Are NFs the Only Idealistic Personality Types?

The NF personality types (INFJ, INFP, ENFJ, ENFP) are known for being idealistic. While Myers-Briggs did sort personalities into groups, this association mostly has a lot to do with David Keirsey, who actually labeled NFs as the Idealists. However, as is common, this has been taken to an extreme. Honestly, that’s why I’m a bit wary of single word labels like that. Once you title a personality type (or group of personality types) with a single character trait, everyone assumes if they have that trait, that they’re one of those types. Human nature is not that simplistic.

It’s also important to bear in mind that technically, David Kiersey’s temperaments are a separate theory that he added onto the Myers-Briggs theory. When Myers-Briggs sorted the types into groups, they did it differently, and they did not label them in that way. Personally, I prefer the way Myers-Briggs sorted the types. (I discuss my struggles with Keirsey in this article: My ISTP Struggle with the Keirsey Temperaments). However, both theories focus heavily on the dichotomies, whereas I’m going to approach this article from a cognitive function standpoint.

What Is Idealism?

Before I launch into an answer to the title question, “Are NFs the Only Idealistic Personality Types?”, let me first start by defining the word that we’re fixating on, so that we can all be on the same page and grounded in reality (rather than the typology metaverse). I’ll just be grabbing multiple definitions from different sites and copying them on this page, so I can get a good spread.

Idealism:

-the cherishing or pursuit of high or noble principles, purposes, goals, etc.
-the practice of forming ideals or living under their influence
-elevated ideals or conduct; the quality of believing that ideals should be pursued

Idealistic:

-a person who is guided more by ideals than by practical considerations.
-a person who cherishes or pursues high or noble principles, purposes, goals, etc.
-a visionary or impractical person.
-a person who represents things as they might or should be rather than as they are:
“When you’re idealistic, you dream of perfection, whether in yourself or other people. For example, you might have the idealistic goal of bringing an end to childhood poverty in the world.”

Why Are NFs the Idealists?

It’s not hard to see how an NF might fit the definitions above. We know that the intuition functions focus on what could be, rather than what is or what was. The sensing functions are grounded in reality, while the intuition functions in what’s possible. As a result, intuitives are often described as impractical. Now, in the name of fairness, I want to clarify that intuitives can make practical decisions, but they will prefer to take a more “visionary” approach whenever possible. They may detach themselves from reality in this way.

Thinking functions focus on impersonal, logical systems, while feeling functions focus on personal value systems, that measure worth and importance. In this way, thinking data is more quantifiable and grounded than feeling data, because it looks for impersonal metrics to support its conclusions. (In a sense, feeling can be more abstract than thinking.) As a result, feelers in general are more idealistic than thinkers, because they’re guided by values that don’t always seem rational or concrete.

So, if you combine a feeling function with an intuition function, you are twice as likely to get someone who is idealistic. (Bear in mind, NFs can lose their natural idealistic nature, and become jaded or cynical.)

Are NFs the Only Idealistic Personality Types?

Earlier I said that I was going to focus on the cognitive function, and thus far I actually haven’t, because there was some general dichotomy level information that was relevant. However, now it’s time to dive into the weeds.

If NFs are the most likely to be idealistic, then logic dictates that idealism is most likely the result of Ne, Ni, Fe, and Fi. So theoretically, anyone who values one or more of those cognitive functions may possess a streak of idealism, or be prone to it. Let’s take a second to look at all four.

The Intuition Functions

Ne and Ni are perceiving functions, which means they are focused on perceiving information. Ne sees possibilities and connections in the external world, while Ni filters or condenses information down into abstract patterns. It can be hard to truly separate all the cognitive function, and see how they operate independently, but it’s important to realize that perceiving functions do not place value on information. They simply perceive it. With that being the case, idealism actually has far more to do with the feeling functions, rather than the perceiving functions, because ideals are based on values, and feeling-based values can easily take on the qualities described in the definitions above.

The Feeling Functions

Extraverted Feeling is affectively feeling in action. The extraverted functions tie us to the external world, in whatever way is specific to that function. Extraverted Feeling is a relatively practical form of feeling, because extraverted functions focus on doing or out-letting. That’s why FJs try to maintain harmony in the environment, give advice, bring people together, etc. In an NF type, Fe can definitely skew a lot more idealistic, but combined with a sensing function, it’ll be fairly grounded.

On the other hand, Introverted Feeling is a subjective function. Subjective functions are not grounded in reality. (See Objectivity vs. Subjectivity.) In fact, introversion can actually be another reason why someone is detached from reality. (See Detached from Reality: Intuitive?) So, as an introverted value-driven function, Fi will often provoke someone to form lofty values, or ideals, that do not need to be in sync with reality. With that in mind, dominant Fi users, or the IXFPs, have a high potential for idealism. Of course, by saying that, I mean that both Fi dominants, the INFP and the ISFP, because Se will be a lower priority.

Using Fi, the IXFPs (and anyone else with strong Fi use) look inward and form an idea of how they would prefer things to be based on their personal values. They then compare the world, those around them, and even themselves to this internal vision or value system. Those with good Fi use (IXFPs, EXFPs, and even IXTJs) tend to be perfectionists because of this, as they strive to live up to their own internal expectations. The IXFPs are especially prone to idealizing others and putting those they trust and respect up on a pedestal. By default, they want to assume that people will live up to these internal ideals and standards. Of course, reality intervenes and many FPs end up jaded as a result. Who can blame them? Reality can suck, and people are usually disappointing.

In Conclusion…

If you’ve been following our blog for a long time, you may have noticed that this article is actually a revamp of an older one. I was looking at it the other day, and felt that my previous approach was less comprehensive, and less balanced. (It was also very ranty, but that seems to be the way all of my older writings were.) I hope this newer version does the topic a bit more justice, and that you’re able to glean something from it that you couldn’t from the older version.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!