Hey, everyone.
So originally I was going to write a companion piece to this one called "Work is Bullsh*t." My basic point was that I didn't know how people could seemingly waste their lives at jobs that would never matter from the perspective of eternity. However, I could not in good conscience write and publish it because not everyone defines their lives or existences by their jobs. They're just something people do so they can do what is truly important to them. Also, I was ready to admit that some smaller tasks, such as my father's engineering job where he works on alternators, can actually do some true and/or moral good in the world. Plus, we're all different. Some people might actually experience joy in stocking shelves at a grocery store and argue it being an eternally important job by saying that they're helping families get the nutrition and nourishment they need so they can do their lives' work. So, I could not in good conscience write that piece despite my personal feelings that many jobs are eternally pointless.
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| This is another contention of mine. I understand that life goes on, but when I die, I want to be so integral to my work that I'm damn near irreplaceable. |
Anyway! Getting back to how INTJs view money, I don't remember why I wanted to write this piece, but I do feel like it's important for some reason. What is that reason? Well, if I knew what it was, I would be able to remember why I wanted to write this piece, now wouldn't I? But even if I can't remember the specific reason, INTJs are one of the least well-understood MBTI types and anything I can write to help fill in the gaps would be helpful. We also don't tend to look at things like perspectives on money when we look at the personalities. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if INTJ Vision, 16Personalities, Heidi Priebe, or someone else hasn't already tried to tackle this topic. But who knows? I might be able to add to it. So, let's get into three ways INTJs view money.
Before that though, I must beg you all for your money and remind you that if you like my content, please consider becoming my patron through Patreon. Just one buck a month would do wonders for me while $5 would make miracles happen. That's just .17 cents a day.
Alright. Now, let's get into this.
1. Money is Power
INTJs view money as power. It's difficult not to. There's a reason why people say "cash is king" which essentially means "money rules." Most of us are also familiar with the slogan "money talks, bullsh*t walks." Even if said "bullsh*t" isn't actual bullsh*t, but the honest to God truth, it'll still walk because money is potent enough to tell it to GTFO. And when you live in a society where you're not understood and just wish people could stay out of your way, you desire some of this magical juju with which people are willing to sell themselves for. How many people do you think would actually shut up if you paid them to? Or went about their business, worrying about things actually worth worrying about? That's a power I'd like.
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| Just imagine where we could be if Socrates had the bank to back that up. |
2. Money is Freedom
But let's face it, the reason why anyone wants power, or whatever can afford power, is so that they can be free to do whatever they please. It is well known how much INTJs value freedom. In fact we value it above most other things, and we're willing to go to great depths to remain free, even acting unilaterally and against logic. It's hard for me to think of a greater motivator than freedom. It's one of the reasons why I'm content not having a "real" job because I don't want to surrender my freedom. True, I'm broke, but with nothing in my life worth spending money on, I have no motivation to sacrifice my freedom. Ironic then that I would have to sacrifice my freedom to make the money to buy it back. That's why I still beg God everyday to let me win Publisher's Clearing House.
So, in order to get nominal freedom, I need nominal dollars, which means sacrificing my freedom, and thus I'm left wondering how in the hell this paradox exists and how to escape this infinity loop. And then there's the little fact that I do have student loans, and bills, and I've actually had women disappear on me just because I didn't make a living wage despite the fact that everything else about me was what they wanted. So, what do I turn my ire toward? The almighty dollar, and I begin to work seriously on that utopian barter system ideal.
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| Unfortunately, I still have a strong desire to participate in capitalism where the selling of my books is concerned. |
But this isn't the first time INTJs have looked a little disdainfully at money. I remember being on a forum, and perhaps this is where I got the idea to write this post, but I saw two INTJs complaining about the rat race and keeping up with the Joneses, and how they wanted to escape those pointless pursuits for much greater and more important work. Unfortunately, that required them to acquire capital and they had no idea how to do that, so they were stuck where they were.
Conclusion
INTJs don't want money for the sake of money. That's pointless. That's like wanting power for the sake of power which INTJs don't want either. They want money to escape all the mundane BS in life so they don't have to worry about it. We've got bigger things on our plates than our food. But since we all can't have this magical state of existence, we are forced to suffer under the yolk of the almighty dollar, always resenting the vices and obstacles it creates. But because we're so into personal responsibility, we know that we have to sacrifice our resentment so we can hold true to our values. INTJs, man... we're a bucket of contradictions.
Anyway, that's it for now. I know this was a short one, but INTJs thoughts and feelings on money are pretty straight forward. For next time, I'll tackle the serious stuff and answer a question that's been on the lips of many who don't understand INTJs--are INTJs socio- or psychopaths? The answer, next week. Until then...Keep writing, my friends.
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