Section 2-1: E vs. I and External Influence

As the personality letters get into specifics on what each part of the MBTI is representative of, there will be no intro to this section, instead we are going to Jump right into things with the E vs. I comparison.

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is for Extrovert. I love being in the world outside, people or nature I'll take it all. I truly believe that everyone on earth (or in space, Commander Chris Hadfield) has an incredible story worth sharing with the world and I want to hear them all. I work in a fast-paced and constantly changing industry where my success is based upon my ability to create a meaningful connection with a customer in a very brief period of time. (commission based cell phone sales for those of you who were wondering, and okay, its not Nascar fast but I have to continually learning a large amount of new information to stay current in the field.) I like to go to parties when I have time and I am an active volunteer in any community I become a part of.

...Why then when my battery is drained and I feel completely out of energy do I turn towards writing, painting, instruments, reading, and self-reflection to recharge this battery? In public I present myself as an almost pure Extrovert, but when I am alone my activities consist of those of a strong Introvert.

MBTI classifies me as a strong "E" type... but MBTI is a static test asking only questions in regards to how you currently feel, not how your opinions have changed over time. (please note this is only based off of the sample test taken in class, as I have never completed a full MBTI instrument I cannot comment on it accurately.) It is through nurturing that I developed this "E" type personality. I didn't always have the same nature I have now. Pre-high school I was the kid you would find in the corner alone reading a book that no one else had ever heard of. In Junior high I was such a pure "I" type that I literally relayed any and all information I felt like sharing with my peers through a close friend rather than directly address the group. I flopped at public speaking assignments due to nervousness and hated social events, especially the mandatory ones like school dances. What was it then that caused me to have to adapt certain "E" traits initially to survive? My close friend moved away and I still had two years of high school to get through.

...$#!t...
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It seems in the society of today that unless you possess either an Einsteinian or Machiavellian intellect that must be an "E" type to succeed... or even survive. I personally learned this very quickly after finishing high school. In the world of post-secondary education the teachers will no longer proactively approach you, you must possess the confidence to make your troubles/concerns known to them. The same principles apply to any position in the workforce, and in your social relationships. I thus changed my habits to nurture myself into a more successful being. I even started to enjoy activities that went against the grain or pushed me outside of my previous comfort zone. Despite all of this my closest friends tend to be "I" types themselves, I think this is because I associate with them more on their own ground and I empathize with them more than the "E" type.

In summation. Through the external forces of society I have been nurtured into an "E" type.

By Nature Though I will always be

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Look! Scientists agree that I and E are affected by External Stimuli!