Lately, I have been enjoying the works of YouTube artist, Frank James. He posts videos on the 16 different MBTI personality types. This is one of my favorite subjects in the world. I have particularly enjoyed Dr. David Keirsey’s in-depth analysis and categorization of the 16 different personality types in his books “Please Understand Me” and “Please Understand Me II”.
The Myers-Briggs Type Inventory specifies the following 4 categories based on your answers to the questionnaire:
- Extrovert (E) or Introvert (I)
- Sensing (S) or Intuiting (N)
- Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
- Perceiving (P) or Judging (J)
This results in 16 different personality types
- ESTP
- ESTJ
- ESFP
- ESFJ
- …
Dr. Keirsey used the second and third letters to further classify the personality types:
- SF – Artisan
- ST – Rational
- NT – Guardian
- NF – Idealist
The first Frank James video was “16 Personalities Quitting Their Jobs”. Here are my top four laugh-out-loud favorites:
- Let me read you my letter of resignation to see if it sounds OK. Ahem. “To Whom It May Concern. I QUIT. Regards, ME.” (Pause) What do you think? Too long-winded?
- You can’t fire me, I quit! … Oh, you _weren’t_ firing me? I kind of jumped the gun there, didn’t I? Hmm … I guess I’ve gone and quit now.
- When you said this workplace was like a family, I didn’t realize you meant the messy, dysfunctional family that would one day wind up on the Dr. Phil show! As a result of being exposed to this toxic work environment, I will now need extensive therapy … probably from someone like Dr. Phil!
- I’m not quitting because of my co-worker, Timmy. That would be weak. I’m quitting because of this company’s poor decision-making skills, as EVIDENCED by the continued employment of my co-worker, Timmy.
I also enjoyed his impersonation of an ENFP getting angry with a rude customer in “16 Personalities Getting Offended“:
How DARE you speak to me in that tone of voice! Go to your room! (Pause) No, I don’t care if I’m not your mom and don’t even really know you. Go to your room anyway!
I like to think over these quotes when I’m having a rough day and don’t really feel like being alone with my thoughts (which Frank depicts as a typical INFJ challenge). I was inspired to create a skit of my own. Shy INFJ that I am, it will be presented in written form:
Me: Frank, you can’t be all things to all people.
Frank: What rock have you been living under? Being all 16 different personalities to everyone on Earth is literally my job!
Me: But, Frank, it’s not sustainable.
Frank: You think I don’t know that? I post video after video on YouTube and those greedy, ravenous monsters just keep demanding more and more and MORE! I’m exhausted.
Me: I think you could benefit from a break.
Frank: What would you know about it? You’re only one personality type.
Me: (highly affronted) I am the rarest personality type in the world! You just don’t know a good thing when you see it! Well, take a good look because (gestures at self and snaps fingers) it’s gone!
Saranya Murthy 