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Anachron -> RE: Myers-Briggs personality types (3/3/2007 10:55:52 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Ph0enixF1re
For those of you that are familiar with these personality profiles, can you make a correlation between a personality type and the role that we play in the BDSM lifestyle?
Which one are you, and does it affect how you conduct your lifestyle activities?
For instance, the ENTJ is the "Feild Marshall" and probably is a very strong Dominant, Alpha type.
I am very interested in the Myers-Briggs temperament model, and I find it very useful in both professional and personal situations. It certainly doesn't tell you everything about a person, and I am careful to refer to these as "temperament" types rather than "personality" types because I think of personality as something greater and more complex of which temperament is only a foundation. But it can certainly facilitate understanding, communication, connection, etc.
Temperament certainly does have a bearing on power exchange situations, and I have looked for corelations. It turns out that I have observed both dominants and submissives of every type. Maybe the ENTJ would seem most likely to be dominant, and they quite often are, but then there are always theose who balance out their day-to-day-role by doing the opposite in the bedroom, and I have known a number ENTJs who do submit. I also think of ESTJs, ESTPs, and sometimes ENFJs as likely dominants in life in general, but again which way they'll go with their sexuality is somewhat harder to predict.
My own type is ISFP, the polar opposite of the ENTJ. I am reserved, sensitive, sensual, and normally flexible and kind hearted. One might predict that I would end up as a submissive type. I have done my share of experimenting in my day, but have settled into a dominant mode. But for me, the dominant role is often about immersion in a fine art, one which is about observation, perception, and focusing intensely on a connection that exists in the present moment. An ENTJ dominant would be more inclined to approach it in a strategic and ordered way, introducing structure to develop a relationship (or a submissive) over time with a future goal in mind. Different approaches, and often different results.
I have experienced conflicts sometimes in relating to J types as a dominant. They often do desire to submit, and they love how creative, free, tactile, tactical, caring, quick, physically precise, perceptive, and present I can be. But then when they see me sometimes being tripped up by things that are much easier for them -- keeping good order, planning things out in a detailed way, sticking to the plan once it's made, being disciplined in all things, managing time well, etc. -- sometimes it's a challenge for them to maintain the level of respect they want to have toward the person in charge. Their own self respect is based on those things, after all. I am aware of the differences, and I do the best I can. But at a certain point, being Mr Discipline & Order can become draining on my energy, and I just want to go back to my fine art, and be appreciated for that, or not, as the case may be. [:)] I guess, looking back, it's easier with other P types. They understand, and see the strengths more. (And among other P types, I can often appear reasonably well disciplined by comparison.)
As my own temperament type predicts, I am an artist. I compose music, and do some writing and other creative things. But in my "day job," I am, technically, a CEO, despite having the opposite temperament of what many see as the ideal executive. No wonder it drains me at times. But I do the best I can, in my own artistic way.
In general I think that understanding temperament differences is really key in relationships, sex, and power exchange-- so much so that I chose to list Please Understand Me II (David Keirsey's MB types book) on my website event though the site is primarily devoted to sex gear and books. It's an eccentric choice for such a site, and it is admittedly a slow seller. But I have seen how it can be helpful to those who take an interest in being better friends, lovers, mentors, students, employees, employers, dominants, submissives, masters, mistresses, servants, etc.
Joel
Founder/CEO, Stockroom.com
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