Firefly Myers-Briggs by Shawnee

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Firefly Myers-Briggs

POSTED BY: SHAWNEE
UPDATED: Friday, March 4, 2005 19:21
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Thursday, March 3, 2005 7:02 PM

Hi everyone! I'm Shawnee, and I've been visiting the site for a while but I've never registered so this is my hello. I'm a sophomore in college and I'm studying psychology and I decided to try and figure out the personality types of the Serenity crew. Have any of you guys taken the Myers-Briggs personality test? If not, you should. It's a good one. Here's my opinion on which of the sixteen types the crew members are. Maybe your personality will match one of them. And if you think I'm dead wrong about one... or all of them, let me know! I hope you enjoy!

Mal ESTJ The Guardian
Zoe ENTJ The Executive
River INFJ The Protector
Wash ESFJ The Caregiver
Shepherd INFP The Idealist
Simon INTJ The Scientist
Jayne ESTP The Doer
Kaylee ESFP The Performer
Inara ISFP The Artist

Here's a link where you can check the types out: http://www.personalitypage.com/home.html

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Thursday, March 3, 2005 7:17 PM

SAMWIBATT

Whaddaya know - I'm an INTJ too. Not too surprised I match up with Simon, but I thought I'd be closer to Wash.

This is neat - welcome to the board!

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Thursday, March 3, 2005 7:46 PM

ANOTHERFIREFLYFAN

Y'know, I'm an INTJ and I always have sympathized most with Simon. Cool.

And these personality tests are sooo much better than certain... other... methods that determine your personality based on what month you were born in. I can't believe people still believe that stuff!

Keep flying

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Thursday, March 3, 2005 10:02 PM

ZOID

Shawnee:

Y'know I was just chatting with another Browncoat earlier this week, who commented on my reference on my Profile page about being an ENTP (she an INTP). Small world, as they say at Disneyworldland, er, eurosomething. Like I told her, when I first read my Myers-Briggs profile, I started looking around my house for surveillance equipment. It was eerie.

Others I know have taken the test and felt the resultant description didn't fit them. The key to taking a personality test is answering honestly. Most people tend to present an idealized version of themselves -- you know, what they think sounds coolest or most likeable -- instead of what they actually think (or more importantly, how they actually behave, regardless how they'd like to think they behave).

When I took the test several years ago, the result said I was in the Rational (NT's) group, "Inventor" sub-type. Your site has me as a "Visionary", although the description is pretty much still the same as that other analysis. Did the labels formally change, or is there some play in the terminology?

Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
I find anything that can so uncannily predict human behaviors and attitudes based on a hundred question test, utterly fascinating. Can you say, "Voight-Kampff"? Thanks for bringing this up.

P.P.S.
I looked a little deeper at the site you've listed and the Rational/Inventor is listed under David Kiersey's 'Four Temperaments'...
_________________________________________________

"Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me." The Ballad of Serenity

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Friday, March 4, 2005 3:31 AM

RABIT

I've always been very analytical, so I tend to take these tests when I find them. The best personality-ish evaluation I've found was Strengths Finder ( https://www.strengthsfinder.com/). I'm sorry if this sounds like an advertisement - especially since you can't take this one for free (you have to buy the book to take it) - but this one is really incredibly insightful. It's not about your personality or your weaknesses - it just shows what you're good at and how that allows you to relate to others. It isn't someone's opinion; it's based upon statistical analysis performed by the Gallup organization.

(For those who have heard of the managerial book "First, Break All the Rules", the book that this comes from is a sequel to it called "Now, Discover Your Strengths".)

Just something to look at. Like I said, it isn't free, but for those interested, it's incredibly useful. I literally bring this into any job interviews and discussions with new bosses, as it really lets you set the playing field: "Here's what I'm good at, what I enjoy doing. Is this what you expect of this role? It is? Shiny..."

Rabit

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Friday, March 4, 2005 3:56 AM

MSCKAREN

Wow - looks like we have quite a few INTJs here (like me). I wonder if that's because "scientist"-types are just naturally more interested in this type of thing.

I would really like to be most like Zoe but I always admired Simon - smart doctor with integrity and guts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Appears they've canceled the show and we're still here. What does that make us?"
"Big damn junkies, Sir!"
"Ain't we just."

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Friday, March 4, 2005 4:13 AM

SHAWNEE

I'm glad you all thought this was interesting! I thought I would find a lot of INTJs here. Also a lot of ESFPs. Zoid: The names of the personality types haven't changed, but they are fluid. You can call them anything you want if it's relevant to the type. Thanks for the test Rabit! I haven't seen that one yet. I'm such a junkie for these things. Thank you all so much for the feedback and the welcome! See you on the boards.

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Friday, March 4, 2005 5:59 AM

ZOID

Shawnee wrote:

Quote:
...I thought I would find a lot of INTJs here. Also a lot of ESFPs...

While I never really thought about it before, I'm certainly not surprised that -- of those who've included their type -- all four are NTs (iNtuitive Thinkers). I think Firefly appeals most to those who look beneath the surface and search for connections. The show is rife with them.

Perhaps this explains -- in part -- why some people do not care for the show at all: It simply doesn't get into their heads the way it does ours.

One word of caution, if I might be so bold. I disagree with the site's exhortation to figure out other people's types, in order to better coexist with them. There is a very fine line between such practice -- only wanting a better interpersonal relationship -- and prejudice. I believe human beings are entirely too complex, too unique, to be boiled down into some simple combination of on-off switches, and that trying to seriously do so is high folly. It might be somehow comforting to think that there are only 16 different personality types; but, I reject the notion out of hand. People are individuals, not nibbles (4 binary digits).

I also refuse to pigeonhole myself by any cast-iron system of typing, regardless how apt it appears at a superficial level. It's just a different form of stereotyping: "ENTP's are lazy" or "good with math", et cetera, reminiscent of the late Reggie White's well-intentioned but controversial speech before the Wisconsin legislature. While I'm sure the site's intentions are good, encouraging people to stereotype others (or themselves) in order to get along with them better, is a bad idea.

Labels are limiting.

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"All generalizations are false, including this one." -Mark Twain

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Friday, March 4, 2005 6:33 AM

BATMARLOWE

INFP here. I can see how Book could one of us although he isn't the character I've identified with the most. That would be Wash. Since we have hints that Book is a changed man I wonder if he was always an INFP. Any other INFP's out there in Whedonfandom? They say we're only 1% of the population.

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Friday, March 4, 2005 7:04 AM

RABIT

Oh, I forgot: I'm INTJ, but my results came out so close to the corner that I vary through all the IN's.

It just depends upon the situation and my mood, but I'm generally in the INTJ arena...

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
One word of caution, if I might be so bold. I disagree with the site's exhortation to figure out other people's types, in order to better coexist with them. There is a very fine line between such practice -- only wanting a better interpersonal relationship -- and prejudice. I believe human beings are entirely too complex, too unique, to be boiled down into some simple combination of on-off switches, and that trying to seriously do so is high folly. It might be somehow comforting to think that there are only 16 different personality types; but, I reject the notion out of hand. People are individuals, not nibbles (4 binary digits).

I also refuse to pigeonhole myself by any cast-iron system of typing, regardless how apt it appears at a superficial level. It's just a different form of stereotyping: "ENTP's are lazy" or "good with math", et cetera, reminiscent of the late Reggie White's well-intentioned but controversial speech before the Wisconsin legislature. While I'm sure the site's intentions are good, encouraging people to stereotype others (or themselves) in order to get along with them better, is a bad idea.

Labels are limiting.

I completely agree with your thoughts, Zoid. As an analytically minded person, I tend to dig deep into what I'm looking at, and every one of these methods have significant flaws. Even the Strength Finder method that I mentioned above has its drawbacks, things that just don't necessarily hold up to reality.

In my opinion, however, if people use them as something to discuss or consider they can be very useful tools. We just have to remember that they are just that: tools. They are not representative of reality.

There's a tool that they use at work called Insights into Excellence. It's a variant on the Myers-Brigg, using more of Juhn's (I know I misspelled that, but...

) work. It classifies people on four axis: colors that represent, at a broad level, personality types. Blue indicates analytical nature, Yellow is Extroversion, Red is control/leadership, and Green is the cooperative aspect. Again, it's a significant over generalization, but it's useful information. For example, I work with some very social people. I am not a social person, although I've very nice, pleasant, and easily to get along with. I'm just not someone who's going to see who wants to go to lunch or organize a social gathering. These people just don't understand me, so I used my Insights information to explain, "Look, I'm just not that Yellow." As they've gone through the same training, they understand what that means, get a clue, and are much easier to work with.

Now, they don't treat me like some kind of a social reject or outcast or anything, because in my presentation of this information I made it clear that I am significantly green (which means that I like working with others in a cooperative environment) and about maxed on blue (which means I'm a good resource for them in analyzing concepts, bouncing ideas off of, considering options, etc.). Now they know that, when I decline a lunch offer, it isn't because I don't like them, it's just because that's me.

Sorry for the drawn out post, but I just wanted to show what I'm refering to. I completely agree with your thoughts, Zoid, but I've been lucky enough to date not to run into anyone in my work environment who has taken these tools too far.

Hopefully, I never will!

Have a better one!

Rabit

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Friday, March 4, 2005 9:03 AM

NIKNAK

When I first worked out what I was years ago I was an INTJ but since then I've become more P. I think I'm now somewhere in the middle on that one.

It is interesting that Simon and Kaylee are complete opposites. The book I learned about Myers-Briggs from had a fascinating chapter on relationships. Opposites attract but are also more likely to argue because they don't understand each other.

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Friday, March 4, 2005 9:08 AM

NIKNAK

I forgot to mention - this personality profiler is much more fun than Myers-Briggs:

http://totl.net/Personality/

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Friday, March 4, 2005 9:39 AM

SERGEANTX

Of course. It never occurred to me, but I'm betting "NTs" make up a much larger proportion of our community than the societal norm. Especially given that we're usually in a small minority.

I remember reading somewhere that NTs usually make up only about 12 percent of a given population. We seem to have that average beat pretty solidly.

SergeantX

"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock

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Friday, March 4, 2005 10:29 AM

CHRISTHECYNIC

I'm not going to take a test right now, but I'll tell you what I've gotten before. I'm always on the fence on two of them, usually it's one or two questions difference

E(S/N)(T/F)P

Note that while the S/N and T/F are right on the fence it is always E, by a lot, and always P, by a lot.

I took a test once designed to tell which section of your brain you are acting out of; I got near dead center, a bit forward, if I recall correctly.

Maybe I’m so screwed up because I’m on the fence, no clear position on logic vs. feeling, and no clear position on the concrete vs. the intuitive. It makes decisions hard when you are being pulled in both directions equally.

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Friday, March 4, 2005 11:11 AM

CHRISTHECYNIC

Quote:
Originally posted by Shawnee:
River INFJ The Protector

I always felt that the character of River was a hell of a lot like me. As such I was surprised by the fact that you gave her a J. So I read it (INFJ). It describes me as well as the four that I usually get from the test. The fractured-ness of my personality is often annoying.

Well after I read INFJ I was confused. My results for J were always so low, but, as I said, it described me as well as every result I got from actually taking the test. It’s not like I lie on the test, I’m always honest on the questions, though I am often torn on them.

Out of the sixteen personality types five describe me very, disturbingly, well:
INFP
INTP
ISFP
ISTP
INFJ
And one describes another part of me, but that is suppressed and I have no interest in discussing it.

The other ten are nothing like me at all.

The fact that the differences between the types are very descriptive of the contradictions in my personality makes me tend to believe that the various results are all correct.

Why am I always the odd one? Or an odd one, can't take all the credit.

Of course I generally only get four results from the test (they made me take it often in high school), at least that’s only a quarter. I guess you would say I’m well rounded, but that isn’t as good as well adjusted.

-

So Shawnee studying psychology, exactly what does it mean when you fit equally well in five mutually exclusive groups?

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Friday, March 4, 2005 12:11 PM

P1NKISPUNK

Wow! I'm INFJ too and I always empathized with River the most. It was like reading an articulate book of my mind :D

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Friday, March 4, 2005 12:55 PM

SHAWNEE

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:

One word of caution, if I might be so bold. I disagree with the site's exhortation to figure out other people's types, in order to better coexist with them. There is a very fine line between such practice -- only wanting a better interpersonal relationship -- and prejudice. I believe human beings are entirely too complex, too unique, to be boiled down into some simple combination of on-off switches, and that trying to seriously do so is high folly. It might be somehow comforting to think that there are only 16 different personality types; but, I reject the notion out of hand. People are individuals, not nibbles (4 binary digits).

I also refuse to pigeonhole myself by any cast-iron system of typing, regardless how apt it appears at a superficial level. It's just a different form of stereotyping: "ENTP's are lazy" or "good with math", et cetera, reminiscent of the late Reggie White's well-intentioned but controversial speech before the Wisconsin legislature. While I'm sure the site's intentions are good, encouraging people to stereotype others (or themselves) in order to get along with them better, is a bad idea.

Labels are limiting.

I agree completely. I think, or hope, that most analysts know that people can't be fit into neat little boxes. Those are the best kind of people, those you can't define. I don't think the tests should be seen as concrete and they really don't tell you your whole personality. Take the test results with a grain of salt. The tests don't factor in family, peer groups, religion, etc., that play a huge part in personality. I'm an INFP myself, and some things fit, some don't. I've just made Firefly a little project. One of these days I'm going to be sickeningly Freudian and try to psychoanalyze one of the characters. Thank you guys for the feedback. You're a good group of people, I'm glad I stopped being a lurker and said hello :)

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Friday, March 4, 2005 1:02 PM

SHAWNEE

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:
Quote:
Originally posted by Shawnee:
River INFJ The Protector

So Shawnee studying psychology, exactly what does it mean when you fit equally well in five mutually exclusive groups?

Wow! It probably means that you're healthy. It's good to have a well-rounded personality and a wide worldview. It means that you look at things from many different perspectives. Everyone I've talked to in the past can only claim to fit into one, maybe two categories. Good for you. To the dismay of the psychological community, the best kind of people are those who don't fit into boxes.

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Friday, March 4, 2005 1:10 PM

DIETCOKE

Well, clearly our BDHs are missing a very important personally type on the ship, ENFJ, also known as me!

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Friday, March 4, 2005 1:36 PM

PERIDIDDLE

I've never taken the real Myers-Briggs test, though I would love to. Going off of online tests suggested to me and reading some of the descriptions of the types, I'm usually somewhere around INFP and INTP...maybe ISFP. I can identify with a lot of parts of each type, soo, yeah. ^_^ Actually, most of the Introverted personality types have elements I can easily see. It's odd.

"Bwaa...it's kind of a warrior...strikes fear into the hearts of..."

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Friday, March 4, 2005 3:47 PM

BANDANAGIRL

I haven't read this whole thing, but I have taken a paper approximation of the test, and I came up as an ENFJ. The description was eerily accurate. It even said I plan events, which I do!!!

Frell me dead!!!

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Friday, March 4, 2005 5:18 PM

SHINY

Quote:
Originally posted by Shawnee:

Here's a link where you can check the types out: http://www.personalitypage.com/home.html

There are also a bunch of different personality tests here (including Myers-Briggs) that don't require your credit card to take:

http://similarminds.com/

Jayne, your mouth is talkin. Might want to look into that.

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Friday, March 4, 2005 7:21 PM

NEEDLESEYE

An INFJ here.

Keeper of Jayne's goggles. 8)

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