Why All INFJs Hate Willful Ignorance
It’s fair to say that avoiding information in the name of intentional ignorance is one of the INFJ’s biggest pet peeves. Whether it’s in an attempt to avoid being proven wrong, remaining blind to crucial truths, or for the sake of not taking account for actions, a lot of the world’s problems come from this simple yet complex habit of avoidant decisions.
They know the power of intuition
As an introverted intuitive, the INFJ can’t help but to remain suspicious about the facts, opinions, and media that go against their intuitive instincts. In fact, because of this dominant function, the INFJ more or less has no choice but to avoid being willfully ignorant even if that would be the easier route to take.
While questioning every narrative can be exhausting and often reveals rather devastating findings, it’s fair to say that most INFJs wouldn’t want it any other way. They’re able to use their instincts to find the truths they feel called to find, and they wish that other people would feel obligated to do the same.
Despite it being their dominant function, it’s not only the INFJ who has the innate intuition that they’re meant to use to avoid negative circumstances. Yet, because of most people’s preference for remaining blissfully ignorant, INFJs can’t help but to question whether or not humanity may be digging themselves an early grave.
They believe it can lead to self-destruction
According to the trusted blog, Psychology Today, willful ignorance is a cognitive strategy that people adopt to promote their emotional well-being. However, the INFJ knows better in the sense that in most instances, remaining ignorant to certain intuitive suspicions only ends up coming back to them later down the line.
In fact, in some ways, INFJs themselves are wilfully ignorant when it comes to the tolerance they hold towards others that may not deserve it. Due to their empathetic ways and habits of giving others the benefit of the doubt, they’re known to try their best to prove other’s negative suspicions of people wrong.
In a way, this self-deception can eventually turn into self-destruction when they become reluctant to set the appropriate boundaries. Whether it’s remaining blinded to a partner’s toxic traits, or giving excuses for someone’s lack of compassion, INFJs find themselves time-and-time again in difficult relational connections due to their own version of willful ignorance, and they hate that they can’t help it.
Their complex minds require open mindedness
Know-it-alls are certainly annoying on any account, however, what makes matters considerably worse is when what they know is completely false. For the INFJ who holds a balanced equilibrium of beliefs and open mindedness themselves, they can have a hard time understanding people who believe they’re right on the account that they remain ignorant to opposing possibilities.
While it can be difficult to tell whether someone is purposefully ignorant or truly deluded, INFJs believe that keeping an open mind to the possibility that any of their beliefs may actually be wrong is an important factor in remaining as accurate as possible.
Therefore, not only do they become rather suspicious of the willfully ignorant, but they can have a hard time trusting anything they believe because of it..no matter how sure of themselves they are.
Certain ignorance causes others pain
Remaining closed off to changing personal beliefs and factors that affects one’s personal life is one thing, but for the INFJ who holds an incredible moral high-ground for themselves, willful ignorance can actually show someone’s lack of moral judgments.
People remain intentionally ignorant for all sorts of reasons, but some of them can end up being rather corrupt. In fact, it takes a certain kind of wilful ignorance to profit off of the less fortunate, scam people financially and emotionally, or to make excuses for one’s own negative behavior.
In these unfortunate circumstances, wilful ignorance is just another form of manipulation or using other people for the sake of one’s betterment. This is the type of rather narcissistic ignorance that INFJs have a major problem with. For, when others choose to avoid taking the time to consider the consequences of their actions, the pain and hurt of others is often the result.
It can be a sign of laziness
When it comes down to it, some people are simply ‘too busy to care’ or ‘can’t be bothered to know’. If something doesn’t affect them directly, most people don’t make the effort to educate themselves, despite the facts being presented to them time and time again.
In fact, even when people know they should know about something, or have an inkling that something may affect the world, or the people around them, some people are too lazy to question their suspicions. For the INFJ, they can’t help but to care about or at least question even the simplest of worldly issues, especially the ones they have to dig to find.
They can see that blind-conformity has a lot to do with the apathy shown by their fellow humans, particularly regarding the deeper issues behind the challenges we see on the news. And in the INFJs perfect world, everyone would put a little more effort into questioning what they’re being told. Like we said referring to the topic of intuition,
They can’t find common grounds with the willfully ignorant
Taking into consideration the fact that the majority of INFJ small-talk and preferred deeper conversations tend to surround topics of broadening knowledge on taboo subjects, conspiracies, and alternative possibilities of worldly motives, it’s fair to say that people who believe all they are told can be difficult for the INFJ to simply even converse with.
While ignorance itself can be defined as believing such conspiracies without the evidence to back it up, INFJs are a step beyond that. By utilizing the importance of believing nothing they hear and only half of what they see, most INFJs don’t hesitate to question the ‘science-backed’ and ‘factually proven’ narratives they are expected to believe.
Sure, they may be seen as rather ‘woo-woo’ and unconventional, but to them, the real ignorance lies within avoiding thinking for yourself. Which brings us to..
They can’t imagine purposefully remaining blind to knowledge
They say ignorance is bliss, but for the INFJ personality type, this couldn’t be further from the truth. On the topic of conspiracies and expanding their knowledge in terms of the ‘unspoken’ side of worldly issues, INFJs tend to detest the willful ignorance of others simply because they can’t imagine living life with their head buried in the sand.
Not only can they not find common ground with those who choose to lead a life through ignorance, but when they try to put themselves in the position of those who do, they can’t fathom the feelings of false comfort and contentment.
They can’t imagine knowing deep down that there may be certain ulterior motives behind global movements, laws, epidemics and even ulterior motives of certain people in one’s life, and choosing not to look further into it. And lastly..
Ignorance takes away the ability to take preventative action
If there’s one thing the INFJ personality type is keen on when it comes to planning and organization, it would be thinking in terms of future outcomes. Not only does this way of thinking include future-projecting and making the necessary moves for the best possible results, but it also entails taking preventative action through the presented facts at hand.
For example, if the INFJs will go that extra mile in their work projects, their relationship communication and their own personal goals to ensure the least amount of future issues will arise.
In fact, since INFJs are notorious for their conflict avoidant behavior, ignorance has no place in their tactics of discord prevention. Plus, through their keen observation skills they can see how this avoidant nature can end up playing out negatively for the people around them.
Whether it’s lack of training within the workplace due to the unlikelihood of something dangerous actually occurring or not taking time out for oneself in the midst of a busy work schedule and hoping they won’t burn out. INFJs prefer to remain one step ahead of themselves and this can only be done through the necessary awareness.