Joel and Antonia explore how the seventh function (trickster) clashes with our core fixations using the FIRM Model. They unpack how this creates double binds for each type, and why it feels so personal, offering a fresh lens on inner tension and growth.
- by Personality Hacker
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- by Personality Hacker
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4 comments
I’m INTP, and don’t necessarily resonate with this specific FIRM take. I do get trapped by social drama, especially as an INTP woman working with other women — I’m uncertain not only about how to engage socially myself with Fe, but also with gathering sufficient evidence of what’s happening through non-verbal cues with Se. People ar gossiping in the hallways, and not only do I not know the appropriate action, but I can’t see or hear what they’re saying or their expressions well enough to know if I should approach or be concerned (and it’s not paranoia, sometimes it has affected me negatively in concrete ways).
Conscious, chosen Se is usually alright, though — I’m an artist and like spontaneous travel a lot. I had a great time volunteering abroad in my 20s, just showing up places and wandering around. It didn’t feel like a trap, because the people already expected outsiders to be odd and not know what was going on, so it was fine that I was clueless much of the time.
My best fit type is INFP, and using extroverted sensing as my trickster function feels like I’m in an incompetent space, which relates to my fourth function, extroverted thinking. I need more time to both figure out what my values and feelings are about what’s happening, so I’ll be in alignment and not stressed out (driver function of introverted feeling), and I need time to figure out what it all means (the pattern, idea, concept, which is my co-pilot function of extroverted intuition). I really hate the feeling of incompetence and being unsure of myself and what I’m doing (like what if I do something wrong or stupid and look like an idiot, this makes me feel really vulnerable) – and I guess that could even be a combination of both my 4th and 8th function. I don’t have competence or clarity with something. Plus having a ton of experiences also feels exhausting, a real energy drain, so in that sense I also avoid input overload. A new experience is way better than just an experience, especially if its repetitive or routine. New experiences can be fun and inspiring. Repeat experiences are dull and draining. I really only deal well with repeats and routine if there’s room for improvement or continued insight or inspiration. Otherwise I just slowly start to get depressed. This relates to both tasks like a job or assignment and relationships, like what the interaction is built around.
I’ve had a second thought as I pondered this topic. I definitely see how the trickster is messing with the fixation according to the FIRM model. I wonder if it also has to do with the loop we get in with our tertiary function. So in my case, I tend to want to stay in an introverted attitude, so when it comes to making decisions I loop to my 10-year old Ti. Although dysfunctional, it’s within my comfort zone. But to go into Te is not only an uncertain function, but it’s in an uncomfortable attitude. Not only am I seeking validation for my thinking abilities, but now it’s in this outward expression exposed to the physical world. Makes me shudder!
Hi! INFJ is my best fit type. Hands down, nailed it. That feeling of exposure has followed me in just about every job I’ve had. I’m a great employee – but whenever I hear “come see me in my office,” I break down! I must have done something wrong! Why am I getting disciplined? Wrong. Every time. Most of the time, it’s for some praise or brainstorming or just a standard biannual evaluation. But it’s a feeling of vulnerability I can never shake. I hate it.