Personality In Isabel Briggs Myers's Gifts Differing

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“It is fashionable to say that the individual is unique” (1). Thus Isabel Briggs Myers begins her book Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type. Truly, the world has no duplicates of people, and each person differs from any other. However one cannot too readily assume that complete diversity and chaos exists within the sphere of human personality. Indeed, Isabel Briggs Myers herself, along with her mother, found inspiration from Carl Jung 's book Psychological Types, which outlined that “much seemingly random variation in the behavior is actually quite orderly and consistent, being due to basic differences in the ways individuals prefer to use their perception and judgment” (“Basics”). Isabel and her mother sought to make his theory …show more content…
Firstly each type outlines certain strengths and weaknesses which an individual with that type possesses, and knowing those strengths and weaknesses can help each individual live up to his or her full potential. Also the personal bonds can become tighter when each party understands how the other judges and perceives the world. As Isabel Briggs-Myer writes in Gifts Differing, “many destructive conflicts arise simply because two people are using opposite kinds of perception and judgment,” and therefore when people recognize that those around them function in different way they can avoid much disagreement and misunderstanding. In my own friendships, understanding that my friends prefer different ways of judging the world has saved me from wondering why they contrast so much from myself, and has helped both parties to grow in our friendship. Also having friends who type the same way as I do has given me comfort that others function in the unique way that I do. This principle of understanding personality types in order to avoid misunderstanding can apply in the business world as well, and employers and employees alike can work together more harmoniously with it. However the MBTI does not have to apply only to real-world relationships; myself as well …show more content…
Indeed, some people, even of my own acquaintance, express their dislike of the types because they “put people in a box” and dictate a restraint on individuals ' personalities. However MBTI does not intend this, but rather to outline the “basic differences in the ways individuals prefer to use their perception and judgment” (“Basics”). While each individual 's preference does partially dictate their personality, their four-letter sequence by no means stereotypes them. Not every INFP huddles in a dark corner writing depressing poetry, nor does every ESTP play extreme sports and involve themselves in dangerous stunts. Furthermore, as another defense for MBTI, God 's love for order evidences itself in creation. He has created a pattern for the rising of the sun and moon, for the seasons, and for the growth of life. Therefore surely people can see the sense that God has gone a step further and created a pattern for the different ways people 's minds function, and has given humanity the grace to understand this pattern and use it wisely in the pursuit to take dominion. Clearly MBTI does not stereotype or limit people 's personalities, but serves an important role creating order instead of chaos in the different ways people interact with the

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