Themis Typing Thread
I've seen here is a video requirement for typing so will post an older video (not in English, sorry) as I can't record a new one currently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpbwx5hAw9E
Thank you for your time to whoever will have patience to get to the end of it.
Te:
1. How do you work? Why do people go to work? Are there any parameters that determine whether you can do work or not? What are they?
I work consistently. Have a plan and a schedule of what I have to do, so I can keep track of the tasks. Organise it in a way that makes it easier to sift through the workload. I am sort of a workaholic, and responsibilities come first for me. I'm also conscientious about my work. My perfectionist nature totally nags on me if I overlooked some mistakes or didn't have the time to fix errors that I found and let them exist. It feels like I degrade a bit at such moments, but I learn to let it go, as it's getting pretty exhausting to feel responsible for everything, when objectively I'm not any kind of god and not everything depends on me and things that I do. I'm guilty of such egocentric mindset though.
People go to work because they feel the need to do something, to fulfill oneself and they have to earn a crust.
If I did this type of work or a similar one before, then I'm pretty sure I can do it again. I check my skills and knowledge, and evaluate them against what it is that needs to be done. If it's something new, then I have to try it out and see how it goes. I mean, it depends on a concrete type the work. If it's from a similar field, then I have more confidence. If it's entirely new, like space aeronautics, which I never did, or whatever, then I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to do it right off the bat. Maybe with gathering more knowledge and experience I will accomplish it though. I think it's accomplishable if one has enough interest and time, at least.
2. How do you determine the quality of work? How do you determine the quality of a purchase? Do you pay any attention to it?
I check it against the requirements for the work. If it meets the requirements or exceeds them, then the quality is acceptable. If it doesn't, then, consequently, the quality isn't good.
Yes, I pay attention to the quality. And determine it by a number of standards that a particular product or service supposed to meet.
I mean, I'm not a professional in all spheres of life, so there are plenty of things I can't determine the quality of, but if I need this thing, I can google which parameters are essential to this particular product, and what should I look for. What means high and low quality for this particular thing, and then make a choice according to what I found out.
Okay, google wasn't always around, so how it was before?… Let me think… Nah, it's still was pretty basic, like clothes had to be made of durable materials to last long, tech should have a number of necessary features and consistently work according to its intended purpose. Services are kinda vague area where many things depend on customer satisfaction, and standards also change depending on current trends, but basics exist there too.
Quality isn't necessary at all occasions though. You only need it If you intend to use a product or service in a way it supposed to be used, but if you want to use it differently, quality may have no bearing and be unnecessary. Depends on what you're going to do with the thing you're purchasing.
3. There is a professional next to you. How do you know they are a professional? How do you evaluate their skill?
If they're doing their job well, then they are a professional.
Then again, I'm not familiar with the requirements for any and all occupations in existence. So, for example, I don't know if a steel worker makes good steel or bad steel. I can't evaluate their skill, since I don't know what is objectively required of them, or what it means to make a high quality steel. But with areas I'm familiar with, I can evaluate their skill against what I know is required of them, and parameters of the result they are meant to produce. If they meet the requirements and make a product that corresponds with standards, then they're skillful at what they do.
4. If you struggle to do something, how do you fix that? Do you know if your performance is better or worse than others?
If it can wait, I do something else instead, and then return to the thing I struggled with. Switching helps to let go of the frame of mind you stuck in, and upon return, I may have more energy to spend on the challenging task. I also search for resources that explain how to handle it. Learn new skills that can be used to resolve the problem at hand. Ask other people how to do it, or find someone else who can do it instead of me. It depends on a specific thing that I’m doing, how important it is, is it something that can be transferred to somebody else. There are different variables that should be taken into account so I could decide how to fix it. And some tasks are just not meant for me to accomplish anyway, so I would bother only if I took responsibility and failed to carry it out.
Yes, I know if my performance is better or worse than others. Again, if it concerns work I’m familiar with, I can compare myself with others, and how our performance corresponds with the requirements for the job. With the unfamiliar occupations I just assume that I’m crap from the start. And in the course of acquiring knowledge and skills my performance improves. I notice the progress I’m making, at least.
5. How do you measure the success of a job? What standard do you use? Do you pay attention to it? When should you deviate from this standard?
If the result you hoped for was accomplished, then the job is successful.
Each job has different standards. I mentioned it on multiple occasions already. I’m using common standards - or they seem common to me, at least - and when it comes to my profession in particular, I use more parameters and specifics against which I evaluate people’s job, since I’m familiar with the subject and the requirements of it on a more in depth level. It’s kinda tedious to go into details of standards that exist for different types of jobs I know about, and don’t think it’s really necessary here.
Yes, I pay attention to it. It belongs to my duties to track the performance and select workers based on their skill level. So, yeah. It’s part of my current job.
Again, think I mentioned it already. You can deviate from the implied standards when the thing that you need is supposed to be used in an unappropriated way. For example, you don’t have to have the best quality usb cable with cosmic speed, which represents some company’s successful job at a product with all the fancy stuff, if you intend to cut it and make a factory cable out of it. Otherwise, it’s probably not the best idea to deviate from the basic standards, unless you intend to modify them or set the new ones.
Ti:
1. What is a whole? Can you identify its parts? Are the parts equivalent to the whole?
A whole is whatever consists of multiple parts, which are integral to compositing a whole in certain way. Like a melody consists of sequences of notes that make up a whole composition when put together. Or a car consists of multiple parts that make up a car. Or the Solar System consists of multiple planets that make up the system. Or society consists of multiple human beings that make up a society.
Yeah, think I can. But there can be more difficult examples than those I wrote above, so if someone would provide more examples I can think of those and see if I can identify a whole and its parts. It’s not something I regularly think about.
No, they are not equivalent. Parts are parts, they have own characteristics, different from the whole they make up, but which made them able to make up that given whole. And a whole is a whole, which also doesn’t necessarily share its characteristics with every part it's made of, since it acquires characteristics from all the parts put together that interact with each other.
2. What does “logical” mean? What is your understanding? Do you think that it correlates with the common view? How do you know you are being logical?
Logical means noncontradictory. Something is logical if it follows the system of interconnections between ideas, where conclusions follow from the premises, and they do not contradict each other.
Yes, I think it correlates.
I'm logical if I act in a consistent non contradictory way, or make sense of concepts in the same way. I notice when something is illogical, but I'm not keen on paying extra close attention to logic and follow it at all occasions. Not everything has to be guided by logic. Like, I'm not keen on picking up logical holes in movies and stuff - don't even pay attention to it normally - unless I disliked it for whatever reason, and then I'll become eager to tear it apart. But if I liked it, the feeling overshadows everything else, ‘cause there was something more important than logic that I found there.
3. What is hierarchy? Give examples of hierarchies. Do you need to follow it? Why or why not? Explain how hierarchy is used in a system you are familiar with.
Hierarchy is a system of governance, with lower ranks being governed by the ranks that are higher up. It is arrangement of some things, with the elements of such arrangement being above or below in relation to each other.
Examples: company management hierarchy (CEO -> lower rank managers -> executives -> workers etc.), state government hierarchy (President -> Parliament -> deputies etc.), biological taxonomy hierarchy (kingdom -> phylum -> family -> species etc.), military hierarchy (Commander-in-chief -> general ->colonel -> soldier etc.)
I don’t know if I have to follow it… I mean, can you not? If you’re a soldier, for example, just by the fact of being a soldier, you put yourself within a hierarchy, and there are lieutenants, captains and all the other people above you. And if you progress through the hierarchy ladder, you’ll obtain higher ranks in the hierarchy. Or if we take levels of the language hierarchy (phonology -> morphology -> lexis -> syntax -> semantics), it’s just a way to organise the understanding of a system so as to see how elements of one level relate to another level. So it’s not something you choose to follow or not.
If hierarchy relates to people directly, like employee’s hierarchy in a company - where you actually have a choice - you may choose not to be in a company, be one’s own boss and not follow any hierarchy. So you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but it depends on the type of hierarchy we’re talking about. As in, by being a human we’re also part of some hierarchy, biological or cosmic, or whatever other one we can come up with.
I already gave examples of systems I’m familiar with, and how they are used, so, I guess, the last question is answered too.
(As a side note, I had to use google a bit so as to answer this question and illustrate my point. I remember examples of hierarchies, but several specific elements escape my memory, so I had to refresh it, as hierarchies are not something I had frequently on my mind.)
4. What is classification? How does classification work? Why is it needed and where is it applied? Give examples.
Classification is grouping things, that belong to some common area, on the basis of them having similar characteristics. Like there's the concept of music, and it can be subdivided into different genres according to them sharing specific definitive characteristics, or means of transport can be divided into water transport, land transport, air transport and so on.
I don't understand the second question. How does it work? Hmm. I don't understand it. Classification serves its purpose and that's about it. This is how it works. I don't know what else to say to this question.
It's needed to organise stuff, to set boundaries between similar things and define what's definitive to that specific class of “things”. I think classification is frequently used in different kinds of standardization processes, encyclopedias (wiki uses classifications, for example), different sorts of scientific studies have to use it too. Nothing else comes to mind. As with hierarchies, classifications isn't something I frequently think about, unless it's organising stuff for convenience.
5. Are your ideas consistent? How do you know they are consistent? How do you spot inconsistency in others’ ideas?
I don't know. They work for me and make sense. I don't give much thought to whether they are consistent or not.
Oh, wait. I remembered the test I took about consistency of ideas, and it turned out I had quite a few inconsistent ones. So, yeah, not all of them are consistent, but I don't care. Or, maybe, I do care, but not enough to freak out about it. Not everything can or should be assessed from logical consistency-inconsistency dichotomy perspective.
Consistency in this way is more of a gut feeling to me. Like, I get the feeling that something doesn't fit, so there's some sort of inconsistency involved. It works the same for others. I either recall that something they say before directly contradicts with what they say now, or get a gut sort of feeling that something isn't logically right here, something doesn't fit, so it's inconsistent. If I had that feeling I may want to figure it out, or I may not. It depends.
Se:
1. Can you press people? What methods do you use? How does it happen?
I don’t believe in efficiency of direct pressure when done on people unless they are really meek or something. I mean intimidation or brute force would work on almost everybody depending on power dynamics in place, but making people actually want to do it, instead of forcing them, would yield better results in both short and long term. I usually say if I think someone needs to do something and persuade them, or explain why X is the thing they supposed to be doing, or how it would be beneficial for them, or guilt people by explaining consequences of not keeping their word, for example.
If someone presses me, I become more unyielding, so most likely not going to do whatever they try to press me into, exactly because they are doing it, as it's demonstration of their disrespect and intrusion into private space.
2. How do you get what you want? What do you do if you have to work to get what you want?
Depends on what it is that I want. If I want a new phone, I save money, search for what I want and buy it. If I want to bring an idea to life, I gather “resources”, learn skills and hopefully get the result I envisioned. If I want to be liked, I help people and do things I think they would appreciate. And so on. It varies, depending on specific things that I want. Of course I don’t always get what I want. No one does. But the common denominator is that if you want to get something, you have to do something in order to get it. There are times when things you want come your way, but these are rare and limited to specific kinds of “wants”.
Well, if I have to work to get what I want, then I work to get what I want. Lol. I don't know how else it supposed to be done. Unless getting someone else do it, but I don't want it. I'm not that kind of person. I basically see it as - If you need it, then get off your ass and do it yourself.
3. How do you deal with opposition? What methods do you use to defend your interests?
Not very good. I do not stand well in arguments, for example. My experience with arguments is that people are mainly interested in hearing themselves and/or talk about their opinions and/or force their pov, and absolutely not interested in listening to you. So whatever you say is downplayed in one way or another in favour of maintaining the position they have. Most of the times I shut off and leave with “whatever floats your boat”, ‘cause I fail to communicate my pov.
I can defend my interest by standing my ground or by making agreements and/or compromises. Think these are the two main paths I usually choose. For example, there is sort of an “implicit ownership”. Like, if I purchased a lamp it’s understood that this is “my lamp” and it belongs to my interests to keep, manage and defend it (to defend a lamp sounds silly, lol, but I think you get what I mean. It can be anything.), or if I have a room, it’s understood that this space is mine, and it’s an area of my interests to defend it and manage it at my own and sole discretion. So if someone tries to override my interests, I make them understand boundaries between what’s mine and what’s theirs, explain how wrong they are by doing whatever is that they’re doing, make them know how I feel about it. And then, depending on circumstances, we can either negotiate to agree on how we’ll further handle the “object” at issue, and set out the boundaries of “ownership” from now on (I’m putting terms in italics, since they shouldn’t necessarily be used in their literal meaning, but they can be used literally as well, of course), like, we can share it or compromise on both sides about something, or if they’re unwilling to let go or to negotiate, I’m left with no options but to stand my ground as long as I’m able, or for as long as I care. Depending on alignment of forces I can lose it, but I’m pretty much aware of what is going on in such situations.
4. When do you think it’s ok to occupy someone’s space? Do you recognize it?
Think I partially answered it while doing the previous question.
It’s ok only if someone asks you to occupy it, or if they took something from you and/or occupied your space, which allowed you to act so as to take it back, or to do the same to them, to take something from them too. In other cases it’s absolutely not okay. I understand there are convenient circumstances when you can take advantage over somebody when they are weak and occupy whatever you want, or just push your agenda and do it too, but both options mean repression to me, and I can’t agree that it’s okay. I go by: ‘stay off my business and I’ll stay off yours’.
Oh, yes. I recognize it very well. It’s not always I can do something about such situations though.
5. Do others think you are a strong-willed person? Do you think you have a strong will?
Not sure if strong-willed specifically, but I’ve been called stubborn and headstrong on many occasions. I’m somewhat hesitant to say that I’m strong-willed, since I don’t really encompass the tougher pole of the term, but if I take something into my head, I’ll get it sooner or later. Being a disciplined person I have no trouble making myself do what is necessary, when others refuse, choose to procrastinate or be careless. I have some strong beliefs and it’s very hard, if not impossible, to persuade me that I’m wrong on their account. I may say that I agree for the sake of ending up unproductive argument, and then go and act the way I intended to, because internally nothing really changed. And in general my views aren’t so vulnerable and unstable, so as doing something so superficial as saying “oh, well, okay” can have any influence on them. It’s not so important for me to outwardly preach what I believe in, as it is to internally BE and ACT according to what I believe in. So, it’s like I’m not super tough or edgy (bleh, I hate the word. It’s like someone so damn gritty and tough so ends up being ridiculous. Like a pathetic try-hard or something) on the outside, but pertinacious internally.
Si:
1. How do you satisfy your physical senses? What examples can you give? What physical experiences are you drawn to?
Hmmm. For example, I take a shower after work to get myself into “home feel” and can't feel myself at home if I don’t follow this familiar habit. I drink water when I’m thirsty (try to remind myself to drink more, but it’s kinda hard to keep my mind on remembering these things). I change wallpapers from time to time to kinda match my current “feel” with what I see on my desktop. I love listening to music and frequently feel “thirsty” if this need isn't satisfied.
I have anxiety issues and OCD, so became drawn to experiences that able to calm my mind, take my mind off anxious thoughts, alleviate internal psychic pressure. I'm also a junkie for blockbuster movies. For the ones that have lots of action and stuff happening. They are usually visually reach too, and I'm pretty visual person (audial too, I think, as I can easily get high on music I like). They can grip my attention both with visuals and action-packed story, making me think more healthier by shifting attention away from stressful thoughts.
Not only blockbusters do it for me, of course. Just any movie that I find engaging works in that respect.
2. How do you find harmony with your environment? How do you build a harmonious environment? What happens if this harmony is disturbed?
Probably, I'd be in harmony when I'd feel undisturbed, everything will go smoothly, anxiety will cease, intrusive thoughts quit bothering me, people stop interrupting me when I'm in the middle of something, pulling me up with something else, and I wouldn't feel that much irritation and frustration. It's not possible to achieve this, probably. Not sure if I seek to achieve it even. It would be enough for me if shit that messes with my head be gone so that I'd feel normal. Be at peace with my own mind is what I'd choose any day before some imaginable harmony with environment.
Whatever I build is just a convenient environment, where I can easily access what's needed at the right time, and that includes minimum of necessary things. That's about it. I don't build “harmonious” environments.
Think I already answered the third question - irritation is my ugly friend.
3. What does comfort mean to you? How do you create it?
I don't understand the difference between this question and the previous one. Do harmony and comfort suppose to mean something different within the context of these two questions?
Well, as I said, comfort would be feeling at peace and undisturbed, doing things I enjoy at my own pace and whenever I feel like.
I try to manage time accordingly so that I have time for things I enjoy doing. Also, again as I mentioned before, dedicate time to occupying myself with pursuits that help to ease my mind.
4. How do you express yourself in your hobbies? How do you engage yourself with those things?
Well, the way I express myself and engage with a hobby depends on a hobby. Lately I got interested in sort of cinemagraphic soundscapes (don't know how to properly name it). Got the software and currently finishing little project where aim to create (or recreate) a special feel of a place with additional animation, sound and stuff. Want to achieve as much realistic and immersive feel as possible, but with my current skill level, I experience a huge gap between what I want to do and what I can actually do.
I also like to imagine music videos. Does it count as a hobby? Like, elaborately picture in my mind's eye - with or without actual music - the story visually, how it progresses in great detail, as if I were a director who actually shoots it.
5. Tell us how you’d design any room, house or an office. Do you do it yourself, or trust someone else to do it? Why?
I'll make sure it has necessary stuff, like, a table, internet connection, a bed to sleep and a chair to sit on. Just things that are necessary to have so as to go through your ordinary day. That's all I really want.
I definitely wouldn't want to do a design. Don't have interest in designing rooms. Don’t think I have necessary skills for doing that either. Better leave it to someone else. I remember how when I was about to move to another place, where I’d have a separate room for myself, and was planning to arrange furniture certain way. I was obsessed with certain movie at the time, and wanted my room to be just like the one of the main protagonist. I so much insisted on putting everything the “right” way, despite people were telling that it wouldn’t work. Long story short, these people knew better, and I ended up rearranging stuff, like others advised me to do. So I know what I want and go with minimal and necessary stuff, but I don’t care if the lamp fits with a pattern on drapes. That’s some real unnecessary fluff.
Fe:
1. Is it acceptable to express emotions in public? Give examples of inappropriate expression of emotions.
Yes, it's acceptable of course. There are situations when certain kinds of emotions are considered unacceptable, but in general it’s perfectly fine to express emotions. It is a normal thing of any human being to do.
It's generally considered not okay to laugh at funerals, but I'd say it depends on circumstances. Like, I remember that we joked around and were smiling at the last funeral I've been to, and I think it was totally appropriate, since I know, judging by the personality the dead person had, she'd approve. It was someone very close to me so I didn't feel obliged to behave certain way, which would be unnatural in given circumstances, but I wouldn't recommend doing the same if you don't know details of the situation. You can just go along with what everybody’s doing in terms of emotions, or keep oneself in a neutral emotional range.
It's inappropriate to go around smiling all the time, as if you're a creep that has been released from Arkham Asylum a bit too early.
It's inappropriate to overdo emotions. Like, express enthusiasm or laugh too loudly, or be overbearing with emotions, crossing other people's comfort zone borders. But if you're with friends, then it can be totally appropriate and inappropriate would be to not do this.
Generally it's inappropriate when your reaction is in disproportion to what you've been exposed to - express happiness when something sad happens, or express emotions of sorrow when something positive is going on. These are just conventional guidelines, of course, the rest depends on concrete situations, which may turn these ones upside down. Feels like I'm explaining basics everybody know about. Anyway, thinking about appropriateness of emotions is not something I dedicate time to. They are mediated on their own, depending on what is going on.
2. How do you express your emotions? Can you tell how your expressions affect others in a positive or negative way?
Well, like everybody else, I guess? Through laughing, smiling, looking sad, upset, showing irritation and frustration. I don't show excitement easily though. Revealing that I like something to people I care about frequently makes me feel vulnerable. Guess I'm just afraid of criticism and someone shitting over things dear to me. Yeah, probably that is the reason, given that I frequently got this attitude from others when I was a kid.
I don't think I affect others with emotions, unless we're talking about acting. And couple times I did it, I could make people laugh and make them respond the way it was intended just fine. But in RL… I don't notice it, really. Even if I affect people somehow, I don't think about it. But usually I have pretty calm and steady demeanour, so I don't think that I have strong impact on people in this respect.
3. Are you able to change your demeanor in order to interact with your environment in a more or less suitable way? How do you determine what is suitable?
Well, I can, but I know my limits. I don’t like to be in a spotlight and can’t be the person who entertains everybody, or infects others with enthusiasm. But, I believe, no one expects me to be this way and adjusting my demeanor to respond in a suitable way doesn't mean turning into another temperament or personality. If someone tries to force me into showing emotions they want to see, I think, maybe, it’s just their selfish desire to be around certain kind of emotional atmosphere and their own inability or unwillingness to read the actual emotional context of the situation and what is appropriate. Like some random guy can approach you and tell you to smile, just because he wanna see happy faces around or something, without considering whether the situation actually calls for expression of said emotions.
I usually DO interact with my environment in a suitable way, didn't even have to change anything about my demeanour to do so. I don't know what kind of environments are meant, but I do not recall the necessity to adjust my demeanor in that way. Maybe I was lucky to avoid environments that don't suit me? I don't know. Need more context to answer this question in greater detail. I mean, there are people and groups of people whose ways of interaction aren't really “my style”, and all kinds of bullies and jerks who aim to do any shit just to feel better about themselves, but demeanor isn't the most glaring issue in this case, obviously.
Think I already explained when answering previous questions how I determine what is suitable. There are basics, like, laughing/smiling when something is funny, or expressing sadness when something bad is happening, and there are specifics of situations when you act accordingly, depending on what is going on. I just see the situation and respond. Don’t have to think much about it.
4. In what situations do you feel others’ feelings? Can you give examples of when you wanted to improve the mood of others?
I don't know. This uses weird phrasing. Most likely I can’t feel others’ feelings. I feel my feelings, which may be similar to the feelings of others’, or be the same as those of others’ on the level of falling under the same umbrella of “sadness”, “excitement”, “vexation”, “anxiety”, “melancholy” and so on, but I do not believe that what I feel as a response to their feels is 100 per cent exactly the same feeling that has the same capacity and nuance as that of theirs. They are another person, separate from me, with another mind, being in another unique circumstances and having another attitudes, ideas about life and experiences after all.
I feel what situation makes me feel. Get all kinds of corresponding negative feelings when a character in a book goes through their trials and tribulations, brighten up when people who deserve good things get those and experience positive emotions because of that. Seems like I’m just repeating myself. I feel it all just fine.
I don’t remember… Probably never did it…
Wait, in spring last year someone I care about was feeling desperate, and I gave them a hug, ‘cause I felt like they needed it from me at the moment. Yeah, I wanted to improve their mood by doing that. Remind that I’m there for them, and that we’ll make it through, since they looked so deep in despair and losing hope. Wouldn’t do the same for everybody though, since that would be super awkward. Also, I don’t know how people, whom I don’t know that well, would react. Not everybody likes to be pitied or comforted by others.
5. How do others’ emotions affect you? How does your internal emotional state correlate or contrast with what you express?
Okay, this became super repetitive. If someone is crying I can feel sadness too, if someone generates excitement I can feel it too, if someone expresses positive emotions I can feel those as well, or I may not. Depends on specific circumstances and the exact context of the situation.
I feel lots of anxiety and irritation, that I try not to show, but at times it brims over. Probably more frequently than I want it to be. So there's contrast in some areas between what I feel and what I show. If I can't keep it inside, whatever it is, then it leaks, or if I'm okay with people seeing whatever I feel, then it correlates. But, generally, I don't experience big emotional turbulence on a regular basis and go with more composed demeanor. Don't know if I'm entirely objective with this, as others notice my emotional state more easily than I do. Sometimes they comment on that, so I assume it kinda shows. Moods and emotions rarely enter my mind on a conscious level. I don't think about giving names to all that I feel, identify it and scrupulously process so as to bring to the surface. It flows the way it flows, as a sort of gut undercurrent, and I'm fine with it.
Fi:
1. How can you tell how much emotional space there is between yourself and others? How can you affect this space?
One way to determine this, is to estimate how much I trust them. Not that I sit and calculate who fits where on some imaginary trust scale. I just communicate with somebody and feel like space between us is closing or becomes bigger, and this is related to how much I trust them. This way, the biggest emotional distance would be with strangers, whom I don't know if I should trust, and with people I know better the space between us is less, and it varies depending on relationships I have with them. In which areas and in how many of them I can trust the person, can they act against me in some way, will they support me if I'll need help, what information can I share with them, how far it's safe to go in terms of private affairs with them, how we click and understand each other, how strong and deep is the connection that we have - these are the questions to ask oneself so as to tell emotional space between myself and others.
You can start conversation with a person, share some information and see how they respond. Do they share something back, are they interested in engaging in a conversation and thus the space between yourself and them grows bigger or smaller, or remains the same. Or if you want to affect the space between yourself and somebody else in a way so as to make it bigger, you can avoid talking to them or meeting them, make them feel that they are not welcome. There should be a reason why you want to distance yourself from someone, right? Then, you can criticize their personality, tell that you dislike them for who they are, for what they do, for the way they behave, for the ideas they support. Be curt, let them see that you dislike being around them. That should work. Most relationships fall somewhere in the middle though, so you can just act neutral, not revealing too much and avoiding being too unapproachable. Just show some respect to people, treat others as they are equal human beings just as you are (unless specific situation makes you think and act otherwise), and that will positively affect the space between yourself and others.
2. How do you determine how much you like or dislike someone else? How does this affect your relationships?
Haha. What a weird question. I just feel it, I guess? People act or think in ways I like or dislike, and this makes me have this feeling of like or dislike in relation them. How much depends on how closely our “ways” are aligned or desynchronized/oppose each other. If we're on the same wavelength, easily understand each other, they treat me right, respect and value me, we share similar values which I consider fundamental, then I like them more. If they deviate from what I described then my relation is moving to the “dislike” pole. The more significant this deviation is, the closer they approach the point of “extreme dislike”.
I just try to not be around people whom I dislike or reduce our communication to a minimum, and be more open and friendly with those I like.
3. How do you move from a distant relationship to a close one? What are the distinguishing characteristics of a close relationship?
I answered it already while doing the question about how I can affect the space between myself and others. Gonna add that I'm not the one who initiates close relationships. Initiative usually comes from someone else. And, anyway, it's not something you can force. Like, we didn't know each other so now let's be BFF. It doesn't work that way. Not for me, at least. It's a process of getting to know each other, going through different life circumstances together, so as a result you become closer to someone.
You feel at ease in their presence, don't have to be cautious with what you're saying or doing, don't have to watch your step. You feel like you can share sensitive information without worrying that they'll use it against you in some way. Disagreements you have feel overcomable, as the bond you share runs deeper than situational differences. You may act silly or say stupid things and your personality wouldn't be reduced to just these examples, as they know more of what you're about beyond these instances. You truly care about what they think of you and what's happening to them.
4. How do you know that you are a moral person? Where do you draw your morality from? Do you believe others should share your beliefs on what’s moral? Why?
The way it's put seems unequivocal. I can distinguish good from bad, have good ethics and act upon my values, but it doesn't mean I'm a saint, who’s always selfless, never gave in to temptations, and does only good. I hesitate to call myself a moral person, as the idea of what a moral person should be like seems off when I apply it to myself. The idea is too bookish, dry and dead maybe. Not well applicable when I think of real people or myself.
I draw my morality from… well, for the lack of a better word, from the inside. This is the way it's felt. Seems like something hardwired. I mean, I don't remember anybody ever was explaining me that it's not okay to kill people or that it's bad to hurt others, and no one ever taught me to feel remorse or guilt if I did something bad. Yet, I understand and feel it all. Probably, when I was a kid there's been subtle ways to teach me morality basics, like, through reading/watching stories or playing different kinds of games and the like, but I don't remember the transition from not knowing to knowing, or having a lightbulb moment - wow, that's how I need to behave and feel about people and situations when I have to decide what's right and what's wrong. Feels like the patterns are natural as well as their recognition.
Well, I don't think others should share all my beliefs on the matter, as I don't think mine are perfect to start with, but if we're talking about the basics, then yes, absolutely. If more people had a sense of conscience and listened to it frequently, the world would suck less.
5. Someone you care about is acting distant to you. How do you know when this attitude is a reflection of your relationship?
I don't get it. Seems like it's asking whether one's relation to somebody is a reflection of relationships. It doesn't make sense. Of course it is. Being distant IS one of the forms of relationships.
What I think it should be asking is if or how I perceive changes in attitudes of people, and how can I tell whether someone close to me acts distantly or if they're just being busy, for example. Answering this, if it's about people with whom I'm close, think I just feel that the space between us has changed, and it's not like it was before. They speak differently, act differently, you feel sort of pushing back when around them, or as if the tie between you both was strained, or if an invisible wall appeared and you’re not allowed to go behind it. If they act this way around me and not around others, then it's definitely something about our relationships and not some unrelated stuff that makes them act distant.
Ne:
1. How can you tell someone has the potential to be a successful person? What qualities make a successful person and why?
It’s not something I usually think about? Well, if I like what they do, and they do it better than what I’ve seen before from others, then I think they can be successful at what they’re doing. Like, I see their skills being better than those of mine, or better than skills of other people I know, so I think they have a potential to succeed at the thing they’re doing.
In general, I think, genuine interest in what you’re doing, perseverance and readiness to work hard are important. Chance also plays its role in whether the person will eventually become successful from the pov of society and in the history framework. So it’s not only that you have in yourself, but external factors play their role as well. Frequently external factors play bigger role than your qualities. Stuff like being born in the “right” family or in the “right” environment, and at the “right” time period, or know the “right” people in the “right” places, which increase or decrease your chances to be someone or to do something you want to do. So all you can do is to make efforts and work towards whatever you feel inclination to, do your plans, make the best you can, and the rest is up to life.
2. Where would you start when looking for a new hobby? How do you find new opportunities and how do you choose which would be best?
I don’t look for hobbies, they find me. In some way. Somehow. I get to know about something, get inspired, interested, feel connection with this thing, delve into it. Happens naturally. I don't have to search for it or force myself into something. I do search for specific things, but they fit within a broader hobby - like, searching for new songs or genres I may like, since I like music.
I don't really think about life opportunities. It's not something I used to pay attention to. If opportunity is in front of me, then I consider if I need it, is this something I want, how it may affect my life and then decide if I'll go with it, but I don't search for them.
3. How do you interpret the following statement: "Ideas don't need to be feasible in order to be worthwhile." Do you agree or disagree, and why?
Interpretation seems straightforward - whether the ideas should serve to provide “results” or it is not necessary.
I mean, it depends on the idea, but I choose to generally agree with the statement, since you can’t always estimate whether the idea is not feasible now or it’s not feasible altogether. There’s been tons of things that weren’t feasible a thousand years ago, but are feasible now, and the same applies to the ideas that are not feasible now, but can be feasible tomorrow. Whether the idea is worthwhile depends on the idea itself and the moment the idea was proposed, since estimation of ideas and attitude towards them, whether they are worthwhile or not, tends to change depending on the current state of things and developments that happen. Something that seems reasonable now can turn out to be worthless in time, and what we consider not feasible today may prove to be worthwhile in future. So it depends on the nature of the idea and from where we assess it.
4. Describe your thought process when relating the following ideas: swimming, chicken, sciences. Do you think that others would draw the same or different connections?
Lolwat?
I mean, I can put them in the same context, like - chicken was swimming down the river, thinking about life sciences - but that’s about it. Why should I connect them without any actual reason? I don’t know. I need some purpose to do so. That seems like pushing me into aimless clever-cleverness, trying too hard to look smart. Bleh.
Yeah, others most certainly will draw other connections. I don’t see why they should do it in the same way I did, given that it’s an open-ended question.
Also, do these words really denote ideas? They don't seem to me like being ones. Concepts, maybe?
Ok, this question irritated me enough. Done with it.
5. How would you summarize the qualities that are essential to who you are? What kind of potential in you has yet to be actualized and why?
… I've been staring at a blinking cursor and scrolling page up and down for at least ten minutes, and still can't figure out how to answer this…
I mean, there’s so much going on on the inside and it’s all so vague and all... How to even categorize it? How to divide it into groups and put “essential” and “nonessential” labels on it, how to delineate what is essential and what's not, what will change and what will last? I don't know where to start even so as to be able to “summarize” it. I can say that I'm like this and that, because that's how I was throughout my life, and I feel this way, and believe in rightfulness of these things, but are they really “essential”? Is it essential if it's subject to change? 15 years back from now and I feel like I was another person, and yet, at the same time, it feels like I was one and the same. I don't know how to answer this question so as to be perfectly truthful and objective.
I'd say the essential to me are the things that are shared by everybody. The potential to be good or bad, to be a part of or to observe from the distance, to corrupt or to do justice, to be lovable or hateful, to stand in the frontline or to work from behind the curtains. The list goes on. Answering the second question, this list can be an example of my non actualized potential, since I can't be everything at once, but have the possibility of being any of it. With time, I'd say, you become more stuck in your ways and the possibility to significantly divert from the traits you demonstrate most of the time decreases, and thus the possibility to actualize that which wasn't actualized decreases as well.
Ni:
1. How do people change? Can you describe how various events change people? Can others see those changes?
Essentially they don't, individually they do change with time. What I mean is that I don't see how people essentially changed over history. They keep doing mistakes, experience attractions, give in to addictions, fight for power, for having better life conditions, for rights and wrongs, invent new things, go through ups and downs, do horrible and amazing things. Nothing changes essentially, but specifics do change, and individuals change due to their unique life experience.
I can't holistically describe how different events change people, since it'll take too much time and effort. It's just not possible to accomplish within the framework of the questionnaire or lifespan of a single human. Almost every book and movie touches upon this topic in one way or another.
The way events change people depends on specifics of those events, circumstances, people experiencing them and so on. Same event doesn't affect all people in the same way, and implications can be different. And upon looking further, paths stemming from the same point only diverge from each other. Needless to say that they may converge somewhere along the way in future, or that paths stemming from seemingly different starting points may merge together. All I can say is that the change is a given in that way. Is it for better or worse - it’s not something that can be easily estimated at all times. Maybe it will go both ways, maybe neither, maybe we'll never be able to make such estimation with complete certainty, given how frequently both may interchange along the way. If I had specifics I could work from them, or, at least, try to do what I could with those. I don’t fancy musing about some general events and people. Need more concrete context.
Others most likely notice them. As I mentioned, there are numerous books written and movies filmed on the topic, so I can conclude that others must see those changes.
2. How do you feel and experience time? Can time be wasted? How?
In a nutshell, stuff changes <--This is how I feel it. And the changes happen in consecutive strings of events. So, yeah, basically, I experience time like change of events happening in a consecutive order. This is how I know time passes. Changes may not be seen or felt that well in a short time span, but looking upon larger time scales the effect is inescapable.
Sure, it can be wasted. You may fritter away the time when you could do something about the problematic situation, which led to the undesired consequences, and did nothing. So it can be said that the time you had was wasted, because, alternatively, you could do something that should have been done to avoid those consequences, or work toward the desired ones, instead.
3. Is there anything that cannot be described with words? What is it? If so, how can we understand what it is if language does not work?
Inability to describe something with words lies in disproportion of what you experience and verbal means you have to express it (unless you’re just bad with finding the right words to describe something), so individually there are plenty things you can’t describe with words exactly the way you experience them, but essentially there’s no limit to what you can describe with words. If people have a new concept in mind or experience something they can’t find adequate words for, they are free to invent new words and give them the meaning they want. Because it’s exactly the purpose of the language – to provide the signs and the system of their usage so as to communicate whatever is meant to be communicated. Vocabulary grows permanently. It just doesn’t happen overnight. And as anything it’s a process that requires time.
As for the second question. You FIRST experience something and then search for words to make them into meaningful sentences to describe whatever is that you’ve experienced, not the other way around. Words are meant for you to communicate what you’ve experienced to OTHERS. You, in your own mind, don’t need perfect verbal match between words, understanding and meaning to understand whatever it is that you're experiencing. It’s necessary for OTHERS to understand you.
4. How do you anticipate events unfolding? How can you observe such unfoldments in your environment?
Depends on the events. Whether I can affect them or I can't, is it something local happening to me, or it is beyond the scope of my control or interests, is it something positive I'm waiting to happen or negative.
In general, when it comes to areas related to me, I manage things and direct them in a way I see as desirable, so as to avoid possible troubles and get what want. So I rather direct unfoldings certain way than anticipate them, and events of force majeure worry me a big deal. I can foresee that it's possible for shit to happen, but the anticipation doesn't make it easier when shit does happen.
If it's not something negative, then I'm usually fine with whatever is coming and anticipate basic things, like think about what I'll do tomorrow, and how things will go if I do X, and if someone respond to me with Z what then and so on. Normal stuff like that. Unless it's meant, like, seeing unfoldings of where you'll be in 5 or 10 years from now, which I neither understand, nor care about. Planning in this way seem very weird to me. It's like artificial, or something. I don't know what I'd want to do in a month, so planning whole life like this makes zero sense to me. I anticipate too many changes along the way, which would be initiated by me as well as those beyond my control.
5. In what situations is timing important? How do you know the time is right to act? How do you feel about waiting for the right moment?
Timing is important when there is a deadline or time limit, so you have to do whatever needs to be done by certain time. It’s also important in situations when there is something you want to do and have to decide if it’s the right time to do it. One thing you can do is to estimate if what you want to do is “in demand” at the time. “In demand” can mean anything, like, someone needs your help, so help is “in demand” and thus it makes it the right time to provide assistance that is needed. Or if civic poetry is “in demand”, it’s the right time to show the world your poetry, if you’ve written any and so on. Timing is important when you feel like you have enough resources, skills - or whatever it is that you have enough of, depending on specifics of what you’re going to do - to achieve what you want, and feel confident about your prospects to clear obstacles, or that you’re aware they are gone, so you know this is the right time to act, since later you may lose your spirit or support, or favourable conditions that you currently have, or go off the boil, and the moment will be lost. It’s important when you feel that you have advantage, which can disappear later, so it’s the right time to act while you still have it.
Waiting for the right moment… I’m patient enough to wait, but I know my limits. I'm not the one who will endlessly wait for favourable conditions, which may never come. I just do whatever needs to be done when it needs to be done, and do what I want when I feel like doing it. And decide on the latter by taking into account my desires, conditions I have, knowledge of the situation and sort of balancing it all, which contributes to the feeling of that I feel like doing whatever it is in question at such-and-such time. Not that it always turns out to be perfect timing, but I don’t have hard feelings when see that better results could have been achieved if I chose to act earlier or later. One can’t do everything right. I just try to act to the best of my knowledge.
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Originally Posted by Sol
