Empathy & Personality Type
Why do different personalities relate to others in different ways? And why are certain types empathetic in some ways and not in others?
In this video I explore the four different styles of relation, and present the advantages and disadvantages of each specific method.
While it is possible to go through life using only one of these relation styles, this is far from optimal – some situations require one form over another, and any personality type can with training acquire each specific form of relation.
Empathy is not a rare trait, nor is it a weakness – through the relation of self to others we not only acquire a deeper understanding of the world around us, but also find and shape our place within it.
Empathy is strength.
One thing I’ve never understood is why I have mirror empathy. Is it because all social animals have it? I thought pairing empathy with Fe and sympathy with Fi was backwards; I know the difference but since my secondary function as an ENFP is Fi that is where mirror empathy has to be. You say it connects us to the collective and that is why I am grateful for it b/c basically I have the detached form of insecure avoidance attachment (as opposed to the schizoid form – revulsion toward attachments). It gives me a more anti-social personality in the sense of no feeling of connection to society at large, only comradeship with peers. Empathy is only thing that kept me from doing really bad things when focused on getting what I want. So I never understood it, considered it squeamishness even though as female I should be okay with feelings. Fe isn’t part of my stack – it is 6th function, critical parent. I remember telling friend who heard my side of phone conversation with jail administrator “It isn’t that I feel Oh those poor things (maximum security inmates) deprived of everything that makes a human being human, we have to help them”, that is sympathy. It’s they are so wrong not to introduce measures that would decrease the violence they do to themselves, jail personnel and equipment that do not reduce security (EBPs). So I feel indignation and contempt for administrators – my left brain feeling judgments.
I believe I am genuinely a feeling type, not thinking, though I developed my 3d function more highly than the 10 year old level they say is usual. I used it in coming up with what games we would play and adventures we would take (the play leader) until I we grew up and I needed to find a new identity (the scientist – engaged in a 4 year bird breeding study where I would enter findings in county science fair my senior year.) But I see now my social relationships are still at a 10 year old level of superficiality where I relate best to other anti-social types. We are all just children who never grew up.
I believe I genuinely am feeling rather than thinking type (NF idealist) though people see me as intellectual. My final decision will be a feeling (what is good) not a thinking (what is true) one. Example of latest decision: Do we/I wear masks? I tell peers Let’s do it in stores where gov does the surveys to judge compliance since that is what they go by to put us at the next phase level (yes it’s pragmatic, but will it really decrease virus infections? IDK if virus infections are a real threat or just gov propaganda to see how well they can control us). INTJ SO did research in Europe and believes it is real. He is more anti-social than I am so not swayed by propaganda so maybe I should believe it. His solution was to ship me the medicine that would save my life but gov banned shipments from Europe. So there is nothing I can do about the problem of viral infection, I am fatalistic about it. Personally, I am wearing a mask because I don’t want people to feel uncomfortable around me (FiSi?)
An intelligent solution to the pandemic problem would not be one suitable for farm or laboratory animals but which destroys the infrastructure intelligent social beings need to thrive. So my conclusion is the powers that be must want to change those structures for the sake of increasing their power and are using the virus, whether the threat is real or bogus, to do so (NeTe?).
Very much appreciating this symptoms