When it comes to personality types, everyone’s going to have their own idea of what boring
really is. But, in general, when it comes to the “most boring personality type”, sources often
include the ISTJ. Why is this? And is it a fair generalization? Well get ready, psychos, because
today we’re going over the top 6 reasons why most people consider ISTJs the most boring personality
type. But before we start, have you liked and subscribed? Go ahead.. It’ll only take a second!
Alright, let’s dive right into the video starting with…
Reason #1 - Following the Rules The first and possibly the most
obvious reason ISTJs are often seen as boring is their tendency to follow the rules. In contrast
to the cool factor of going your own way and making your own rules, ISTJs tend to prefer
having the rules outlined for them, and once established, they generally follow those rules.
Now, this isn’t always necessarily the case; if the rules are too vague or make little sense,
the ISTJ will generally deem them invalid, since rules should be clear and concrete.
They’ll also diverge from following the rules if they can see a way to optimize them, so an
ISTJ doesn’t necessarily follow the rules just because they’re rules, but moreso because they
act like guidelines. To an ISTJ, rules are like the box that sand goes in. It lets them know where
the borders are, what they’re working with, and keeping the sand where they want it. In contrast,
they see just going about things on a whim as the equivalent of pouring a bunch of sand
into the grass. Sure, you can still move it around, but eventually it scatters out and
your ability to manipulate it dissolves. This perspective makes it easier to understand the
ISTJ’s reason for preferring rules, though the fact they don’t necessarily explain this
while following the rules means they’ll likely still be seen as the stereotypical “square.”
Reason #2 - Finicky Communicators Tying into their preference for rules, the ISTJ
personality type also likes people to be concise and clear with their own phrasing. For example, if
you invite an ISTJ to a party but give them casual answers to their questions of when to arrive,
or what they should bring, you’ll likely have a frustrated introvert on your hands.
The reason being that “come when you want” is so vague that it sounds like “any time today is
fine” which could be true, or could not be. They don’t like this uncertainty. And it goes the same
for if you ask them to “just bring something” they don’t know if you’re talking about burgers,
napkins, or lawn chairs. This lack of concise and clear communication makes their brains go
haywire trying to figure out what you mean, which is why they’d rather get specific answers like
“come around 5” or “some chips and salsa would be great” to such questions. With that being said,
this sternness and insistence on presenting information in such a way can make them seem like
irritated librarians to other personality types, and it’s not difficult to see why this could knock
them down a few notches on the “fun” meter. Reason #3 - The Mona Lisa Face
Another reason ISTJs are seen as boring is they’re often unresponsive compared
to other personality types, the best example of this being their famed “Mona Lisa” face.
This is when the ISTJ personality type puts on their blank face and just sort of just stares
while taking in information. Yet, to put it lightly, it can seem like they’re not paying
attention. Even if you know that they are, if they don’t frequently engage you with responses,
it’s just not as enjoyable to speak with them, as it often feels like talking to a wall.
To an ISTJ this doesn’t necessarily make sense, because their purpose in being still is to listen
to what you’re saying. For them, that lack of a response is proof that they’re paying attention
and not losing concentration on something else - that your thoughts are important. So again,
the introverted aspect of the ISTJ makes them come across differently than they intend. But the good
news is once ISTJs know about this they can make adjustments to be more expressive while listening,
showing the interest they’re already experiencing. Reason #4 - Literal Thinkers
Another reason ISTJs are considered boring is because of how famous they are for taking things
at face value. This is the person that, upon asking why they haven’t seen you in a while,
will actually believe you when you say “oh, I was in Antarctica researching the polar
bears.” Of course, they may figure it out after a few moments that you’re just joking,
but those seconds of confusion can make it difficult and awkward to joke with an ISTJ
as casually as some other personality types. Similarly, if you’re joking with others and an
ISTJ is involved in the discussion, they may take offense to a seemingly mean-spirited joke you made
because they take it as a true passive-aggressive dig, versus just giving someone a hard time in
good fun. This can deflate conversations even if they’re just one part of the whole, and make
further discussion incredibly awkward, even if they apologize for misunderstanding. And if they
remain unconvinced that their interpretation came out of context, you may have a new enemy
for at least the rest of the night. This is a big part of what’s led to the ISTJ’s reputation
as a “party pooper” who can ruin get-togethers with their robot-like literal interpretations.
You can ultimately bypass this issue, by clarifying that you’re joking shortly
after a statement, which can help in your personal engagements with ISTJ personalities,
but it doesn’t help them much when it comes to a reputation of being fun or a humorless
prude with no understanding of subtlety. So those are the reasons ISTJs tend to be
seen as boring in conversation or when it comes to following the rules.
But another factor in why other personality types often perceive them as the most boring is...
Reason #5 - Their Preoccupation with ease and comfort
Again, flying in the face of the common “cool” characteristics of dressing to impress or standing
out- as well as taking risks and living on the edge -this ties back into their introverted
nature. Introverts tend to get overwhelmed by prolonged social interaction because of
the ongoing mental stimulation. And the same rule applies to processing physical signals.
ISTJs are so sensitive to this kind of stimulus that they’ll be aware of that seam in their socks
all day long. They’ll evaluate the different factors of something like riding a roller
coaster or skydiving and see only the potential danger of it. For them, none of this logically
makes any sense to pursue or endure, and so it overwhelms their mental processing.
Conversely, when they’re in a comfortable environment- including soft,
spacious clothes -they feel at ease to contemplate the various thoughts whirling through their heads.
For them, this stability feels like a solid launching point to imagine different ways to
improve upon a design, or optimize a process. And so while they seem outwardly very boring,
their simple silence and the brainstorming that goes with it can ironically lead to enhanced
experiences for other personality types. Think of it this way, waterproof speakers
that you can take to the beach or a friend’s pond were likely an optimization developed by
an ISTJ during quiet contemplation. In this way, they may not have been the life of the party,
but they indirectly ensured that the party could stay lively after the speakers plunk
into the water. Of course, like other ISTJ characteristics, this requires a little
investigation to understand - not so good when judging a personality at face value.
And ultimately, while this makes ISTJs more interesting in terms of
their contribution to the fun, it doesn’t make them much more fun to the rest of us
when the party’s actually happening. And this is why the final, but most
significant reason ISTJs are seen as boring ultimately comes down to…
Reason # 6 - How they express their characteristics
Certain personality types find comfort in abiding by rules, or taking things literally.
But it’s the way ISTJs express both of these characteristics that makes them come across
as generally shy or standoffish. If you don’t know how they operate or why,
then you’re bound to find this combination of behaviors boring. The ways that an ISTJ processes
information and how they express it fly in the face of conventional “casual fun” behaviors.
Ultimately, whether you’ll find an ISTJ fun to be around or not has a lot to do with how
flexible you are in your means of communication. Dancing and partying and joking around on a beach
isn’t going to be a good environment for them. But as a colleague, where you know more about
their personality and they’re more comfortable with you, ISTJs can be that low-key kind of fun
that some people might need when they’re burnt out from all the high-octane hijinx.
Well that wraps up today’s video, psych-os.. So, if you’re an ISTJ personality type,
have you been deemed boring by friends or family? Let us know in the comments below! Also, make
sure to like and subscribe if you haven’t already, and we’ll see you in the next one!