Dominant Mode

[Gilly]

I want as many people as possible to try to describe the dominant mode of their life, how they think, and what exactly goes on in their head in as many words as possible. Put it all out there, even people who are sure of their types: I'm not out to retype people, I just want to hear what everyone has to say. And ABSOLUTELY NO SOCIONICS TALK.

I'll go first.

The primary mode of my life is that of avoiding boredom. I feel like every single thing I do is an effort to fill the time that I've been alotted with interesting and stimulating things that force me to think and make decisions. Every single action I take that is not required of me is something that is going towards stimulating my brain and filling the void.

I don't know exactly what it is that qualifies one thing as "stimulating" and another as "boring," but it has something to do with novelty. If something seems unique or new, it attracts me. If something gives me the opportunity to do something within what I feel is my ability range that is unique or new, then it interests me. It's almost as though I'm trying to put coins (activities/experiences) in a slot machine (my brain) that will only take a certain kind of coin (interesting things), and I don't know what kind of coin it is, so I can't go out looking for it, but whenever I stumble across one, I know exactly what it is.

[FDG]

It's hard for me to think why I do things I do. It seems that they're just obviously the things to do, like, that I am pre-programmed to do that. This doesn't mean that I do not take decisions; it just means that I do not feel like I have a particular purpose in life.

[Kristiina]

I constantly re-evaluate my role in life. What kind of a person I am, how other see me, how I should see myself. Every time something changes in my life, I decide how it changed the general direction of my life. Because life is just goal after goal of waiting.

Boredom means very little to me, because it changes nothing. If I am bored right now, it doesn't mean that I am somehow different or that I started going in another direction (on a longer time-scale). I am always waiting for the *next* thing that is supposed to happen, but I do my best to ensure that I stay on the same trail and reach it.

I can't understand drifting through life even if I try. I always know what's the next thing I want to (or need to) accomplish. Because I'm counting on becoming successful and if I don't push myself then no one will.

[anndelise]

Dominant mode of my life....hmmm...

There are actually two...I can't yet decide which is more dominant than the other, but they both take up huge amounts of my time and energy, more so than almost anything else combined with other anythings.

1) Interacting with people is painful to me. Heck, interacting with the environment is painful, but not as much as the people themselves. This is so, because it feels as if for each thing they say, for almost each movement of their face, for each emotion even subtly expressed, for each inconsistency in words or actions, even their mere presence sends something like lightning blasting through my brain.....so damn many associations, so damn many possibilites hit me for each little thing, and I don't even get a chance to sort through it before they do something else that sends even more lightning blasts. Needless to say, not only is it painful, but it's draining.
To protect myself, I spend too damned much of my time attempting to shield myself from these inadvertent attacks on my psyche. Whether it be the actual shielding, the withdrawing of socialness, or the seeking of alternative ways of dealing with the lightning blasts. That is Dominant mode #1.

2) Dominant mode #2 is....*sigh*....people interest me. So I spend inordinate amounts of time looking up information, reviewing previous experiences, in essence....attempting to sort through all the associations and hopefully find a way of organizing my observations in such a way as to help not only me during times that I deal with people, but to help others in their own issues as well.


Ok, so in the process of writing this, it became obvious that Dominant mode #1 is THE dominant mode. #2 is just that...#2, and used for supporting #1.

[Mariano Rajoy]

i would say that i have to understand. and in a big picture kind of way that accounts for all the details. if i need to do something, i feel that i am not able to do it if i don't understand. i usually wont do it if i know it will turn out to be shitty; i could do something with a half assed understanding, but that is just irresponsible.

[Cone]

Damnit, Gilligan, this is a genius idea. I can already see the Socionics fitting perfectly into what people say about themselves.

My dominant mode of life seems to involve constantly increasing somehow the intensity of my everyday experience. More intensity, more complexity, more difficulty, freshness, purpose, especially purpose, constantly climbing upward until I can't go any further. I can become bored quickly with ANYTHING, regardless of how regular or how varied it is. It's like there's a short time interval attached with everything I do, and when it's up, it's time to move on.

I have a habit of locking myself into my own internal time, i.e. I try to fill every hour of my day with things I need or want to do, and I have a difficult time adapting to other people's needs and wants and the dictates of my environment. So I suppose I can often come across as stubborn and quite resistant to change (even though I am bored quickly).

Now my actions are mainly what you might call irrational. I often act on a whim and don't think things through, yet I am not forward in any way. Although I do love directness, and I wish we would all just say what we think and not hide it. And this stems from the fact that I try to be as unassuming as possible. This gives me the ability to pick out logical errors in an argument or explanation with ease (but it can be detrimental as well).

As a last thing, I am highly "contrarian", to the point where my own need for nonconformance to the group often isolates me from people.

Now there are certain things I should be doing, certain obligations to people I must fulfill. Ah, and there's another thing: I am horribly lazy.

[Polly_G]

I feel like I'm always searching for something but never quite find it. While in the mean time chaos runs amuck around me because I'm not doing things I should be. I'm always so convinced that at the last minute I can swoop in and take care of it all but sometimes I take too much on and end up putting myself through a great deal of stress. Then I start being hard on myself for being a bad bad girl because if I wasn't doing stuff I shouldn't have been doing, I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place....only to inevitably have it happen all over again.

Passing work off to others is really hard for me and explaining how I do it all is just as hard. I can explain it if I have time to think it through (which I often don't) and extract it for them but I so fly by the seat of my pants and umm how do I put this...just make connections as I go I guess. My system of organization looks messy but its actually really complex...if someone else starts messing around in it I feel completely lost. I'm protective of my piles.

That's not something that you can teach another person (making connections that is). They are either that way or they are not.

[Polly_G]

don't know exactly what it is that qualifies one thing as "stimulating" and another as "boring," but it has something to do with novelty. If something seems unique or new, it attracts me. If something gives me the opportunity to do something within what I feel is my ability range that is unique or new, then it interests me.

See that's probably my problem and why I take on so much. I don't think anything is below my ability range. I just think I can figure everything out as I go along but it often takes longer than I thought it would. Its not about ability for me it has a lot to do with the interest aspect of it though. To apply myself in a way that you get to see what I'm capable of, I have to be interested.

[Gilly]

Cone: SHHHHH :wink:

Perfect responses. Keep em coming, people.

[Catholic Schoolboy]

The primary mode of my life is in understanding negative emotions and over coming them. I am, I guess if you want to be absurd about it a humanitarian (Or human as I would put it). I study pain. Not only do I study it but I subject myself to it. I've been to a great many tainted places that most people would avoid simply because I wish to understand the cause and effect of human suffering, and how the wounds can be mended, or at least soothed. Making others feel human makes me feel human which is pretty borderline isn't it? So yes, I am an empathy whore.

This in turn makes me a "knowledge whore" by increasing knowledge I increase understanding. I am however a very specialized knowledge whore, I really have no use for science or maths, history, philosophy and literature however are things that I feast upon. Why? Because in these things one can come close to enlightenment, something that cannot be found in numbers.

Blah blah blah. I hate trying to explain myself I can't do it in a sensible way. I blame it on Ni.

[maze]

=)

[Nhazkal]

Dominant mode(or may I say 'The way I act most of the time')
hm.. it would go like this:

I waste my time telling I'm wasting my time.

[pesto]

It is to stay true to myself. I value diversisty and the best way I can contribute to it is to be me the best I can. Also, I can't fake it. I believe many of the problems we as humans have could be eased if we would break some of the taboos we keep up. When that is taken care off, and usually it is, I strive to explore the diverse world in a mental sense. I want to free myself from the conventions of my society and see things from as many viewpoints as possible to find The Truth, a Truth or maybe all the Truths. I do it by directly or indirectly experiencing as many mental states as possible. (Trough theorizing, media or travel etc.)

The first part is more important to me, but the second state is where I usually am. Or soemwhere in between. God, that's tough.

[Creepy-pokeball]

My dominant mode of life seems to involve constantly increasing somehow the intensity of my everyday experience. More intensity, more complexity, more difficulty, freshness, purpose, especially purpose, constantly climbing upward until I can't go any further.

Upward or outward? Upward makes it feel like there is a subjective differentiation as to what is better (and hence a pre-selected goal?) whereas outward feels like one is growing out of their current set of information without a goal in mind forehand. I dont know what Im saying lol--Im just noticing this and seeing what you think. Hmmm, what about inward, too?

[Creepy-pokeball]

Dominant mode without thinking of personality theories: Massive curiousity in things and people and nature and...and... and... lol. I thrive and love to explore and learn.

[Cone]

The primary mode of my life is in understanding negative emotions and over coming them. I am, I guess if you want to be absurd about it a humanitarian (Or human as I would put it). I study pain. Not only do I study it but I subject myself to it. I've been to a great many tainted places that most people would avoid simply because I wish to understand the cause and effect of human suffering, and how the wounds can be mended, or at least soothed. Making others feel human makes me feel human which is pretty borderline isn't it? So yes, I am an empathy whore.

This in turn makes me a "knowledge whore" by increasing knowledge I increase understanding. I am however a very specialized knowledge whore, I really have no use for science or maths, history, philosophy and literature however are things that I feast upon. Why? Because in these things one can come close to enlightenment, something that cannot be found in numbers.

Blah blah blah. I hate trying to explain myself I can't do it in a sensible way. I blame it on Ni.

Pick up a pen or pencil and start writing best-selling novels, damnit!

[Cone]

My dominant mode of life seems to involve constantly increasing somehow the intensity of my everyday experience. More intensity, more complexity, more difficulty, freshness, purpose, especially purpose, constantly climbing upward until I can't go any further.

Upward or outward? Upward makes it feel like there is a subjective differentiation as to what is better (and hence a pre-selected goal?) whereas outward feels like one is growing out of their current set of information without a goal in mind forehand. I dont know what Im saying lol--Im just noticing this and seeing what you think. Hmmm, what about inward, too?

Upward. And inward also, of course.

[Creepy-]

What MR said (I cannot do anything if I don't understand it), combined with thoughts about the future. Massive thoughts about the future. For a long time I have not been thinking about the future at all, but now that I am, it lingers and dominates my thoughts periodically (Especially in terms of spiritual or philosophical musings). I'm preparing for physics and calculus over the summer. There is a lot of time considering what is "right". Even in my close relationships, I realize it was a matter of logicical correctness .... (........). And there has been a large and refreshing does of "what can I do to benefit society?" lately.

Personally, I've been dealing with an isolated yet sever situation of misalignment in terms of what I thought was the truth/real/important, etc. The effects of that situation are still lingering.

Other short answers: self improvement (long term constant), and rectifying the deplorable sanatation / health conditions of my current momentary residence (shorter term). Optimizing. Oh, and independence.

[Creepy-pokeball]

My dominant mode of life seems to involve constantly increasing somehow the intensity of my everyday experience. More intensity, more complexity, more difficulty, freshness, purpose, especially purpose, constantly climbing upward until I can't go any further.

Upward or outward? Upward makes it feel like there is a subjective differentiation as to what is better (and hence a pre-selected goal?) whereas outward feels like one is growing out of their current set of information without a goal in mind forehand. I dont know what Im saying lol--Im just noticing this and seeing what you think. Hmmm, what about inward, too?

Upward. And inward also, of course.

Cool!

[vague]

[science as magic]

my dominant mode of thought shifts (?) every few years at the least

[Rocky]

My dominant mode is somewhat odd because I am not single-minded in my actions, yet I am still not open either. For example, I enjoy testing myself with various physical and mental activities. I enjoy to be knowledgable in a few select areas; sports history, Jungian stuff, and Chemistry (but no other sciences really, and no philosophical bullshit). I am also active in sports, and generally jump in when people are playing baseball, vollyball, or basketball. And I play the guitar (and enjoy writing songs and so forth).

So what would qualify as a dominant mode for me? A life learner?

Oh, in case you were interested, no, I don't watch much T.V. or play video games or waste my time with computer crap and fantasy teams etc, etc, etc. My idea is that if I ever feel like I am not doing something meaningful or efficient, then I should probably be doing something else. lol.

[science as magic]

i think you dramatically underestimate the applicability of philosophy. i would recommend that you study math to discover this.

[Creepy-pokeball]

i think you dramatically underestimate the applicability of philosophy. i would recommend that you study math to discover this.

lol our lives are built on a multiplex of various philosophies. My friend once joked that philosophy was silly because a miner stuck in a cave did not need philosophy--he needed the pick to escape. I reminded him that the pick had to have been an idea at one point...

[Rocky]

Oh? How is philosophy useful?

Besides, I look around and I don't see any "Philosophy Stores" anymore. Business makes the world go 'round, lol.

[Gilly]

Philosophy makes the world go round. Everyone has a personal philosophy: it's what motivates them to do what they do.

[Eidos]

My dominant mode of life is being able to do what I want do. If I have an idea, a project, I want to be able to say "Let's go!" and make it happen. I always seek independence. The last thing I want is to depend on other people. I might accept it temporarily to move on to bigger and better things... (i.e. work) but it's difficult nevertheless. I want to enjoy life to its fullest... push the limits. I need intensity. I like excess in things that I do and taking things to their limits. Driving fast, eating alot, drinking alot, taking calculated risks... I like being very enthusiastic and behaving in a familiar way with people. I don't care about people's opinion of me. My atttitude is "I don't give a shit about what others say, I said this is the way I'm going to be doing it". This has caused other people to accuse me of being stubborn, but at least I know I've always done what I wanted.

[Creepy-pokeball]

Oh? How is philosophy useful?

Besides, I look around and I don't see any "Philosophy Stores" anymore. Business makes the world go 'round, lol.

Do you know how broad philosophy is? That chemistry you read-- guess what? Is used to be a branch of philosophy as a whole and now it is it's own section of philosophy. Also, business is multiple philosophies. As are the many, many other things that make the world work. It is beyond time to widen your veiw of the world because it is not as black and white as the specific interests you have chosen to prefer.

[anndelise]

Oh? How is philosophy useful?

Besides, I look around and I don't see any "Philosophy Stores" anymore. Business makes the world go 'round, lol.

Hmmm, I'd have sworn that Business Management, as well as Economics, were philosophies....

*shrugs*

Goes to show what I know...

[Rocky]

Come on guys, if you say you have a "Chemistry" or "Business" major, you are clearly talking about something different from someone with a "Philosophy" major. You knew what I was talking about. You're talking about something different entirely. Of course, anything can be classified as a "philosophy" in the broad sense; I was talking the thing that is sparked in anyone's memory bank when they hear "philosophy".

And no, you won't get me to concider a clothing store a philosophy store.

[FDG]

Oh? How is philosophy useful?

Besides, I look around and I don't see any "Philosophy Stores" anymore. Business makes the world go 'round, lol.

Hmmm, I'd have sworn that Business Management, as well as Economics, were philosophies....

*shrugs*

Goes to show what I know...

Business Management is not a philosophy, it's mostly composed of factual knowlegde - how things work, in which ways it's better to "mix" the factors in order to raise the productivity etc. No philo at all.

There are branches of economics which could be considered as philosophies; broadly speaking, economic theory. However, economics carries the burden of empirical validation, something that pure philo doesn't.

[Creepy-pokeball]

Come on guys, if you say you have a "Chemistry" or "Business" major, you are clearly talking about something different from someone with a "Philosophy" major. You knew what I was talking about. You're talking about something different entirely. Of course, anything can be classified as a "philosophy" in the broad sense; I was talking the thing that is sparked in anyone's memory bank when they hear "philosophy".

And no, you won't get me to concider a clothing store a philosophy store.

And youre missing the point. Philosophy WAS part of what Chemistry is now. Chemistry WAS once a philosophical idea that formed into an empiracal form of practice and usage. Ideas NOW may form into realities later. In fact, I can name philosophical arguements NOW that are basis to what our realities may be in the future. For example, the majority of my philosophical papers are about health care, medical institutions, language usage, etc. If you look at papers like this from the 70s, you can see how things have changed from said realizations from these arguements.


Now the clothing store idea... uhm lol.

[Rocky]

Ok, Jadaedy gets points.

But that doesn't mean that I would consider Business a philosophy.