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School<br />
A study examined the leisure pastimes of the sixteen types. The type that most liked the item<br />
"Taking classes" was the INTJ. 239 (Only the Rationals considered this a leisure activity.) And not<br />
only did INTJs like taking classes the most, but they liked it more than any other type liked any<br />
other activity. INTJs liked taking classes more than ESTPs liked playing sports. INTJs liked taking<br />
classes more than INFJs liked writing (but only just barely). It would seem that taking classes<br />
deserves the status of "passion" for INTJs. No other type liked any other thing as much. Perhaps it<br />
comes as no surprise that INTJs tend to have the highest grades of all types. 240<br />
However, this fondness is hardly uncritical. In fact, many INTJs dislike their years in the public<br />
school system—and this in spite of the fact that they love learning. Let's examine a few of the<br />
things they find unpleasant.<br />
Problems in the Public School System<br />
Busy Work—And Other Scholastic Activities<br />
The entire public education system is dominated by SJs, and to a lesser extent, NFs. 241 Keirsey<br />
(1998) noted that the “largely clerical curriculum” in the modern school system bores Rationals. It<br />
is seen as a good thing to do thirty identical repetitive math problems even if the INTJ understood<br />
the concept by the time they finished the tenth problem. Sadly, for many INTJs, school is nothing<br />
but an exercise in "grinding," i.e. doing a mindless task over and over to earn points. Teachers<br />
believe grinding to be an indispensable part of a child's ability to remember a concept long enough<br />
to take a test on it. Actually, it has been well demonstrated that many INTJs can get excellent<br />
grades on tests while simultaneously cutting classes and not doing their homework. Many, many,<br />
INTJs are seen as underachievers or as working beneath their potential because they decline to<br />
sacrifice real productivity in order to perform hours of mindless repetitions.<br />
The fact is, INTJs simply hate busywork and do not care about proving to anyone that they know<br />
the material. As far as the INTJ is concerned, they’ve reached 100% of their potential just by<br />
239 Myers, McCaulley, Quenk & Hammer, 1998<br />
240 Myers, McCaulley, Quenk & Hammer, 1998<br />
241 Hoffman & Betkouski in Kent & Fisher, 1997
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