Another Fe post.

[r4ch3l]

Quick question that may be obvious to some, sorry if this is redundant and has been discussed to death before I got here.

I believe that I clearly understand the differences between Ni/Ne, Si/Se, and Ti/Te but Fi/Fe has always been harder for me to understand. There are many simplistic explanations of Fe that just sound like introverted feelings being expressed as thoughts or actions and inferior "F" often is described in a similar way whether it is extroverted or introverted.

There's been a lot of discussion about how extroverted feeling likes or needs validation and tends to dislike disharmony and conflict. But I was curious about the idea of Fe being hypersensitive or overwhelmed by the feelings or moods of others? This is not necessarily saying that we care or attach meaning to these external feelings but that we are aware of their presence and use them as data to construct worldviews or know how to behave.

Sorry for bad grammar/brevity, on my phone/on the move and this was something I had been meaning to ask and was thinking about this morning.

 

[Jennywocky]

Well, i think the internal locus of Fi makes it more resistant by nature to external moods. Seems to be that way in experience too -- while we're mainly discussing "values" and not emotions, emotions can accompany values, and Fi users seem more highly resistant to pressure from the external world to "feel" a certain way in a given situation, whereas people operating more from Fe basis I think are more susceptible or feel more pressure to conform, even if they are capable of resisting.

I know for me, my particular approach insists to myself that my own experiences and feelings are legitimate, but I definitely feel pressure from intense moods outside of me (due to the tendency to reduce tension by reflecting the external mood) and I don't particularly like that.

I think more mature Fe can find a balance a bit easier -- respect the externally existing moods and values without necessarily sacrificing its own, knowing the language to speak to still maintain a cordial and effective atmosphere even in areas of differing opinion.

I think where Fe is a tert or inf, it ends up being more of a "I feel that pressure, they're wanting me to feel/believe <this> and I don't like it!" and results in a negative response which then has to be processed somehow to avoid a direct conflict.

I'm just mind-dumping, maybe I'd revise this a bit if I had more time to think through it.

 

[Duxwing]

Well, i think the internal locus of Fi makes it more resistant by nature to external moods. Seems to be that way in experience too -- while we're mainly discussing "values" and not emotions, emotions can accompany values, and Fi users seem more highly resistant to pressure from the external world to "feel" a certain way in a given situation, whereas people operating more from Fe basis I think are more susceptible or feel more pressure to conform, even if they are capable of resisting.

I know for me, my particular approach insists to myself that my own experiences and feelings are legitimate, but I definitely feel pressure from intense moods outside of me (due to the tendency to reduce tension by reflecting the external mood) and I don't particularly like that.

I think more mature Fe can find a balance a bit easier -- respect the externally existing moods and values without necessarily sacrificing its own, knowing the language to speak to still maintain a cordial and effective atmosphere even in areas of differing opinion.

I think where Fe is a tert or inf, it ends up being more of a "I feel that pressure, they're wanting me to feel/believe <this> and I don't like it!" and results in a negative response which then has to be processed somehow to avoid a direct conflict.

I'm just mind-dumping, maybe I'd revise this a bit if I had more time to think through it.

I agree wholeheartedly. We had Rachel's Challenge (i.e., Fundamentalist, Evangelical Christianity in a school-friendly wrapper) present at our high-school, and while I was absolutely revolted, I felt the pressure to conform. Luckily, some of my friends have Fi in higher places than I do, and I acted as they did and barely kept my values intact. The internal battle was epic! I felt like this:

The Unsung War

-Duxwing

 

[DelusiveNinja]

Does Fe have anything to do with wanting to know what others think of you? I want to know what others think of me, but I end up not talking to people even after planning out what questions I would ask to not make the conversation seem weird. I find it difficult to start a conversation centered around me or my problems (in real life). I went to a college fair a week ago and after I was done telling them things about myself, I would try to change the subject of the conversation toward them. Is Fe responsible for these situations too? Maybe I am an Fi user.

 

[wonkavision]

Sorry for bad grammar/brevity, on my phone/on the move and this was something I had been meaning to ask and was thinking about this morning.

This statement of yours is Fe in action.

Not sure what your type is (INTP?), but regardless, people of ALL types use Fe at certain times.

And this statement of yours is a really good example of Fe.

It's making a JUDGEMENT about how others might feel or might NEED(comfort, harmony, reassurance, etc.) and RESPONDING, or at least VERBALIZING the concern (i.e. apologizing--"Sorry for bad grammar/brevity...").
And YES, it also needs others to give feedback, responses, reciprocation, etc. in order to confirm or VALIDATE that the judgement was correct.

Fi might involve the same concern (harmony, etc.), but it won't be VERBALIZED. It will be processed INTERNALLY, or else communicated in a subtle, indirect way. And it is NOT PRIMARILY FOCUSED on OTHERS, it is ALMOST ENTIRELY focused in INNER harmony, comfort, etc.

If you're an INTP, Fe is your inferior function, which, in a nutshell, means that you are NOT VERY IN TUNE with the needs and wants of others, YET, at the same time, you are actually VERY CONCERNED about it.

So, the end result is that you feel generally inept/vulnerable/out of touch with people, and some part of you DESIRES to overcome that.

THUS, what Jung calls "individuation"--the process of reconciling the Dominant and Inferior functions, in order to become a WHOLE person.



As a side note, Fe is actually fairly repressed in an INFJ like myself, because of "Tertiary Temptation." To the point where I often don't recognize myself as a "Feeler", but something more like an INTP.

Im an Introvert, and spend most of my time thinking deeply and pondering the unknown.

But I do often Extravert my Judgements, particularly about whether things are done "humanely" or "ethically", as well as compliment people gushingly at times, show "neediness" and a need for validation, ask people if I can help in any way, etc.
and that's when you see my Fe in action.