Conflict of an INFJ Engineer

As an Engineer I am in conflict.

I am a Feeling Type person (INFJ) as well as a Thinking Type person (INTJ).

I have been typed as both with regular frequency, and which one shows up on a personality test, depends (I guess) on my mood or energy level at that time.

Engineers come in many shapes and sizes and even personality types. INTJs are common, occupation wise, in engineering though population wise they are rare to find and hear from (they are introverts!).

They do not seem to care much about global feelings and aren’t too concerned about people, ethics, environment or general wellbeing. They care about abstract systems and technocracy. Such are INTJs.

The concepts which are universal, emergent, true, harmonious and rich in compassion and integrity are those that are core to the values and belief systems of INFJs. People can be convinced, they say.

It is no wonder that when such a middle-of-the-spectrum or dual/mixed type person like me (i.e. INTJ + INFJ) decides to pursue (or decides to stick, for want of a better option) engineering, things get odd.

A rant follows, as seen below, which goes like this in my head, on a daily basis.

The engineering here is not the smooth product design or prototyping kind of engineering where individual creativity is expressed but project, infrastructure and construction-based engineering.

Which means the rough and tough nature of the work which usually always involves the use of machinery and labour for the extraction, exploitation, manipulation and destruction of natural resources and ecosystems, and brings with it lots of political and commercial negotiations, contractual clauses and government haggling.

And for what?

To satiate the never-ending desires of the consumer masses, and to give them a supposedly better quality of life (read as consumeristic and materialistic lifestyle).

Which goes against the values of an INFJ, and irks him to no end that the future is being lost to the decadence of the present, and how we are robbing the Planet and the People of any alternative Plan. Going to Mars is not an INFJ dream. Sure, it may be an INTJ one.

As they want to see their efforts going in the right direction, at the right value chain, and for a greater good. Basically, they crave for Utopia and desire perfection as a principle in men.

Contrast that to INTJs who desire (among other things like clarity and documentation) perfection in the process, and the understanding of the process to be shared among all.

I think this intention of sharing of knowledge and understanding of the means (and the end), which needs to be communicated to one and all, is what unites INTJ and INFJ.

And that is what keeps me moving.

Some effort of mine will surely undermine the goal of a dreamer and universalist, but in the long run it will empower other people, and take their minds off of petty utility and daily needs issues e.g. no power, impure water, slow transport, slow Internet, lot of pollution etc. and towards global needs.

It is indeed a qualitative visionary and dreamer (INFJ) who can give a direction or a goal to which a quantitative strategist or an architect (INTJ) can work upon, and lay the framework and processes. For the rest of the Types to work and follow on.

It is difficult to be both at once, and that is why I am in conflict. I choose both English and Maths.

WHY OUR TIME HAS COME

I am amused by the ongoing discussions regarding the Copenhagen meet. Much of the talks going around (if at all!) are, according to me, not well-placed in the current scenario that seeks urgency in action and clarity in thought. In simple words, we are not doing the right thing at the right time, especially at a time when one either does the right thing or is doomed (thus, can't do a THING!). I am a student of engineering, but the way other people think, they be engineers or not, amuses me equally as the whole field of engineering.

So, the question I finally ask is: Why are we dilly-dallying (or delaying, if you will) such an issue of such grave concern on such a massive scale (i.e. global!); and why are we just passing around blames, and throwing tantrums and the lot. Why are we acting as though we have enough time to act; almost as much time as we had from the Industrial Revolution till date, to fill our atmosphere with greenhouse emissions.

The answer is obvious. NO!! We have no time. "We don't even have the time to think, whether we have time to think on this." I don't know who said it, but the issue of global warming, and the effect it reaps, climate change, is indeed TRUE, and is happening faster than the governments can talk about. The world leaders, especially the developed countries, like our favourite USA, don't want to think about losing their "developed" lifestyle, even when they know (or should have known by now, thanks to Al Gore etc.) that in next twenty years (BLAH! Actually it is till 2015 and no more. All other "years" are just to pacify the crowd. If you disbelieve please research and you will soon agree!) there would be NO LIFE. There is no point in commenting about STYLE then.

So is the subject matter clear? The need is urgent, and immediate action is required. I don't say just go into denial mode, war mode or panic-attack mode. We need methods not such "idiotic" modes. The youth, which I am a part of, are ready to volunteer. Everybody knows about the 10 STEPS to prevent global warming, climate change, carbon footprint etc...if not, it is everywhere on the Internet. Knowledge is abundant, and now is deemed secondary to action, which is the only thing remaining, after educating the people.

WHAT is required is ACTION. I feel the age of change is here, which heralds us in 2010. I am not a fan of movies which use numbers alone as their titles, but I can feel the change. THIS IS REAL! So why shouldn't the solution be real, and why not do it today, but wait for tomorrow...and what if there is no tomorrow (yeah! leave alone, the day after tomorrow!).

Why allow ourselves to fall prey to the government's words of caution, talks, conferences and all the socio-economic/political CRAP! These are virtual solutions. They exist only on paper, in the e-mails and the recordings. They bring no change, except for the fact that they educate, and perhaps, motivate. But can we forever wait for the education of the globus, and motivation of the populus. Do we have the time, forget the opportunity? NO!!

So I say, organize yourself, like I have done, and am continuing to, and let us do what we know we should: all the knowledge, reports, graphs, stats, IPCC, UNEP, blah blah blah!!!...is available on the Net, and in your newspapers, magazines etc.

WHAT WE NEED IS ACTION. It is now or never. Do you want to live a life, or die a 'style'...we have the majority required to pursue the 'action', we have adequate money to support our cause, and soon we will have the might (the three 'M's) to proclaim change.

We are the only one who can do this: the able, educated, dedicated youth. NOT the GREEDY, OLD WHITE MEN, who see nothing but profit, longevity and pleasures (yeah! 7 sins!!).

THIS IS WHY OUR TIME HAS COME: we cherish or we perish!

HI I AM BACK!!!

After more than a year, I have finally made up my mind...to have a decent blog...and to RULE THE WORLD!!!

Just kidding...anyways, I look forward to writing, lest I be noticed!!!

pratchit:09-05-08

Hello!
This is my first day.
I will write more tomorrow!!