MBTI, A&P
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI, as mentioned in the title, or Myers-Briggs as the common nomenclature follows) is a tool for assessing different aspects of your personality. It is not, by far, a catch all, so do not plan to take the damn think that someone has invented a perfect reflection of every personality trait you have. But, it is a good start.
There are four categories, each with two ends of the spectrum. When you answer the questions (and there are only two answers per question, except the weird one which has three) and turn it into whomever is scoring the test, they ship it to New Jersey where a bunch of magical elves throw darts at the little ovals which you filled out, and, in turn, they send back the results.
All of that is true...except for the part about New Jersey.
When you get your scores it's not as simple as "YOU ARE EXTROVERTED CONGRATULATIONS YOU CAN TALK TO OTHERS WITHOUT GETTING NERVOUS." You score somewhere on a conitum where it is very clear or in conflict. You cannot score an even score. Somewhere those magical elves constructed the scoring in such a way that you HAVE TO HAVE a dominate trait.
This is a good thing though. Like all personality assessments, the Myers-Briggs (and even those silly little e-mail assessments like "How you eat an Oreo is how you view intimacy") is meant to allow you to say two things about yourself:
1. "Yes I agree that I eat my Oreo by screwing off the top, and eating the rest ferociously."
OR
2. "No I do not agree that by not eating the part I screwed off that means I hate introverted people."
I love this test more so than the rest of the official ones. I like all the unofficial ones as well because they end up covering some extra ground. But I enjoy the Myers-Briggs the most because it literally tells you "your score was a INTJ at the moment you took this test." This means that it can change in the future or has changed from previous times you took it. It sort of moves with you.
At the same time, a quality facilitator of the scores will also let you in on the 'Dominate Hand Theory' which is to say that you probably have a dominate Myers-Briggs type, but at this moment it has shifted mostly due to how you have shifted.
I first took the Myers-Briggs in High School the same year I read a short story which fundamentally changed my life. John Updike, celebrated American author, wrote a fictional short about a young boy who works at a grocery store during the summer. It is a snapshot of one particular hour (half hour?) of his shift where he is distracted by three young ladies who have strolled in right off the beach. The boss reminds the young boy of the "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service" policy and the young boy must decide whether or not to confront the ladies.
It is an entertaining read if you've ever had an average summer job, ever had a conflict with a boss, or ever daydreamed at work.
For me it was the first short story I read where I connected not just with the character but also with how it was written. For lack of better phrasing, I thought the story was quite juvenile. Perfect for someone who, at the time, was quite juvenile. I have read that story several times throughout my life. And each time, despite learning more about Updike's style, despite having read his other stories, despite critically analyzing the story...each time, I absolutely loved it.
There are times I've thought the young boy was dumb. There are times I hated the notion of having to work a summer job. There are times I thought he was brave; times I thought about how much I love the summer job. And like the rest of this article, it taught me two important lessons:
1. That changing who we are is ok. Sometimes we flip, flop, switch, slide, vacillate, vacate, abandon, abdicate, validate, embrace, face, and flat out ignore characteristics of who we are. But that's ok, because different circumstances, age, employment, hobbies, relationships will cause that in us.
2. There is always an essential nugget, or gist, of who we are. That never goes away. No matter how much we fight against it. No matter how much we explore and go through the 'experimental' phase of our life (of which mine was growing my hair out....not fun days for someone who has naturally curly hair).
I am happy to know that I have embraced the introverted and extroverted sides of who I am. Likewise, I am psyched to know that the one MBTI area which has not changed for me is the Intuitive characteristic. This article should show that easily. I am happy to know that no matter how many times I read A&P, it will make me smile, and inspire me, and challenge me.
These personality assessors are everywhere in your life. Look for them. Learn from them. Reflect and choose your traits. The ether which makes you earthly. The humor in your veins. Whatever your passion, embrace it, be who you are, and love that aspect of life, which is the chance to be, and then be again.
pb
There are four categories, each with two ends of the spectrum. When you answer the questions (and there are only two answers per question, except the weird one which has three) and turn it into whomever is scoring the test, they ship it to New Jersey where a bunch of magical elves throw darts at the little ovals which you filled out, and, in turn, they send back the results.
All of that is true...except for the part about New Jersey.
When you get your scores it's not as simple as "YOU ARE EXTROVERTED CONGRATULATIONS YOU CAN TALK TO OTHERS WITHOUT GETTING NERVOUS." You score somewhere on a conitum where it is very clear or in conflict. You cannot score an even score. Somewhere those magical elves constructed the scoring in such a way that you HAVE TO HAVE a dominate trait.
This is a good thing though. Like all personality assessments, the Myers-Briggs (and even those silly little e-mail assessments like "How you eat an Oreo is how you view intimacy") is meant to allow you to say two things about yourself:
1. "Yes I agree that I eat my Oreo by screwing off the top, and eating the rest ferociously."
OR
2. "No I do not agree that by not eating the part I screwed off that means I hate introverted people."
I love this test more so than the rest of the official ones. I like all the unofficial ones as well because they end up covering some extra ground. But I enjoy the Myers-Briggs the most because it literally tells you "your score was a INTJ at the moment you took this test." This means that it can change in the future or has changed from previous times you took it. It sort of moves with you.
At the same time, a quality facilitator of the scores will also let you in on the 'Dominate Hand Theory' which is to say that you probably have a dominate Myers-Briggs type, but at this moment it has shifted mostly due to how you have shifted.
I first took the Myers-Briggs in High School the same year I read a short story which fundamentally changed my life. John Updike, celebrated American author, wrote a fictional short about a young boy who works at a grocery store during the summer. It is a snapshot of one particular hour (half hour?) of his shift where he is distracted by three young ladies who have strolled in right off the beach. The boss reminds the young boy of the "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service" policy and the young boy must decide whether or not to confront the ladies.
It is an entertaining read if you've ever had an average summer job, ever had a conflict with a boss, or ever daydreamed at work.
For me it was the first short story I read where I connected not just with the character but also with how it was written. For lack of better phrasing, I thought the story was quite juvenile. Perfect for someone who, at the time, was quite juvenile. I have read that story several times throughout my life. And each time, despite learning more about Updike's style, despite having read his other stories, despite critically analyzing the story...each time, I absolutely loved it.
There are times I've thought the young boy was dumb. There are times I hated the notion of having to work a summer job. There are times I thought he was brave; times I thought about how much I love the summer job. And like the rest of this article, it taught me two important lessons:
1. That changing who we are is ok. Sometimes we flip, flop, switch, slide, vacillate, vacate, abandon, abdicate, validate, embrace, face, and flat out ignore characteristics of who we are. But that's ok, because different circumstances, age, employment, hobbies, relationships will cause that in us.
2. There is always an essential nugget, or gist, of who we are. That never goes away. No matter how much we fight against it. No matter how much we explore and go through the 'experimental' phase of our life (of which mine was growing my hair out....not fun days for someone who has naturally curly hair).
I am happy to know that I have embraced the introverted and extroverted sides of who I am. Likewise, I am psyched to know that the one MBTI area which has not changed for me is the Intuitive characteristic. This article should show that easily. I am happy to know that no matter how many times I read A&P, it will make me smile, and inspire me, and challenge me.
These personality assessors are everywhere in your life. Look for them. Learn from them. Reflect and choose your traits. The ether which makes you earthly. The humor in your veins. Whatever your passion, embrace it, be who you are, and love that aspect of life, which is the chance to be, and then be again.
pb
posted by Peter Brooks at 11:48 PM
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