Program Se. How the Reality of Power Is Structured

When we talk about the program function, forget beautiful metaphors and labels like "aggressor" or "leader." A type is not a picture in a textbook; it’s an engine. To understand the engine of program Se (Extraverted Sensing), we need to break it down into its parameters.

Program Se is a mental, extraverted, inert, evaluatory, strong, verbal, and accepting function. It sounds intimidating, but let's break it down piece by piece.

1. Mentality and Extraversion: Focus on the Object

Mentality means that the themes of power, boundaries, and status are always on the person's mind. They don’t just feel discomfort; they consciously realize: "I am being pressured," "This is my territory," "This person is trying to take up more space than they are entitled to."
Extraversion directs this focus outward onto objects. Program Se doesn’t see a vague "atmosphere of tension"; it sees a specific node of power. Who walked into the room? How did they stand? How much space did they occupy? Who is shrinking back before whom? This is read instantly and consciously.

Real-Life Example: Say we are hanging out in a group. Someone starts getting a bit cocky—interrupting, making jabs. An intuitive type might just feel it as "hmm, things got unpleasant." Program Se sees a specific strike: "Aha, this person is testing the boundaries. They are trying to raise their status at the expense of others." This isn't a guess; it's a registration of fact.

Contrast with Vulnerable Se (LII, EII): The same topic exists in the mental block, but it’s painful. A request like “Hey, go grab some water” can feel like an attempt to lower status or exert power, triggering internal boiling: "Why me? Do they think I'm their lackey? Are they trying to bend me to their will?" Program Se looks at this more simply: "Okay, what’s the context here? Why did he say this to me specifically, in front of these people? Alright, let’s figure out who is actually going for water."

Important Note on Examples: Examples help illustrate principles, but they are reference points rather than absolute laws. For instance, the water example demonstrates a difference in perception; it is not the request itself that triggers vulnerable Se users, but how it is embedded in a power context. Factors like tone, audience, speaker status, form of address, or an underlying feeling of pressure can make a situation feel like a test of boundaries or an attempt to lower their status. Consequently, vulnerable Se can painfully misread these scenarios as intentional power plays.

2. Inertness: Power That Doesn't Rush

Many people think Se is all about impulsivity. No. Program Se is inert. This means it takes time to rev up, but once it gets moving, you can't stop it. It doesn’t flare up like a match at every sideways glance. It needs to gather the full picture of the power dynamics first.

A program Se user scans the room first: Who is this person? How influential are they? Who is backing them up? What will the consequences be if I shut them down right now? They don't run headfirst into trouble until they understand the configuration of the field.

Empirical Evidence: I remember back in my youth, we used to go to showdowns in Novoperedelkino. I had a friend with me—a SEE. My own Se is role (contact). I would fly in first, immediately start aggressive posturing, and could throw a punch right off the bat just to clear up the uncertainty. Meanwhile, the SEE (program Se) walked slightly behind and looked around. He needed to understand: are ten more guys about to jump out of the building entrance? I acted on impulse, whereas he needed to let the decision "ripen." But when he decided it was time to hit—there was absolutely no doubt left.

3. Evaluatory Nature: A Personal Norm of Power

An evaluatory nature means the person has an internal scale of what is acceptable and what is overkill. Where to respond harshly, and where to just ignore it. And this norm is unique to everyone; it depends on their background.

One SLE grew up on the streets, so for him, "punching someone in the face over a word" is the norm. Another grew up in a corporate environment, and for him, the norm is crushing a competitor legally. But both are constantly checking reality against their own bar.

The Contrast: Suggestive Se (IEI, ILI) doesn’t have its own rigid norm; it gets "charged up" by someone else's strength. They are drawn to powerful, high-status, successful people. They sort of feed on this energy. Program Se doesn’t latch onto anyone—it determines for itself where the real power is and where it’s just cheap posturing.

4. Strength: 3D Vision

Strength (or multi-dimensionality) is when you see not just "force," but a million of its shades. It’s like the difference between an axe and a scalpel. A weak (low-dimensional) Se (vulnerable or role) sees the issue in 2D: "I need to fight back" or "I need to run away." Program Se sees the situation in 3D.

It understands the difference between formal status (a director on paper) and real authority (the person people actually listen to). It senses when someone is bluffing and when there is real power backing them up.

The "Look" Example: Multi-dimensionality shows up even in everyday life. I have a buddy who is a SEE—when he buys sneakers, he immediately sees the whole look: with what pants, what cap, how it will look on him in motion. His Se works with the context. With role Se, this can fall short—a thing is cool on its own, so you buy it, but what to wear it with? Who the hell knows. The dimensionality of the program function is precisely the depth of understanding the aspect of the "object" itself and its qualities.

5. Verbality and Acceptance: The Right to Speak and the Right to Stand

Verbality is the absence of filters when talking about power. A program Se user calmly calls a spade a spade: "You're acting like a loser right now," "This is my territory," "I call the shots here." They don't feel social awkwardness when defining boundaries or status. For them, it’s a natural language.
Acceptance is the foundation. Program Se doesn’t just react to stimuli; it builds a worldview based on power. For such a person, the world is a field of alignments. Who is heavier? Who has more resources? Where are the boundaries drawn?

Empirical Evidence on "Sweet Bullsh*t": I know a certain SLE—he used to be an influential guy, but at some point, he started turning into, excuse my French, an "exquisite loser." Why? Because his Introverted Ethics (Fi—his weak function) made him surround himself with sycophants. People who poured sweet bullsh*t into his ears: "Oh, how great you are." His assistant (an IEE) broke down the numbers for him, showing that his partners were robbing him blind. You'd think his Se would kick in! Instead, he told her: "Who do you think you are? Do you really think anyone could rip off a highly respected man like me?"

This is an example of how program Se can go blind if a person chooses "sweet bullsh*t" over reality. He doesn’t want to admit that his status is hollow and his boundaries are full of holes.

6. What Program Se is NOT

Program Se is not synonymous with fistfights or physical aggression. It is about the form of power.

A sculptor who feels the resistance of stone.
A surgeon who clearly understands the boundaries of an incision.
A businessman waiting for the right moment to buy out a competitor’s stake.

It’s a way of seeing the world as a configuration of densities. If you are a program Se user, you aren’t just a "tough guy." You are a person who sees "how things stand." You perceive space as a field of forms, where each has its own weight, its own boundary, and its own price tag.

The Bottom Line: Program Se is about standing your ground. It's knowing how to take up your space and knowing exactly where it ends and someone else's begins. It is a neutral tool that makes a smart person an architect of reality, and a foolish person just a noisy tyrant who, sooner or later, will be cleaned out by quieter, more calculating players.

Source: S. Ionkin