The Myers-Briggs test was first given to me during my freshmen year of college.  Approximately 48-hours after returning from an alcohol-induced hospital visit (thanks, big 10 colleges and bigger-10 egos), I found myself filling in an unending amount of bubbles on an 8-page scantron.  The visit to a school therapist was mandatory in order for me to maintain residency in the dorms, so I decided not to voice my displeasure with the idea that this overweight, underworked human being could glean a portrait of my personality based upon a #2 pencil and unending writer’s cramp stemming not from a Kerouac-esque stream of consciousness, but nearly an hour of responding to questions by elementary “coloring inside the lines.”

For those who don’t know, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a tool that is commonly used in psychologically evaluating individuals and is used in situations ranging from medical (my original experience) to business management strategizing (my most recent encounter, a management class in graduate school).  It is a questionnaire that extrapollates the personality preferences defined by Carl Jung in 1921.  Each person, after taking the questionnaire, is assigned one of two of the following dichotomies: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving.  The result is a four-letter acronym (one of 16 types) that supposedly tells you something about the person and how they handle a variety of life’s concerns.

This creeps me out (oh, you haven’t figured that out yet?  It does.)  I have never liked the idea of people knowing things about me until I tell them.  I know that limiting people to only what I directly communicate to them is utterly impossible, but that doesn’t mean I can’t wish for it.

Anyway, six years ago in college, I was told that I was an “INFP” (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving).  One would think that I’d made some changes since then.  Yes, I quit the frat that I was pledging 2 weeks after the aforementioned visit to the doctor.  Yeah, I ended up graduating with honors and getting into graduate school and really shaping my life up.  I even got healthy and started working out, went vegetarian for a bit, wrote a few dissertations, etc etc. By all accounts, I’ve changed.

I took the test again today.  I am an INFP.  Still.

Here’s a link to what being an INFP supposedly means about me.  Personal favorite (most ridiculous) excerpts:

“Every encounter and every piece of knowledge gained gets sifted through the INFP’s value system, and is evaluated to see if it has any potential to help the INFP define or refine their own path in life.”  [translation: paranoia]

“They focus on the way that the conflict makes them feel, and indeed don’t really care whether or not they’re right. They don’t want to feel badly. This trait sometimes makes them appear irrational and illogical in conflict situations.” [I cannot tell you the amount of times I've caught myself doing this.]

“They might go for long periods without noticing a stain on the carpet, but carefully and meticulously brush a speck of dust off of their project booklet.” [Sorry to anyone I've lived with...]

“Under stress, it’s not uncommon for INFPs to mis-use hard logic in the heat of anger, throwing out fact after (often inaccurate) fact in an emotional outburst.” [Sorry to anyone I've ever argued with... particularly while drinking or dating]

“INFPs have very high standards and are perfectionists. Consequently, they are usually hard on themselves, and don’t give themselves enough credit… Without resolving this conflict, they will never be happy with themselves, and they may become confused and paralyzed about what to do with their lives.” [sorry, Brain & Heart.]

“INFPs are usually talented writers. They may be awkard and uncomfortable with expressing themselves verbally, but have a wonderful ability to define and express what they’re feeling on paper.” [or blogs?  This is getting just plain weird.]

Take the Myers-Briggs test yourself.  Leave a comment here about what type you are.  It’s actually kind of interesting in the end.