ENFp's silly switch and cheerfulness

[Raver]

Every ENFP has a silly switch and they like to turn it on every once in a while and it makes me so cheery inside. The way it works in my opinion is that the spurs the to say and do the wackiest things imaginable and this soothes the impulse for the of the ENFP.

"ENFPs have what some call a "silly switch." They can be intellectual, serious, all business for a while, but whenever they get the chance, they flip that switch and become CAPTAIN WILDCHILD, the scourge of the swimming pool, ticklers par excellence. Sometimes they may even appear intoxicated when the "switch" is flipped."

I know when I turn it on it can either:

A. Annoy the hell out of everyone

B. Make everyone laugh their heads off on my utter silliness

Anyways, I ask all ENFPs what they do when they turn that switch on and I want to know what other types think of ENFPs silliness! (we're so silly )

I think if I say silly any more, I will have to question my overall silliness in the silliness of the matter of the silly kingdom with silly talking shoes. I'm such a silly baby, alcohol is for grownups!

[Raver]

Noone cares?

Well, I'll turn on my silly switch on every post to annoy the heck out of everyone and de-rail threads. MUHAHAHAHAA!, heh maybe only a few threads. :wink:

[science as magic]

be careful the moderators are intjs mostly and i personally am in a SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I BEAT YOUR FACE IN sort of mood

[Joy]

depends on my mood... all that is a bit much for me

[Topaz]

I suppose I have a silly switch but I cant really control it well. It comes on spontaneously. I can repress it if I want but its not too easy to turn on at any moment. Things that activate my silly switch are 1) and audience, (acting silly alone doesnt count.) 2) the proper environment. funerals, worship, class, anywhere where its inappropriate. (just kidding) I think its environments that present something new that are expecially likely to trigger it in me. Like museums, and exhibits, bus trips, road trips, visiting new places and meeting new people. There usually is something fresh about the experience. 3) Music is a great trigger. Music can help me trigger the silliness in other people 4) the opposite sex. A pretty girl who is looking for a laugh can have me doing all sorts of nutty things. 5) Kids, especially 1-4 years old. I love playing with babies and little kids. And I also love giving them back to their parents after I get them all riled up
My silliness is usually adapted to the audience so I cant say difinitively what I do. Its just crazy thats all.

[Kim]

Happiness triggers my silly switch. I get really hyper and goofy when I'm happy and then it can happen anywhere (appropriate).

I'm having a blast with it around the right people!

[Kim]

And whoever says it's the most annoying thing in the world needs to seriously lighten up!

[Slacker]

If I'm in a good mood and around a group of friends, I can get goofy.

[Joy]

I would not complain about the silliness of ENFps... I really don't mind. I am not totally comfortable all the time, but oh well. That's the reality of interpersonal involvement. It's not something worth bitching about. They could be doing something worse. And if I don't feel like hearing it at the time, I just tune it out.

[Catholic Schoolboy]

Ashton, you are so homosexual.

[Kim]

Ashton, you are so homosexual.

He is not. He is MINE!

[FDG]

Oh my god, no, not the kitty avatar, please!

[schrödinger's cat]

I'm the quiet subtype - EN(F)p - but I've got a silly switch as well. It's easy to suppress, but hard to call up at will. I think I've got to feel totally safe and at ease with the social setting. If someone is very critical of me or a bit of a bully, then I'm Ms super-serious. I need to know that people around like me for who I am, and that they know that I'm not an air-head. If the people I'm with appreciate the free entertainment, then that's incredibly validating.

I love being silly. It makes me feel relaxed and in control at the same time. It sort of happens by itself, but it's still you that's controlling it. It's flow. Like writing or dancing.

[Creepy-]

*gushes over Ashton's avatar*

[Raver]

be careful the moderators are intjs mostly and i personally am in a SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I BEAT YOUR FACE IN sort of mood

Let me tell you a story about me and you back in the day when we lived in the jungle in our past lives. One day, me being a tiny mousey, you came next to me and roared like you've never roared before and threatened to eat me because apparently mice taste good covered with leaves, which is a mouse sandwich. Anyways, I was frightened and then I told you that I could help you in the future. You shrugged it off and said, "how so?". Well, you have to trust me on this mr. big scary lion and you will see in the future how I will help you. Your conscience kicked in and then you decided to let me leave and instead eat a cat. Anyways, after going through one of your daily jogs to lose some weight, you fell into a hole that was covered in leaves. You cried for help, but noone came and you began to cry like a little baby. However, I came by you and told you that I can help. "How can you help?", you ROARED. Don't worry, and then I left and came back 10 minutes later when I asked some help from fellow super monkeys, they bounced down to you and tied a rope around you and hopped back up with their super bouncing abilities and brought you back up when they pulled the rope up. Then when you were released, you said "thanks mousey, i'll be more careful next time, though I'd like to have mouse sandwitch now". I screamed and said, "NOOOOOOO, por que???" You said, "I don't need you anymore, I have super monkeys with me". They nodded their head and then you ate me with leaves while you talked to the super monkeys about the meaning of life and socionics.

Well this is a very important lesson and it's basically a modification of an old fable that I just massacred, but I hope you learned something here. :wink:

[Topaz]

OK I just changed my vote. Sorry about that Pedro. I understand now

[Creepy-young_and_confused_guest]

I read in the ENTJ description that they have a silly switch to, but they don't use it nearly as often unless your Jim Carrey of course.

[schrödinger's cat]

Oh, that's true! And so confusing! Any other types who have silly switches? ISTPs, anyone?

[ENFperator]

My silly switch is rather an introverted one – it’s more wit, than some tornado. Sometimes people can only tell if it’s activated by my ironic smile, jokes and attitude.

[schrödinger's cat]

Interesting point. Is an E(N)Fp's silly switch sillier than an EN(F)p's? Let's compare notes. (Now that should be fun. ) What do you lot actually do when you're being silly? ...Maybe that'll help us decide if we're being obnoxious or not... *sigh*

I'll have to start, haven't I?... So, what do I do?... Say weird things, mostly, turning the conversation into a sort of stand-up routine. Tickle people. Maybe gesticulate wildly. Mimick accents. Make wild plans, invent funny stories. Be a bit more spontaneous than usual.

That doesn't sound too exciting.

[Topaz]

Interesting point. Is an E(N)Fp's silly switch sillier than an EN(F)p's? Let's compare notes. (Now that should be fun. ) What do you lot actually do when you're being silly? ...Maybe that'll help us decide if we're being obnoxious or not... *sigh*

I'll have to start, haven't I?... So, what do I do?... Say weird things, mostly, turning the conversation into a sort of stand-up routine. Tickle people. Maybe gesticulate wildly. Mimick accents. Make wild plans, invent funny stories. Be a bit more spontaneous than usual.

That doesn't sound too exciting.

HA! I do the same stuff. Sometimes I pretend to be very arogant. Its all done with a smirk so no one really takes it serious but it causes quite a stir. I guess I pull out different characters. The other day I was spontaneously transformed into the emporer from Star Wars when I was playing a home version of Mrs. Pac Man with my little nephew and niece. The whole room was cracking up though. uh ... you had to be there

[Topaz]

I dont know my subtype but Im going to say split. Hows that for science :wink:

[schrödinger's cat]

]HA! I do the same stuff. Sometimes I pretend to be very arogant. Its all done with a smirk so no one really takes it serious but it causes quite a stir. I guess I pull out different characters. The other day I was spontaneously transformed into the emporer from Star Wars when I was playing a home version of Mrs. Pac Man with my little nephew and niece. The whole room was cracking up though. uh ... you had to be there

...and I do the same stuff. Weird. Perhaps all ENFps have the same silliness wired to their silly switch? The arrogant-hyperelegant-GodI'msocool-act is fun. (Which is why it's so odd if you see people act like that without being silly.) And the best time to flip the switch is with kids. My little daughter loves it. (She has a silly switch as well. Toddlers' silly switches rock. Pure surrealism. A true dadaist happening.)

[Raver]

Well, when I turn on my switch, I just becoming extremely annoying due to the that drives me and my thinking of ways to act like a tool. It drives people nuts and I'm trying to control myself, but the impulse is too strong. I hope I will be able to do it much less frequently in the future.

[anndelise]

I'm the quiet subtype - EN(F)p - but I've got a silly switch as well. It's easy to suppress, but hard to call up at will. I think I've got to feel totally safe and at ease with the social setting. If someone is very critical of me or a bit of a bully, then I'm Ms super-serious. I need to know that people around like me for who I am, and that they know that I'm not an air-head. If the people I'm with appreciate the free entertainment, then that's incredibly validating.

I can kinda say i'm like this.

For me, I already have a sense of humor that responds to irony. (over abunance of Ne)

In order to act similar to how the others are referring to as "silly", i actually have to flip a switch to dampen my Ne.

[schrödinger's cat]

Really? That's interesting. How do you do that?

[science as magic]

@Y&C very well you may live d:

[anndelise]

I can kinda say i'm like this.

For me, I already have a sense of humor that responds to irony. (over abunance of Ne)

In order to act similar to how the others are referring to as "silly", i actually have to flip a switch to dampen my Ne.

Schrodinger's Cat: it's not easy, and the best way i can describe is like...
when you say "On the count of five we will jump into this icy water"...ok, ready? one...two....th..["hold breath" and jump in]

If the energy around me is good, it is so much easier. Meaning positive responses.

Or if I'm sick of all the thoughts running through my head, I will do this for a few moments of relief.

I realized last night that this "silly switch mode" might very well be what socioniks refers to as the third function for ENFP's. Thinking about it...it fits as best an Se as an ENFP can do.

[FDG]

I read in the ENTJ description that they have a silly switch to, but they don't use it nearly as often unless your Jim Carrey of course.

The ENTj one is actually a serious switch. ENTjs learn that only when they are silly people actually converse with them and "like" them; viceversa, when they are serious people drift apart.

[schrödinger's cat]

That's interesting. Sounds plausible. ENTJs seem to be very incisive thinkers, always probing reality, always aware of the validity of someone's arguments. It must be wearying if you have to suppress that all the time. Sometimes I suspect that one of the greatest temptations for an ENTJ must be to feel that everyone else is an idiot.

So a serious switch that works analogous to our silly switch would function like this: As soon as you feel you're in an environment where people can keep up with you and where it's OK to be serious, you let yourself go and start discussing cubism, or postmodern theories, or "is imperialism dead?" or whatever it is that interests you. Correct?

[Topaz]

That's interesting. Sounds plausible. ENTJs seem to be very incisive thinkers, always probing reality, always aware of the validity of someone's arguments. It must be wearying if you have to suppress that all the time. Sometimes I suspect that one of the greatest temptations for an ENTJ must be to feel that everyone else is an idiot.

So a serious switch that works analogous to our silly switch would function like this: As soon as you feel you're in an environment where people can keep up with you and where it's OK to be serious, you let yourself go and start discussing cubism, or postmodern theories, or "is imperialism dead?" or whatever it is that interests you. Correct?

I have an ENTJ that discusses with me the most bizzare theories I have ever heard. He is very interesting. I try to get him to flesh out his ideas to see if they have any merit (imo). He really makes me think and Im always entertained by him. I think his fantasy ideas are usually too far off into the future to really be useful right now, or missing some human element that will make it work but its interesting to listen to nonetheless.

[Expat]

That's interesting. Sounds plausible. ENTJs seem to be very incisive thinkers, always probing reality, always aware of the validity of someone's arguments. It must be wearying if you have to suppress that all the time.Sometimes I suspect that one of the greatest temptations for an ENTJ must be to feel that everyone else is an idiot.

It may be a temptation, but not one we yield to often. Personally I don't think that "everyone else" is an "idiot". It's more like, "how can anyone waste so much time talking about idiotic things, and giving so much importance to idiotic things?"

So a serious switch that works analogous to our silly switch would function like this: As soon as you feel you're in an environment where people can keep up with you and where it's OK to be serious, you let yourself go and start discussing cubism, or postmodern theories, or "is imperialism dead?" or whatever it is that interests you. Correct?

Correct. It's pretty much like that.

[Raver]

Hmmm...Makes sense, my dad who is an ENTJ does turn on the serious switch with me sometimes to discuss theoretical important topics, though I ruin it by mentioning theories that are too off-base. There are times when he acts silly because he is happy, but those are rare, most of the time he acts silly in public to get others to talk to him. Though in a whole he is a pretty serious person when he is talking about a topic that deals with the world or something important. The typelogic ENTJ description kind of fit my dad, but the one the socionics one fit him like a mitten.

[universal]

Sometimes I suspect that one of the greatest temptations for an ENTJ must be to feel that everyone else is an idiot.

Don't be silly, I have a serious switch, I act like an idiot even when it's on.

[XoX]

Oh, that's true! And so confusing! Any other types who have silly switches? ISTPs, anyone?

I have to say...I don't have a silly switch if I understand what it means I have "overwhelming emotions" switch, "I want to have fun" switch, "I'm feeling sexual" switch, "I love everything" switch, and probably many more. But I can't see that I have a true silly switch. I can do silly things but I never go totally goofy. There is always some form of self control involved. My INTj friend thinks I'm always silly though.

[schrödinger's cat]

EDIT

(I edited this post, but somehow my edited version was posted below the original one. Weird.)

[FDG]

I think that probably you will not find many ENTj willing to write their way of perceiving the world - I personally feel that it's a waste of time, and that people should not really care much about how I get information, but more about how I use it. The ENTj description at socion.info provides a good outline of the way the ENTj shapes the way he sees things.



As a second point, i just wanted to clarify that the way you're making intuition sound is a perispective from an Ne-firster.

This makes it difficult to explain our insight to others. Sometimes you've got dots enough to make up the first part of a pattern, and you just know how the pattern will go on. If you tell this to someone, though, you haven't got any data to support it (i.e., no dots). All you can say is, "I've got a hunch", or "in my experience it's like that", or "I just know, alright?". When people ask you for specifics, you're stumped.
All you can do is, you painstakingly try to find out what other patterns you've stored in your internal pattern repository; which parts of them make you think this pattern is going to be like them; and once you've isolated that, you try and remember what dots those patterns were made up of, and what dots this pattern is made up of. THEN you've got the specifics and details others demand of you.

Personally, I usually refrain myself from telling to people what I intuit. I simply do not trust my intuition enough. I use it a lot for forming conclusion about myself, and for directing MY behaviour, or for understanding thing - and it works wonders; but sitll, I am not confident in my intuition as I am confindent in my logic.

When I give advice to people, they are usually grounded into Te; then, I might give some advice on how things will develop, but if I see that the other party does not trust this advice, I back up almost immediatly.

That also one of the motivations of why, sometimes, the ENTj does not like people that ask too many "whys". Te is about how to do things, and Ni is about intuiting without any "pattern", just a sudden realization. I have strangely found true in many ENTj that we can know how do to things and where to direct situations without knowing why things must be done that way. In this regard yes, your description does hold true for us, too.

I want to make an example for this last post. Take the illusionary relationship of an ENTj with an ISTj. I have this experience with my father. We can talk about many things, and we usually agree with each other, the leisure time spent toghether is ok, etc. BUT when we have to work toghether, it's HELL. The ISTj has Ti as base, so all the things I do seem to him to work for no reason, and all the things he does seem to me inefficient and "rule-bound". He ends up being annoyed by the fact that I just do things without being able to tell him why I act this way, and I end up being annoyed by the rule-bound way of doing this. Moreover, the rules of the ISTj appear to the ENTj pointless, absolute and "dictatorial", whereas to the ISTj the rules of ENTj appear circumstacial and not based on solid ground.

[schrödinger's cat]

[quote="schrödinger's cat"]

Sometimes I suspect that one of the greatest temptations for an ENTJ must be to feel that everyone else is an idiot.

It may be a temptation, but not one we yield to often. Personally I don't think that "everyone else" is an "idiot". It's more like, "how can anyone waste so much time talking about idiotic things, and giving so much importance to idiotic things?"

That's more or less what I meant... Sorry, I realize I was a little vague.

BTW: I know now why this is so. (Or rather, I've got a theory.) I'll post it in the How do YOU "function"? thread on the "general topics" forum. I'd be interested to hear what exactly makes ENTJs specific, so if you (or other ENTJs) feel like explaining that, that would be great.

[schrödinger's cat]

FDG, I quoted your post in the thread I've mentioned. I edited my original post and deleted the paragraphs about patterns etc., because I realized afterwards that I was about to hijack this thread. Your reply came before I had deleted it. Sorry for the muddle. I think it's all sorted out now.

[Expat]

I'll write something on that later.

I agree with what FDG wrote, as usual. You gave a very good description of having as a first function.

ENTjs have as 8th function, which however is not as weak as rmcnew seemed to suggest. It is strong enough for us to perfectly accept and understand - induced concepts or conclusions - even if without trusting them too much. I also get into mode sometimes, but I avoid that in the presence of ISTjs and ISFjs. But since it's not my first function, it's not a problem.

EDIT: FDG, exactly the same situation I have with my ISTj friend.