Intensity!

[aok]

I've found that people can at times call me intense (whether its an INTJ characteristic or not). I personally, always thought that being intense or the intensity of others was a positive quality. I wish more people were, "intense." Although, I'm recently finding that most other people I talk to don't feel this way....they tend to attach intensity w/ negative connotations.

Do others describe you as being intense?

What are your opinions and/or ideas on being intense?

What does being intense mean?

Why do people attach negative connotations to it?

[PortInStorm]

Lots of people imply this about me, even if they don't say it. They'll pat my knee and say "It's OK, jeez!", or look away and wait for (what they perceive to be) "the storm" to be over- sitting silently like nothing in the world is worth getting worked up over. I want to say, "Oh, you're right- mindless slaughter, mass starvation, a spiralling economy, injustice, international conflict is nothing, you don't need to worry about anything but your club-hopping last night, or your upcoming dinner party. Please, leave the rescuing to the rest of us and hope like crazy you never need someone to be concerned about your plight." (See the hero complex thread :-)

[Monte314]

I use the term to mean "overbearing". I have an "intense" associate; I've told him he's intense. He wears people out with his obsessive approach to life, he's constantly asking for responses to his ideas, and he's incapable of casual conversation. Is this you?

[LordMaiestas]

I see it as a wave or rush of energy .

Where you tried your might cause you know you hit the jackpot the main idea and you tried your best to describe it.

Yes sometimes too intense might seem negative

[PortInStorm]

If that question's for me- no. Usually I'm pretty laid back, but occasionally something'll light my fire. But I think the question was for the OP...

Post-anniversary congrats, by the way, Monte!

[Sean O]

My experience with "intensity" is that people use it to describe how I give very deep thought to most things. The average person's thoughts on a subject may only amount to one or two sentences, whereas I often have at least a few paragraphs. So, when talking about something with me, most people are not prepared for an in-depth discussion, and if and when I bring up my in-depth thoughts on the subject, the person I'm talking with experiences a mental overload of sorts. Hence, they find it (and by extension, me) intense.

Usually these people are extroverted sensors, by the way. :cheesy:

[Josh]

People often say this about me, i think it is an INTJ quality. As funny as it sounds, i think emotion in the service of thinking can be a lot more passionate than emotion just for feelings sake.

[Tea]

Yes, I've always being seen as intense, even though I've not even fired up the rocket boosters yet. They say things like "okay, relax", which confuses me. I love it when others get animated and keen on a topic - an excellent discussion or debate often follows. The worst is getting a forced "oh,yes..." and I can see that their heads are blank with no clue whatsoever of what I've been going on about.

Perceiving intensity as a negative feeling... maybe to the Fs it creates ruffles in their lands of golden rainbows, so everyone ends up being blase about everything just to keep everything right, to them at least.

To me, I love it when others are "intense". It's much better than being boring. I think being intense is akin to being passionate about something, be it an opinion or subject.

So here's to being intense!

[Colette]

I've found that people can at times call me intense (whether its an INTJ characteristic or not). I personally, always thought that being intense or the intensity of others was a positive quality. I wish more people were, "intense." Although, I'm recently finding that most other people I talk to don't feel this way....they tend to attach intensity w/ negative connotations.

Do others describe you as being intense?

What are your opinions and/or ideas on being intense?

What does being intense mean?

Why do people attach negative connotations to it?

Umm...sorry but where I'm from people usually mean by 'intense' that you're too serious and lack humour :)

[PortInStorm]

And here's a funny paradox I've discovered in myself:

Too intense:
- If someone's getting all happy and out of control, bouncing around and giggling, I sort of get on edge and want to tell them to "Relax".
- Same if they're wailing out of control, sobbing loudly etc. I'll feel deeply moved for them, but I still want them to tone it down- bad, I know.

Not too intense:
- When someone's really pissed but under control and not throwing things/shouting/swearing profusely I can take it no problem. I even empathize with them usually.
- if, like Wong says, they are getting passionate about a topic. Bring it on! Love it!

These are all emotional displays! So why have a problem with some and not others? Is it really less about intensity and more about a higher level of emotion in an area you're not comfortable with?

[hum]

I'm intense in the way that I'm sometimes obsessed with details and things and I won't stop until I get what I want. also in conversations I bring up what I'm obsessed with, so I guess it's annoying for people that don't share my thoughts.

They say things like "okay, relax", which confuses me. I love it when others get animated and keen on a topic - an excellent discussion or debate often follows. The worst is getting a forced "oh,yes..." and I can see that their heads are blank with no clue whatsoever of what I've been going on about.

I feel just the same...it's nice to find people passionate about something (plain empty people are boring)

[CarolinetheENFP]

intensity is definitely not a bad thing
its what i love about INTJs most
its really sexy
and refreshing in a world where im surrounded by apathetic people
and i just dont get why no one .. idk cares like i do? gets worked up about things that actually matter like i do?
either way i veiw it as a major PLUS

[GuerrillaVoyage]

Do others describe you as being intense?

Yes, quite frequently actually.

What are your opinions and/or ideas on being intense?

I consider it to be almost like a lie detector because when you raise the emotion and the energy in the room it forces people to re-check and re-evaluate whatever is making you intense and if for instance if they don't believe what they're telling you or they know it to be untrue, they'll usually mess up what they're saying or change their story to the truth. That's why Judge Judy is always screaming at people in her courtroom is because it makes people uncomfortable which makes them check what they're saying and either mess up or change their story. I really feel that people who are uncomfortable with you being intense are probably lying to you or feel some sense of guilt towards you. However, I really only get intense about things I care about. Why wouldn't you be intense about what you care about?

What does being intense mean?

Being passionate or knowing you're right or knowing someone else is wrong and not accepting any other idea or way.

Why do people attach negative connotations to it?

Because they're afraid of people being intense because most people read it as the person getting angry or unpredictable or even violent. Most people are horrible reads of psychology or character and if they have you challenging their opinions and showing why their ideas are stupid they take it as a personal attack.