Sunday, December 23, 2018

Why Socialization Is Important for INTJs


Hey, everyone.

So, as promised, I'm going to try to tackle the issue of why it's important for INTJs to socialize.

Obviously, it is extremely easy for INTJs to be cynical or sarcastic about socialization. We're the sort of people who only count on ourselves and limit our interactions with others since they don't meet our high standards. However, there is an important reason why INTJs should not limit themselves to their own world--perspective. That may seem like too simple an answer, but allow me to explain that through socialization, INTJs actually gain three different perspectives: on people, on themselves, and on the world, and each one is important for several reasons.

Perspective on People

Let's start with the one that would cause most INTJs to scoff: perspective on people.

As I have already said, INTJs prefer not to socialize with a lot of people. While a part of it is being introverted, which means being easily overwhelmed by external stimuli, the other part is that most people can't meet our exceptionally high standards. However, just because someone doesn't meet our standards, that doesn't mean our misanthropy is justified.

Some people are weak, ignorant, dumb, and incapable of critical thought, but this doesn't mean that they are completely devoid of value. Such people can still be hard-working, compassionate, lovable, fun, and pursuers of virtue and perfection. Although we may be mental mystics, INTJs can still see the value of such traits and those who embody them, and understand why such qualities are important in the world.

When an INTJ is left on his own, it is all too easy for his distaste for people to build into an all-consuming hatred, which can lead to wishful thoughts of utter obliteration or absolute dominance. However, when an INTJ gets to know people and see the hard work they accomplish, and see just how hard they continue to try, the stored misanthropy tends to dissipate as the INTJ begins to recognize the struggle of others as the same struggle he himself goes through. This of course develops empathy, and allows us to relate to another person and their struggles.

Perspective on Yourself

As I've already stated, being able to recognize and relate to the struggles others suffer can create a bond between us and them. But more than that, by socializing with others, we can learn to see the failures and shortcomings in our own characters and actions. INTJs can be rather arrogant, and think they are the standard by which everyone should be judged; their work, their life, their virtue, their thoughts.

However, thinking that you've reached the pinnacle of your existence and can't further develop is a rather self-destructive idea. When things become static, they can be hard to move, and the longer they're static, the harder they are to move. This can lead to either degradation or becoming "set in your ways." That is to say, either things start to break down, or they become impossible to move even in the face of undeniable evidence as to why they should.

By socializing with others, we learn in what sorts of ways we are lacking, and then pursue methods of repair. This also gives us the opportunity to challenge ourselves and see if our standards and practices are actually as strong or as superior as we think they are. After all, even a twig can seem strong when it only needs to hold itself up, but that can all change when it is struck against a brick.


Perspective on the World

Thus, when we have proper perspective on ourselves and others, we can then have proper perspective on the world. After all, the world is made up of people, and most of them aren't you. When you're able to empathize with their pain and test your own strengths, this will aid you in understanding the world, how to deal with it, and what your place in it is. By witnessing the weaknesses and strengths of the world, we learn how to deal with our own weaknesses rather than letting them stagnate, and we show the world our strengths rather than keeping them all to ourselves. In the process, we may even find meaningful relationships and change the world in ways we have only previously dreamed.

I apologize for Perspective on the World being so short, but since the perspective of the world, is based on the other two--rather it is the synthesis of the other two perspectives--I fear that if I tried to delve any deeper into it, I would either be beating a dead horse or I'd eventually lose the plot.

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And that's why it's important for INTJs to socialize. I hope I made my point. For next week, I haven't made up my mind on what I'll cover. Maybe I'll go back to Quick and Dirty INTJ Thoughts for a while. If you want to make sure you don't miss it, please consider joining my mailing list or to make sure I release it on time, support me on Patreon. I tend to take things more seriously when I get paid for them. So until next week... 

Keep writing, my friends.

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