Let’s take, for example, the movie: Self-reliance on Hulu’s Originals [1]–[3]. Let’s consider what can be true in real life. Tommy is an INFP young man who is stuck in a routine and boring life. He goes to work during the day, to a bar alone at night, and lives with his mom. He talks to his sisters from time to time. One is married, and he treats her husband like a member of his family. He has a history of hallucinations. Let’s analyze this point before going further as the whole movie is around this point.
INFPs have a 2nd cognitive function in their cognitive functions model, called Extroverted Intuition Ne and referred to as “Ne”. It is accountable for a lot of creativity and imagination when used in a production mode. Intuition collects abstract information, connects ideas, and generates new possibilities. There are 2 types of Intuition: Introverted Intuition Ni and Extroverted Intuition Ne. Introverted Intuition Ni connects ideas to single internal frameworks in the brain and generates innovative ideas based on these frameworks. So, it is an idea-converging function. It is a source for a specialist mindset.
Extroverted Intuition Ne is an idea-diverging function. It extroverts new ideas and possibilities that are dissociated from single internal frameworks in the brain. These novel ideas can be completely off-topic for the listener or reader but are original and have links with new topics. People using Ne don’t know how new ideas are generated, but they know they can rely on their brains to keep generating them. They are great public speakers. Other than INFP, there is also INTP who has also Ne as a 2nd function. Then there are ENFP and ENTP who have Ne as the 1st dominant function. So, 4 personality types with Ne as a 1st or 2nd function in their cognitive functions model. All these 4 can be imaginative and creative in an abstract way more than any other personality type, more than the 12 remaining.
All of this is an introduction to how our INFP man in this movie “Self-Reliance” will deal with life. He is in an unhappy state characterized by: Loneliness, an unhealthy breakup with his ex-girlfriend that he still doesn’t understand why it happened and he still didn’t process it, a dad who left him very young after the best night he had with him playing video games. So, a lot of emotional baggage from the past.
The INFP cognitive functions model: 1st Introverted Feeling Fi, 2nd Extroverted Intuition Ne, 3rd Introverted Sensing Si, and 4th Extroverted Thinking Te.
Introverted Feeling Fi, his dominant function, absorbs emotions all the time, processes them, and generates new ones. As a dominant function, it is strong and capable of processing emotions effectively. However, in our case for Tommy, Fi is coupled with Introverted Sensing Si most of the time like a loop which is an unhealthy state to be in. This phenomenon is characterized by overusing the 1st and the 3rd functions combined repetitively.
Introverted Sensing Si is linked to physical awareness and resilience, storing facts and memories, and valuing traditions and repetitive physical activities. Hence, Tommy is in routines using too much his Si instead of leaning more on his 2nd function Extroverted Intuition Ne. The combination of Fi and Si is incapable of processing all past emotions and facts because many questions are unanswered, and that keeps generating the same negative emotions over and over. These emotions are stored as intrinsic feelings that become a part of the INFP identity. They can change to positive ones only if the INFP man uses his Ne and Te to see the facts from different perspectives and have a broader view of what happened despite what he feels about them as much as possible.
This is a psychological exercise that not all INFPs can do by themselves, as they are not even aware of what is missing. They are just diving into an unhappy state and consumed by it. In this movie, we can say that Tommy’s brain, under so much pressure, triggered a defense mechanism by starting hallucinations and imagining a new situation in which he needed to be the winner. This provides him with a new purpose in life, a challenging activity intellectually, and a monetary prize to win if he succeeds.
Disclaimer:
We are analyzing this movie without considering the ending. This way, we can talk about an interesting story that will probably happen in real life and not childish fiction.
The new situation that he imagined is:
I have been selected to take part in a real-life game that is recorded live and posted on the dark web. The concept of the game is: Real people will try to kill me whenever I’m not next to another person. This game has a duration of 30 days. If I’m still alive after 30 days, I win.
So, I accept to play this game even if I’m scared that some people will try to kill me. But I’m confident I can stay alive, win this challenge, and be proud of myself. All I need to do is to stick to other people for 30 days. I just need to be vigilant when I’m alone in the street. I can do it. Let’s get started. First, I need to have my family around me. I will call my mom, my sisters, and my brother-in-law.
Unfortunately, they don’t believe me. They think I’m hallucinating again, and they don’t want to support me. I need to find someone else. I will force myself at my brother-in-law’s house at night. My sister will not be there. I successfully slept next to him after a long debate. Haha! However, I heard a killer outside the house, and I found a tiny camera in the room. My brother-in-law went to the restroom and left me alone without telling me. When I woke up because of the killer noise, I ran towards my brother-in-law who was pooping. I forced myself into this uncomfortable situation for him. He was outraged and didn’t understand me. He kicked me out of the house.
On the doorstep, I noticed an old man with a long white beard searching in the trash. I begged my brother-in-law [4], [5] who forgave me already, to watch out for me until I talked to the old man. I offered some money to the old man, James [6], in exchange for being my “shadow”. He was happy to do it. We became best friends and enjoyed each other company. I guess I was alone for a long time. So, I was glad I was spending quality time with someone. Loneliness was “killing me”. So, I don’t have something to love in this game. My mom disliked having a stranger inside the house.
[1] Self Reliance, (Jan. 12, 2024).
[2] C. Worthington, “Self Reliance movie review & film summary (2024) | Roger Ebert,” https://www.rogerebert.com/. Accessed: Jan. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/self-reliance-movie-review-hulu-2024
[3] “Self Reliance movie review & film summary (2024) | Roger Ebert.” Accessed: Jan. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/self-reliance-movie-review-hulu-2024
[4] “Relationships by Marriage | Britannica Dictionary.” Accessed: Jan. 26, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/eb/qa/Relationships-by-Marriage-in-laws
[5] “Family members – English Vocabulary – Members of the Family in English.” Accessed: Jan. 26, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.vocabulary.cl/english/family-members.htm
[6] Q. V. Hough, “Know the Cast & Characters: ‘Self Reliance,’” Vague Visages. Accessed: Jan. 26, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://vaguevisages.com/2024/01/16/self-reliance-cast-hulu-characters/
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