INTJs are stereotyped as cold, emotionless, but brilliant masterminds with a plan for everything. In fiction they often are seen as the long term scheming super villain or some sort of detective figure. The emotional side and strong sense of justice of this type is still overlooked though, which is why we will take a deeper look into this intriguing and mysterious personality now…
Dominant Function: Ni
„ What we know is a drop. What we don‘t know is an ocean.“
~ Isaac Newton
INTJs have a deep intuitive understanding of the world around them. They process things through unconscious means and often think in a big picture and symbolic way. They have a knack for metaphors and similes and often struggle to communicate their profound insight with others. This can make them seem brilliant, elusive and outlandish on the outside, like Belgish master detective Hercule Poriot, who struggles to communicate his ideas and insights to those around him. This also can make them seem somewhat arrogant and theoretically removed. It comes as no surprise that manny philosophers, scientist and great physicians have been of this type, as they have the ability to sue their Ni to come up with elaborate new theories and bigger picture perspectives to view the world around them. They are able to spot patterns in the world around them and create new ideas from them via induction, like Isaac Newton, how discovered gravity based on a single hunch or Nietzsche, who developed a completely new anthropology and philosophy based on his insights and
archetypical ideas about man. They are long term thinking and strategic making them brilliant strategist, like chess progidy Beth from Queen‘s Gambit, but also dangerous villains like Hannibal Lecter or Thanos in the MCU. Their strong intuition can also give them a sort of mystical side, that often conflicts with their more rational and fact oriented auxiliary Te. Examples of this clued River Tam from Firefly or romantic writer Emily Bronte.
Auxiliary Function: Te
„I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act. I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if the house is on fire“
~ Greta Thunberg
INTJs are blunt, rational and focused on tangible facts. They tend to be very scientifically inclined and while they are open to the more abstract side of things, they also value clear and tangible data. This matter of fact why, can make them argumentative and confrontational about perceived instjustice or irrational behavior from others, like Kat Straford in 10 Things I hate about You. Their Te also gives them an assertive and commanding presence, making them great leaders for societal change and figures of natural authority, like climate activist Greta Thunberg, or Paul Atreides from Dune. When INTJ don‘t develop their Fi they become unhealthy and power hungry, losing themselves in the process, like Sepiroth in Final Fantasy or Claire Underwoor in House of Cards. INTJs are also great planners and always have a back up plan in the bag. which can make them great villains, like Mona Vanderwaal in PLL or Keyser Soyze in The Usual Suspects. Still this abilities can also be used in a positive way, like Mathilda ninths movie of the same name shows in her attempt to overthrow the strict regiment of her teachers, which her long term scheming against them.
Tertiary Function: Fi
“Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love“
~ Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)
INTJs seem though and calm on the outside, but more often then not they are actually highly sensitive individuals. They have a strong sense of their own feelings and emotions, but struggle with communicating them in ways others can understand. INTJs Ni with its tendency towards abstraction combined with their Fi can also make them great artists, like Hedy Lamarr, Siouxsie Sioux or Sohie Xeon. Their art work is often dark, gloomy and mysterious revealing their repressed and hidden feelings. INTJs also tend to have firm values and belief systems, which they won‘t easily cross or anbanden, like the biblical figure of Moses, or Alexa from the 100. They have a strong sense of social justice and individualism, which often leads them to questionable status quo and become revolutionaries in their own right, like Kat Strtaford, Rosa Lucemburg or Karl Mary. Their Fi also gives them a sense of mystique and intensity, like the Elusive Seo Rae in Decision to Leave or Effy Stonem in Skins.
Inferior Function: Se
Unhealthy INTJs can fall into the grip of their inferior function. This especially happens in young and immature INTJs and can lead to excessive rebellious behavior during their youth or early adolescence. They can become overtly impulsive, adventurous, experiment with drugs and become physical violent when angered. They also develop a hedonistic and pleasure seeking side, while constantly exhausting themselves and slowly burning out, like Effy during her downward spiral in Skins or Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey. On a positive note their Se also gives them a certain spiritedness, ability to stay grounded in the present and develop their own sense of style, like Kurt Hummel in Glee or Beth Harmon. Their lack of Se can make them retreat to a hermit mood at times and they can appear overtly theoretical and impractical, like the Prifessor in Money Heist or British physician Oppenheimer.
Famous People:
Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Hedy Lamarr, Greta Thunberg, Jodie Foster, Sophie Xenon, Siouxsie Sioux, Jane Austen, Athena, Stephen Hawking, Theodor Adorno, Cillian Murohy, Russel Crow, Nikola Tesla, Karl Mary, Heraclitus, Sahra Wagenknecht, Rosa Luxemburg, Bobby Fisher, Jean Paul Satre, Ashley Olsen, Michelle Obama, Friedrich Nietzsche, Alex Turner, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Emily Bronte, Lilith, David Laid
Fictional Character:
River Tam (Firefly), Acheron (Honkai Inpact), Killers Agent (Fallen Angels), Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs), Ganalf (Lord of the Rings), Effy Stonem (Skins), Hypatia (Agora), Nam Ra (All of Us are Dead), Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson), Mona Vanderwaal (PLL), Shinobo Kochou (Demon Slayer), Seberus Snape (Harry Potter), Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights), Mr Darcy (Price and Prejudice), Thanos (Marcel), Scar (Lion King), Sana (Skaam), Lena Luthro (Supergirl), Jaquen Haghar, Diana Cavendish (Little Wothc Academia), Meruem (Hunter X Hunter), Jennifer of Yengenberg (Witcher), Doctor Ratio (Genshin Impact), Alexa (The 100), V (Vo for Vendetta), Elrond (Lord of the Rings), Wednesday Addams (Wednesday), Maleficent (Maleficent)
