IEE domain

Type domains
Alpha Quadra:	ILE	SEI	ESE	LII
Beta Quadra:	EIE	LSI	SLE	IEI
Gamma Quadra:	SEE	ILI	LIE	ESI
Delta Quadra:	LSE	EII	IEE	SLI

What we're good at

Oh yeah, IEEs are good at lots of stuff. But it's the kind of stuff that no one feels like paying money for. Things like "conveying interesting ideas" and "suggesting other options." Why don't they have positions in companies called "Senior Alternative Suggester" or "Liaison With The World At Large?" Alas, it seems the corporate world doesn't leave room for IEEs to freely do what they do best. Everything the IEE does best is done spontaneously anyways, based on some internal upwelling of ideas or enthusiasm. You can't submit that to timetables.

People, people, people

It's interesting to get to know people. The first few conversations usually bring out the most interesting material. After that you pretty much know what the person is about and what the potential for interaction is, if any. It's funny how you can feel an intense connection to someone during the first conversation and literally have no interest in them by the fifth. There seems to be a risk for IEEs to mix up feelings of kinship with the ability to work or live together cohesively. These things don't always go together, and the former is much easier for IEEs to judge.

What's the point of getting to know people who you have nothing to do with? Who knows. Maybe it's a way of learning about the world — through other people's experience and sentiments. By talking to a Catholic you learn about the world of Catholicism. By talking to a scientist you learn what it's like to be in the academic community. It's like an internal, personal view of life — as opposed to an impersonal description. By talking one-on-one to a person, you get to see what things they emphasize as being the most important, as well as their personal sentiments about their experience. This way, it seems, IEEs can learn by proxy about vast areas of life that they might otherwise have little contact with.

Topaz adds: You said it. I used to engage in the longest conversations with close friends on who I am and what I hope to be (naturally I made sure to ask them extensively about themselves. I hate those one sided converstations. eh he) Eventually my end of the conversation would contradict itself. Id go on about how I wanted to travel the world and then go on about settling down and starting a family. I'd discuss my new plan to get in shape and have rock hard abs over a double scoop icecream. Its crazy.

R: Any success on those abs yet? Just curious.

Social experiments

IEEs are often less interested in people than in the social relations involved. They often are "social experimenters" who try experiencing different social situations for fun without really being completely "in it," or setting up situations where they will be able to observe how different people interact. This serves to satisfy their curiosity about social interaction and people's personalities and is generally harmless, though disliked by some.

Networking

Okay, I'm not the most externally outgoing person (nor are most of the IEEs I know), yet somehow I've managed to build a veritable catalog of friends and acquaintances that I can and do access whenever the need strikes. Sometimes I get the urge to introduce people to each other and hint to people that I know someone they really should meet. It seems like there are so many people who just become friends with whomever they randomly happen to be next to, and people like me are the few conscious matchmakers who are able to choose friends and help people hook up with people who are a real match for them (not just for romantic relationships, but for any useful activity).

T. adds: Sometimes I introduce people to like-minded types to get rid of them.

R. adds: Amen!

Talking about ourselves

¡WARNING! Be careful when asking an IEE about themselves. Be prepared for a fascinating, but long-winded story about their life, their interests, their personal development, how they are different from other people, meaningful personal experiences, etc.

"I am like an onion... You peel away one layer and find another one underneath." blah blah blah

Humo(u)r

Don't you dare make fun of my hair

Don't you dare make fun of my hair

IEEs are an extremely serious lot. No smirking please. Life is a plate of roasted cockroaches that must be choked down piece by piece, even if you despise the taste. Spare yourselves the pain and do not try to make the callous and recalcitrant IEE smile or laugh. You will only invoke his dire wrath.

They are also never ever sarcastic. They find irony in everything.

Prison (i.e. work)

The more something must be done, the less I do it. The less something needs to be done, the more I feel like doing it.

— the IEE's work creed

Work seems to be the main bane of IEEs' existence, probably due to our tendency to get carried away easily, and also to avoid doing "boring work" until that particular mood strikes.

I find there is a certain kind of work that I can only do late at night, at or beyond the point of exhaustion. At other times of the day I just can't focus enough. It's basically that work that "must be done," but isn't what most interests me at the moment.

It seems that whenever I have gone to job interviews or begun working for people, they immediately get the sense that I'm just there temporarily — to check things out, probe the company, get to know people, learn about the industry, and move on.

Topaz adds: I usually start a job with high expectations for myself and with a sense of professionalism. As time goes on my best intentions begin to deteriorate when the mundane aspects of the job begin to wear on me. Unless the job presents me with new and interesting challenges I am usually on to another job within two years. I like to leave on a good note and fine references so I try to do a good job while I plot my escape. I once tried to work for myself but I could not keep up with all the details, taxes and junk mail that kept coming in. The more I honor the aspects of myself that I used to try to force into submission the easier things go and happier I seem to be even if it's not what others expect of me. I just tell people flat out that I'm probably not going to do certain things that I know I honestly will not do. At least it relieves me of the guilt of disappointing them later.

Is work performance a common source of guilt for IEEs? Let's find out by taking a vote:

YES: |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

NO:

Ideal work schedule for an IEE

1. Find a project you're excited about
2. Work on it for 20 hours straight or for two days straight, morning till night
3. Crash and sleep as long as you want
4. For one whole day do something really enjoyable that has nothing to do with your project
5. Spend the next day chatting with old friends and having conversations with people you are just getting to know
6. Return to step 1

dump

To make your white dress shirts more interesting, a choice of either Twill white shirt or Herringbone white shirt would provide good subtle texture to your overall monochromatic feel.

Insightful video on the macroeconomic implications of the impending bankrupcy of American automakers

Insightful essay on how to help the nation solve its problems:

Why The Nation Needs To Implement Organizational Programs

The primary point that our nation should develop in-order to invest in its long-term strategy is that of fostering growth of innovative change and incentive in the market economy. THe reasons for this are fourfold. Namely, without fosterment of growth in areas of innovative devopmental change the coutnry will be unable to harnest a place in the 21st centruy. That is a be a very bad idea because the countyr is in such need of investmental grouth at this time. Thirdly, without the resorces to contribute prodcutively to the world-wide economy the future of compentitiveness could be at steak. Finally, because of the intertwindness of global marketplaces in this time of the history in order to create sustainibility of all marktet participints there must be definitely formed structures created to manage the job of dealing with issues of growth & developement. Fourhtly if something is not done fast then of coarse nothing will happen and the currant situation could continue for a very long time leading to longlasting negative impacts. So, with so much importnat organizational programs to be implement, no time shoudl b e wasted and we resolve t o adhear to the accepted UN resolution in regarding our nation's contribution to the golbal system.

Compensatory activities

Most of the IEEs I know engage in some kind of related activity that they are intensely proud of for some strange reason:

• watching tons of movies all the time with a close friend/s who is/are an type
• practicing or even teaching yoga (under the watchful guidance of some friend/s)
• cooking tasty dinners once a week with a close friend who is, of course, an type
• going walking with a friend (who is, of course, an type)
• enjoying the outdoors (with types)

Hmmm, I guess the "real" point of these activities is the refreshing interaction with complementary people, and the activity itself is just a backdrop for that.

Topaz adds: For some reason being around others and hearing myself and them talk gives me so much clarity that I dont seem to have on my own. Thoughts just go round and round in my head and I need help to break the cycle. If someone asked my opinion on a subject I had ruminated on I would give them a very insightful answer that would surprise both myself and them. One ISTP I know would look at me with scepticism and amuzment when I would impulsively announce my plans. Then I would begin to execute my plans to show him I meant business, and finally ask him for help in finishing up LOL!

The IEE and logic

'Evil' logic

Sometimes you come across statements that are just... so wrong. They enrage you with their cleverly disquised false logic. What do you do? Clench your teeth and squeeze out a lengthy analysis of why it is so wrong... Then you look at what you've written or explained and see that you haven't quite done justice to the heinous wrongfulness of the statement. The pain doesn't go away... The offender must be publicly destroyed or humiliated and all must be made to see his erroneous ways... But somehow he always seems to slip out of your grasp and continue to lead others into error untouched...

Can an IEE be purely logical?

Anecdote: when asked to speak from a point of view at a socionics seminar, one IEE thought for a moment and began: "One of the theories that I feel very strongly about is..." — at which point everyone burst out laughing. If you "feel strongly," then it's not pure logic.

The IEE and health

Most if not all IEEs have the tendency to seek mental stimulation to improve their mood (brain hormone level) rather than satisfy the physiological needs that probably caused the bad mood in the first place. This can lead to staying up way too late, insomnia and poor sleep habits, spending too much time online doing random stuff, starting new projects at 2:00 in the morning, and continuing to do something for hours while needing to pee and just letting the pressure build up more and more. The strange thing is, often this behavior successfully pulls them out of a slump, which just goes to show how strong the connection is between mental stimulation and brain chemistry in the IEE.

IEEs may seem physically robust and full of life, but illness quickly brings out their infantile and dependent side. They generally avoid taking medicine or modifying their activities while they are getting sick, only to completely shut down their lives when the illness is already past its peak. If left to their own devices, they forget all health recommendations and medical information conveyed to them after the age of six and turn into pitiful wrecks. Then, once better, they completely forget the experience of being sick.

Criticism

As strong as we seem to be in interpersonal matters, dealing with criticism is one of the IEE's big weak points. Criticism is accepted only from people who are close to us and whose positive opinion of us we do not doubt. Criticism from people who are not close to us is usually interpreted as a sign of ill will and condemnation. IEEs personally believe it's appropriate to criticize 1) people you don't know and don't expect to meet and 2) people who are close to you who won't take it wrong. All the people in between we try not to criticize or do so very carefully in order to preserve good will. When other people break this unspoken "rule," the IEE's automatic reaction is very often to suspect the worst and take it as a personal attack.

At the same time, IEEs are often quite self-critical and talk about their weaknesses openly (just look at this page). However, just because we criticize ourselves doesn't mean you can criticize us! :)

Structure

The way this page is developing so far is a perfect expression of how IEEs like to implement structure. A new heading may be added at any time to accommodate any new insight, even if it is unrelated to preceding topics. The result is a large amount of insightful but often redundant information grouped around a certain topic. IEEs like to be part of structures that are loose enough to allow for any new insight (or, in real life, impulsive changes of direction), and for structure to emerge in hindsight rather than in advance. In other words, after we've experienced all that and discussed all these topics, are there any general conclusions that can be drawn?

IEEs and determining their type

IEEs generally view the typing process as something highly personal and rarely make it the subject of public discussion unless they don't really care about their type but are just looking for a place to talk about themselves. Once they have come to a conclusion, they don't like to have to logically defend their type publicly because, more often than not, that means participating in a debate over categories and definitions and sharing personal feelings and information in an antagonistic setting.

Anecdote from a contributor

• Because IEEs so rarely make public discussions of their types, I believe that some Socionists on the16types.info forum have erroneous (or at the very least, naive,) views of IEEs. For example, I created a typing thread after I'd received messages from others stating that I "give off too much Fe" to be IEE. [1] Perhaps if more IEEs were to make public discussion threads, the type would be better understood in general..?

Hard but liberating things for an IEE to say

(Each phrase is meant to be said with finality and/or obvious irritation)

• "If you don't follow through on this today, I'm going to report this to your manager."
• "Stop. Now you're just giving me the runaround. You tell me WHO'S responsible for this and give me a phone number, NOW. Please."
• "Sorry, but I am not even remotely interested in listening to that right now, thank you." (shuts the door)
• "Because of your [company's] mistake, I just wasted four whole hours of my time."

IEEs and romance

IEEs do not like to express their romantic interests in such point-blank terms such as "I like you" or "you are cute." This is way uncomfortable. Instead, IEEs emphasize how interesting it is to talk to and do things with their chosen partner — indeed, how much more interesting than with all those "other people." This is their way of saying, "I find you attractive. I want to get close to you." Fortunately, certain types don't need to be told that others find them attractive, just as IEEs don't need to be told that they are "interesting conversation partners."

Only the most sensorily emancipated IEEs are able to directly say, "you are cute." Fortunately, many IEEs have been known to live happy and successful lives without needing to say such trivial nonsense.

Do not ask the IEE what his or her feelings towards you are, do not tell them that you like them, and do not talk about your relationship directly. These 'rational' moves make them highly uncomfortable. Instead try, "I like your energy," "your voice is calming," "you look good in that shirt," "you're funny," "I enjoy the way you move," etc.

When pursuing romance, IEEs almost inevitably end up establishing friendship. If their partners don't "get a clue" and fill in the blanks, IEEs can easily end up with a string of emotionally intimate friendships that never culminate in a physical relationship. IEEs' pursuit of openness and sincerity in conversation and their tendency to periodically get abstract and mental tends to destroy the spirit of romance except for rare types who often find this "charming." The rest are distracted by the emphasis on intense conversation and forget that underneath it all the IEE is pursuing romance.

A mundane and sure-fire way to draw the IEE into your nets is to invite him or her to have some food. They are almost unable to refuse (which creates problems when people offer them food without really meaning it), especially if they like you.

One thing the IEE adeptly controls in relationships is the amount of time he or she spends with other people. If an IEE likes you, he will instantly discover tons of free time in his schedule that can be spent on "interesting conversations" and other harmless pastimes. IEEs are not slaves of their schedules and can move activities about at will in order to focus on what has caught their interest. However, they fall back on their "busy schedules" whenever they feel like limiting time spent with people. They avoid saying anything negative that might harm the relationship or hurt the other person's feelings, and so an apparent "lack of time" is a convenient excuse.

Type domains
Alpha Quadra:	ILE	SEI	ESE	LII
Beta Quadra:	EIE	LSI	SLE	IEI
Gamma Quadra:	SEE	ILI	LIE	ESI
Delta Quadra:	LSE	EII	IEE	SLI