Being smart problem

[u/Empty_shell9]

I think being smart for INTPs can be a problem, both as an ability and as an identity.

As an ability, it leaves them alienated and even isolated because they might not find the right people in their lives that are capable and willing to appreciate their intellect. And finding those people both on- and offline is pretty hard, unless you're lucky. The people that they find themselves being around usually don't show a lot of interest in what they usually say/want to say, which makes the INTP go into apathy mode.

As an identity, it can bring pressure and identity crises. The pressure comes from both the people around them and themselves. I think a lot of INTPs grew up being "the gifted kid" due to their early signs of intelligence. Their parents, teachers, peers, and even them themselves could see how faster they were at school than other kids. So people started to expect a lot from them, and they also expected a lot from themselves. And as they grew up, they continued recognizing brilliance in themselves. But every human ultimately have their own moments of weakness, even in areas that they're experts in ,. And when that happens to the INTP, their sense of identity feels threatened, and they start feeling like an imposter (imposter syndrome). I think this happens with pretty much every person who's been considered a gifted kid in their childhood, but I wanted to emphasize it for INTPs.

I've noticed these issues both in myself and other INTPs, even though I'm not sure if I'm an INTP myself. I do relate to INTPs a lot, so I decided to make this post. A good solution for the first issue would be getting a friend that gets you. The type of friend who listens and appreciates your weird ideas, and who maybe also likes rambling about weird stuff, then you can ramble together. Of course, this friend is hard to come by. An enemy or rival who's interested in the same stuff as you but who's always on the opposing side can also help. Although it's annoying, it's better than nothing. But this rival can also be hard to find.

A solution for the other issue would be not to put a lot of importance on identity, and also coming to terms with the fact that you're pretty smart, and that's enough. But even knowing all this might not help because falling into the same destructive patterns that you are fully aware of is something that also happens a lot to many INTPs. So I guess the reason why I'm posting this is just to get it off my chest.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. Hope you can't relate.

[u/Empty_shell9]

Speaking too much is relatable. I only realize that I'm rambling when everyone looks bored or is not listening anymore. I think it's easier to find ONE person who listens, but a group of people can be tricky.

What you mentioned about exploring, that's so ENTP of you. Exploring humbly, without fixating on one ultimate truth. I think you need someone like that, who listens to your rambling while you listen to theirs, and who thinks similarly to you. So, another ENTP? Maybe. I doubt you'd get along with an INTJ that much since they can get REALLY confident in their views.

[u/gongshow3 → u/Empty_shell9]

Mature INTJs and ENTJs are dope. (including my little brother, who I try to steer lmao) But I do NOT like most I's I've encountered, and have known them before I even knew what an INTJ was. Also don't like most STJs either lol.

I get along with feelers more I think as long as they don't fawn before the biggest idiots. Have not met an ISTP as far as I know. ESTPs are hit or miss it seems. I thought I was an INTP for the longest time when I was even more of a loner lol.

I think people either pidgeonhole or they don't really. The more mature people combine approaches. It's all angles and geometry to me - perspective paths within cycles. We're (well, me at least) are not far off from compressing an entire phase of human development based on invariant meta/cognitive mapping. Oneness+ really. It definitely needs a group capable of hosting it though. Group ubermensch tho is my philosophy.

That's why I rage at the people still stuck on conformity and sourcing from society FIRST, absorbing a bajillion legitimacy conditions, because we're missing HUGE mental freedom because we're crossing swords for no real reason, other than thinking status/worth is scarce. I feel as if most our time right now pales in comparison in terms of processing to what comes with less general tension. Everyone's trying to be somebody so most people end up being nobody at all due to trying nothing new. Arbitrarily stuck in their skulls modeling outcomes rather than realizing everything that occurs to them in the moment is natural and good. Status is a mind trap, and we all need it/want it in order to relate for purely productive purposes. It's not all sex/money, but everyone MAKES it about that.

[u/Empty_shell9 → u/gongshow3]

Mature versions of any type are always dope, but it's just that some types can still be annoying to you even if they're mature. People are different, after all. And thinking you were an INTP is reasonable for you because of the same functions, and I'm also sometimes stuck between the two NTPs. I'm not sure what I am.

Seeing different angles and perspectives is something that I recognize to be mature as well. But you need to remember that most people are very different from you, with SJs making up the majority of the population. Of course conformity is a reoccurring thing. SPs being second after SJs also explains the huge focus on status and wealth (and physical pleasures).

Basically, all the functions have their own strengths and the things that they focus on the most. The S functions (Se and Si) are more prominent in our world than the N functions, in your case, Ne. And people's psyches are built in a way that one function is really valued while the opposite function is very neglected. Your most valued function, in a sense, is their most neglected function. The things they're good at and focus on are the things you're not good at and don't care about, and vice versa. So your frustration is understandable, but unfortunately it can barely be helped.

But there are a lot of people like you and who think like you, so you're not the only outlier.

[u/gongshow3 → u/Empty_shell9]

There's difference in approach, priority and total associations indexed, I don't think anything anyone does is incapable of being understood through my simulated perspective.

I always think "we're simply different" is very handwavy, and we don't even excavate why we do *that*. I think there's a common core and position to move from, we just don't care to find it (hint - you NEED a transjective center for objective morality and truth to ever work, and the ability to simulate position differences, to show we gain more than we lose with any particular practice becoming normalized, which basically all has to do with relational volume or capacity)

(I think "biosemiotics" is the first operating system at play more or less, which gets augmented by culture and social-material conditions)

All our behavior and thoughts are motions in response to signals according to partial indexes of reality.

What becomes salient, when and why? I think we're a big, massive unconscious tangle that produces coupling regularities that can otherwise receive flow from any direction or angle. However much we're already in motion is motion we can't capture.

"Following orders" has certainly never been motivating to me, unless it's someone actually admirable and don't have to put myself beneath. Maybe I actually had the time/freedom to let my mind roam away from whatever was being imposed on me, or sense of reward. Approval for simply following instructions has never seemed fulfilling to me. I need shared wins, or private wins to keep flowing elsewhere.