37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best advanced book on Typology, June 11, 2000
This review is from: Personality Type (Jung on the Hudson Books) (Paperback)
Most people who know their Myers-Briggs type don't have a valid understanding of what it means. They interpret INFP to mean Introversion+iNtuition+Feeling+Perceiving, when it REALLY means Introverted Feeling with Extraverted Intuition. These are known as "functions", and up until this book, I never understood them. Functions like Introverted Feeling are difficult to understand, hence the simplification of seeing your MB type as simply four variables. With this book, you will understand much more than just what your behavior shows, but in HOW you THINK and UNDERSTAND. This is probably the Deepest book on the subject I have yet to see. It is definitely not for beginners, however for the advanced student of Myers-Briggs, it is definitely a treasure to keep. For a REAL understanding of the Myers-Briggs types and yourself, read this book immediately.
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astonishing!!, March 30, 2002
This review is from: Personality Type (Jung on the Hudson Books) (Paperback)
Hello. As an INTJ/INFJ ... I found this book to be fascinating, and of course, extremely useful. I completely share the view that this is not a good introduction to MBTI, if only because (especially if you're a pretty strong J like me) you need to have some headspace around the terms and concepts in order to really dive into this amazing book.
There are a few truly remarkable things about this book that I'd enjoy pointing out here to possible readers...
Some MBTI books out there do not focus enough on the basic fact that we are often our own worst enemies in a very predictable sense. We all have our own version of enjoyable living, and while our Dominant (1st) Function is on autopilot to take us there, if left UNCHECKED, it will INEVITABLY run out of control and float too far from shore, and take us to our own private living hell... it is rather terrifying, when you think of it. According to Ms. Thomson, the remedy for this is your Secondary (2nd) Function, which intervenes to regulate your Dominant Function's Dictatorship of you.. however, what usually happens (and has happened to me - it hurts to think of this) your Tertiary (3rd) Function steps in to tell you that the world is against you, and then (this is where it gets really freaky) your horrid Inferiour (4th) Function, which certain people refer to as your 'beloved child' but is really a self-destructive mutant waiting to ruin your lifestyle, finds an opportunistic hole and takes over. According to my research, somewhat irresponsibly, some MBTI books either imply or directly counsel people to develop their inferiour (4th) function in order to achieve a kind of personality 'wholeness'. Ms. Thomson profoundly and convincingly (because you yourself can see the evidence if you reflect upon recent or current crisis') smashes that concept to bits. Rather, she suggests relying on development of the Secondary Function in order to give some space for that Inferiour function to emerge in a benign way. Ms. Thomson does not pull punches here: the 4th function is NOT a helpful function - not because there is something wrong it, or with any of us, but because by its very nature it is misapplied. But we do not have to cut it out of our lives (or use it to our inevitable personal pain) if we strengthen our Secondary function, which moderates and checks our entire personality spectrum.
...this is getting long, hm? Okay, almost done. Sorry, I just love this book!
A special note to INTJs and INFJs (and anyone else who wants to keep reading :)
As a member of this extremely rare, but immensely powerful segment of people, do yourself an immeasurable favour, and get this book if only for the chapter on INxJs. Nothing I have read in any other book, or online, is as powerful as this chapter in terms of the sheer number of NERVES that it hits. Most other books tend to revere INxJs as the visionaries and the cerebral, otherworldly types. And it can be nice to read something that says such lofty things. But this book, while not being offensive or confrontational, takes a HARD look at these two types and really digs deep into the problems that we can face; problems that we ourselves can create and then get stuck in. I believe we, more than any other type, NEED tools like this book because no other type is as crushed by mistakes as we are. Unlike even INTPs who can blame the quality of the data, or lack of data, on a mistake, we will internalize it and it will enter our endless intuitive loop. Really, I can't do justice to this section of the book. The very least I can tell you (isn't this so INxJ of me????) is that in my research NOTHING comes CLOSE to this kind of insight. But be prepared for some ego shots. The first time I read this chapter, some months ago, I got very angry. Only re-read it the other day and faced the music...
Anyway, I can't say enough about this book. 5 stars is not enough. Thank you Ms. Thomson.
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36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
INTJ loves it, but not for the novice, March 13, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Personality Type (Jung on the Hudson Books) (Paperback)
As an INTJ I have been fascinated by MBTI for over 10 years and I have read many books. I highly recommend Lenore Thomson's book because she takes a biological left brain / right brain approach and combines it with a deep understanding of Jung and personality evolution. I especially appreciate that it is normal to turn to your lesser functions to re-evaluate your life periodically, especially at times of perceived "crisis." This is not a book for beginners, the subtle differences in functions are used with laser precision and require a good understanding of MBTI. She uses interesting examples drawn from the funny papers and Star Trek. In a society of extraverts (75% of the American population), this book helps to clarify the strengths of a society which values the diversity of personality type rather than one which values conformity.
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