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[Traditional Enneagram] The new and improved Enneagram! From the sponge and evan.

Magic Poriferan

^He pronks, too!
Joined
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MBTI Type
Yin
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Hello, everyone! :hi:
What I have for you here, is an extensive description of my new version of the Enneagram. This version hopes to make the workings of the Enneagram both more clear and more consistent. It seeks to take away the fuzzy, esoteric aesthetic of the Enneagram and replace it with a series of easy to follow formulae and definitions. I hope you find it insightful. :)

*While I'm the one that's talking, this material is owed in part to Dissonance, so remember that for everything you see below, some credit is due to him thanks to his contributions. :nice:

Now, let's start.

A new way of defining the types.

You might have noticed that the Enneagram types seemed more pure, simple, or archetypical than the MB types. You might have observed that they are each individually defined, int stead of being comprised of variables. They were 9 allegedly "unique" types. Well that's hogwash. They are related or unrelated to each other in traceable variable based patterns, and the attempts to say otherwise have lead to many aspects of the Enneagram types that seem either vague or inexplicable.
Well, we'll be having no more of that.

By my analysis of the Enneagram types, there are two variables, each with three values. 3 x 3 = 9, so that's the number of types right there.

The first variable is sort of the behavioral variable. This is the one that really decides how a person approaches challenges is life. to put it vaguely. The best single words I've found for these types so far is pursuing, avoiding, and anticipating.

So, pursuing types have targets that they very pro-actively pursue. It could be that they seek pleasure, or they aim to pre-emptively tackle problems, the actual target of their pursuits is determined by other variable. They are impatient, impetuous people. They also tend to over-estimate the benefit end of cost-benefit analyses, which is one of the things that make them aggressive. They expect to profit from adventures. These types are 3, 7, and 8.

So then we have avoidant types. They generally over-estimate the cost end of cost-benefit analyses. These people tend to spend more time on avoiding what they don't like than they do on seeking what they do like. When they can't avoid stress, they often fall into an almost fatalistic state of passivity. Throwing weight around is something these types seem to have particular distaste for. These types are 4, 5, and 9.

So, the anticipating types do not pursue nor avoid these highlights of life. They stand and deal with them whenever they come. They handle life like a tetris player. These people have a more balanced view of cost-benefit analysis, but perhaps too balanced sometimes. These people don't like making dramatic decisions the same way the other two can, which can make for missed opportunities. These types are 1, 2, and 6.

The second variable is one that regards emotional states and responses. They can be turbulent, suppressive, or controlling, for lack of better words.

The turbulent ones are the people that do not hinder their emotions at all. They let their moods tempestuously flare with every feeling as it is set off. Their emotions run wild. They often seem to tilt toward being more negative than positive, but I think this is largely just because there are more negative emotions than positive ones, not because these types particularly want to dwell on negativity. These types are 4, 6, and 8.

The suppressive types try to keep their emotions from speaking up. They tend to believe that they can work best when they are not hearing their emotions much or at all. By default they are well composed people. But when they fail to successfully suppress their emotions, it often results in awkward displays. These types are 1, 3, and 5.

The controlling types are the ones that try to manipulate the flow of their own feelings to their advantage. These are the people that try to think positive. They make an effort to both display desirable emotions to others, and to also frequently reassure themselves of such good feelings. Most usually pick feelings like confidence, happiness, or love to project, but they may develop whatever feeling is appealing to them. They are also prone to suffering from denial, and usually take it very hard if their self-assurances can be completely disproven. These types are 2, 7, and 9.

So, to summarize the types:
Pursuing/Turbulent = 8. Avoiding/Turbulent = 4. Anticipating/Turbulent = 6. Pursuing/Suppressive = 3. Avoiding/Suppressive = 5. Anticipating/Suppressive = 1. Pursuing/Controlling = 7. Avoiding/Controlling = 9. Anticipating/Controlling = 2.

Here's a chart of the types, centering on the 8, to help give you an idea of where they stand.

picture.php


This additional picture, centered on the 1, shows you the pattern if the chart was continuously tiled.

picture.php


Every type shares one value with four of the other types, and shares no value with the remaining types. As you can see in the charts, a type shares a value with every other type that is on the same row or column. Naturally, a type shares both values only with itself. So as an example, the 1 is anticipating and suppressed, it relates to the 2 and 6 because they are both anticipating, and it relates to the 3 and 5, because they are both suppressed.
 
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Magic Poriferan

^He pronks, too!
Joined
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Messages
14,081
MBTI Type
Yin
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Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Enter Instincts and the stack.

You all may be familiar with the so-called Instinctual Variant system. If not, there are a number of places you can read about on this site. If you're vaguely familiar with it, then you should remember that it is one variable, with three values, essentially focused on what a person is concerned about or motivated by. Well, after starting to look at the Enneagram in this new way, I realized that the Instincts were perfectly matched for this system. It refers
to yet another three value variable, and one that covers a factor the other two do not, motive. So, we can add up the two variables that comprise the core type with the Instincts, and say that the behavioral variable asks you what you do, the emotional variable asks you how you feel, and the instinctual variable asks you what you want. To make more sense of it, we might not call the instinctual variable the "motivational" variable instead.
In the reverse order: What you want? How do you feel? What are you going to do about it?

But there is a much more important point here than simply adding in the Instinct system. Do recall how the Instincts are set up in a "stack", where you are tested for the priority that you put each potential value at. So not only is one at the top, but one is displayed in second place, and another in third or the bottom, like this:
picture.php


(that's my stacking)

The idea here is to give a more complete picture. It not only tells us what a person's primary motive is, but it tells us what they would settle for next in line. Of course, if it's applicable to that variable, then why not the others? So we can take the variables for the core type, and stack them, too. We have the primary, secondary, and tertiary preferences of behavior, and the same would go for the emotions. It would appear like this:
picture.php


(also my stacking)

So we see that I am an Intimate type 1, but we also see by way of the stack that I am much more like a 4 than a 7, while some other person who's a 1 might be more like a 7 than a 4. All depends on that stack. :yes:

Actually determining what a person's stick is can only be done by personal analysis or some kind of test designed for it. We cannot conclude what a person's stack is going to be based on any pre-existing information.
 
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Magic Poriferan

^He pronks, too!
Joined
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Messages
14,081
MBTI Type
Yin
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sx/sp
What has become of the wings?

I have stated several times before on this forum that I determined the original wing system to be baseless. The need for the wing type to be "adjacent" didn't make sense, since as my variable system indicates, the actual order of the numbers that the types were assigned is meaningless. There is no sensible reason that 7s should be next to 6s, for example. So, anything based off of that order, like the wings, needs to completely reformed.

And so it has! There is now a new approach to the wing system, and to follow it, we must use the information provided in the previous two sections.

So, if it's not based on their number order, how do we determine wings? Well, the wing is supposed to be the type that sort of supports the core type. It's the one you are second-most like. In that case, we can probably conclude that your wing can't be any type that shares no values with your core type. That automatically cuts out four types, and leaves behind four that could possibly be a person's wing (consult the type chart to know which). It's worth noting that this already makes some of the original wings impossible. For example. there can no longer be a 9w8, because 9s and 8s share no values.

Now we have four potential wings to deal with. What do we do from here? Now we have to look at those stackings again. I'm a type 1, so my stacking of the core type variables normally looks like this:

picture.php


On that chart, to represent a type that the 1 shares a single value with, we have to shift one of the boxes, while leaving the other where it is, like this:

picture.php


You see that the emotion variable has been changed, while the behavior variable has been left unchanged, and this results in a type that is anticipating and turbulent. The type 6. If I left the emotions in place, but changed the behavior by one, I'd have the type 5. I could do the same trick to create the 2 and the 3, but it's very important to notice that the 2 and the 3 have values that are at the bottom instead of in the middle. Well, if the wing must be the type you are second most like, then it does not make sense that it would involve a variable in the tertiary place when it could instead involve one in the secondary place. It's too much of a stretch. Therefore, a type's wing has to be a type that has one value on the primary level, and one value on the secondary level. In my case, that means my wing is either 6 or 5. Again, I repeat, the stack can be very different for another 1, this is just how it works for me. Consider that a 1 with avoidance and turbulence at the bottom would have a wing of either 2 or 3.

Finally, how do I pick which of the two is my primary wing? This again comes down to personal analysis or some kind of custom test. Between the behavior variable and the emotion variable, which are you more likely to change on? Which ever variable that is, that is also the variable that your wing differs on. For me, I'm more likely to shift emotionally, so that makes the 6 my primary wing. 5 is therefor my secondary wing, because I'm slightly less likely to shift in that way, so I'm slightly less like that type.

To repeat.

My core type:
picture.php


My primary wing:
picture.php


My secondary wing:
picture.php
 
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Magic Poriferan

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The new notation.

The concept behind the new wing system can actually be used to create any entire ranking list of the types. for me, it goes like this 1 > 6 > 5 > 2 > 3 > 4 > 9 > 8 > 7. I was able to conclude that based on just on my primary and secondary wings. :D

The whole list becomes evident once you know what's in second place, and which variable shifts first. If a person is a 4, and their primary wing is 9 and their secondary wing is 6, then I know the whole list will be like this: 4 > 9 > 6 > 5 > 8 > 2 > 1 > 7 > 3. Do you understand how I can know that?

Since that degree of information is so useful, I want everyone using this system to list their primary and secondary wings from left to right, like this: 1w6w5. Or you can write 1/6/5, 1>6>5, 1-6-5, etc.. That is the minimum amount need to know everything about your core type variables.

Of course, we must not forget about the Instincts. It has been decided that people should list their wing system separately, using the Instinct notation I had invented before, like this I-P-S. That stands for Intimate, self-Preservational, Social. Just list all three in order along side the other type and wings. 1w6w5 I-P-S. It may look lengthy, but I assure you that it is more convenient than the alternatives. I had considered putting all three variables together in one list, but that resulted in a list with 27 types, and that was just way too awkward.

So there you have it! That's what has been developed for now. Odds are, questions still remain for some regarding original features such as the directions of (dis)integration or the steps of health, etc.. Those are still under consideration, and you may PM to discuss that.

Thank you for reading. :)
 

entropie

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I do not find the link to the test in that flood of words :D
 

redacted

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Yay. 9>5>2 IPS here :)

If you guys have trouble understanding the new system, feel free to ask questions. It's a lot of information to take in, so let us know.
 

Jack Flak

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I salute your effort. (Though I could give a duck's luck about enneagram ;))
 

Magic Poriferan

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What am I in the new system ?

I can't know that yet. Presuming that you are an 8, then I know that your primary values are pursuing behavior and turbulent emotion, but that does not tell me what your secondary values are. If I could know your secondary values, and which of the two variables is less important to you, then I could tell you the rest of the rank from there.
 

Usehername

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I think finding the type was extraordinarily clear with your new system. Nice job!!

I had searched before to know I was a 5, but your system made it easier. :) I also know I have the same stack (intimate/self-preservational/social).


I'm confused about the wings, though. I never felt settled between 5w4 and 5w6--I felt I was too sensitive and emotional to be a 5w6, but I didn't fit the description of the 5w4 very well.

What would my wings be in your new system?
 

entropie

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I dont like turbulent, but pursuing/controlling sounds fair :(
 

Magic Poriferan

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I think finding the type was extraordinarily clear with your new system. Nice job!!

Thank you!

I'm confused about the wings, though. I never felt settled between 5w4 and 5w6--I felt I was too sensitive and emotional to be a 5w6, but I didn't fit the description of the 5w4 very well.

What would my wings be in your new system?

As a 5, your wings have to be 1, 3, 4, or 9. Determining which of those four your primary and secondary wing are all depends on what your secondary preferences are. If you aren't sure, it should be fairly easy to figure out what your stacking is.
 

redacted

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I think finding the type was extraordinarily clear with your new system. Nice job!!

I had searched before to know I was a 5, but your system made it easier. :) I also know I have the same stack (intimate/self-preservational/social).


I'm confused about the wings, though. I never felt settled between 5w4 and 5w6--I felt I was too sensitive and emotional to be a 5w6, but I didn't fit the description of the 5w4 very well.

What would my wings be in your new system?

Our wing system is basically this: your wing is the closest type either vertically or horizontally in the table. Your "second wing" is the type closest in the opposite direction. So if your wing is vertical, your second wing is the closest horizontal type from yours, and vice versa.

It's not really the same type of thing as wings in the normal enneagram system. It just shows the grey in each of the variables. With both wings, you can deduce the order of preference in each variable.
 

Magic Poriferan

^He pronks, too!
Joined
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From all this, MP, am I still a mystery?

Haha. Well, happy, since you can't seem to determine your main type in the first place, I'm afraid I still can't figure out what type you are.
 
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