ILE – The Inventor

ENTP (MBTI) | ENTp / ILE

**Note: The ENTP (MBTI) is not an ILE, however, the cognitive function structure is roughly the same which may result in a confusion of the two. They are separate systems (Socionics & MBTI)

This is the type profile for the Intuitive Logical Energizer (ILE) as depicted by World Socionics Society. Full credit for the following goes to Jack Oliver Aaron.

ILE Breakdown

1. Ideas
2. Laws
3. Force
4. Relations
5. Senses
6. Emotions
7. Telos
8. Pragmatism

Ideas

ILEs are best characterized by their rampant curiosity for the latest idea to enter their heads. When they discover something new, they can intuitively grasp its potential to illuminate alternative avenues and open previously unconsidered windows. Those ideas which are most packed with possibility entice the ILE and can capture their obsessive interest until its potential has been fully explored. The more complex the idea and the more applicable it is to a variety of different situations, the longer the ILE’s attention can be held. However, at some point another, shinier idea presents itself and the ILE will dart after the latest fascination, leaving the debris of numerous projects in their wake. ILEs tend to have a very broad range of different, unusual interests and will casually talk about these areas with others, likely coming across as a particularly curious person. The ILE draws from a large breadth of different topics or fields and is not hesitant to jump between them as and when the opportunity arises, often having something out-of-the-box to say in each situation, whether or not the thing said was entirely relevant.

Laws

In their pursuit of limitless potential, the ILE readily and rapidly systematizes the content of their ideas into a structural form. When ravenously exploring an idea, they will be assessing the integral qualities that make it up, divining the parts which are fundamental from those which are superfluous or contradictory. From here, they may take pleasure in playing around with its fragments to create new combinations, relishing the chance to take a concept to its logical absurdities, especially if doing so pushes the boundaries in some way. ILEs tend to place an emphasis on people making internal logical sense in their discussions and debates. However, their consistency is usually limited to that particular situation, with ILEs creating a good, clear argument in one conversation, but then debating a completely different line in another. For ILEs, multiple choice keeps things interesting, as long as each option is internally well reasoned. Such intellectual flexibility can be seen in how many an ILE, upon learning something momentous, can rapidly re-calibrate their entire perspective to assimilate this new piece of information into the overall structure.

Force

ILEs are not natural fighters and dislike harsh action that can shut down new possibilities. Rather than take an issue head on, they prefer to divert their attention to the multiple, potential routes around an issue that may be more interesting. However, should ILEs feel that opportunities available to them are being shut down by someone else, or that something of particular interest needs decisive action, they should be able to put up a fight with some determination, provided they can articulate a logical reason for doing so. When in a position of leadership, ILEs will understand that they have to lay down the law for anything interesting to happen, and so will reluctantly impose some authority, rather than allowing things to drift apart. However, the ability to summon their willpower is normally short-lived, dying down when they lose interest as they lack the ability to force themselves to do anything they might find boring. This can mean that ILEs have particular trouble with procrastination, exploring other things and feeling unable to force themselves onto the matter at hand if it does not capture their interest. 

Relations

It seems like the ILE can talk fluently about anything, except when asked how they personally feel about something. At this point, the ILE may clam up, or else, deviate from the question. ILEs are not good at forming value judgements of things, whether something feels ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and tend to suppress these attitudes. In the absence of a more logical reason, such feelings seem invalid and unjustified, becoming uncomfortable to bother anyone with. In practice this can make ILEs extremely non-judgmental, treating everyone the same, and having friendly conversations with those others may find morally detestable. If you then ask them if they like that person, they won’t have a clue. It simply doesn’t matter. A problem is that it matters to others, and the ILE may easily hurt other people who feel close to them, being too familiar with strangers or else, not treating their loved ones with the intimacy they deserve. ILEs without a handle on this may be unfaithful and end up with a string of failed relationships, which they may move on from in a coldly detached manner. With close friends, they may similarly come up short, wanting to spend time with new, interesting people rather than investing in quality time, and seemingly only returning to an old friend if they think they have something useful or interesting to offer. 

Senses

Few things are more attractive to an ILE than experiencing a positive ‘Nirvana’ of physical pleasure, through any of their senses. Unfortunately, ILEs are at a loss on how to create and maintain enjoyable, physical experiences for themselves and others. With an often poor eye for detail and lack of moderation, ILEs may pursue sensations of inappropriate intensity, trying too much, or else, just end up making a mess. At the same time, when other interests and pressures take precedence, the ILE may neglect their sensory needs, staying up long hours, or going out without a coat. The minutiae of regular daily tasks, such as cooking, cleaning or ironing the creases out of shirts may elude them, with the logistics of such activities quickly draining them. Frequently, they will feel that something is needed to feel truly satisfied and they will respond very positively to those who are able to guide them on this journey of discovery, helping them to savor their experiences more and introduce healthy balances, while ensuring daily concerns are attended to. Although a type that likes to push at norms, ILEs don’t actually like heated confrontations and appreciate someone who can help them to not disrupt social harmony with their innovations.

Emotions

Although out of touch with their personal attitudes, ILEs are intrigued by emotional expressions and the effects they can provoke in others. Growing up, an ILE may play the fool, engaging in unusual or alarming activities to excite, shock or surprise people. When maturing, this interest in the emotions of others becomes a desire to create positive responses. ILEs love to be loved, and may treat their interactions with others as a performance to make people laugh or attain some other positive feedback. Even if they themselves do not have a subjective awareness of good or bad things, this doesn’t matter if they can appeal to what other people want and be met with praise. Despite this, the wit and charisma of ILEs lacks finesse. In unfamiliar situations, a polished presentation may quickly appear goofy, insincere or even insensitive and many ILEs walk a fine line between social success and disaster which can come down on the wrong side. For this reason, ILEs tend to attempt emotional appeal when they feel accepted in harmonious, non-threatening surroundings, otherwise relying on a more logical, matter-of-fact way of communicating.

Telos

ILEs much prefer to keep themselves open to all possibilities and opportunities. As such, they are likely to find it too restrictive to visualize a single outcome and commit their lives to it. The best idea is the one that seems to have the most potential in the moment, and they will only jump into it for as long as it is interesting to do so. They will not hesitate to leave one thing to try out another and will refuse to allow future projects to be limited by things they have already started. Furthermore, ILEs are not the sort of people to be told that something is ‘impossible’. They have the imagination to think far enough ahead to have a good idea of where a possibility could go, and trusting in their their resourcefulness to always find a way of getting things to work, they will not be willing to reject a desired outcome on the grounds of it being deemed improbable. This causes ILEs to delay giving up on projects others may have dismissed as dead ends, and it is not unusual for ILEs to hang onto a range of unlikely objects and projects in the belief that they might come in handy or be completed at some point, leading to much clutter, which can be frustrating to some.

Pragmatism

The ability to solve problems and figure out how to make things work is a skill that ILEs take for granted. They tend to be very good at making objective, intelligent decisions based on the information available. Factual information can be like food to the ILE who readily absorbs knowledge of whatever takes their interest, making them like walking encyclopedias. They have a fluid interplay between their large reserves of factual knowledge and the structure of that knowledge into coherent frameworks for explanation, allowing them to make sense of new information rapidly and flexibly. However, they are less motivated to do things for the sake of efficiency or productivity than because they find the area interesting and want to explore its potential, or because it feels fun to do. Although capable of confidently solving problems and articulately conveying their considerable knowledge, they don’t place much pressure on themselves to work out the most efficient way of doing things and certainly don’t expect similar attempts of others. Instead, their efficient, fact-oriented brains are taken for granted, and something safe to rely on when their latest social escapade has blown up in their faces.

ILE Relations with Others