I really love this thought experiment of seeing if we can guess Jane Austen's MBTI. I have to say, I respectfully disagree, although I think you are close because she clearly has a robust Ni~ but due to that Ni being focused on human personalities and relationships, I think she was INFJ. This is classic INFJ territory, this is their life's calling. I am myself a female INTJ, I love reading Austen's Pride and Prejudice, especially because I relate so hard to poor Mr. Darcy having crazy feels but not knowing how to adequately convey them without being overbearing. I also love writing, but the thought of dedicating time to a novel about human relationships doesn't sound like something any INTJ I know would be interested in. (Believe, me, I'd love to claim to be on the same team as Jane Austen, I just don't see it.)
Folks like us really love teaching about bodies of knowledge we know. I love passing on my knowledge about sound engineering and music theory (my own professional field) and writing music which expresses that Fi. But talking about people.... we really don't understand human interaction that well, and I do feel pretty confortable claiming that for most INTJs. We can recognize the truth in these novels (and feel so validated by her inclusion of people like us -- another reason I think she might be INFJ), I doubt we could recreate them. Jane Austen is rarely lauded as such but her ability to see into the human soul and her ability to write about the human condition with wit and charm is really genius and unparalleled. Us INTJs are great at systems, but not really with humans.
Michelle L (not verified)says...
I really love this thought experiment of seeing if we can guess Jane Austen's MBTI. I have to say, I respectfully disagree, although I think you are close because she clearly has a robust Ni~ but due to that Ni being focused on human personalities and relationships, I think she was INFJ. This is classic INFJ territory, this is their life's calling. I am myself a female INTJ, I love reading Austen's Pride and Prejudice, especially because I relate so hard to poor Mr. Darcy having crazy feels but not knowing how to adequately convey them without being overbearing. I also love writing, but the thought of dedicating time to a novel about human relationships doesn't sound like something any INTJ I know would be interested in. (Believe, me, I'd love to claim to be on the same team as Jane Austen, I just don't see it.)
Folks like us really love teaching about bodies of knowledge we know. I love passing on my knowledge about sound engineering and music theory (my own professional field) and writing music which expresses that Fi. But talking about people.... we really don't understand human interaction that well, and I do feel pretty confortable claiming that for most INTJs. We can recognize the truth in these novels (and feel so validated by her inclusion of people like us -- another reason I think she might be INFJ), I doubt we could recreate them. Jane Austen is rarely lauded as such but her ability to see into the human soul and her ability to write about the human condition with wit and charm is really genius and unparalleled. Us INTJs are great at systems, but not really with humans.