I used to make those quizzes, too... When I had a LiveJournal account, I had numerous opportunities to create those sorts of quizzes and even more chances to take dumber ones such as What Character from Lord of the Rings are you (incidentally, I tested as Galadriel... whatever that should mean) or To What Circle of Hell are You Destined (I'll admit, that one was funny, though I think I was something lame, like bound for the 2nd Circle... and yes, it's based on Dante).
When it comes to assessing one's personality, there are other more "sophisticated" evaluations such as The Myers-Briggs Test and so on... I actually think the former pastor of the church in which I was raised used it to determine general compatibility between people and to make his warnings and recommendations accordingly. I remember the first time I took the test was for that pastor... and then there was a significant shift when I took it in high school, once more in college, and then I took a shorter version similar to it again today.
The resulting options are E (Extroverted)/ I (Introverted), S (Sensory)/ N (Intuitive), T (Thinking)/ F (Feeling), and P (Perceiving) / J (Judging). One generally can gather what it means to be member to these letters... In my case, as a middle schooler, I tested as an ENFJ. In my case, two letters have never changed... I've maintained my intuitiveness as well as my judging factors (meaning I work with ideas and I'm calculated or a planner). What has moved around since then, which is not terribly unique, are my social preferences and my method of choosing a course of action. Today, I've tested as an INTJ... I prefer intimate gatherings and a few close friends to a crowd of strangers or a grand ridiculous number of acquaintances. On the T/F item, I'm actually right on the line (1% over onto the Thinking side), so, I'm actually a wildly empathetic and emotional person with thoughtful control over how I act upon those feelings. I prefer reason to unleashing unbridled emotion onto people. Apparently, I'm in company with Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Jefferson, Stephen Hawking, and Michelle Obama... unless I tested on the other side of the line (maybe tomorrow), then my INFJ buddies are Chaucer, Goethe, Nicole Kidman, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mother Theresa.
I remember explaining to the man I refer to as My Russian Father that I was taking this test for Health Class. He asked me, in his customary rude way, "Testing for what? That you have a personality? I can tell you the answer to that one."
Nowadays, his comment does get me thinking...
Still, most of us can tolerate talking about ourselves, so, go take the short version of this test and tell me how you did: http://www.humanmetrics.com/
I know this is a somewhat odd idea for a Hobby entry, but as my friend was sending his thoughts on the matter, I'm wondering how many of us slow down to consider these topics about ourselves. Knowledge is power, so, reminding ourselves to turn inward can only help in the ways we deal with others, ourselves, our pasts and futures. One of my favorite yoga teachers tends to say during class, "Take your practice seriously and yourself lightly." Perhaps these silly quizzes and evaluations help us to do just that.
As my friend put it:
...of course, most people who take these tests just take the tests and leave it there, and they think, oh how neat, and they stop there. A better understanding of MBTI is that the system divides different ways of interacting with the world into 8 functions, E I S N F T J P, and we test for preferences to yield a person's basic type. But, see, as a person DEVELOPS, then, hopefully, he or she learns to use more than just his or her core functions.
So, on that note, here are a few questions about myself... to which I'll provide an answer key to those who bother to comment:
1. I own all of the following cds EXCEPT:
a) Peter Cincotti; On the Moon
b) Earth, Wind, and Fire; In the Name of Love
c) Bach; Organ Works
d) Jewel; Goodbye Alice in Wonderland
e) Sarah Brightman; Eden
2. The virtue I value most is:
a) Mercy
b) Optimism
c) Justice
d) Generosity
e) Sensitivity
3. My favorite season is:
a) Summer
b) Autumn
c) Winter
d) Spring
e) What kind of question is that?
4. If I had other talents, my dream occupation would be:
a) Lawyer
b) Arts Critic
c) Broadway actress
d) Photojournalist
e) Astronomer
5. My approximate favorite movie list:
a) Sliding Doors, What Dreams May Come, and Mirrormask
b) Coraline, UP, and Howl's Moving Castle
c) Contact, Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, and Spirited Away
d) Bend it like Beckham, Conversations with Women, and Paris Je T'aime
e) All the above
This is silliness and will barely determine how well you know me... but some truths are in there, and it might show me what I share and what I conceal to specific people... I wonder how selective I am and if it's conscious...
Happy Hunting for personalities!
5 comments:
1. Jewel
2. Justice
3. Autumn
4. Broadway actress
5. All of the above
Do I get a prize if I get it right?
I should know. . . right?
Had no idea, honestly, whether you were interested in this MB stuff or just humoring me because you're sweet. Then David says look at her blog, haha!
You immediately get the point of MB--growth, development, bettering oneself--which is so cool. Most people, even most people who are addicted to this stuff, never get beyond the diagnosis stage, making them feel special and excusing their shortcomings. I'm so very thrilled that you find all this interesting and that you get the point. (Not surprising, since your dominant function--whether you are INTJ or INFJ!--is introverted intuition. Either way, self-awareness is your thing.).
This site is pretty decent at explaining all this stuff, and at directing you toward its proper uses: http://www.personalitypage.com/info.html
One thing--it always amuses me when you go to these websites and they tell you what types famous people were. I have people telling me that Jesus was their type. Obviously, it is a speculative thing to say what type a historical figure is. Thomas Jefferson, I would say, was CERTAINLY an INFP. All the other names on that list, though, sound good to me!
As an INTJ, you would also have all kinds of super-villains in your type, including probably Lex Luthor, Voldemort, and countless others. But you also get Spiderman and Severus Snape. As an INFJ, you'd get Hermione Granger (then again, like you, I think she is probably borderline F/T). Hmmm....
Anyway, glad you're finding the MB stuff useful. Perhaps some of your readers will, too!
TvT
OK, taking your quiz. Looks just as unfair as mine!
1. D
I have not heard of a, I barely am aware of the existence of b and d (the artists), you definitely own e, and it is easy to imagine you owning c. From what little I know about Jewel(very little), I will guess D.
2. A
What a horrible question. Very difficult. I think generosity is probably high on the list. I'm going with A but I'm not at all pleased with having to choose. :)
3. B
Easy one!
4. D
Complicated question. It's possible I am reading too much into it...but B is out because I would think that you would think you have the talents needed for that, a is obviously out, e I don't think I have ever heard you mention (you like astrology but you've never mentioned astronomy to me, but if I am wrong this is probably the right answer!), and c is out because, though you could do that if you wanted, I don't THINK that is something you even want to do any more, though of course I might be wrong. So I go with D, though, this could be wrong because it seems you do have the talents you would need for that. I don't know, IT'S HARD!!!
5. E
This COULD be a trick. The answer must be E or C, because Contact is (or was) your all-time favorite, or very high on the list in any case. Some of these movies I have never heard you talk about (I know a lot of girls like Bend it like Beckham but really? I thought it was dull.), but I know you like Gaiman and I know you like Mirrormask. Don't know if you liked Coraline the movie but, again, you liked the book. So I'm going with E but if the answer is C you've played a cruel trick!!!
:)
TvT
I took the personality test and I'm INTJ.
Is that what we said I would be?
I forget. . . but I think that's a good summarization of my personality, though I hope to improve in a lot of areas. . .
First of all the YOU quiz:
1.B
2.E
3.C
4.E
5.C or E
Second, this morning I took that Myers-Briggs test and ended up with "Mastermind" or INTJ. An exaggeration, no doubt - I was cranky this morning. But then I took the test again this evening after...
...a number of drinks...
...and got "Counselor" or INFJ. From reading the descriptions, I'd say I'm more than 95% "Counselor" but have several solid "Mastermind" streaks. It would be difficult to describe, but, in an abstract way, I sense it. Seriously.
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