I am an INTP - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving

I recently took a personality test curious to see what kind I am and i was thrown that i am an INTP.. I found it fascinating.Whether one believes it or not,its like astrology or zodiac signs or palmistry.Just for fun ..to get away from the monotony and drudgery of the routine.


Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.

Here are the links if you are interested - http://www.personalitypage.com/
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
http://www.intp.org/intprofile.html - I just felt as if somebody wrote my biography here.Lol!! Kinda fun..

This is what it says about me...

INTPs generally have the following traits:

Love theory and abstract ideas
Truth Seekers - they want to understand things by analyzing underlying principles and structures
Value knowledge and competence above all else
Have very high standards for performance, which they apply to themselves
Independent and original, possibly eccentric
Work best alone, and value autonomy
Have no desire to lead or follow
Dislike mundane detail
Not particularly interested in the practical application of their work
Creative and insightful
Future-oriented
Usually brilliant and ingenius
Trust their own insights and opinions above others
Live primarily inside their own minds, and may appear to be detached and uninvolved with other people


As an INTP, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you deal with things rationally and logically. Your secondary mode is external, where you take things in primarily via your intuition.

INTPs live in the world of theoretical possibilities. They see everything in terms of how it could be improved, or what it could be turned into. They live primarily inside their own minds, having the ability to analyze difficult problems, identify patterns, and come up with logical explanations. They seek clarity in everything, and are therefore driven to build knowledge. They are the "absent-minded professors", who highly value intelligence and the ability to apply logic to theories to find solutions. They typically are so strongly driven to turn problems into logical explanations, that they live much of their lives within their own heads, and may not place as much importance or value on the external world. Their natural drive to turn theories into concrete understanding may turn into a feeling of personal responsibility to solve theoretical problems, and help society move towards a higher understanding.

INTPs value knowledge above all else. Their minds are constantly working to generate new theories, or to prove or disprove existing theories. They approach problems and theories with enthusiasm and skepticism, ignoring existing rules and opinions and defining their own approach to the resolution. They seek patterns and logical explanations for anything that interests them. They're usually extremely bright, and able to be objectively critical in their analysis. They love new ideas, and become very excited over abstractions and theories. They love to discuss these concepts with others. They may seem "dreamy" and distant to others, because they spend a lot of time inside their minds musing over theories. They hate to work on routine things - they would much prefer to build complex theoretical solutions, and leave the implementation of the system to others. They are intensely interested in theory, and will put forth tremendous amounts of time and energy into finding a solution to a problem with has piqued their interest.

INTPs do not like to lead or control people. They're very tolerant and flexible in most situations, unless one of their firmly held beliefs has been violated or challenged, in which case they may take a very rigid stance. The INTP is likely to be very shy when it comes to meeting new people. On the other hand, the INTP is very self-confident and gregarious around people they know well, or when discussing theories which they fully understand.

The INTP has no understanding or value for decisions made on the basis of personal subjectivity or feelings. They strive constantly to achieve logical conclusions to problems, and don't understand the importance or relevance of applying subjective emotional considerations to decisions. For this reason, INTPs are usually not in-tune with how people are feeling, and are not naturally well-equiped to meet the emotional needs of others.

The INTP may have a problem with self-aggrandizement and social rebellion, which will interfere with their creative potential. Since their Feeling side is their least developed trait, the INTP may have difficulty giving the warmth and support that is sometimes necessary in intimate relationships. If the INTP doesn't realize the value of attending to other people's feelings, he or she may become overly critical and sarcastic with others. If the INTP is not able to find a place for themself which supports the use of their strongest abilities, they may become generally negative and cynical. If the INTP has not developed their Sensing side sufficiently, they may become unaware of their environment, and exhibit weakness in performing maintenance-type tasks, such as bill-paying and dressing appropriately.

For the INTP, it is extremely important that ideas and facts are expressed correctly and succinctly. They are likely to express themselves in what they believe to be absolute truths. Sometimes, their well thought-out understanding of an idea is not easily understandable by others, but the INTP is not naturally likely to tailor the truth so as to explain it in an understandable way to others. The INTP may be prone to abandoning a project once they have figured it out, moving on to the next thing. It's important that the INTP place importance on expressing their developed theories in understandable ways. In the end, an amazing discovery means nothing if you are the only person who understands it.

The INTP is usually very independent, unconventional, and original. They are not likely to place much value on traditional goals such as popularity and security. They usually have complex characters, and may tend to be restless and temperamental. They are strongly ingenious, and have unconventional thought patterns which allows them to analyze ideas in new ways. Consequently, a lot of scientific breakthroughs in the world have been made by the INTP.

The INTP is at his best when he can work on his theories independently. When given an environment which supports his creative genius and possible eccentricity, the INTP can accomplish truly remarkable things. These are the pioneers of new thoughts in our society.


Possible Career Paths for the INTP:

Scientists - especially Physics, Chemistry
Photographers
Strategic Planners
Mathematicians
University Professors
Computer Programmers, Systems Analysts, Computer Animation and Computer Specialists
Technical Writers
Engineers
Lawyers / Attorneys
Judges
Forensic Research
Forestry and Park Rangers


INTP Relationships


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



INTPs live rich worlds inside their minds, which are full of imagination and excitement. Consequently, they sometimes find the external world pales in comparison. This may result in a lack of motivation to form and maintain relationships. INTPs are not likely to have a very large circle of significant relationships in their lives. They're much more likely to have a few very close relationships, which they hold in great esteem and with great affection. Since the INTP's primary focus and attention is turned inwards, aimed towards seeking clarity from abstract ideas, they are not naturally tuned into others' emotional feelings and needs. They tend to be difficult to get to know well, and hold back parts of themselves until the other person has proven themselves "worthy" of hearing the INTP's thoughts. Holding Knowledge and Brain Power above all else in importance, the INTP will choose to be around people who they consider to be intelligent. Once the INTP has committed themself to a relationship, they tend to be very faithful and loyal, and form affectionate attachments which are pure and straight-forward. The INTP has no interest or understanding of game-playing with regards to relationships. However, if something happens which the INTP considers irreconciliable, they will leave the relationship and not look back.

INTP Weaknesses

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Not naturally in tune with others' feelings; slow to respond to emotional needs
Not naturally good at expressing their own feelings and emotions
Tend to be suspicious and distrusting of others
Not usually good at practical matters, such as money management, unless their work involves these concerns
They have difficulty leaving bad relationships
Tend to "blow off" conflict situations by ignoring them, or else they "blow up" in heated anger


Introverted Sensing often plays an important role in the private world of the INTP. When he visits a place, whether new or already known, his Si function gives an overriding concern for the atmosphere or mood of the place. In his subconscious, he connects the present experiences of his surroundings with memories of his past, sometimes deep past. A sense of history, of universality, is almost always invoked. When on holiday, the INTP wants to experience above all the ambience of each location. Specific details in the present are relatively unimportant and will not be well remembered. However, the atmosphere or mood will be remembered long after, as though it were a solid object. Since people encountered on a holiday usually count as details, unless more personal contact develops, the INTP tends to be drawn more to lonely, isolated places where atmosphere is less disturbed. Nevertheless, the presence of people does add its own ambience which can also be appreciated considerably. The net result of this concern for past experiences and of mood/atmosphere is that INTPs belong centrally to those types referred to as melancolic. The INTP melancolic is typically drawn to wild polar expanses, to mountain ranges and all places on the edges of civilisation. Whatever his particular yearning might actually be, it has a common root. The homeland of the INTP's psyche is a small and cosy community, isolated in the middle of a vast expanse of wilderness.

Because the present is inextricably linked to a sense of the past, INTPs tend to hoard items which help solidify the connection to the past. They find it very difficult to let go of anything they have collected (or indeed created) and which may have a nostalgic meaning. They assume that any object which is of interest now is bound to remain of interest for the rest of their lives. This emphasizes a strong sense of universality in the progression of time, just as it emphasizes the seriousness with which INTPs approach their interests. Frivolity is not in their vocabulary. INTPs often love keeping lists and databases in areas of interest, especially when the lists are associated with things of the past. Collecting periodical magazines or other media of interest is also a very common INTP trait. Such a collection is usually taken very seriously. Yet the collective whole, considered as a temporal rather than spatial object, always assumes more importance in the mind of the INTP than the objects forming the collection themselves. Hence, INTPs are collectors, but they are collecters for whom the objects themselves are only important in so far as they evoke a connection to past events, in so far as they yield a nostalgic mood. The curious problem with any collection of an INTP is that he typically fails to enjoy it in the here and now. Items are stored away so that they can evoke this time at some point in the future, but such a point often never occurs. It may never occur because INTPs are always so mentally active that they continually delve into new interests, and continue to hoard items relating to these, so that they rarely allow themselves enough time to reflect on the ever expanding library of their past. The interests of an INTP would be enough to occupy him for several lifetimes if that were possible.

Photography is a classic interest of the INTP, which depends strongly on the Si - Ne combination, as well as on Ti for attention to technical detail. Landscape photography, for example, is the art of conveying a sense of mood/atmosphere to the viewer (Si). The correct employment of lenses, filters etc. brings out the Ti core, while the enjoyment of seeing the world as an fascinating varied object to be observed and captured in the best possible way brings out the Ne-Ti architect. Photos are also a way of capturing the present to evoke a sense of past in the future (Si). When involved in portrait or people photography, the INTP will also be primarily concerned with the mood conveyed by the person in the eye of the lens. Quality photographic skill, as well as an intrinsic feel for imagery, is usually second nature to the INTP and can make a good career choice. When viewing photographic images, say in magazines, the overriding concern is for how the photo is conveyed; its mood, its colour, contrast and shading usages, its perspectives and image quality. However, the actual subject of the image, which other types are likely to concentrate on first, takes a back seat unless it is unavoidably dramatic. Hence, INTPs may convey a very critical and impersonal approach in discussing images, which could lead to offence in some situations.

Another area of interest common to INTPs, where Si has a strong influence, is Music. INTPs are usually fascinated by music and may have deep and wide-ranging tastes. Indeed, each of their three main functions (Ti, Ne, Si) plays a role in the enjoyment of music, and indeed music is a key interest for bringing out the feeling shadow of the INTP. Si itself brings a fascination for mood and atmosphere in music as well as for a strong sense of personal nostalgia. INTPs are therefore often keen on melancolic minor-key music in which an introspective and/or esoteric mood is conveyed. Equally, INTPs enjoy hearing music that they heard and enjoyed when younger (provided they can still appreciate it now) and yearn for the sense of nostalgia that it yields. INTPs are also drawn to complexly structured music, thanks to their Ti core. An appreciation of modern classical music, as well as perhaps contemporary jazz, is therefore common with them. Such music types are usually too complex to be understood after a single hearing, which hence provides excellent material for analysis, exciting the INTP no end. Once the basic developmental structure of the music has been assessed, Ne provides the impetus to derive a general meaning of the piece. What does the composer wish to convey, for example? Why was that particular development chosen? Indeed, the Ne is usually hard at work during listening sessions, trying to grasp the meanings behind the often fascinating combinations of sound-world evocations, structural developments and nostalgic impressions.

Surprise..

I had an interesting idea when one of my client directors asked me whether i do wedding snaps. I politely said 'No' to her because I have a certain philosophy while taking photographs. I shoot only what i like,for me its a form of expression,the way i look at the world, I see it as an art.I am not in it for money,though i have costly equipment,many people fail to see that. But still she did put in an interesting idea. For me suddenly the question popped up..can i sell my photographs? in a common arena where hundreds of really professional photograhers sell their photographs? It was intriguing and challenging. My curiousity got the better of my idealism and i did post 10 of my photos in an online forum where they sell photographs. 8 of them got accepted,Philosphy is simple,you get paid if someone wants your photograph,I did not have much expectations as i see there are some truly fantastic photographers out there. I logged in after nearly 20 days today and surprisingly i have 40 hits in 20 odd days,it felt so good that 40 people wanted my snaps and to top it i get some royalty money,not too much though and dont start getting ideas. :) Photography talent has real cheap value till you get to a certain level..

Love is blue..

Here is a beautiful song .. Three versions of the same song ..each beautifully different :) Listen in order,you may find a strange fascination for this song.

I react to this music differently at different times,but right now my eyes just became moist when i listened to this. I just cannot help but think about the cruelty,indifference of humans to life. History ... past..suffering..pain..
There are many versions of this song being played by different people,but this video is my favourite because of the way she feels the music when she is playing this..

Beautiful..just rips my heart away.. reminds me of the russian word 'umilenie' ..it does not have an english equivalent..

I came across this word in Anatoli boukreev's book,It is an old fashioned word you might find in Russian Bibles and Dostoyevsky, describing a state of being in which you have been taken down, brought to your knees, humbled--when kaleidoscopic emotions of tenderness, humility, sadness, and rapture all wash though you....

musings..

Many a times in life,people hurt other people,it happens regularly either knowingly or unknowingly( I am also guilty of it). Most of the times its some sort of ego clash.Kind of conflict of interests or opinions or what one thinks is right or wrong or striving for survival,power or control,I always think people are invariably selfish and egoistic and its an inherent trait(everyone included - with varying degrees), even though people deny it. People mostly are thinking about or engrossed in themselves,maybe about the remaining 5% of the time they think about other people,even if they think about the other person its always in relation to 'You'.Not surprising ,because you relate to life from an 'I' perspective,otherwise there is no living.

So incidentally one always remembers people who have meant something to them or helped them or hurt them or inspired them. The focus being on 'You' or 'I'. Its funny,the rules of the game are very simple and yet its so difficult and complex to play. :) I hate as to why did god ever give emotions(an oxymoronic sentence :)),but i guess that's the beauty of life,you have but no say and have to play by the rules of nature. The study of emotions has been a fascinating experiment for me though i have not been able to comprehend it completely. Its really difficult to be a subject and a experimenter oneself.Self analysis is a difficult task and one may not come to the right conclusions as one maybe invariably biased or clouded by one's own emotions.

I am in one of my moods now..my brain is both my bane as well as boon...collective perception is reality..thought and emotion is ultimately electron impulses in your brain.. freedom is primary in life...then comes love...there is no love without freedom...Equanimity is a beautiful word...music liberates ...random thoughts..society...love..hate..fear..frustration..sadness..blind people..depression..knowledge..nature...god..insecurity..optimism..joy..happiness..past..present..future..death..purpose to life..thoughts..people..sky...lust..sex..
books....pain..suffering..creativity..dedication..motivation..disease..adversity..genius..illness..cancer...RA...brain tumour...suicide...depression..poverty..coffee..passion..movies...exhiliration..ecstasy..LIFE..PEACE..

Blessed..

In the morning its a glorious feeling to be walking from the bus stop to my office.It goes through the heart of downtown minneapolis for about 6 blocks.There is a starbucks coffee shop right in the middle which i am always enticed into. Sipping hot coffee and walking in minus temperatures has its own charm.With every sip ,you can feel the liquid going down your body and fighting the cold outside ,you always invariably think 'Thank you god for caffeine..',Lol!

It makes it even more cheerful when you see happy faces crossing you by ,nodding their heads or offering a smile or the more enthusiastic ones who shout out a 'good morning' and you respond back correspondingly.You get a warm feeling when motorists stop on the road and allow you to go by and you exchange a friendly wave. You see the hustle and bustle of downtown and see life in full swing with people moving around like busy ants with a purpose. On sunny days the sun is shining on your face and its a constant tussle between the warmth of the sun rays and the biting cold air ,fighting each other for supremacy which creates an amazing sensation on the skin.

You can smell the crisp cold air which kind of titillates the sensory cells in your nose,couple that with the smell of coffee,ummm... it smells like heaven.

On clear sunny days,you can see the azure sky with fluffy clouds being reflected in the glass towers of downtown.The 100 year old foshay tower standing between modern buildings sends across a philosophical message.Sometimes the church bells ring and when it starts ringing every walking step falters a bit.

With all your senses aroused you can only but feel blessed in life...

Happy living.

New personal milestone - 6.3 miles in 58 mins.

"The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." - Charles Dubois

Scott had died the loneliest of deaths.His last hours had been full of nothingness.

I glanced around,then looked again at the body of my friend,frozen into the slope. I spoke out loud. "Hey ,Scott", I said,"How you doing?" Only the sound of the wind answered me.

"What happened,man?".

- No shortcuts to the top

This is one of the most painful lines i have read.

I remembered the song 'Seasons in the sun' by terry jacks. The following words came floating by in my mind.

Goodbye to you, my trusted friend. We've known each other since we're nine or ten. Together we climbed hills or trees. Learned of love and ABC's, skinned our hearts and skinned our knees...

A few book recommendations

I have not updated my blog in quite sometime with what i have been reading ..

Happiness Hypothesis - Jonathan Haidt - intesting book.
Annapurna - Arlene blum - Very nice read.
Serious creativity - Edward de bono - Takes some time to plough through.
No short cuts to the top - Ed Viesturs - I am baised towards this book as its on a climber's life.
Freedom of the hills - Good self survival tips.
Homicidal psycho Jungle cat - Calvin and Hobbes - No comments! :)
Asterix and tintin still rocks!! :)

The officer and the peon!

This photograph is one of my most favourite photograph's ever.I call it 'The Officer and the peon'(You can guess who is who :) ). Me and my brother in raichur,the backyard of type 5.

Personal milestone - 5.25 mile run in 65 minutes.

'Pain' is weakness leaving the body...

Happy Couple..

It was one of those days where in nothing happened right. I guess everyone has these days. I took a bus all the way to office to fax something and the fax machine did not work and i combed around for another fax machine and tried to send across the fax and it did not go through, I went to a camera shop to find a deal that i wanted and it was already gone, I went to the library to get a book that i had ordered to be held and it was misplaced and they couldn't find it. I went into a Northface shop for it had a sale and came out disappointed. It was a very bright and sunny day in the morning and it had just got my spirits up to go and do all these things,now i was coming out of the northface shop and the time was 4:30 pm and the weather was gloomy and dull reflecting my mood. I stepped out and started walking towards the bus stop,while walking on the pavement I suddenly heard a couple of clangs behind me and i turned around to see what it was. There was this blind couple hand in hand and their other hands held their walking sticks which they were furiously waving in front of them. Their sticks had found the metal hoarding that was placed on the pavement to advertise something,that made the clanging sounds. They immediately stopped and felt around with their sticks and cautiously made their way around the hoard. I was surprised. I stepped back a little and let them go ahead,the pave ment was a bit slippery because of all the snow and ice and i was fascinated and curious to see how they would make their way across. I started following them.

It was perfect synchronisation ,they had held each other very close to each other arm in arm as in a lock and their eyes were their walking sticks,I followed them three blocks and they amazingly evaded light poles,hoardings,they found out the dips in pavements,they crossed roads(in america(atleast in minneapolis) pedestrian always has right of way,so vehicles always stop for people irrespective of whether the traffic sign says walk or stop)and vehicles stopped. All the while they were laughing and talking excitedly.They were enjoying life and each other's company. Infact the lady received a call in between and she took the call with the hand in which she had her walking stick and the man led her across while she was talking. It was as if they were two normal people. They did not feel despondent about their state.

I suddenly lost all my gloominess and felt elated. What started as a tang of pity for both of them suddenly turned into profuse happiness for both of them.They had touched my life and taught me something without even realising it. I suddenly felt i was very blessed in life and wished if there was a god to bless them. I have always found that one does not have to look somewhere for inspiration in life,they are right across your streets,in and around you,we are just blind most of the times consumed by our own thoughts and perceptions. I am sure every person who passed them on the street would have felt it.

I have made the leap of faith,now it all boils down to me.I have my fears to exorcise.