The Idealist - INFP

Joyful joyful, my exams have finished and now I have a long summer of project to await my attention, this blog included. Sadly, we are almost at the close of this MBTI project, though we still have six entries to go and we shall certainly make the most of them. 

Then, without further ado, folks, let us stride onward, valiantly, into the next personality type: The Idealist (INFP).

How then should we describe this type? Well ultimately, the Idealist is defined by their sense of idealism. They need a cause to follow and further and more often than not they hold fundamentally positive conceptions of what other people are truly like. This is not so say that they choose to ignore the bad they can see, only that they view it as being something which can be overcome. Though this is a highly endearing feature, INFPs stray onto the side of being overly idealistic, often to the point where they become unable to see, due to their not valuing them, certain practical matters.

Furthermore, INFPs are very passionate and creative people, possessing great energy and dedication to that which they care about. When an INFP cares, they care very deeply, though they do not always show it, often coming across as withdraw, thus making them hard to get to know on a personal or perhaps even more intimate level. In spite of this tendency to seem withdrawn, the INFP takes things very personally, somewhat wearing their heart on their sleeve. They like to give more than they get and this can sometimes be to their disadvantage, for there is such a thing as being too altruistic. Idealists prefer people to impersonal data, though this does not mean they entirely lack analytical skill, only that they prefer to use data appropriately should they have to use it at all. Overall, Idealists are committed to harmony and diplomacy, tending to be highly open-minded individuals.

With this in mind, let us look at the following characters. Closest to this type we have: Jo, Eddard Stark, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Neal, Zachary and Bethany.

Jo

In spite of her mother's wishes for her not to involve herself in hunting, Jo is certainly a passionate individual, seeking to live up to her father's example and protect people by fighting against the things that go bump in the night. To this cause, Jo is dedicated, putting in no small effort to both deceive and defy her mother, who is, in herself, a force to be reckoned with. She is relatively open-minded and though she might not always show it, she certainly possesses an active "inner life", meaning to say that she has strong emotions and cares. She also demonstrates some of the more negative aspects of this personality type, for Jo is passionate enough that she can act on impulse, without thinking and stopping to reflect on the pragmatics of the situation. Though she is an open character, there is still the feeling that we do not quite know her as well as we might, that she is keeping something from us. Finally, she is undoubtedly altruistic, willing to give her life that the Winchester brothers might live. 

Eddard Stark

Honour is his middle name and there is nothing to which Ned is more dedicated than his duty, seeking to fulfil it in accordance with his code of honour, even at great expense. Though he is not totally impractical, he certainly views the pragmatic as lesser than the noble and it is his exceptional altruism which eventually costs him his life. Had he not wished to grant Cersei mercy, he would have perhaps survived to play a greater part in the Game of Thrones. Should the honour he fights for be broken, he takes it personally and is unwilling to overlook the transgressions of others, such as Jaime, thus perhaps lacking the open-mindedness possessed by most Idealists. He does, overall, seek peace and harmony, though his actions do eventually lead to war, it was certainly not his intent. Core to Eddard is his desire for justice and though he does not live to see it, in fact another's perverse sense of justice is what leads to his death, his energy for it cannot be questioned.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya

Her people have been grossly mistreated, though they are absolutely not blameless in this, by the other species of the galaxy and Tali feels this injustice greatly. However, in spite of her being seen as vermin, by some, Tali remains staunchly optimistic, truly considering other people to be good, or at least capable of good. She has no wish to fight, preferring diplomacy and peace, though she is a capable combatant and will wade into battle should not other choice present itself. She wants her people to be recognised for the unique and talented race that they are and her dedication to seeing this justice carried out is exceptionally high. So personally does she hold this goal that should it not be fulfilled, Tali would rather take her own life than live in a world without that hope. Though her culture has imbued her with many prejudices, she is willing to overcome them, with help and patience, an example of her open mind. 

Neal

He was willing to give up Emma, a woman he cares for very deeply because he thought it would be to her benefit to do so. Neal possesses a strong sense of justice, only wanting what is fair for everyone and fundamentally wanting to believe that others can be redeemed, though he does, admittedly, struggle with this at times. Like most Idealists, Neal is less concerned with the pragmatic and has been known to do some very stupid things in an attempt to further his idealised desires. Though hardly a pacifist, Neal wants harmony, he does not want to fight if he does not have to.

Zachary

Though he is perhaps less readily open-minded, Zachary evidently cares for his sister and niece very deeply and, though he did nothing to save his brother-in-law and his nephew, he lives with that regret for the rest of his life and it does truly seem to affect him. He is dedicated to the goal of protecting his family, to the extent that he is willing to strike a deal with Meronym, in which he will defy his religion and face the devil himself, a most impractical endeavour, if she will save the life of his niece. He does not necessarily have the positive outlook on others that the Idealist is know for, though he certainly seems to develop a kind of sensitivity to others as his chapter progresses. Finally, Zachary is a rather solipsistic character and it takes a while for the reader to get to know him well, if we can ever be said to truly know him well at all. 

Bethany

Hawke's sister is a quite character and, though she has a positive attitude to others and wants to see the good in them, even the templars, to a degree, she is often withdrawn and keeps herself to herself. She has a very overly idealised view of others, always willing to hope that they will protect her secret, that she is an apostate, and rarely erring on the side of caution. Her family means a lot to her, however, and she is willing to fight alongside her brother/sister, displaying an aptitude for creativity. Though she has evaded the circle thus far, Bethany is impractical when it comes to actively hiding her secret, failing to give practical matters their due attention.