Quadras: What vs Why

[DirectorAbbie]

After observation, primarily of my SLE brother and myself, I have concluded that Betas are more interested in knowing what is going on and Deltas are more interested in knowing why it is going on. How do Alphas and Gammas relate?

[pianosinger]

After observation, primarily of my SLE brother and myself, I have concluded that Betas are more interested in knowing what is going on and Deltas are more interested in knowing why it is going on. How do Alphas and Gammas relate?

"what is going on" vs. "Why it is going on" sounds like Decisive vs. Judicious to me. So, my guess is that Gammas would also be in the "what is going on" camp and Alphas in the "why."

[DirectorAbbie]

"what is going on" vs. "Why it is going on" sounds like Decisive vs. Judicious to me. So, my guess is that Gammas would also be in the "what is going on" camp and Alphas in the "why."

Okay. That makes sense.

A vague scenario for Ashton:
Someone wants you to do something. Are you more likely to do it if they tell you what you need to do or why you need to do it?

[DirectorAbbie]

Oh, thanks. Definitely in the 'why' camp. If it doesn't make sense to me why something needs to be done, I'll be skeptical about doing it.

That throws a wrench in piano's suggestion.

If it's not quadra-related, it might be rational vs. irrational.

[pianosinger]

thinking about all this...I would think that most people would ulitmately prefer to have the answers to the "what" and the "why." But a "what"-oriented person might say, "well, tell me what needs to be done and then if I can find a good reason to do it then I will do it." Whereas the "why"-oriented person might say, "this is the problem/desired result/reason, now how are we going to go about achieving it?" So, maybe it's really more "Process vs. Result."

[DirectorAbbie]

thinking about all this...I would think that most people would ulitmately prefer to have the answers to the "what" and the "why." But a "what"-oriented person might say, "well, tell me what needs to be done and then if I can find a good reason to do it then I will do it." Whereas the "why"-oriented person might say, "this is the problem/desired result/reason, now how are we going to go about achieving it?" So, maybe it's really more "Process vs. Result."

That makes more sense. Is process/result related to supervision rings?

[Nowisthetime]

After observation, primarily of my SLE brother and myself, I have concluded that Betas are more interested in knowing what is going on and Deltas are more interested in knowing why it is going on. How do Alphas and Gammas relate?

For me I think it's like this:

something is going on! > what is going on? > why is it going on?

[Aiss]

Someone wants you to do something. Are you more likely to do it if they tell you what you need to do or why you need to do it?

I don't like either.

That being said, I'd expect most people to identify with the "why" and associate it with different elements. For example I'm tempted to do so myself, since reasons are what's important to me, but considering some of my interactions with Delta, I'd say it's likely less about what/why and more about "in how much detail do you need to go". Like, often I have to explain obvious (to me) causation to clueless (about it, not in general) Deltas, otherwise they consider me unreasonable, and that when I'm not even really trying to tell them what to do. I see it as a Ni/Si issue, so yes, pianosinger would have been spot on if that's the case. Although I personally see Si as the "how" (focus on the path) rather than "why" (focus on the target) in these situation.

On the other hand, Alpha/Beta "whys" in other cases often sound to me like telling me what to think, and how to think, which is beyond insulting. I blame Ti. So I don't know really, but there seems to be some sort of miscommunication going on.

[krieger]

Why is the more "sophisticated", "deep", "intelligent" answer, so everybody is going to want to answer that.

[Aiss]

That makes more sense. Is process/result related to supervision rings?

It is. Process types go A -> B - > G -> D ->A, result the reverse.

I don't think it has much to do with your original question, though. It's just a name, and Reinin descriptions are no good.

[DirectorAbbie]

On the other hand, Alpha/Beta "whys" in other cases often sound to me like telling me what to think.

When I answer, "Why?" I usually start with, "Because if you don't," and list a set of circumstances that they won't like the end of. My IEE dad does the same thing, with the exception that his list of circumstances don't necessarily have a logical link.

[ashlesha]

Okay. That makes sense.

A vague scenario for Ashton:
Someone wants you to do something. Are you more likely to do it if they tell you what you need to do or why you need to do it?

based on this scenario, it depends on the situation. if its my boss wanting me to work on a project, i'm more concerned about the "what." if its my boyfriend wanting me to rearrange some clutter in the basement to make room for something, i'm more concerned about the "why."

edit: maybe this is obvious, but i don't think it's ever either/or for anyone. only asking "what" would mean you were kind of a passive robot. only asking "why" would mean you already know how to do everything in the world, lol.

[DirectorAbbie]

based on this scenario, it depends on the situation. if its my boss wanting me to work on a project, i'm more concerned about the "what." if its my boyfriend wanting me to rearrange some clutter in the basement to make room for something, i'm more concerned about the "why."

edit: maybe this is obvious, but i don't think it's ever either/or for anyone. only asking "what" would mean you were kind of a passive robot. only asking "why" would mean you already know how to do everything in the world, lol.

With the boss, the "why" is already obvious. "For money."

[ClownsandEntropy]

I think that if someone asks me to do something, I'll try to find out firstly exactly what I will need to do, and then why I will need to be doing it, mostly because I don't want to force someone to explain something to me, only for me to decide not to help them.

Could the "What?" be more of a "How will it affect me?" and the "Why?" be "What is happening in the world that means I have to do this?"

[ashlesha]

With the boss, the "why" is already obvious. "For money."

lol, i was just considering something like this when thinking about what i posted. sometimes the what is already more implicit and vice versa with the why. i think my concern is just on whatever i know less about.

[Creepy-male]

"what is going on" vs. "Why it is going on" sounds like Decisive vs. Judicious to me. So, my guess is that Gammas would also be in the "what is going on" camp and Alphas in the "why."

Makes sense, this explain the difference between the Alpha NT school of thought and the Gamma NT school of thought.