Every once in a while there will be a really cool ENFP that jumps out of the woodwork and redeems all the other sell-out false desperation ENFPs (hipsters hanging outside of coffee shops asking for change).
So, in the case of the three dead-at-27 motherfuckers (and motherfuckesses) I alluded to in the previous article on ENFPs, the ENFP among them is Mr. Can-I-Stand-Next-To-Your-Fire?
That’s right – Jimi Hendrix is the ENFP among them. So, congratulations to the only person that voted for Jimi Hendrix in the comment section of the previous article. You win 6 coolness points to be redeemed at any coffee shop that is not chain-owned in the Portland, Oregon area of the United States, otherwise known as ENFP Central.
Update on 5-29-15: Hello people of the planet Earth. So, I received a comment after posting this article (two actually) that have compelled me to reconsider my typing of Hendrix as an ENFP (See Lucas and Martin in the below comment section). I now consider Hendrix to be an example of the ISFP type, so take the following commentary on Hendrix in that vein. However, this does not change the other information in this article regarding ENFPs. It’s just Hendrix isn’t a good example of one…well, he isn’t even a bad example of one because he isn’t an ENFP at all. So, I fucked up and I am currently engaged in self-fellatio (I mean flagellation) of myself for this oversight. Enjoy the rest of the article.
Why Is Jimi Hendrix an ENFP?
Exuberance. Fire. Peacockedness of an epic order. Well, let’s talk about his style, shall we. Motherfucking cat had style up the yin-yang. Most ENFPs have style. That is their big watchword. Problem is with many of them that it stops at style and never reaches actual substance. For example, as I said in the previous article, many of the ENFPs of the world made the sixties look really cool, all the psychedelic and colorful dress.
Now, Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington in 1942. From an early age he was playing broom sticks pretending that they were guitars. So, that was an early interest. He went through this and went through that and next thing you know he was gigging around the country with all these hip cats as a sideman guitarist. He got really good at the blues guitar. He soaked up all the influences of the music around him. And for some reason, he became a virtuoso guitarist. He practiced a lot. But, that’s not enough. He had some gift.
Anyway, Hendrix eventually wrote some songs and released an album called, Are You Experienced? That album has a lot of the songs he’s famous for like Purple Haze and Fire.
One thing we will notice about many ENFPs is that they have an instinctive pop gift. This comes from having Fe in the id position. But, notice too that they have Fi in the auxiliary. What this translates too is an ability to take a mucho load of exuberance (coming from Ne dom. too) and channel it through Fi. Fi basically equivocates to the blues medium in musical terms. Fe is pop. Fi is blues. Got it?
Now, you combine Ne with Feeling of any sort and you have some extremely colorful manifestations of glittery psychedelic mad hatter type expression. It’s actually exactly like Jimi’s music. Just like colorful swirls of spacy feedback-drenched blues that is pushing the blues into sonically-exhilarated pop heaven. Or vice-versa.
Or some of the most epic ballads imaginable. Just beautiful soulful and tasteful expression of love and sadness and emptiness. Listen to “The Wind Cries Mary” That has to be one of the most beautiful hippie ballads of the sixties era.
Now there is always a danger with ENFPs of being too shallow. Because they are NF types they typically have those deep humanistic sentiments regarding the human condition but risk expressing them in a way that makes them too saccharine and just not cutting enough. But, an ENFP at the top of their game can take those deep sentiments and express them perfectly without too much muss and fuss. And yet it is all rotating on this axis of joy, the universe, you know. And sometimes, to hell with depth. Yeah, you know. Gets tiresome after a while.
Originality, Or The Lack Thereof
With an ENFP it is often a matter of some visual component in their expression. New visuals. And usually this has to do with taking something that already exists (like old blues songs) and dressing them up like psychedelic peacocks and mobilizing the living hell out of them.
As many people know, Hendrix is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, rock guitarist that ever lived. His style of playing guitar has been emulated by many, many, many aspiring guitarists of the newer generations. No one has really ever superseded Jimi in his histrionic ability on the guitar. He came up with creative ways of using feedback that had never been done before. A new sound. He could also play the guitar with his teeth and behind his back. Showman’s tricks. Virtuoso tricks. He dressed really cool – I mean, really cool. No one dressed cooler than Hendrix. He look like an exploded peacock. Bright boa feathers. And the colors. Nothing but psychedelic rainbows. ENFPs are the original rainbow children. If you ever see someone and they look like the fashion equivalent of a rainbow, or a kaleidoscope set on overdrive, there is good chance they are an ENFP.
Color. That is an ENFP specialty. Bright and colorful. Blazing off every color of the rainbow. And making statements with this color. Of personality. And dress.
But, what are they saying? What are their original ideas? Well, that’s just it. Typically, ENFPs don’t have any original ideas. But, they are great at taking other’s ideas and capitalizing the living hell out of them. And making it look very cool in the process. I don’t know, ENFPs are just really good at making things look really groovy and exciting.
And hip.
ENFPs are like the equivalent of colorizing an old black and white movie.
So, let’s recap on the ENFP essential traits:
- Style
- Color
- Innate pop sensibility
- Rainbows
- Cool use of other’s ideas
- Taste
Happiness is Happening
O, how could I forget – ENFPs are humanistic in orientation. Yes, they are of the romantic class and so have an innate appeal to the feeling sentiments of other flesh-and-blood beasts of the Age of Aquarius.
They want people to be happy and hippy and hip-hip-hooray. It seems that ENFPs and the root word, “hip” or “hap” have a lot in common. Happening. Happiness. Hipness. Hop. Yeah, any three letter word that starts with an h and ends with a p: hap, hep, hip, hop, hup, and let’s not forget “hype”. OK, hype is a four letter word but you get my drift. The hyped-up hip happening hopping hallucinogenic hoorah. That’s ENFP. Interestingly enough, the part of the body attributed to the zodiac sign of Sagittarius is “the hip”. And I correlate ENFP to the zodiac sign of Sagittarius in its extraverted and outgoing mode (Sagittarius has an ingoing mode too). Sagittarius also has to do with the liver in the body, and again, we have the word, “hep”, which means “of the liver” in Latin.
Behind all ENFP motives is the desire to see people be happy. Or at least themselves. Just be cool. Look good. Feel good. Don’t get into all that power tripping. That’s uncool. Basically, anything that is uncool they are an enemy of. If it is not wide and aspirational and beautiful sounding in sentiment, ENFPs ain’t within a mile of it. They are on the winning side and they just will ignore all the evil uncool vibes out of existence. ENFPs are really good at making people feel bad that are engaged in various forms of uncoolness. These cool cats just give a little sniff of disdain like, “What the fuck is that cat up to that looks so ugly and power-oriented.”
ENFPs and Power-Orientation
Here is where ENFPs can be hypocrites as I alluded to in my previous article. Self-seeking power mongers who drag down the beauty and vibration of the human spirit are the enemies of ENFP rainbow children worldwide.
And when an ENFP wants to make someone look bad they do it in such a minimalistic way like they are in this ivory tower of righteous coolness. They are looking down at you, condescending to you, not necessarily saying anything too loud (like shouting, because that means they blew their cool). No, it will often be this snide and somewhat cat-like look of disdain, like they couldn’t even bother with you to come down and explain anything about the ins and outs of why you are wrong. Basically, the ENFP is in and you are out. That is how it works. They are always in fashion.
And ENFPs are always talking about human’s rights and how the corporations are exploiting the workers of the world and polluting the environment at the same time. And while we’re on the subject, woman are exploited worldwide and THE MAN is responsible because they are such insensitive and crude brutes.
And what about the dolphins and the whales and all the cute creatures worldwide that are being trapped in fishermen’s nets worldwide. And why do we have to eat animals? And basically, why do humans have to be so extraverted sensation in orientation? With their crude and repugnant impulses to rape, murder, and profit off of human misery.
For shame you capitalists and mercenaries!
And you know what? A lot of times ENFPs are dead-on right. I mean, look at all this crazy insensitivity of the world? It’s all over the place. And it does make humans look rather low in vibration.
But, on the other hand, what do many ENFPs up and do? They join The Establishment, that’s what. That same establishment that they were purporting to fight. Or they create their own establishments which exclude all kinds of neat and groovy people that just don’t happen to look the part of the cool rebel.
Not all the time, mind you, but often enough where I think we have to take note of this trend. “Trend” is another ENFP word. What is trending now? That’s them. Always into what is cool and happening now. The ENFP horror of horrors is to not be up on what is going down. Why? Because they want to capitalize on the now. Or make fun of it ala IRONY. ENFPs love to make fun of what all kinds of dumb and uncool people are doing worldwide. They employ irony or the satirical consciousness to do so. They make people look like horse’s asses and laughing stocks. A good deal of the time they just want to prove how cool they are and how uncool so many other people are.
So, Jimi Hendrix was a truly cool ENFP because unlike a lot of these coffee shop false desperation hipsters today, he actually took it all the way. He had the good sense to die of a drug overdose at the age of 27 just like so many other truly cool people, most of whom were INFJs, mind you (Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, Michel Basquiat, and Kurt Cobain). He played his guitar in the bathroom, in the bedroom, on the stage, and in his grave. Pretty deep.
Well, that about wraps that up. Hope you’re happy. Or heppy. Or peppy. Or dyspeptic. Or catatonic. Or dyslexic.
If not, blame Rachel Maddow and her army of Teletubbies worldwide.
Featured Image Photo Credit: By Denis Bourez from France (Madame Tussauds, London Uploaded by SunOfErat) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Lol… I already thought ENFPs were cool but now I know they are way cooler than me :). I don’t care I’m just going to steal all the good aspects of each personality type and make it my own HA
His music really is amazing.
Haha
So Blake, how is the intuitive side expressed in ENFPs? Do they have Ne?
The intuitive side of ENFPs (Ne) is expressed very colorfully…in full-scale rainbow fashion.
Not always though. I have noticed that many ENFPs are relatively toned-down in their appearance but then the Ne comes out as a cornucopia of esthetic ideas and presentations, while they themselves are relatively conservative in dress. Take Steve Jobs for example. He was relatively non-outlandish in dress and presentation, but, if you look at his company and products (Apple) you will notice that a lot of its claim to fame rested on it being so much cooler and hipper than Microsoft’s similar offerings. Much of this difference rested on Apple’s technology products being user-friendly, intuitive to use, and elegant and tasteful in design.
Also, notice Steve Jobs marketing savvy, nay, genius. ENFPs are often brilliant at marketing.
Steve Jobs was an ENFP? Really?! Interesting. I don’t know too much about him, but I can say Apple marketing has a cool ENFP flair. He was the face of Apple and so on. However, I always thought he recreated the zeitgeist of the cool from his generation into technology and inducted the next generation into it. All of which sounds consistent with the ENFP marketing saavy of being the pied piper of the latest cool thing. Still, Steve Jobs, the man, I thought must be something else. Fascinating thought. A rabbit hole I’ll leave for another day. 🙂
I reckon Jimi was an introvert. Introverts can be extremely out there when they are doing their thing. When you see him interviewed, he’s quite shy and humble and reflective.
INxx, I reckon.
Oh hey Martin! According to various website descriptions (which aren’t that accurate but yea), ENFPs ARE the most introverted extrovert.
So, Jimi plausibly having a high level of introversion does not rule out Blakes assessment that the outstanding guitar player is an ENFP.
Also shyness has to do with social anxiety (not a preference for extraversion or introversion) and can be exhibited in both extroverts and introverts. Shyness does not indicate that someone is an introvert.
Also… I reckon? Are you from the south? I’m from Texas ^_^
Yes, Tiffany is exactly correct here. Just because someone is shy doesn’t mean they are an introvert. I would also agree that ENFPs can be one of the more introverted-appearing extravert dominant types.
Also, Martin, the way you are doing the typing is a pretty bad method in my opinion. You can’t just go through the four-letter type code in “either/or” fashion. You have to learn to see the types as a whole. If you just look at a person and go, “Are they extraverted or introverted? Do they prefer sensation or intuition? Do they prefer feeling or thinking? Are they a judger or a perceiver?”, well, that is going to lead to all kinds of distortions. For example, in the assignment of extraversion or introversion you may be seeing a person’s auxiliary function, so in that respect the typing could be off. I agree that it is much easier to do typings the way you are doing them, but, it just doesn’t work. It is too crude a way to do it.
At least, in my opinion. But, then again, I could be wrong. But, who is to say?
I think you have to look at the function positions to gauge a whole type. For example, I don’t see tertiary Si as would be required for Hendrix to be an INxP. I also don’t see dominant Ni required for him to be an INXJ. I could actually more easily see Hendrix being an ISFP then an INxx type. But, for various reasons that wouldn’t work for me either. I think what we’re seeing when Hendrix is performing in his totally inspired and plugged-into-the-cosmos fashion is a very pure and strong Ne dominance. That is what strong Ne dominance looks like. It is like a dominant function coming through without a lot of intermediation from other functions. Pure Ne expressing from the dominant is the most out there and cosmically inspired manifestation of fire and phantasmagoria possible.
Anyway, that is what I see – ENFP.
And many ENFPs, in my observation, are pretty quiet and elegant in demeanor (much of the time), but, nonetheless are pulling from an extraverted perspective, which means that they don’t get that deep into things or people. I think Hendrix bears this out in his art, which often relies on extensiveness, spontaneity, and spectactle (or surface effects) for it’s impact. However, this is not at all in any way to dismiss the import of Hendrix’s art. After all, art is often about surfaces. Also, Hendrix was an exceptional ENFP for his ability to touch some pretty awesome depths in some of his songs. Take The Wind Cries Mary, for example. Something very very moving about that song – some quietness in it – that is absolutely stunning in its stillness and melancholy.
But, that’s not really what Hendrix is known for. He was more known for being a revolutionary guitar player who pushed the boundaries of the sounds that it was possible to get out of the instrument…one almost might say the phantasmagoria of colors that it was possible to get out an amplified guitar which is feeding back to itself.
So, as an update Martin, I now think Hendrix is an ISFP. You are right in mentioning that Hendrix in his offstage presentation did come across as introverted. So, thanks for chiming in. Between you and Lucas (another commenter on this article) I have been convinced that Hendrix is an introvert dominant type, in this case an ISFP, not an INxx type as you maintain. But, still, your comment led me to question my ENFP assignment. So, anyway, that is my current assessment of Hendrix.
Blake,
What would you say are some cool observations you have about the ESFP personality? Please feel free to answer the question however you’d like. Any info would be nice.
Oh I’m sorry I meant Enfp! Sorry I didn’t get to sleep till 2 last night cuz my darn coworkers wanted me to have dinner with them at 1030 and I couldn’t resist -_-
What the heck do you mean? The article has some observations about ENFPs in it. What in particular do you wanna know? If you’re more specific, I’m more liable to have a pithy answer for you.
Darn’t I knew you would answer like that :p silly. I like General questions because it gives you more freedom to interpret the question And express yourself… But noOo
Okay um….
Geez I literally like knowing anything about ENFPs, they are my favorite personality type.
Okay because we are all adult, ( I think or in theory) so, what are ENFPs like in bed?
I mean just out of curiosity… Not that I’m thinking about that or anything
I love how you assume I know what ENFPs are like in bed…
Lol it’s nothing against you. You just have a way of diving into people’s psyche that makes me assume you would know even if you haven’t experienced it firsthand.
How would you describe the relationship between an ENTP and ENFP? Any observations or experience? I could see both how they would love each other and want to tear each others’ heads off…
I think they are very similar in how they see the world but very different in their emotional needs and ways of acting on their insights. The conflict between them is basically the conflict between thinking and feeling. ENTPs are relatively oblivious to Fi and ENFPs are relatively oblivious to Ti. ENTPs are moving towards Fe from Te (their id position) and ENFPs are moving towards Te from Fe (their id position). So, very different life directions and innate core strengths. I think they can get along but are liable to often move in different circles.
Hello sir!
Okay I thought of a question ^_^…
I’m somewhat curious about the introverted extravert aspect of the ENFP (because I can relate to having high levels of both. An extreme need for people and company. Yet, a need for introspective moments, and a tendency to get lost in thought) How does this play out in the ENFP personality?
so, what type is Janis Joplin, then?
ESFP. However, on cursory inspection she does seem like an ENFP. But, don’t be fooled.
Blake, how do you differentiate between an ENFP and ESFP? There doesn’t seem to be any clear cut answers. I know ENFPs are idea people, whereas, in theory, ESFPs (being Se dominant) should have a more difficult time expressing certain types of analytical or abstract thought. ESFP would probably lean toward rational thoughts and expressions and be grounded in their physical environment.
Or am I wrong?
Yo, I see your point in typping Hendrix as ENFP (and I thought that Hendrix would be your guess by the way you pictured ENFPs in the previous article), but I’m not that sure about that.
Yes, definetely Hendrix was all about coolness. Not only for his dressing style , but also his presentation was very layed-down, cool, charming and colorful. However, I think it’s pretty much possible that we was an ISFP as well. His mastery over the guitar is pretty much Se, and his music is pure Fi, all that bluesy thing combined with tons of acid that just created the idiosyncratic mind-blowing solos. I think he was just an introverted guy who felt confident in plugging his amp, getting monumentally stoned and showing everybody all the wilderness of mastery over an instrument.
I’m not personally involved with any ENFP, so I can’t really say how do they look in a close-up deep analysis, but it seems to me that they are pretty wild in outer presentation (at least, they are Ne-dominant, which for me is the embodiment of wilderness from what I’ve experienced with my fellas ENTPs). And that is the point: Hendrix was wild in guitar playing and show performance (which seems to me the kind of Se wilderness), but I don’t see Ne in his off-show presentation. He didn’t seem to show that bit of mental chaotic energy that comes with Ne, and for me it’s more plausible to think that he was a mature (yet dependent and aloof), confident in his mastery, cool and charming ISFP than a shy-but-wild upbeat ENFP.
Hope it makes sense.
Also, I would like to ask you about Si in the shadow position (or, Si in general). I’ve got Se in shadow position and I know how it feels: awful, like any shadow position. Struggle to action, otherworldiness, awkwardness in physical contact, sensorial pleasure slavery time to time, vanity, and it goes on. But I often get confused on how Si manifests in people (specially in auxiliary, tertiary and shadow positions). Si description is one of the most abstract Jung’s description in his book, and Si-dominant types are also displayed in a very weirdo way, so I would like to hear your words about it, both theoretically and pratically speaking.
Love.
You know, now that you mention it…you might be right…Hendrix could very well be an ISFP. You got me thinking about it and you may have actually convinced me. Yeah, where is his Ne in his offstage presentation? And that Ne could be Se anyway. Now that I think of it, Hendrix must have had strong Se the way he played his guitar. And when I think of it even more, where is his tertiary Te? He had none of that Te savvy at all. Actually, ISFP was my second choice for Hendrix and that was one of the reasons, the lack of Te interest. Hendrix just wanted to play his guitar. He hated, and moreover, totally ignored the business side of his career. Not an ENFP thing.
So, great, the one example of an awesome ENFP that redeems all other ENFPs isn’t even an ENFP!
Yeah, you’re absolutely right. Hendrix was an ISFP – a particularly flamboyant one. And you know what? This is where astrology comes into play. Hendrix had a Sagittarius Sun and Ascendant. He also had a Cancer Moon. His Ascendant and Moon positions are what I would correlate to the ENFP type as implied positions. Having a late Sagittarius Ascendant is like having the dominant function of an ENFP and having a Cancer moon is like having the id position of an ENFP. So, I think that is where I got mixed up. He kind of mimics ENFP.
Plus, Hendrix wasn’t even making sense with ENFPs in the context I was talking about them anyway. He just wasn’t fitting.
O, and regarding your question about the shadow position. Do you mean the inferior function, the function opposite to the dominant or are you talking about Beebe’s shadow functions? If it is the former, check out my articles on Se in the INFJ and INTJ , which are in the INFJ and INTJ section of the site. If the latter, I would need more information on which type you are because I don’t consider Beebe’s shadow functions as a grouping and would consider them on a one-by-one basis depending on what type you are. But, you’re an INFJ, no?
Anyway, good call. I think you’re right now that I think about it. Thanks for chiming in.
However, that doesn’t change any of the stuff I said about ENFPs aside from Hendrix being one.
How do you like that? And now for the coolest ENFP that ever lived – an ISFP.
Just kidding. There are still some way cool and righteous ENFPs. How bout the dude who created the modern hipster – Steve Jobs? Now, he is definitely an ENFP. I can’t be talked out of that one. And what about Stephen Spielberg? Now I see a continuum. Yeah, Hendrix definitely doesn’t belong there. He belongs more with Slash and Kirk Hammett and other soulful and electrifying gunslingers.
Would you be opposed to making another post about ENFPs, possibly with another example of one? 🙂 pwease
Oy. Work, work, work. I guess I’ll have to since I royally fucked up on this post. But, I’m happy to change my mind if people give me a good reason to. I actually welcome it.
Also Tiffy, why do you have such a hard-on for ENFPs? What has been said about them, either here or somewhere else, that makes them your favorite type. Just curious.
“Also Tiffy, why do you have such a hard-on for ENFPs? What has been said about them, either here or somewhere else, that makes them your favorite type. Just curious,”
Okay I will tell you, but… don’t make fun of me or else you will meet my wrath! Trust me I do have some tucked away in this nice girl facade.
Okay… well
When people are young, they ask themselves questions like, “What’s my purpose,
What’s the meaning of life?
Why am I here?”
The richest and wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, said, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandment, for this is the duty of all mankind,”
Okay so what we are suppose to ‘do’ or our purpose: To follow God’s commands
But what are his commandments?
The New Testament states, “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
I think you call it Fe…
But I don’t view Fe as being sexual at all. God gave us this desire to love everyone, because that is what he wants us to do. Not love like, bring you flowers so you can sleep with me…
Love like… sacrifice my life for you.
From everything I’ve read, the ENFP personality type is the embodiment of what to me… a well balanced and loving person is.
They are called the ‘champions’ because they care. To me, there’s no greater calling than to care and help people. Not the rich… to help the poor… not to be friends with the ‘cool kids’…. But to be friends with those who society says is not good enough because they don’t look the part.
They are said to be loving and accepting and caring. I also admire the way they approach intimate relationships. They are completely devoted..
These things I admire…
1)Passion for life and people
2)warm and bright
3)capable of doing anything they set their minds to
4)beautiful
5)introspective and outgoing at the same time
6)energetic
7)people oriented
8)caring
Tiffy… Hi 🙂
I’m new in town, & I mean no disrespect. I feel as though reasons for enjoying ENFP so much are the exact same reasons that people find their thrust so irritable.
I appreciate how they can enter one’s life as a breath of fresh air, exuding the most basic forms of needs of the heart. That is ENFP, at least in my world. Seriously basic. I just cannot apply the term “balanced” to this type. Lovely, gorgeous, caring, they absolutely are. Yet, there is a self-righteousness that they possess, should the ideals they have concluded, with no real interest in depth of reason for such phenomena, that reeks of shallow behavior. You can tell them your truth, and they will proceed to explain how you are wrong about your truth and how their truth of you and everything else is right because they need that appraisal, so when they open their eyes, they can be right, and that translates to effort. Repeat your truth with conviction, and you may as well have unveiled yourself the zeitgeist monster.
Yes, that’s effort, for them. Not for the intended subject. The latter seems not to translate.
I realize that there is a depth to understanding and caring that cascades into stress and despair; INFJ-land. ENFP manage a way of eradicating the painful aspects of experiencing empathy, and are super cute while at it… I just cannot give them so much credit. To be an extravert with Fi, if only. I am not discrediting, just giving my point of view, from my orientation.
I love reading your comments so much.
Oh… Alexandria 🙂
When you said you loved reading my comments, I’m pretty sure you made me blush.
Generally speaking, I agree with your assertion that describing them as “balanced” might not ring true, particularly because of certain aspects of their personality, such as their intense emotions and incessant desire to be the center of attention. Also, passion can definitely be taken too far.
I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I’ve never taken my convictions too far, but it only makes me that much more aware of how detrimental that is to a relationship. And the sad thing is, the person they are hurting the most is themselves…
If you never consider another person’s view than you never grow.
So… It’s their loss of they can’t see the beauty of your convictions.
Oh, and I’m not sure that I’ve ever known a flesh and blood ENFP…
So it’s possible that I’ve idealized them.
Thank you for reading my comment <3!
And I appreciate your response 🙂
Oh and btw Blake, you didn’t f up 🙂 these two are my favorite posts that you’ve made in a while. You just wait till I get my job! Then I will show my appreciation in a way that even you could understand ^_^… Donations
Tiffy 🙂 I appreciate that you feel flattered. I just enjoy your comments, they are very illuminating!
I am so relieved that you didn’t interpret my comment as haughty or disdainful. I wrote the response and it took me hours to let myself hit “post comment” ha. So silly.
My experience comes from living as a Black woman in Brooklyn–a wellspring of hipster– who appropriate certain aspects of culture yet will not make eye contact or exude a modicum of kindness. I have walked down the street & have had people literally stall and inspect their phones in my line of transit, standing completely still when we meet. At first I was quite timid, but now when this instance occurs, I stand up for myself, informing them, “Hey, you are standing right in my way and you know it,” something that Fe gets discouraged from quickly in youth. There is no winning unless you are jerking them off. Like, the concept of me dwelling alongside them, but not working for them or yielding to them, or assimilating, is so obscene.
I also dated this guy once who was SO fucking whack.
& have we not all taken our convictions too far? Is that not why we are here? Lol. Good Lord, I think I have a potential burial plot pending in every part of the world. Train-wreck city.
I am late to this discussion, but I’m glad to see that the Jimi Hendrix ENFP status changed to ISFP. Once I read the article, I was going to chime in on this for all the reasons discussed.
Regarding ENFPs, like all types they are a mixed bag. However, to Tiffy Pop: I think everything you love about them is often true. They do blaze brightly and their love and passion is on fire, like Jimi’s guitar often was. All those good traits and their many strengths bring with them some weaknesses that have been mentioned. If you want hope, optimism, enthusiasm, and the promise of happyland – go to an ENFP. If you want one on one undivided attention with an ENFP, you may get it but it will have to be rescheduled over and over and will probably be interrupted and become a group love-in. I’m not talking sex either, but that is also possible. 😉 They have charm and they really do care. They have a LOT of energy. They also have a surprising amount of depth, empathy, and understanding for someone who is also embracing the world in a loving embrace. Whenever you have an extrovert, I think something of depth must be sacrificed. Their message and meanings may be diluted as they deliver their ideas expansively and widely, rather than intensively and to a limited group.
The thing is life can never really measure up to the ENFP fluffy puppy, communal, equality striving, lolly pops, hearts, and flowers vision for humanity and all living creatures. They ignore that though, but I’m pretty sure they know. Actually, at least with the ones I know well, I know they do. Truly they amaze me. They burn bright for a loooonnnng time fueled by optimism that seems to almost to never quit them, but when it does — they go down hard, disappear for periods of time, become shells of themselves, and it is a very sad thing to see. Don’t worry, they have some amazing resilience and a few days, weeks, or months later they are back bigger than life with new plans to save the world. They seem a little bi-polar. No balloons can float that high forever, but ENFPs do it for longer than any real life balloons. Or maybe they are kites! Anyway, they do fly.
For all these stellar qualities that work so well for you, they are an irritant and cause allergic reactions to others. That is the great thing about all the types, what is poison to one person is like a shot of B-12 to another. ENFPs to me are mostly like B-12 too.
Hello Rita 🙂 you’re name is interesting.
Maybe… They are hummingbirds who can choose to hover above the flowers and provide nourishment ^_^ I’m sure even hummingbirds need their rest.
Thank you for the beautiful description. I read it a few times to soak it in.
I appreciate your response … Yea I think I’m going to marry an ENFP now ^_^
Totally in love. *_* (star struck)
lol… I’m jk
We are all so different from one another. Even within personality types, each person is as unique as their fingerprint and thus can leave their own special mark on the world.
Some marks are more clear and beautiful than others.
I really respect the INFJ personality type too. My little bro is one. From what I can see, he is serious, friendly and caring.
Particularly when the INFJ females talk, I feel touched and a sense of awe. I just think you guys are way cool 🙂
Thank you again Rita and have a lovely night
Very well-written synopsis of ENFPs. Good job Rita!
@Rita
I just reread your description of enfp. Cuz my twin is one… I just want to say there was like FULL RESONANCE pinging with everything you wrote, like every single sentence. I think it is a very good description of enfp.
Hey Alexandria =) I’m going to try to respond to you before I pass out. I went to an officer meeting today for a club I participate in
and I had some much needed girl time with a friend before that… so now I’m tuckered out =) but.. I dunno. I want to talk to you though.
-“I wrote the response and it took me hours to let myself hit “post comment” ha. So silly. “-
Oh my gosh, I used to be the exact same way. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. lol. I’m super sensetive so I can easily clam up if people are too… extraverted. The world seemed a little too critical to me so I walked around in my little shell observing everything for many years =) Until I decided…
No one’s perfect, even though people like to pretend like they are… so either they like me for who I am or they don’t, but I’m just going to do me _< could be worse though.
and like you, I don't really care to conform to the group either… I just want to be myself and have fun while I'm at it.
Anyways, Instead of blowing up this website, do you want to exchange info? Email me at tiffany_sabrina@hotmail.com and I will send you my info =) we can chat more…
oh! but I wanted to know.. what genre of music do you do? Do you sing or play an instrument?
And what's up with the guy? Was he an ENFP?
let me know on my email =)
k cool,
Goodnight Alexandria =)
Tiffy! 🙂
I have come to that very conclusion as well. Although, I have found that “just being me” has come with quite the learning curve.
Ah, my music, my savior… I wish I had a solid answer to that question, ha. I am a singer-songwriter. The music is rooted in blues and rock, rhythm dominant. Guitar is my primary instrument, although I play several.
As for the ENFP guy… girl, check your e-mail, lol. Let’s just say we did not last 🙂
ah I’m in love! That’s so cool =)I can’t wait to hear your music. I love anything with a good beat. Do you have YouTube videos or anything?
Haha why are you not down the block right now?! I wish we could hang out!
I considered the YouTube video thing, but I really want the sound in its full iteration prior to breaking things down. Neurotic, I know, but I don’t care. Being seen contrary to what you feel so often and so continuously becomes demoralizing, you feel like you have no dignity. I am working on solid pieces, focused on cohesion. My current record is a statement. I see my next record the same way.
No, I get that.
You want your music to be the best it can be before you send it out. Like the best representation of you and your talent.
That’s not neurotic at all. My mom’s the best example that I can give you. She’s a perfectionist and a dreamer. She had this crazy idea that she was going to expand her modest home daycare into a childcare facility known as Little Angel’s Playhouse.
She kept on striving for excellence, like you are.
Guess what? At the end of the day, she owned a few daycare facilities, including a prestigious preparatory school for preschoolers.
which earned her recognition as one of the top five business women in the Woodlands, Texas. (Please, google that.)
The Woodlands is a ritzy community (that I hated) lol, but nonetheless it was a great honor.
I know if you continue striving, you will make your vision a reality, like my mom did.
You should read some stuff Blake has to say about INFJ’s and their potential as artists. He believes some of the greatest were INFJ’s.
The INFJ personality has a set of unique characteristics that I like. It combines deep thinking, caring, and the ability to implement their visions via their judging function. It’s a very unique combination.
Being introverted may make them more self- aware as well, which is a blessing in itself.
My cousin Freddy is a DJ with some connections in the music world. He’s played in Houston and Vegas. If you want his information, he’s a really cool guy.
oh my gosh, you read my mind about hanging out. I was actually thinking the other day (randomly and for fun) what it would be like to see everyone from the internet who you talk to.
You know how the internet brings people from different countries and states together? But that’s like my home town. Vegas brings all sorts of people together =) but why am I telling you? You live in Brooklyn, New York, the melting pot ^_^.
Hmm. As an INFJ I come across people who identify as ENFP and others who do, but I can always divide them into two broad categories: the ones who don’t really ‘get’ what they talk about, and the ones who do.
I think a lot of ENFPs are ESFPs in disguise. And I don’t fit so well with ESFPs as ENFPs. ESFPs fit the description you’ve given in the article above; they seek out what’s cool and whore it out like they invented the concept, or at least were a part of it becoming ‘a thing’.
The ESFPs I’ve known really grind my gears. And I think MBTI-aware ESFPs are likely to want to pretend to be ENFPs. Because sexy space cadets are cooler than the vapid, sensory do-er.
There are also those who call themselves ENFP who are actually INFP. I think true ENFPs aren’t quite as common as they seem to be. But ENFPs definitely cling to virtues and values that seem all peace and love like, and have a knack for explaining them articulately (Te). Problem is they can often appear patronising, in a passive aggressive way. Ultimately though they just want to be loved and admired.
Didn’t describe any of that well.
I hate how badly I described ALL of that.
Hey Pad,
If you didn’t like it, you can always try again…
But I think you did an okay job at conveying your message 🙂
I’ve been looking at Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. They were all a bit before my time, but I knew some of the music. I am still trying to figure the functions out and haven’t yet given this my full attention, that would take me weeks of study. My impression thus far, however, is that Janis Joplin has Fe. But ESFP is missing Fe. I’ve read, and it seems true that Fe is very expressive. Not sure what is more expressive than her face while singing and in more pics than not, she is smiling. This is in great contrast to Jim Morrison. I had to look up ‘Jim Morrison smile’. And watching him singing, he is near expressionless in comparison. And he smacks of Fi to me and I wonder if he has Ne. He feels private and contained and intuitive.
Janis is all hanging out. Very authentic. And I saw in one video her in loving form, encouraging someone on stage that was not at all sure how she came to be there or how to vanish. Janis realized this too late I think but was still needing to be in the moment, which is absolutely where she was, so a sensor I’d say as well.
I would certainly consider ISFP for Hendrix. But why not ESFP?
I as yet don’t know how all this figures. I’m still trying to figure out Se and Si. My impression is that Hendrix has Se, and Joplin Se. Not sure about Morrison. Maybe Si. I see a good memory, and thus far, I attribute this to Si, Ne, or Te? Working on it, working on it, cause I have none of these, lol. But Hendrix makes it up as he goes, not the same each time.
Morrison INFP?
Thoughts about my jumble?
“But, an ENFP at the top of their game can take those deep sentiments and express them perfectly without too much muss and fuss. And yet it is all rotating on this axis of joy, the universe, you know. And sometimes, to hell with depth. Yeah, you know. Gets tiresome after a while.”
So, let’s recap on the ENFP essential traits:
Style
Color
Innate pop sensibility
Rainbows
Cool use of other’s ideas
Taste
Not too much muss and fuss. Excellent use of ideas. Color. Pop sensibility.
Blake, you definitely share this with enfps, whatever type you are:)
Cyndi Lauper…is she an enfp? She seems to fit some of what you describe? And Blake, hi there, hello to you.
Hi lunar 🙂
I’m not at liberty at the moment to say whether Lauper is an ENFP or not. I’d have to think about it…
and I ain’t in the mood to do so right now 🙂