Personality goes a long way

[petronia]

Myers-Briggs INTPs (Enneagram 5s) supposedly comprise something between 0.5% to 4% of the population, depending on whom you ask - 1% is the number most commonly given. They are, however, vastly over-represented among a) computer geeks, b) fandom geeks, and c) people who like the idea of personality classification systems in the first place. ^^; I seriously doubt any other group of people would bother to register a domain and maintain a ML for their Myers-Briggs indicator. All this to say there was a moment of alarmed hilarity yesterday, at discovering a superbly detailed profile on intp.org that went into musical taste of all things.



"INTPs are usually fascinated by music and may have deep and wide-ranging tastes. Indeed, each of their three main functions (Ti, Ne, Si) plays a role in the enjoyment of music, and indeed music is a key interest for bringing out the feeling shadow of the INTP. Si itself brings a fascination for mood and atmosphere in music as well as for a strong sense of personal nostalgia. INTPs are therefore often keen on melancolic minor-key music in which an introspective and/or esoteric mood is conveyed. Equally, INTPs enjoy hearing music that they heard and enjoyed when younger (provided they can still appreciate it now) and yearn for the sense of nostalgia that it yields. INTPs are also drawn to complexly structured music, thanks to their Ti core. An appreciation of modern classical music, as well as perhaps contemporary jazz, is therefore common with them. Such music types are usually too complex to be understood after a single hearing, which hence provides excellent material for analysis, exciting the INTP no end. Once the basic developmental structure of the music has been assessed, Ne provides the impetus to derive a general meaning of the piece. What does the composer wish to convey, for example? Why was that particular development chosen? Indeed, the Ne is usually hard at work during listening sessions, trying to grasp the meanings behind the often fascinating combinations of sound-world evocations, structural developments and nostalgic impressions.

"When the Ti core dominates the choice of music to listen to, the need for intellectual stimulation derived from complex structures and sounds will override concerns for cultured harmony. Hence, INTPs are often drawn to dissonance. Indeed, they may even thoroughly strive for dissonant sound worlds. When in such moods, consonant harmonies, especially of the three-chord-melody variety, are dismissed as boring and uninspired. If an INTP is forced to listen to simple harmonic music for a while, he usually can't wait to feel the relief provided by a few minutes of pure dissonance. The ideal music for the Ti core might be typically a modern symphony, with a complex, but analysable structure, with a rich and varied sound world, predominantly dissonant but with sections of melodic motifs to provide solidity."



So how about them apples. XD It also says that the INTP prefers to match music to mood rather than use music to influence mood, which is absolutely true for me at least.

Speaking of which, luxetumbra,

If you want easily google-able shorthand for the yaoi psych profile thing, the "Nanjou Kouji" type I was thinking of in the earlier entry is a low-functioning Myers-Briggs ENTJp, or Enneagram 3. Kouji himself is a 3 with very strong 4-wing, or even 4 with 3-wing. Toreth is a 3 with 2-wing. FTR Warrick is a textbook-classic INTP 5 with 6-wing, high-functioning enough that he's moved way over into his Type 8 Leader security point (or, to cut through the jargon, the "Bill Gates" personality type). ...Yes, I know it's sad that I feel compelled to do this for fictional characters, but it's a good test of authorial internal consistency at least. I'd actually moved on to classic yaoi ukes last night, and had Izumi pegged as a 6 and Riki as an 8 before I, er, fell asleep. Go rustle up some online compatibility charts if you want the giggle factor out of all this. XD