I suspect that by this point, i've tested as everything beginning with an I. Some of the descriptions have fit better than others.
INTP seems more accurate, at least according to the Personality Junkie page --
They generally avoid direct eye contact, as though the gaze of their interlocutor may somehow harm them or render them incapable of thinking or communicating.
Eye contact is awkward for me, mostly because i'm unsure of how much is appropriate.
This may explain why many INTPs often take interest in writing, which provides an excellent forum for expressing themselves more fully and precisely.
Precision!! Yes, communicating my exact meaning is very important to me, and a major frustration -- though i don't always find writing to be satisfyingly precise, either.
As discussed in my post on INTP careers, INTPs can struggle to find satisfying jobs within the system and are often happier functioning as freelancers or entrepreneurs.
Much as i dislike my retail job and enjoy the idea of working on my own terms without someone watching me, i'm not really sure that would work out well ...
Many will struggle with nihilism and relativism, worried that they may never find absolute truth. It can therefore take INTPs a great deal of time, even well into their thirties, to discern what they believe about the world and about themselves, let alone figure out what they should be doing.
Hmm ... I've certainly done a lot of thinking about worldviews and absolute truth, and there was a time where i found nihilism intriguing (though not believable).
And i definitely haven't figured out myself or what i want to do yet.
Inwardly, INTPs are highly self-disciplined, working to effectively manage their thoughts and their lives. The disciplined nature of their Ti compels INTPs to frame many things as a goal or challenge. These challenges may be physical (e.g., trying to achieve an ideal state of health or fitness), intellectual, practical, psychoemotional (e.g., becoming self-actualized), or later in their development, interpersonal (e.g., “perfecting” a relationship or becoming a skilled lover). In order to succeed in these personal challenges, INTPs are apt to impose rules on themselves. However, because of the wayward influence of their auxiliary Ne, they commonly end up breaking or sabotaging them.
I was dubious until i got to those last two sentences. I hardly ever meet the goals i set for myself.
INTPs often find it easier to identify inconsistencies or logical shortcomings—to assert what is not true—than to identify and confidently assert what is true. They can quickly locate inconsistencies or logical shortcomings in a given theory or argument. They excel when it comes to identifying exceptions or imagining scenarios in which the proposed explanation could breakdown. Due to their sensitivity to theoretical exceptions, they can be quick to throw theories and start from scratch.
I do sometimes seem to play the role of hole-poker. Mostly in the realm of fiction.
When orating, INTPs may not always seem to “have a point” as they haphazardly drift from one idea to the next. Even ideas that seem inwardly logical and sensible INTPs may suddenly sound incoherent when they attempt to convey them through their Ne.
Yeah, conveying ideas can be ... hard.\
In its receptive role, Ne prompts INTPs to gather information. Ne does not merely gather sensory information as Se does. Rather, it goes beyond or looks behind sense data, allowing INTPs to discern otherwise hidden patterns, possibilities, and potentials. Their Ne is constantly scanning for relationships or patterns within a pool of facts, ideas or experiences. INTPs commonly use this receptive side of their Ne in activities such as reading, researching, and conversation. They enjoy asking questions that allow them to gain insight or knowledge from others, making INTPs good facilitators of conversation.
This i'm not sure about at all.
Like other NPs, INTPs often have a love-hate relationship with their Ne. They love the fact that it helps them remain open-minded and grasp the bigger picture. But living with Ne also has its challenges. For one, it can make it difficult for INTPs to arrive at firm conclusions or make important decisions. It often seems that at the very moment they are feeling good about a given conclusion or decision, their Ne steps in and causes them to start doubting it again. This has obvious implications for INTPs who are trying to find their niche in the world. This can leave them feeling discouraged and restless, worried that they may never find what they are looking for. They may feel frustrated by their seeming lack of progress toward anything substantial. The fact is that INTPs desperately want to produce something of lasting worth or value, but they also want to ensure they get it right. They don’t want to leave any stone unturned before arriving at a conclusion. While INTPs typically enjoy this quest for truth, there comes a point when they begin to feel the pressures of life impinging on them. Questions about careers and relationships loom large as they enter their late twenties and thirties. This can be frustrating to INTPs as they feel like life is requiring them to make decisions long before they are ready. As is true of all IN types, they feel that life would be far better if they weren’t forced to consider practical concerns.
Yes, especially that bit about lasting worth or value.
Types with Si in their functional stack, including INTPs, tend to eat a fairly routine or consistent diet, “eating to live” rather than “living to eat.” Si types are not only conservative with regard to their diet, but with respect to the material world in general. They tend to be savers rather than spenders, seeing excessive material consumption as unnecessary, or perhaps even immoral. Like other Si types, INTPs also have a diminished need for novel physical pleasures, lavish surroundings, or material comforts. They are minimalists to the core, relatively unconcerned with their physical surroundings.
This is ... sort of true? There are material things that i like and i will spend money on them (video games, books, etc.), but i do save some money and i definitely don't get as much out of food as other people seem to.
In a group setting, INTPs, like ISTPs, want everyone to feel included and treated with fairness and respect. While not as warm and effusive as FJ types, INTPs are concerned with others’ feelings and try to avoid hurting or offending them. Like FJ types, INTPs do what it takes to maintain a basic level of harmony in their immediate circumstances. Unlike FJs, however, they are generally slow to go out of their way to help others (at least not in a direct, hands-on way). Most INTPs forgo community service and do not invest extensive time or energy into helping others. This is particularly true when under stress. If burdened by too many demands and without sufficient time to themselves, INTPs' willingness to help others is one of the first things to go.
I was inclined to say i was an F because of that first part; whatever i may think of something or someone, i am concerned primarily with making sure they won't hate me or get mad by what i say.
And yeah. My mom has been suggesting i get involved in volunteer work as a means of getting out and meeting people, and while i don't object to the idea, i haven't been as proactive in doing something about it as i should be.
INTPs may also avoid extraverting their judgments by way of their Fe because of concerns about their ability to effectively articulate them, fearing that they will be perceived as less intelligent than they really are. Hence, their reluctance to self-express relates not only to a concern for others, but also to their own fears, insecurities, and ego. It can therefore take a great deal of courage for INTPs to assert themselves, particularly when discussing controversial or otherwise uncomfortable issues.
Self-confidence? What's that?
Because of their difficulty with direct self-expression, INTPs are prone to making sudden executive decisions without any prior communication. Others may be left feeling incredulous as to why the INTP had not thought to discuss the issue with them first. INTPs may also exhibit passive-aggressive forms of behavior, such as intentionally staying late at the office to eschew or resist domestic expectations.
I've never solved a problem by hiding from it, but it hasn't exactly been for want of trying.
Like FJs, INTPs like the idea of teaching others. INTPs strive to discover knowledge or wisdom they can use to enlighten the world. But as we’ve seen, INTPs can struggle when it comes to directly expressing their judgments. They are more comfortable exchanging ideas by way of their auxiliary Ne than they are in delivering Fe monologues. INTPs can also become impatient with those who are slow to understand or embrace their ideas.They often expect others to learn as quickly and independently as they do. For these reasons, INTPs are often ill-suited for teaching (with the possible exception of college/university professorship) and better off sharing their insights less directly, such as through writing.
I love the idea of explaining things -- storylines, concepts, philosophies, etc. -- but i've never relished the idea of teaching. I'd like to think i'm a bit more tolerant of people disagreeing than this implies, but it is hard for me to see how someone could disagree. Not because i'm right necessarily, but because the one answer is so obvious to me i don't understand how the other perspective could be believable.
Fe involves making connections between one’s own emotions and those of others. When a successful connection occurs, it results in a sense of validation, of being valued and understood. While INTPs can do at fair job at reading others’ emotions and are cognitively aware of the appropriate social response, they often do not “feel” what others are feeling. Despite this difficulty in connecting with others on a feeling level, their Fe still desires the same sense of affirmation and validation that FJs readily receive when engaging with people. This need for affirmation can be seen as a motivating force behind INTPs’ desire for achievement. It is why many INTPs score high as Enneagram Threes (3) and display certain narcissistic tendencies. Personally, I never understood my desire to write for a popular audience (rather than an academic one) until I recognized that my Fe was pushing for widespread affirmation.
Yes. I think even if i discovered the cure for cancer or something, unless someone outright told me i did a good job, i would feel like a worthless waste of space.
And i am not at all convinced i'm any good at deciphering other people's emotions, which is why i wasn't convinced i was an F.
Because INTPs, wittingly or not, rely on others for affirmation, they may often feel they cannot live without at least one other person in their lives. At other times, they can feel incredibly independent (Ti). Especially when their work is going well, they may feel they don’t really need other people. If they manage to completely isolate themselves from others, they will soon begin to feel that something important is missing from their lives. This prompts them to reinitiate contact with others, at least until they feel compelled to assert their independence again. This cycle of alternating between needing and devaluing others is common among INTPs and narcissists alike.
While this is fairly accurate ... i don't think i'm a narcissist. I hope i'm not a narcissist.
Despite the inferior position of their Fe, INTPs are not emotionless robots. Rather, as is typically the case with the inferior, there is an all-or-nothing character to their Fe. INTPs’ emotions seem to have a mind of their own, coming and going as they please. Consequently, INTPs often feel awkward or inept in emotional situations, knowing that they cannot readily summon the situationally-appropriate emotions.
Yeah, i don't think my emotions like me very much.
While INTPs struggle to directly summon or contact their emotions, they can readily override or detach from them, almost functioning as though they didn’t exist. Consequently, INTPs may not consciously struggle with the same degree of guilt, regret, or shame as other types. Others may be surprised how quickly INTPs can seemingly resume “business as usual” after what most would consider tragic or traumatic circumstances.
Yeeah.
Okay, looks like that was a bit more accurate than i thought.
Sorry for the massive post.
I've heard we are rather rare, you know. 
I wonder if the core personality type is actually changing, or if it's more of a case of "shadowing" another type, as people are wont to do when under stress. Probably depends on the situation and the brain chemistry.
I think INTJs are one of the most frequently misunderstood types; everybody just wants to lump y'all in the evil mastermind category. Mastermind, yes. Evil... not usually.