The Rational Mind

I've been a wee bit obsessed with personality tests lately. In particular I did a shorter version of the Myers-Briggs test available here ("yes vs. no" style) and here (five point scale-style). I am an INTJ: borderline introvert, super intuitive, moderately "thinking" over "feeling" and borderline judging over perceiving. The MBTI tests results are ugly four letter acronyms, but each of the 16 combinations has an associated word that makes it easy to remember (examples: "crafter", "promoter" or "teacher"). I am a "mastermind", whose personality is characterized by efficient strategizing, not much respect for convention, and definitiveness (aka arrogance depending on who you ask). We make great scientists.

Yes, this is a typical Sunday night: Agricola board game and LOTR on the macbook pro.

I just thought it was so spot on I made everybody around me over the next few days fill out the questionnaires too. I came out with the same INTJ personality no matter what test I did (similar experience to an Architect friend as well) but my husband got various answers depending on the test. He is too borderline on a few of the options that the type of test, how the question is asked and how long he takes to answer the question all effect the ultimate outcome. For me though, the test was re-iterating some truths about my own personality I've only solidified in my own brain during the last year.

At the music concert a few weeks ago, every one was looking at the performer and I was mesmerized by the sound board. How does it work?!?!

Part of the enlightening process has come from continually interacting with a large group of girlfriends. One of the brilliant things about sharing stories over wine is that you become aware of how people react to situations in ways that would never occur to you. The types of situations we usually end up discussing are relationship related (romantic or otherwise). How do you deal with a friend going through a rough patch? A partner who won't listen? Online creeper? There are the other things too, the practical matters of living: How do you deal with finances? Career advancement? Replacing a car?

It is during these conversations that I have started to peg myself with certain characteristics. Distinctly, I am the least sentimental of the group of friends, and have a self-deprecating inside joke about my robot heart. I have no interest in contributing to (what appears to me to be) self-soothing platitudes that some of the more socially astute ladies insist on doling out whenever someone is in emotional distress ("Oh, I'm sure she just forgot she said she would be here" being a recent example...meanwhile I think "I talked to her earlier today, she definitely didn't forget"...but I keep my mouth shut). My disdain for convention manifests itself in my (usually ridiculous) outfits and hairstyles, among other things. Lastly, from the typelogic.com website:

Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense. This sometimes results in a peculiar naivete', paralleling that of many Feelers -- only instead of expecting inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability and directness.

This is me!! I want everything (and everyone) to work like a computer program! May logic always prevail!

I like getting older, and learning more about myself. My birthday just passed, and I've never felt like I wanted to return to age 23. The other side of the coin is feeling better in my own skin too, a super perk to getting older.

So far, twenty eight is really nice.