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The difference between Ne and Se
Ne and Se are both irrational and extraverted functions. There are - imo - quite a lot of good descriptions of Ne and how it works, while the descriptions of Se often just describe "symptoms" of using Se or Se-ego characteristics. I thought to compare the two and try and explain them both on the same level. I was challenged to do so by another user, and thought to give it a try. Enjoy!
The difference between irrational and rational functions
The major difference between irrational and rational functions, is the way these functions reach conclusions.
Fe, Fi, Te and Ti are all rational, and this means they are step-by-step functions.
When you use a rational function, you know why you have an insight - or a judgement - as the process leading to the insight/judgement is quite conscious. An example of this would be a person seeing a happening or situation, and using Fe or Te to assess it. Fe or Te will see how this happening or situation will influence new happenings or situations. For example, Fe notices how a specific word, said in a specific way, will influence a person hearing it, and how that will have an effect on him/her and how (s)he will influence others again after that. Ti and Fi are static, so not looking at dynamics of the situation like Fe and Te, and introverted, so not looking at the extroverted world as much, but also step-by-step. For example, this post will be a good example of Ti, as it shows a step-by-step analysis of the differences between Ne and Se, starting from describing what irrationality is (and how it is different from rationality).
Ne, Ni, Se and Si are all irrational, and this means they are sudden-insight functions.
When you use an irrational function, you don't know why you have an insight so much, as the process leading to the insight is quite unconscious. An example of this, would be a person seeing a happening or situation, and using Ni or Si to assess it. Ni or Si will have associations with similar happenings and situations and how they started and how they went. For example, Ni notices a person having certain traits, and gets small films played in their heads about events leading to how this person got to have those traits. Se and Ne are static, and aren't looking at the dynamics of the situation like Ni and Si, also they are extraverted, and looks more at the extroverted world, but they are also association-driven. I'll talk more about Ne and Se below.
The EP functions - Ne and Se
Se and Ne are both irrational functions, and thus both work through the unconscious.
An object, a happening, a situation, a state, a stated concept - these are all "objects" in socionics terms, and thus the realm of extraverted functions by definition, as in they are "objective" reality - concrete or abstract. Some people might object to this, saying that a concept can't be an object, but it most definitely can. It is a "field" only if it is a personal thought, as in the case of Fi, Ti, Si or Ni, but it becomes an "object" once it is seen by somebody else, in their minds. This piece of Ti, I write here now, is an "object" in your minds at the moment, and is processed by extraverted functions first. Then you might internalize it immediately and put it into your subjective worlds, using Ni, Si, Ti or Fi, when storing it in the unconscious (Ni, Si) for later or when judging it (or me) using Ti or Fi.
When Se and Ne sees such an "object" these functions both trigger associations. What decides if you are using Ne or Se, is what kind of associations you have.