Some websites also show funny comic graphics and explain exactly what your strengths and weaknesses are.
Tell me, are you out of your mind?
Personally, I can still somewhat understand the first distinction between a more extroverted and an introverted character. I prefer to look inwards because I see the outside as a mirrored illusion.
But it also depends a lot on the mood of the day, the surroundings and the people around me. Sometimes I like to immerse myself for a while in this dream world that others call ‘reality’.
But do I follow my senses (S) or my intuition (N) more? My intuition is very important to me, but when I want to cross a busy road on foot as a pilgrim on the Way of St James, I rely entirely on my human senses. I’m sure you do too?
Thinking (T) or feeling (F) … If we are good, we bring both into balance. That’s the beauty of being human, we learn to unite opposites!
And whether I judge more (U) or perceive more (W), one is hardly possible without the other. Sometimes it is better to perceive longer and more differentiated, but the human mind always makes judgements at some point, otherwise we would not be able to cope in this world.
We are human beings! We are complex, multidimensional, colourful. We shouldn’t let personality categorisations put us into small, narrow boxes and drawers.
