The Minds of INFJs

[Cryo Soul]

Lately I've been using my mental functions for some "entertaining purposes"....lol Like "reading" people, and generally joking with them, but this is through intuition/Ti/Extroverted Feeling.

using intuition and our feelings to empathize with a person, we can feel out the situation in/between people or persons and can supply them with either an answer or a joke is something I take advantage of EVERYDAY....not a few times but on a regular basis in conversations...I communicate in a sarcastic way to shock people into keeping them on their toes, and to join my wavelength in conversation or to get them to "open up" and stop passing air over their teeth...I don't expect people to be as forth right/perceptive as they say, so it's a great way to "feel/see" the values/thoughts a person really holds onto. I don't do this with the intention to do harm, but to open them up, and get them communicating in ways they're unfamiliar with, usually people say more interesting things on a more profound level when they're brought out of their comfort zones, and introduced to new ways of both seeing themselves and assessing/interacting with information given to them. Is it wrong to joke with people this way? Is it wrong to use our creative perceptions to gain clearer insights into people even if most people don't seem to understand these functions?

 

[JCPA]

I suppose it comes down to your purpose, right? What are you after? Are you just bored? I think jokes and humor are fine from time to time, but unless you're a comedian, overuse can take away from your core substance. An "opener" is only one part of a conversation/relationship. Why use it if the purpose is merely a shallow interaction? If the point of gaining the insight is merely because you can, it seems somewhat self-serving and, for lack of a better word, a waste of a gift, in my opinion. I think an opener should be reserved for meaningful conversations and in conjunction with 1) creating value for the other person, 2) building rapport, 3) finding common interests, and 4) following up at a later time. Not sure if this is what you were looking for.

 

[JGirl]

Lately I've been using my mental functions for some "entertaining purposes"....lol Like "reading" people, and generally joking with them, but this is through intuition/Ti/Extroverted Feeling.

using intuition and our feelings to empathize with a person, we can feel out the situation in/between people or persons and can supply them with either an answer or a joke is something I take advantage of EVERYDAY....not a few times but on a regular basis in conversations...I communicate in a sarcastic way to shock people into keeping them on their toes, and to join my wavelength in conversation or to get them to "open up" and stop passing air over their teeth...I don't expect people to be as forth right/perceptive as they say, so it's a great way to "feel/see" the values/thoughts a person really holds onto. I don't do this with the intention to do harm, but to open them up, and get them communicating in ways they're unfamiliar with, usually people say more interesting things on a more profound level when they're brought out of their comfort zones, and introduced to new ways of both seeing themselves and assessing/interacting with information given to them. Is it wrong to joke with people this way? Is it wrong to use our creative perceptions to gain clearer insights into people even if most people don't seem to understand these functions?

if you did this around me i would avoid you.
it seems somewhat invasive and manipulative.

 

[JCPA]

if you did this around me i would avoid you.
it seems somewhat invasive and manipulative.

I wouldn't completely agree with this. I would find it somewhat entertaining at first. I would engage skeptically, and then avoid contact later if I felt me as person was being taken advantage of for a desired result. Not everyone communicates in the same way, just think that should be appreciated.

 

[JGirl]

I wouldn't completely agree with this. I would find it somewhat entertaining at first. I would engage skeptically, and then avoid contact later if I felt me as person was being taken advantage of for a desired result. Not everyone communicates in the same way, just think that should be appreciated.

to each their own
i don't find that sort of interaction entertaining.

 

[acd]

Lately I've been using my mental functions for some "entertaining purposes"....lol Like "reading" people, and generally joking with them, but this is through intuition/Ti/Extroverted Feeling.

using intuition and our feelings to empathize with a person, we can feel out the situation in/between people or persons and can supply them with either an answer or a joke is something I take advantage of EVERYDAY....not a few times but on a regular basis in conversations...I communicate in a sarcastic way to shock people into keeping them on their toes, and to join my wavelength in conversation or to get them to "open up" and stop passing air over their teeth...I don't expect people to be as forth right/perceptive as they say, so it's a great way to "feel/see" the values/thoughts a person really holds onto. I don't do this with the intention to do harm, but to open them up, and get them communicating in ways they're unfamiliar with, usually people say more interesting things on a more profound level when they're brought out of their comfort zones, and introduced to new ways of both seeing themselves and assessing/interacting with information given to them. Is it wrong to joke with people this way? Is it wrong to use our creative perceptions to gain clearer insights into people even if most people don't seem to understand these functions?

Humor is good.
But being spoken to in sarcastic tones, I personally don't appreciate that--even if the person thinks they are just being funny.
It doesn't make me want to say something profound to whomever is speaking to me in such a way. I agree with @JGirl I'd walk away and avoid you.
I don't appreciate someone "keeping me on my toes" as I think it implies that the person feels superior in intellect.
The way it works is that, naturally, people open up as they maintain a mutual level of self-disclosure with the other party...

But I am someone who prefers to just interact with others rather than play games to see what others are capable of saying and doing.

 

[MissionHouse]

I find that I have to hold back a lot with my brand of humour or people just don't know what the hell I'm talking about and then don't want to talk to me at all anymore. Or they take it all the wrong way, and I don't need that trouble. Or it just goes over their heads and I feel discouraged and like I don't want to try and be funny anymore. I can really let it rip with the sarcasm--I can't shut it off sometimes. It just keeps coming. My son is the only person I know who really seems to enjoy it. He's an 11 year old INTP.

I like the point the OP makes about using this type of humour to get people out of their comfort zones. That's a great point. I probably have something else to add to that but I don't know what that is because I'm preoccupied with the thought of having to get to bed and get sleep because I'm sick.

 

[Trifoilum]

AFAIK, there are some sort of communication style when you 'throw them off their feet'; either by humor, sarcasm, sudden remarks, random deep questions...etc.
I used the variant (sudden random remarks / questions), albeit my sarcasm is used for defending ... mostly. Or offending. :|

I think it's quite great that you're able to use your functions in that particular way; however be aware that not EVERYONE will like being treated that way. Not everyone wants to be 'forced', for their better or worse.

It's not particularly WRONG; however it's not RIGHT either. It depended on a lot of factors.