Each MBTI type has a type opposite comprised of all the same functions but in reverse order. This opposite type is likely to pose the greatest difficulty for getting along harmoniously. Misunderstandings and clashes are likely to arise whenever these types encounter one another. Here is a look at the “arch nemesis” of each of the 16 MBTI types.

INFP Arch Nemesis: ESTJ “The Authoritarian Control Freak”.

For INFPs, the take-charge nature of the ESTJ can easily encroach on the INFP’s sense of individual freedom. ESTJs are by definition, more decisive and can be rather bossy and judgemental of types who have a harder time making up their mind. Clashes are bound to arise between the ESTJ and INFP mostly in the form of harsh and insensitive criticism from the ESTJ regarding INFP’s, reliability, style and approach to tasks. ESTJ’s preference for convention can also make them less open and understanding of INFP’s creative vision. INFPs may too often feel like they have to over-conform and over perform just to win ESTJ’s fleeting approval and occasional praise.

INFJ Arch Nemesis: ESTP “The Slick Manipulator”.

In contrast to the ESTP, INFJ is decidedly more cautious, thoughtful and sincere. ESTPs exhibit people skills that can often appear more like a performance than a genuine connection. ESTPs are noted as being more engaging and charming in their public life than they are in their personal relationships. Loved ones can sometimes feel shortchanged in terms of the time and energy that ESTPs spend interacting with the outside world. Although INFJs can be easily enchanted and charmed by the ESTP charisma, they may sooner or later find them to be glib, shallow and hard to pin down. INFJs can easily be made to feel like a pawn or a disposable piece in the ESTP’s puzzle. INFJs can take exception to how casually ESTPs can break promises, change plans and manipulate expectations.

ENFP Arch Nemesis: ISTJ “The Cynical Critic”.

Unlike the ISTJ, ENFP has an allergic response to routine and too much structure. Where ISTJ prefers to “paint by the numbers”, the ENFP would rather fill the canvas with their own inspirations. That said, the ISTJ’s preference for sound and predictable structure, can mean that they will be decidedly less understanding of the creative needs of the ENFP. ISTJ sensibilities can easily become a bore to the ENFP under which they can feel suffocated and oppressed. ENFP exhibits more openness to new ideas and novel approaches, much of which may be viewed as too dangerous or untenable to implement in the ISTJ’s opinion. ENFPs may feel frustrated when they are unable to convince an ISTJ authority figure to understand their vision, or when they have to justify themselves or their ideas against the ISTJ’s criticisms.

ENFJ Arch Nemesis: ISTP “The Strong and Silent Type”.

Communication issues are likely to be a source of most of the tension and conflict likely to arise between the ISTP and ENFJ. ENFJs are one of the most communicative types while ISTP is probably the least verbal. Additionally, ISTPs are also highly independent and render themselves self-reliant and self sufficient in almost all respects. They have far less need for human interaction and very little need to express their feelings to others. ISTP’s lone wolf tendencies can easily arouse ENFJ’s suspicions and paranoia. ENFJ tends to desire regular amounts of human interaction, emotional connection and reassurance. ENFJs can easily perceive the ISTP’s behavior as being selfish and anti-social. ENFJs promote a sense of interdependence, community and accountability to others that ISTPs may often dismiss and disregard as not very important.

INTP Arch nemesis: ESFJ “The Controlling Caregiver”.

The communally-focused ESFJ is the type-opposite of the staunchly independent INTP. INTPs seek to be highly autonomous, especially since dealing with people and socializing can be so awkward for them. ESFJ in contrast is inclined to rely much more on others and include people in with what they are doing. Although INTP can appreciate the inclusiveness that ESFJ promotes, INTP may often view the ESFJ as annoying, needy and intrusive. ESFJ can sometimes act as though they know what’s best for others which can be annoying to INTP who is generally not interested in letting other people think for them or dictate what they should or should not do. Disputes and conflict can arise where the INTP’s emphasis on logic and reason clashes with ESFJ’s interpersonal values.

INTJ Arch Nemesis: ESFP “The Attention-seeking Hedonist”.

ESFPs are the Joker to INTJ’s Batman. INTJs are very private, calculating and reserved in their manner while the ESFP is more emotive, impulsive and materialistic. ESFPs exhibit a lust for life that INTJs simply don’t share. Their appetite for physical stimulus and variety of experiences is likely to be exhausting for the INTJ who prefers to spend the majority of their time with mental activities like reading, writing and planning. INTJs prefer doing what they consider to be constructive uses of their time and place much less interest in pointless thrill-seeking. The ESFP agenda is for the most part, one that INTJ may view as unfulfilling and without purpose or substance. The tolerance for chaos and spontaneity that ESFPs display can easily become problematic for the INTJ’s strong reliance on solid blueprints or plans of action for anything they pursue.

ENTP Arch Nemesis: ISFJ “The Intellectual Killjoy”.

ENTPs will likely find ISFJs to be nice and pleasant company, but may find that they are always interested in the whimsical musings and hypotheticals that ENTPs proffer, sometimes just to get a reaction. ISFJs may even get a little offended by their statements. to talk to unless they happen provide and enthusiastic audience for ENTP’s ramblings and constant commentary. ISFJs may feel amused by ENTP’s creativity, but may often feel the need to poke holes in ENTP’s lofty and sometimes nutty ideations with prudent realism and conservative incredulity. ENTPs may have a hard time impressing the ISFJ and getting them to engage in intellectually juicy discussions rather than the more mundane topic matter that ISFJ is more likely to talk about. ENTP may find that ISFJ will too often talk about things that are not exciting to them and that ISFJ cannot or simply will not hang with them in a quirky intellectual dialogue.

ENTJ Arch nemesis: ISFP “The Vague Materialist”.

Compared to the ENTJ, the ISFP personality appears relatively mellow and easy going. ENTJs are inclined to perceive ISFP’s laid back attitude as a sign of shiftlessness and lassitude. Driven and ambitious ENTJs can easily underestimate the casual ISFP in the similar way that the proverbial hare underestimated the tortoise. Although ISFPs don’t plan and scheme their way to success as much as ENTJ does, ISFPs can often achieve success by simply being in the right place at the right time and seizing the moments and opportunities that come to them. ENTJs who try to direct the ISFP, may find that they are not as receptive or submissive as they can appear. ENTJs may often view the ISFP as something of a passive sybarite without a real or meaningful plan or sense of direction.

ISTJ Arch Nemesis: ENFP “The Self-Absorbed Hippy”

In the ISTJ’s eyes, the ENFP can seem like a self-indulgent hipster. ENFPs tend to emphasize their individualism and “uniqueness” apart from the average normie. Despite being introverts, ISTJs will likely view such snowflake attitudes as conceited and contemptible. Moreover, ISTJs may often perceive ENFPs as being attention-seeking and disposed to being different for the sake of being different. ISTJs are content to conform with established standards and methods whereas the ENFP is inclined to put their creative stamp or spin on things. ENFP’s deviations from the norm can be seen by the iSTJ as a sign of arrogance and seeing themselves as being “too good” for the standards and systems that everyone else is beholden to.

ESTJ Arch Nemesis: INFP “The Weirdo Snowflake”

Why do you spend so much time by yourself? You think you’re better than everyone else or something? That’s how ESTJ is bound to regard the INFP and their introverted tendencies. ESTJs may often perceive the INFP as being maladaptive to their highly structured and conventional sensibilities. ESTJs may have great difficulty understanding INFP and have even greater difficulty getting them to conform to their expectations. To them, INFPs can appear like complete weirdos and cannot really understand why they don’t act more normal. ESTJs care a great deal about things like “upstanding reputation” and “image” but INFP seems to care mostly about doing what feels right to them despite what other people think.

ISFJ Arch Nemesis: ENTP “The Contrarian”.

Even for the most straight-forward of matters, ENTPs seem able to turn almost anything into a topic of debate. The practical sensibilities of the ISFJ can easily tire of ENTP’s trolling and slick and sometimes insensitive remarks. ENTPs have an answer for everything and ISFJs may find it exhausting trying to figure when ENTP is being serious or not. Furthermore, ISFJ may feel as though they have to pick up the slack for ENTP who may often neglect or shirk responsibilities. In the ISFJ’s view, ENTP may seem to spend too much time being a philosopher and not enough time managing real life concerns. ISFJ may sometimes feel put down by ENTPs condescending sarcasm and smarty pants remarks.

ESFJ Arch Nemesis: INTP “The Litigious Loner”

ESFJs may often find that INTPs are not very open to their officious intentions. INTPs don’t like getting dragged into most events and get togethers that EFSJ is inclined to orchestrate or participate in. While INTPs are generally polite, their preference for doing things on their own can make ESFJ feel unnecessary. Furthermore, ESFJs may sometimes feel stupid around the iNTP or at least feel as though INTP perceives them as such. INTPs are not wont to cater to ESFJ’s communal values. ESFJ will likely find INTP to be too quarrelsome and unwilling to go along to get along. Arguments are bound to arise where both parties can only agree to disagree.

ISTP Arch Nemesis: ENFJ “The Virtue Signaler”

The ISTP is a generally object-oriented type not particularly interested in moral philosophizing and what-not. Ethics and social values are more of alien topic that they may show only a casual appreciation of. Unlike the ENFJ, ISTPs are not very concerned about projecting a hallowed image to the world. ISTPs can even be brazen in showing how little they care what people think about them personally. If anything, ISTPs take more pride in their craft and skill and so that is where they tend to desire to receive most of their recognition for. To the ISTP, ENFJs can appear like disingenuous manipulators who are busy trying to manage other people’s perceptions of them rather than just being themselves.

ISFP Arch Nemesis: ENTJ “The Task Master”

ISFPs are casual and laid back in comparison to ENTJs. ISFPs like to enjoy life and enjoy the moment and are not constantly thinking ahead and plotting their next moves the way ENTJs are apt to do. ISFPs may find that ENTJ’s penchant for maintaining a perpetual state of progress to be exhausting and perhaps meaningless. ISFPs may feel that ENTJs may be missing out on some of the most beautiful things that life has to offer amid all their hustle and bustle to hit goals and climb higher up the ladder of success. Furthermore, ENTJs have a knack to taking charge and ISFP is somewhat resistant to being a pawn in someone else’s scheme.

ESTP Arch Nemesis: INFJ “The Empath”

The ESTP may find that INFJ is apt to frequently call into question, the moral considerations of ESTPs actions or intentions. ESTPs may feel that INFJs trip them up and slow them down with their cautious nature and forcing ESTP to think more about consequences and risks and how other people may be affected. The INFJ’s independent mind frame along with their strong moral convictions can seem annoying and inconvenient to the ESTP who is more interested in seizing the moment, taking action and letting the chips fall where they may.

ESFP Arch Nemesis: INTJ “The Workaholic”

Fun-loving ESFP may find INTJ to be too uptight and preoccupied with work, routine and altogether non-recreational activities. ESFP will likely find the INTJ’s structured and orderly lifestyle to be difficult to adapt to. ESFPs are apt to make careless mistakes that incur ridicule and criticism from the INTJ. ESFPs love spontaneity and surprises while iNTJ prefers predictability and consistency. ESFP wants to enjoy today while INTJ is busy thinking about tomorrow.

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