Real Inferior Fe based on Carl Jung

In the past, I’ve written multiple articles about inferior Fe. I wrote Inferior Fe from the Mind of an ISTP, Positive Inferior Fe from the Mind of an ISTP, and Inferior Fe in Relation to Social Anxiety. Unfortunately, I believe I made an error in regard to its true nature. I’m not saying that my prior articles were outright wrong, but I accidentally overly associated inferior Fe with social anxiety, and that was a mistake. So many people suffer from social anxiety, and as a result, a lot of types can relate to content about inferior Fe, when that’s how it’s described. However, inferior Fe and social anxiety are two different things, so my aim here is to set the record straight.

Wait, Carl Jung Talked About Inferior Functions?

If you know anything about Carl Jung and his book, Psychological Types, you may feel a bit confused that I’ve cited Carl Jung’s name in the title. After all, Carl Jung only spoke about dominant functions, right? Well, what Carl Jung did was explain extreme versions of each dominant function, or dominant type.

Cognitive functions operate in pairs. They’re inseparable. It’s actually really difficult to talk about one cognitive function without somehow involving its other half. That’s why when you read character analyses that are organized into individual function sections, you’ll often see some evidence or examples repeated in two different sections. It can be hard to avoid.

Carl Jung spoke about each dominant function in such a polarizing way that it’s actually really easy to see the influence of the opposing, inferior function. In reading the Ti section, I was able to gain some insight on how inferior Fe and dominant Ti influence or oppose each other. That’s what I want to share with you in this article.

First, Some Thoughts About Dominant Fe

Dominant Fe users excel at utilizing social structure to their advantage. They often excel at working within social protocol, and influencing people in an effective way. I’m speaking generally here, because there are exceptions to every rule. However, you’ll often find that a healthy ENFJ or ESFJ is rather good at connecting with people and communicating with them effectively. They usually know how to relay ideas or thoughts in a relatable and personable way. That’s why they often get the reputation for being diplomats and teachers. So, with that in mind, take a look at the contrast in the quote below about Ti types, from Carl Jung’s Psychological Types.

A Quote about Dominant Ti and Inferior Fe

Real Inferior Fe

Before I delve into this, it’s important to note that people can develop their inferior function and improve the balance between their Ti/Fe. I’m about to call out key obstacles or issues INTPs and ISTPs face because of their inferior Fe, but that doesn’t mean you have to be trapped in those issues right now or for the rest of your life to qualify as one of these personality types. However, a true IXTP should feel (or have felt) the influence of their inferior Fe gnawing at them at some point. Personally, I was struck by how relatable the struggle relayed in the above quote was to me.

1. Inferior Fe users are anti-marketing

For ISTPs and INTPs, the pure logic or legitimacy of the idea should reign supreme. These types are willing to pursue any idea or thought that might be true, regardless of the implications. However, once they discover what they deem to be true, they don’t want to have to dumb it down for you. (Bear in mind, I’m not saying these types are inherently smart; I’m speaking from their perspective.)

Practically speaking, this means that an IXTP that produces a “novel” idea will innately struggle that idea of marketing that idea to others, beyond relaying or demonstrating the pure rationale of the idea. Stereotypically, this is why you see the genius inventor always teaming up with a business partner. The inventor usually lacks the business sense, and needs the partner, yet often struggles with the tactics utilized by the business partner. In an IXTP’s ideal world, all they should have to do is explain what they produced or thought of, and people should automatically get it and see it’s value. If the idea or product is good, it should thrive without any social effort.

Personal Example:

A key component in making a blog successful is catering to Google’s search algorithm. This means utilizing keywords, popular search phrases, structuring articles in certain ways, etc. I was extremely resistant to that idea for the first few years of Practical Typing’s existence, because it felt like it would detract from the blog’s value in some way. In my mind, if the content is good, we shouldn’t have to cater the way we write to some algorithm, or whatever is currently popular. People should just see it’s value, and Practical Typing should quickly gain traction via word of mouth. Unfortunately, that’s my Ti idealism. It’s impractical and unrealistic. (This sentiment tended to put Ryan and me at odds, because he’s a high Te user.)

2. Inferior Fe users dismiss the value of connections

High extraverted judgers (FJs or TJs) typically recognizes the value in utilizing the system to their advantage. This often includes the people in it. Remember the saying, “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know”? ISTPs and INTPs by default want to rise through the ranks purely on their own skill, knowledge or merit. They don’t want to have to cater to others, make themselves likeable, etc. That’s not to say they won’t want friends or won’t be personable, but in their minds, none of that should matter in a professional sense or be rooted in a long term success strategy. These types have a strong independent streak. Social connections are not something they’ll want to go out of their way to form.

3. Inferior Fe users may dismiss the value of credentials

Sometimes official education (which typically results in credentials of some kind) is necessary to learn a trade or profession. Other times, one can learn a skill without going through any official program. However, many people value credentials. They like to see it as proof of the person’s expertise or legitimacy. So, in many cases, it’s valuable to “collect” credentials to bolster your personal marketability. This is a concept that INTPs and ISTPs may innately struggle with. After all, like I mentioned in the previous point, they believe their skill/knowledge should speak for itself. The concept of gaining credentials for the sake of currying favor or earning legitimacy will frustrate them and feel like a frivolous waste of time.

4. Inferior Fe users can fail to infuse emotional value into their work

Inferior feelers are often disconnected from their own emotions and emotions in general to some degree. As a result, many inferior feelers struggle to connect with people in a deep, meaningful, or intimate way. However, another aspect of the feeling function is it’s focus on emotional value. People like to relate the feeling functions (and thus, feelers) to values, but technically every individual has values (Feeling vs Thinking: What Are Values?). The feeling functions specifically deal with the personal, emotional, and social implications of values. So, getting back to inferior Fe, the struggle that an INTP or ISTP may have is infusing value into their work in such a way that other people will find it valuable or relatable.

Personal Example:

For instance, as someone who blogs about personality theory, my strength is cognitive function analysis, while my glaring weakness is writing articles on personal development. I’ve frequently avoided them, even though that’s one of the biggest benefits personality theory has to offer. I’ve been trying to work on that lately, but my natural impulse is just to share analysis and rationale. If people can gain a deeper understanding of personality theory, they’ll figure out the development stuff themselves… right?

Second Example:

I knew an INTP who was into art, primarily graphics and video making. His approach to creating appealing art was not at all personal. He didn’t put his “heart and soul” into it, or infuse his own personal taste. Rather, he appraoched it in an entirely detached manner, and analyzed what made other successful works of art popular. Once he determined that, he would incorporate relevant elements into his work, so that he could ultimately produce something that was appealing and successful.

5. Inferior Fe users have anxiety concerning social protocol, not social anxiety in general

OK, here’s where I’ve often gotten inferior Fe wrong. Many people suffer from social anxiety. An IXTP’s anxiety is more specific than that. An IXTP who is starting to develop their inferior Fe, or at the very least, has not suppressed it, will simultaneously feel aware of, yet blind to, social protocol. In other words, they know it’s there, and that it should be adhered to, but they don’t know how to do that. If the IXTP doesn’t care to make any kind of impact or find their role in society, then this awareness may not matter to them. They’ll avoid scenarios that are too cumbersome, and make friends that don’t emotionally or socially pressure them. (People, generally speaking, may not actually be a source of stress.) However, the anxiety will kick in when their inferior Fe begins developing enough to give them a desire to make a social impact or find where they belong.

In the quote above, Carl Jung said, “he is none the less beset by the greatest anxiety if ever he has to make it an objective reality.”

This anxiety is specific to when Ti dominants want to take their ideas/knowledge and implement them within reality (in other words, contribute to society). They’re aware of their struggle to make a social impact and emotionally connect with others, but feel compelled on some level to share their ideas or abilities with the world. In that area, they feel inferior, and fear rejection or failure because of this inadequacy. (Yet, the very idea that they could be successful if they simply found a way to adapt whatever they’re capable of contributing stirs up some level of disdain within themselves because their work in it’s purest form should be good enough.)

In Conclusion…

I really really really hope that made sense, and that I’ve managed to draw a clearer line between inferior Fe users and other personality types. Feel free to share any feedback you have. I’ll tweak this article as needed to make it as accurate as possible.