A fun and simple attempt at a test

[Expat]

Imagine that little green aliens have kidnapped you and taken you to their home planet.

Would you prefer to be put in their zoo or their circus?

Assume rather "humane" conditions in both situations - ie decent food, no whipping, etc. Obviously in a circus you'll be expected to perform some tricks and in zoo you'll remain in your cage.

So, which one and why?

Please no questions of the kind "would I be allowed books in the zoo or in the circus" -- assume that all such things will be identical in both situations, everything that doesn't reasonably contradict the nature and purpose of a zoo and of a circus.

[guest32456]

I'm not sure. The zoo would allow me to pursue my own interests and passions without distraction. I wouldn't have to be an entertainer or parade myself in front of loads of people. However, I would have no privacy (which would very much annoy me), I could easily get bored because of the lack of work, and I would have to follow a routine.

The circus would give me some time for privacy and some time to pursue my passions and I would have work to do (hence, less boredom), although I'm not sure that I would enjoy the work. I would also be freer in the sense that I wouldn't have to eat/sleep at times set by people would might not understand me.

[eunice]

Imagine that little green aliens have kidnapped you and taken you to their home planet.

Would you prefer to be put in their zoo or their circus?

Assume rather "humane" conditions in both situations - ie decent food, no whipping, etc. Obviously in a circus you'll be expected to perform some tricks and in zoo you'll remain in your cage.

So, which one and why?

Please no questions of the kind "would I be allowed books in the zoo or in the circus" -- assume that all such things will be identical in both situations, everything that doesn't reasonably contradict the nature and purpose of a zoo and of a circus.

I definitely wouldn't want to perform in a circus because I dislike performing infront of others and letting them judge my ability and notice my weaknesses. Been in a zoo seems more comfortable for me since I am able to be myself and have my own free time, and I'm not pressurized to please others with tricks and stunts.

[Phaedrus]

Definitely the zoo. In a circus I would have to take orders and live up to the expectations of the aliens. I would like to be as free of obligations as possible. And I would probably have more time of my own in a zoo, where I could perhaps also find a little corner where I could try to "hide" from the world, while at the same time quietly observing it, contemplating my destiny and the laws and structure of Alien-nation.

[Mea]

What kinda zoo? Those open concept zoos where most animals run around in huge spaces in their own natural habitat specially set up for them?

[Expat]

What kinda zoo? Those open concept zoos where most animals run around in huge spaces in their own natural habitat specially set up for them?

Well, I don't want to give a precise description of the zoo or the circus because that will start to defeat the purpose of my little test.

It's not necessary to imagine that the zoo is a very small cage. You can also imagine that in both situations you have a minimum degree of privacy regarding baths and the like. But it is a zoo, where in principle you're limited to a specific area all the time (even if not too small) and in principle tourists can observe you during the day, even if you're not forced to perform for them specifically.

[Mea]

What kinda zoo? Those open concept zoos where most animals run around in huge spaces in their own natural habitat specially set up for them?

Well, I don't want to give a precise description of the zoo or the circus because that will start to defeat the purpose of my little test.

It's not necessary to imagine that the zoo is a very small cage. You can also imagine that in both situations you have a minimum degree of privacy regarding baths and the like. But it is a zoo, where in principle you're limited to a specific area all the time (even if not too small) and in principle tourists can observe you during the day, even if you're not forced to perform for them specifically.

I dunno. Because there are different kinds of Zoo. Like over here, most of the animals (not those dangerous ones like lions, tiger) are free to roam around the zoo. So you can be walking around, and a meet a goat, peacock, or some other animals on the trail.
So it can be that kinda zoo right?

[Expat]

Well, why are you asking this? What is your main worry?

(by the way, I'm not being devious -- I'm not sure if this test will show clear trends in socionics, and which trends these could be. Just an idea I want to explore a bit)

[FDG]

If you assure me that I'm not going to be mistreated during the training, I'd prefer the circus.

(ps. my expectation would be that strong extraverts are more likely to enjoy circus, and everything else from moderate to low extraversion will prefer the zoo)

[Expat]

If you assure me that I'm not going to be mistreated during the training, I'd prefer the circus.

(ps. my expectation would be that strong extraverts are more likely to enjoy circus, and everything else from moderate to low extraversion will prefer the zoo)

No mistreatment let me put it this way. If they see that you refuse to cooperate in learning some tricks (nothing too humiliating or exhausting), they'll just send you to the zoo.

[Mea]

Well, why are you asking this? What is your main worry?

(by the way, I'm not being devious -- I'm not sure if this test will show clear trends in socionics, and which trends these could be. Just an idea I want to explore a bit)

lol. Because if it's an open concept zoo. I'd rather be kept in a zoo. Since I can walk around freely, and do what I like. AND not be kept in a cage.

[Expat]

lol. Because if it's an open concept zoo. I'd rather be kept in a zoo. Since I can walk around freely, and do what I like. AND not be kept in a cage.

Ok, that works.

[aestrivex]

both sound terrible. the zoo would be intolerably boring but in the circus i would have to perform and do stupid things. i'm not sure which one i'd pick. i might flip a coin.

[FDG]

in the circus i would have to do stupid things.

the circus' just your natural habitat, c'mon

[Elro]

If the cage is very small, I would not like to be in the zoo. On the other hand, if I'm forced to do tricks to entertain my captors, I would not like the circus. Basically, a very large zoo would be ideal for me (if you think about it, Earth is hard to escape from and ultimately we have to come back to it, so it's not unlike a cage anyway). If I were forced to pick a small cage versus a circus, I would choose the circus, but would then try to find some way to sabotage the event (burn down the tent, put extremely unpleasant objects (or fluids) into the cotton candy, etc).

Edit:

If they see that you refuse to cooperate in learning some tricks (nothing too humiliating or exhausting), they'll just send you to the zoo.

Missed that first go-around. I guess I'm destined for the zoo either way, but I'd still try to sabotage the circus while I'm there.

[Creepy-bg]

zoo.

assuming "humane" conditions to me means that in a zoo I'll be provided a "natural" (but perhaps limited) habitat to live in constructed to meet my needs physical and psychological. In that "caged" situation I could happily do as I pleased without being expected to "perform" to a schedule for the amusement and perhaps prophet of my alien captors. In a zoo situation I would be expected to just be human for them while they passed by my cage and observed. I could be myself in other words.

I would assume that it being an alien circus the target audience is going to aliens, meaning that if I'd have to exhist/adapt to living in their "world", play to an alien audience, and buddy up to freaky little alien clowns if I wanted friends. There's a slight appeal to experiencing that sort of life, but I think it would quickly become uncomfortable then a sort of living hell. I think that in no time I'd start to feel cut off from my humanity and increasingly "alien" myself... thinking about it makes me feel lost and isolated.



So what does all that mean?

[Slacker]

I would rather be in a zoo, unless I were confined to a small cage in a zoo. But in a circus you'd have to do what people wanted you to do when they wanted you to do it, while in a zoo you could relax and do your own thing. I'd have to have some room to wander freely and have other animals to talk to.

[Expat]

For the record, I'd pick up the circus.

[Mea]

For the record, I'd pick up the circus.

Why?

I personally don't like the thought of people telling me what to do. And you have to do that in a circus, follow orders.

[Elro]

I'd also like a file to cut through the bars and a space ship on standby for my escape.

Spaceship to cut through the bars and file on standby for your escape, noted.

[Expat]

Do we get to have some friends in the zoo? I'd also like a file to cut through the bars and a space ship on standby for my escape.

If you have friends in the zoo, you also have them in the circus.

And "escape" is sort of avoiding the question

[Expat]

For the record, I'd pick up the circus.

Why?

I personally don't like the thought of people telling me what to do. And you have to do that in a circus, follow orders.

Well, I face that at work already I'd prefer the circus because altogether there is more chance for variation and stimulation and activity (no two performances are ever exactly the same, as they say). At the end the zoo would feel to stagnant, unchanging, boring. Sure you can say that would apply to the circus too, in the longer run, but I think less than to the zoo.

Yes, I wouldn't like the "having to perform for others at set times either", but that seems a to me a lesser evil.

[Jarno]

zoo, i'm lazy

[Expat]

I am seeing some trends already

I also have another similar test, based on a desert island - I will post it later.

[Ezra]

The cage. There I can do as I please - I simply have spectators, about whom I could not give a shit.

[Expat]

The cage. There I can do as I please - I simply have spectators, about whom I could not give a shit.

But wouldn't it be too boring?

[Expat]

Ok, what I had been thinking before Ezra's reply was the following --

- only Resolute extraverts would show a very clear preference for the circus.
- Introverts would tend to prefer the zoo, with IPs and perhaps Reasonable IJs the most likely.

So if someone says, with little doubt, that s/he prefers the circus, I'd go for extraversion and probably Beta-Gamma.

If someone says, with little doubt, "the zoo because I prefer to do nothing" then I'd go for introversion and perhaps also irrationality.

If someone shows a slight preference, all the reasons have to be evaluated - it could be many things.

Of course Ezra's reply goes against the trend if he's a Resolute Extravert.

[Ezra]

The cage. There I can do as I please - I simply have spectators, about whom I could not give a shit.

But wouldn't it be too boring?

Well, I know you refused questions about books and other equipment, so it's hard to say.

Say I had 24/7 access to a laptop with the net and games, a multigym, a library and a cinema - all inside the cage - I would be happy.

[leckysupport]

Circus. Zoo would be too boring, you would get time to rest too in a circus so you'd get a balance of doing nothing and doing something.

Probably get to meet aliens, if possible to speak language. Infact you'd probably do quite well for yourself at a circus, if you perform well you'd could probably get more perks, basically more shit happens at a circus than a zoo.

[Elro]

The cage. There I can do as I please - I simply have spectators, about whom I could not give a shit.

But wouldn't it be too boring?

Well, I know you refused questions about books and other equipment, so it's hard to say.

Say I had 24/7 access to a laptop with the net and games, a multigym, a library and a cinema - all inside the cage - I would be happy.

That would be a rather large cage. (Or a small multigym.) The "library" and "cinema" functions could be simulated by the laptop... of course, the laptop would go out of date within a few years, and you'd be wishing you had money to upgrade, which you could have earned at the circus.

[Expat]

Ok, so much for the reliability of this test perhaps there is a complicated way to make it all fit but it's probably not worth it.

[Ezra]

The cage. There I can do as I please - I simply have spectators, about whom I could not give a shit.

But wouldn't it be too boring?

Well, I know you refused questions about books and other equipment, so it's hard to say.

Say I had 24/7 access to a laptop with the net and games, a multigym, a library and a cinema - all inside the cage - I would be happy.

That would be a rather large cage. (Or a small multigym.) The "library" and "cinema" functions could be simulated by the laptop... of course, the laptop would go out of date within a few years, and you'd be wishing you had money to upgrade, which you could have earned at the circus.

Hahahahaha. Well, if I went to the circus, I'd have to have the chance to a) earn cash and, more crucially, b) spend it. I'd want to be able to wonder the streets of the alien planet and take it all in. Then return to the circus. It would be pretty fun.

[leckysupport]

Ok, so much for the reliability of this test perhaps there is a complicated way to make it all fit but it's probably not worth it.

Yeah, it only seems to be seperating the people who like the idea of sitting around all day doing nothing and people who don't.
Maybe a positivism and negativism thing going on, positives thinking things can only get better so they take more risks(circus) and negatives not(zoo). IDK just guessing.

There might be a 'nerds are cool' bias too, so people of types that would traditionally/theoretically want to go to the circus might not. And maybe a ant-'nerds are cool' bias too.

[Jimbean]

I am going with the circus.

Given the choice, I would rather physically move about and have a chance at improving on something than sit in a cage.

[marooned]

I've seen what can happen to chimpanzees and other intelligent apes in zoos. I've only been to 2 zoos in my life, but in both of them some of the apes were very psychologically ill, especially if they were alone. At the first zoo I went to there was this gorilla laying out in this mostly cement pad (hardly any vegetation) in the sun, and he looked like he wanted to die. There used to be a female gorilla with him and she had died. The other zoo I went to, I remember seeing this chimpanzee in this darkened room, and when I looked at it, its eyes were so wide, it was so paranoid looking like it had lost its mind. It hid its head and looked like it was suffering a lot. I also watched this program about prisons in the US on TV and I noticed that a lot of the inmates were very screwed up. Aside from whatever led them into prison, they spent so much time alone in their cells it seemed to be driving them mad. The only ones who seemed to have it together psychologically were the ones who kept busy with their gangs, or their exercises, etc. Even if it was antisocial human contact, some inmates tried to be around other people as much as possible, and they seemed better for it. These were just my observations about a few things... In short, I think that if I were put in a cage and left there while people (or aliens in this case) watched me I would go insane just like the animals and inmates I mentioned. And in my imagination, I can see it would be difficult to maintain my sanity and sense of self in such conditions.

So in that case I would go with the circus. There is at least activity and I'm guessing there's more opportunity to work with and try to talk to my captors. If I could get them to understand it isn't right to keep a sentient being in these sorts of conditions, perhaps I could convince them to release me... perhaps if I played my cards right I could convince them to take me back to Earth. Also circuses travel and I would be able to see their planet and learn about them more that way. I would be interested in figuring out how to communicate with them--either try to learn any language they have, or more likely get them to understand my language (since they can travel through space, they're likely more intelligent). I would pay close attention to them and try to figure out how empathy works with them--what sort of emotional make up they have. I would learn to communicate with them in this way as well. I would have to socialize with them (as there wouldn't be any humans to socialize with) and befriend them. This would help me keep my sanity and even help me keep hope about my situation. I would also explore whatever sense of humor they had. If I took an interest in them, their feelings, their ways, their beliefs, perhaps they would also take an interest in mine. I would try to find a way to connect with them, both because I would need that connection for myself, and because it would be the only way there would be even a chance they might let me go. I would look for their compassion and for the part of them that can love... because I trust love and that is where I would try to remain. Also if I could find ways to help them maybe they'd want to return the favor. Even if they never released me, maybe we could build a relationship.

And the circus would give me things to amuse myself more and help me keep a humorous outlook. It would also provide more physical exercise as much as I loathe that... but I would need it as I would need to keep up my health (I wouldn't be able to trust the aliens to know how to help me if my health declined). So survival would be on me--I couldn't assume they would take care of that. Oh, and their technology. I'd be curious about that. And I still think the circus would provide more opportunity to learn about that as well. I'd have to find ways to keep my brain busy and learning, because it requires that sort of constant stimulus. I don't do well when I'm bored. Also if I knew about their technology it would help me escape on my own if I decided to take that route (it would be a last resort though as it would compromise my relationship with them and break any trust that was established... so I might not do it at all). Okay, I'm done rambling.

[Gilly]

Tough call. The circus would be better because there would actually be something to do, but I'd hate having to take orders from a trainer; if they treated me like shit I'd probably end up running away, but if it wasn't too insane it would definitely be better than the zoo. The zoo would be cool because you get to chill all day, but obviously there's jack shit to do in there. No point in living if all you do all day is roll around in your own shit and make funny noises at people who poke shit at you through the bars. Either way, you're a slave, which, bottom line, is a shit life, but I'd say at the circus at least I wouldn't just waste away.

[UDP]

Circus



"Are you not entertained?"


My first step towards ruling my own small alien nation. And, sitting in a cage would be totally boring.

Factors that would have weight - if there was anyone else I knew in either the circus or the zoo, of course.
I like your other test a little better though, desert island one.

[Smilingeyes]

Circus. Would let me retain functionality and maintain a sense of purpose.
EDIT: Wait a minute... Is there really any difference between that concept and how I'm living now? Hmm...

[Expat]

I'm finding both tests useful, but in a roundabout way.

[marooned]

I'm finding both tests useful, but in a roundabout way.

Does it tell you what type I am?