8 Quotes by A.J. Drenth

For most INTPs, their Fe is rather naive and childlike. They may be easily moved by cheesy romantic comedies or sappy love songs, anything that unconsciously incites their Fe emotions. Their emotional naiveté can make them easy targets for love-at-first-sight sorts of infatuation.

Unfortunately, life rarely allows INTPs to remain in a state of Ti utopia for long. At some point, they must poke their head out of their shell and engage with people. And where there are people, there are bound to be Fe problems.

Because INTPs are relatively ill-equipped to navigate emotionally-difficult situations, their inferior Fe is inclined to do all it can to defend itself. Hence, in emotionally intense or chaotic situations, INTPs may suddenly be overwhelmed with feelings of rage and anger, which, left unmitigated, may quickly transport them to the dark side.

INTPs seem more inclined toward cerebral narcissism than most other types. While Vaknin sees the narcissist’s chance of recovery as relatively slim, I tend to disagree, especially for those with milder cases. In my experience, as INTPs mature and develop, their need for ego affirmation gradually diminishes and is supplanted by a healthier sense of self-worth.

INTPs can quickly locate inconsistencies or logical shortcomings in a given theory or argument. They excel in pinpointing exceptions or imagining scenarios in which a proposed explanation might breakdown. Due to their acute sensitivity to theoretical exceptions, they can be quick (sometimes too quick) to discard entire theories, throwing out the proverbial baby with the bathwater.

While their Ti pushes for closure, Ne counters by rallying for more options and alternatives. In many cases, Ne wins out, interjecting just enough new or contradictory information to keep INTPs in a state of indecision. Indeed, it is not uncommon for INTPs to feel entirely confident one day, only to feel ambivalent and uncertain the next.

INTPs desperately want to know who they are, how they should live, and the sorts of things they should be doing. Similar to other IN types, INTPs see it necessary to understand themselves—their personality, interests, abilities, and values—before they can act in the world with any degree of confidence or conviction.

In light of their reluctance to freely reveal the rational side of their personality, as well as the scattered nature of their Ne expressions, INTPs feel their true level of knowledge and competence is often lost on others. This is especially common in the workplace, where their lack of enthusiasm for organizational life, combined with their quirky outward demeanor, may be mistaken for incompetence.