"Know thyself"

Some may have heard of the MBTI, or "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator". The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an introspective self-report questionnaire indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. Me, I'm a MBTI INTJ+T type. 

Discovering the MBTI and determining my type has been a very insightful and introspective experience.  I've recently been exploring the "+T" (Turbulence) designator for my specific type which has been as insightful, or actually explanatory, as initially discovering my type.

For example, I recently read the following on INTJ+T:

Their turbulence may be related to their introversion as well as to the fact that many INTJs are “highly sensitive persons” (HSPs). While INTJs may not see themselves as emotionally sensitive, they are often sensitive in other ways. They may for instance, be easily overstimulated or overwhelmed by external stimuli, such as crowded or noisy environments. This may engender deep feelings of unease or anxiety, perhaps even culminating in a migraine or panic attack.

Check, check, check, and check.

But while this may seem like a weakness, the author offered the following:

Unfortunately, people too often overlook the positive side of INTJs’ sensitivity, namely, its contribution to their perspicacity and perceptiveness. If we think of a sensitive nervous system as one that is highly attuned to all sorts of stimuli, it should not surprise us that INTJs can pick up on nuances and subtleties that are lost on other types. This, of course, goes hand-in-hand with their intuition, which requires the accurate perception of raw data (and lots of it) to work its magic.

BTW, the definition of perspicacity is as follows:

Perspicacity is a penetrating discernment —a clarity of vision or intellect which provides a deep understanding and insight. It takes the concept of wisdom deeper in the sense that it denotes a keenness of sense and intelligence applied to insight.

 So since the INTJ is the overall rarest personality type, and the +T even rarer, perhaps in a sense it is an example of a higher evolution of the mind.  Or maybe not even an evolution per se, but rather a more true example of a mind attuned to survival in the natural environment we lived in for thousands of years prior to where we have landed now.

It's tough at times and sometimes the hyper vigilance is exhausting and I do get those negative manifestations mentioned, but at the same time in the right situations my INTJ+T traits really shine and I'd not trade them for anything.

I guess one could say that I have learned to see my INTJ+T traits as my super powers, but as comic book fans know; all super powers come with some sort of price.

Twitter, a hate machine

Twitter is a hateful place, and I almost wonder if it isn't by design.

I had been Twitter-free for some time but due to some software development "networking" I revisited it and started following key folks related to technologies I've been using. Many of the virtual events feature Twitter handles of the presenters or require Twitter to ask questions.

So I figure "if I only follow these folks it won't be so bad, right?" Wrong. It also reinforces how wise it has been on my part to decline employment with a certain software company four times if it is filled with such smug urbanites who feel their limited reality is the best reality and everyone else is just ignorant.

It's funny as each of their profiles will say something like "opinions are my own", etc., but then the accounts are featured on official company broadcasts.

It amazes me how consumed some of these people are with hatred and rage. But the thing is there is some algorithm that seems to keep this hatred bubbling up through trends. Not to mention, when you click a trend, it seems to deliver the most hateful tweets which amplifies the echo chamber of hate.

It's like Twitter is the real life equivalent of "two minutes of hate" except it's not two minutes, it's 24/7 and all around the globe, and I bet there are key people sitting back gloating over this social engineering tool they have enacted.

After composing this, I think it's time to get the heck off Twitter again.  I'm surprised I lasted nearly two weeks.

10 Things You Should Know When Interacting with an INTJ

1. There is Literally Nothing Between the Lines
It’s very simple, but some people just can’t seem to fully grasp the idea of this reality. I say what I mean. That’s it. There are no hidden and obscure messages to be found between the lines. What I say, is what I mean. 

2. Don’t (Try to) Surprise Me
There are different types of surprises, and some are ok. Surprise me with my favorite dessert in my office, I’m all for it. But any surprise that somehow affects my plans is generally unwelcome. 

3. I Actually Do Have Feelings (On Occasion)
Yes, I know, it’s hard to believe. I feel things very deeply, I can be emotional, and I can be very sensitive. The only thing is — all of this happens on the inside, where I can keep it between myself and I. On the outside, I may appear cold, unable to feel or sympathize, and basically a robot.

4. Don’t Get Offended
Remember when I said that I say what I mean? Keep that in mind when you ask for my advice or opinion. I will tell you the truth, without sugarcoating it. 

5. Don’t Worry About Offending Me
It goes both ways. I don’t get offended if someone tells me I’ve done something wrong, just explain the problem so that I can fix it. If I ask for your opinion on something, I expect you to tell me what you really think. 

6. Be Real, or Get Out
I recognize manipulation, lies, and bullshit miles away and have zero tolerance for it. I will not explain or say anything most times, since calling someone on it usually leads nowhere. I’ll just walk away and put a hard stop to any existing relationship when this happens.

7. An Argument is Not a Fight
If you say something that I disagree with, I may tell you what I think. You’ll defend your stance, and I will challenge it. This is not a fight, it’s more of a debate. You can change my mind if you have a strong argument that makes sense to me. I really do want to know why you have a certain opinion on something, I’m not just picking a fight with you.
Keep in mind though, if you say something that is just wrong, I will just correct you and provide supporting facts/evidence as proof. I will not argue if you continue to stand by a wrong statement, since I have already corrected you and do not like to repeat myself.

8. Efficiency is Life
I am an efficient person, and I like to make sure everything is done in the most efficient way possible. My love for efficiency means that anything inefficient can literally piss me off, especially if I am ignored or brushed off when I provide a better way of doing things. 

9. This is My Face
Seriously, do not tell me to smile. Actually, don’t tell anyone to smile unless you’re a photographer or something. That’s just disrespectful. I am expressionless most of the time, I am not sick, I am not angry, I am not sad, nothing is wrong. Stop asking.

10. Alone Time is the Best Time
I need my alone time every day. Spending time with other people, even people I care about, is exhausting. I enjoy being alone and lost in my thoughts or imagination, I enjoy doing things alone like reading, writing, playing music, etc. 

The Blacksmith's Son

A young man went to seek an important position at a large printing company. He passed the initial interview and was going to meet the director for the final interview. The director saw his resume, it was excellent. And asked,'

"Have you received a scholarship for school?" The boy replied, "No".
'It was your father who paid for your studies? '' Yes.' He replied.
'Where does your father work? ' 'My father is a Blacksmith'

The Director asked the young man to show him his hands.
The young man showed a pair of hands soft and perfect.
'Have you ever helped your parents at their job? '
'Never, my parents always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, he can do the job better than me.

The director said:
'I have got a request: When you go home today, go and wash the hands of your father and then come see me tomorrow morning.'

The young man felt his chance to get the job was high.

When he returned to his house he asked his father if he would allow him to wash his hands.

His father felt strange, happy, but with mixed feelings and showed his hands to his son. The young man washed his hands, little by little. It was the first time that he noticed his father's hands were wrinkled and they had so many scars. Some bruises were so painful that his skin shuddered when he touched them.

This was the first time that the young man recognized what it meant for this pair of hands to work every day to be able to pay for his studies. The bruises on the hands were the price that his father payed for his education, his school activities and his future.

After cleaning his father's hands the young man stood in silence and began to tidy and clean up the workshop. That night, father and son talked for a long time.

The next morning, the young man went to the office of the director.
The Director noticed the tears in the eyes of the young man when He asked him,

'Can you tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday at your house?'
The boy replied: 'I washed my father's hands and when I finished I stayed and cleaned his workshop.'

'Now I know what it is to appreciate and recognize that without my parents, I would not be who I am today. By helping my father I now realize how difficult and hard it is to do something on my own. I have come to appreciate the importance and the value in helping my family.

The director said, "This is what I look for in my people. I want to hire someone who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the hardship others go through to accomplish things, and a person who realizes that money is not his only goal in life".

'You are hired'.

A child that has been coddled, protected and given everything he or she wants, develops a mentality of "I have the right" and will always put himself or herself first, ignoring the efforts of parents, family and friends. If we are this type of protective parent are we really showing love or are we helping to destroy our children?

You can give your child their own room in a big house, good food, a computer, tablet, cell phone, and a big screen TV, but when you're washing the floor or painting a wall, children need to experience that too.

After eating, have them wash the dishes with their brothers and sisters, let them fold laundry or cook with you, pull weeds or mow the lawn. You are not doing this because you are poor and can't afford help. You are doing this because you love them and want them to understand certain things about life.

Children need to learn to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to do a job right. They need to experience the difficulties in life that people must overcome to be successful and they must learn about failure to be able to succeed.

Children must also learn how to work and play with others and that they will not always win, but they can always work harder to reach their goals. If they've done their best, then they can take pride in all the effort they put forth.

Life is about giving and serving and these qualities are taught in our homes.

Illustrated Guide to Gun Control

Mommy's Little Monster

So all these commercials for psych meds say "may cause thoughts of suicide" etc., is it that much of a leap to think if you give it to hormonal young men steeped in violent video games that it may cause thoughts of homicide? Why is it politically incorrect to ask if these meds just might be a problem, especially since this new behavior seemed to increase in correlation with the trend of medicating kids and teens. Perhaps since it doesn't fit the narrative of those in control of the media and it's much safer to not tick off Big Pharma's lobbying machine. Or perhaps many of these parents are giving these meds to their own kids and refusing to consider that they may be creating a monster for an "easier to teach/parent" kid, then fearing the gun the way they do as they imagine what their own offspring is capable of.