Intuitive Feel Types (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) – The "Apollonian temperament"

It is fascinating to learn about your personality type. I found out that it is a Myers-Briggs (MBTI) “NF” type indicator (Intuitive feel type) and reading about it is very enlightening. But, I am also very suspicious of the phenomenon of the ‘horoscope’ by which we can identify ourselves psychologically with almost everything we read.

The four key generic types of MBTI are represented by the Greek mythical gods: Apollo, Dionysus, Prometheus, and his brother Epimetheus.[1]> It is generally accepted that Apollo (NF) represents the spirit; Dionisio (SP, Feel-Perceive) represents joy or liberation; Prometheus (NT, intuitive thinking) represents science; and Epimetheus (SJ, Feel-Judge) represents duty (or diligence). Apollo (spirit) is opposed to Prometheus (science) and Dionysus (joy) to Epimetheus (duty).

NFs make up about 12 percent of the population. If you are the type of person who never searches for yourself, chances are you strongly identify with the Apollonian temperament (NF). This person has the goal of becoming.

More aptly stated, this is an excerpt from Please, understand me on the Apollonian temperament:

“How can you achieve a goal when that goal is have a goal? The “truer” self of the NF is the self in search of itself, or in other words, its purpose in life is to have a purpose in life. Always becoming himself, the NF can never really to be the same. “[2] (Italics in original.)

It is quite a paradoxical life for the NF in the quest to become themselves, which never ends. It can be frustrating or reassuring; relief can only come from acceptance of this ‘never complete / a work in progress’ nature. Spiritually, psychologically and physically, the NF wanders through life and time looking for improvement and is never truly happy without “the search.”

Activity without meaning in any role in life[3] for NF it is useless and frustrating. They need to get meaning from themselves and from others.

Having integrity means unity for the NF and this is being genuine, authentic and in good faith.

Everything has meaning to NFs and they are extremely sensitive to “subtleties in gestures and metaphorical behavior” that are not always “visible” to others.[4]

Some of the most creative people come from the NF branch, including creative writers and artists, while NFs also make up a large percentage of those entering ministry, teaching, psychology, and counseling careers. “Passing on ideas and attitudes tends to attract NF.”[5]

NFs are also natural leaders, as they enjoy actualizing potential in others and in themselves. His hunger for meaning is not focused on things but on persons, and not in abstractions but relations, and finally, not about the action but Interaction.[6]

NFs invest heavily in their relationships and in an important cause, but to remain deeply attached they need to gain long-term meaning again. Even more specifically, the NF works hard and towards perfection in its work.

Yet paradoxically, once the job is done, no matter how perfect the result, “it never seems to measure up to the magnificence of its conception.” It’s also interesting that NFs seem “unable or unwilling to limit a commitment they make to a production, once they get involved. At that point, they can be unreasonably demanding of both themselves and those around them.”[7]

One thing we can say in the general discussion of personality types and preferences is that there are so many different ways of looking at life, and in this we can see why there is so much conflict in communication. We can’t expect to see things consistently accurately from other people’s points of view, but we can give it a try.

In this type of study we can appreciate our mutual differences as well as our similarities. And just because people think and feel differently doesn’t mean they are wrong. Personality types explain a lot in the realm of human behavior and interaction.

Copyright © 2009, SJ Wickham. All rights reserved throughout the world.

FINAL NOTES:

[1] David Kiersey and Marilyn Bates, Please understand me: character types and temperament (Del Mar, California: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company / Gnosology Books Ltd, 1984), p. 29.

[2] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., P. 58.

[3] Roles include (but are not limited to) worker, friend, lover, parent, husband / wife, leader, member, son / daughter, etc.

[4] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., P. 60

[5] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., P. 62.

[6] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., P. 66.

[7] Kiersey and Bates, Ibid., P. Sixty-five.