[Type 7] Having doubts about my enneatype again =(

[Elfboy]

OK, let's try this one from International Ennegram, then:

1 - The defensive coping strategy at the root of Type One's makeup is based on the internalization of a critical and judgmental parental voice. This voice is designed to call attention to and correct one's behavior before it becomes punishable. In terms of strengths, Ones are typically reliable, analytical, and moral. They often demonstrate integrity (consistent adherence to a set of values) and a desire to improve things for the good of all. Challenges for Ones include dealing with their own anger, managing their perfectionism, and being overly critical of self and others.

3 - The defensive coping strategy driving the Three is based on an early experience of being valued for what they did, not who they were. They perform and achieve in order to earn the approval and respect of others. Being preoccupied with doing, Threes can often be unaware of the fact that they numb themselves to their own emotions, because feelings can get in the way of doing and achieving. Strengths: Threes can be industrious, energetic, and attractive. Challenges: They can be workaholics, unaware of their real feelings, and unable to slow down and simply be.

4 - The defensive coping strategy centers around focusing on what is missing or lost as a way of avoiding feelings related to the hope for an idealized connection that may go unfulfilled. There is a focus on what is distant, special, and desired and an aversion to the ordinary, the mundane, and the everyday reality of what is. Strengths: Fours can be emotionally strong, authentic, artistic, and sensitive. Challenges: Fours can be entitled, dramatic, dissatisfied in relationships, and depressed.

6 - Coping strategy: Typically, Sixes grew up with authorities they believed were untrustworthy or unpredictable and felt they had to be watchful to survive. Consequently, Sixes have developed a keen ability to sense danger. There are two versions of Sixes: phobic and counter-phobic. Phobic Sixes are actively fearful, often withdrawing to feel safe, while still remaining vigilant. Counter-phobic Sixes may not be conscious of their fear (although it is still present), and instead automatically move to confront perceived threats or problems, as a way to prove that they are not fearful. In reality, both the phobic and counter-phobic reactions can be seen in most Sixes, although individual Sixes will tend to gravitate toward one end of the phobic versus counter-phobic continuum. Strengths: Sixes are often intuitive, loyal, analytical, and have the ability to challenge authority (counter-phobic) or see through false pretenses. Challenges: They may be overly suspicious or paranoid may project their own thoughts feelings and motives onto others, often have issues with trust, and may get stuck in self-doubt or excessive questioning.

7 - Coping strategy: The Seven coping strategy centers on avoiding fear and other negative experiences. They do this by reframing something fearful, negative or uncomfortable as something positive. They may also move toward the source of fear or discomfort in order to charm and hopefully disarm it. Strengths: Sevens are usually adventurous, fun, positive, upbeat, and optimistic. Challenges: It can be difficult for many Sevens to make and keep commitments or deal with pain: They often believe the following: Why feel bad or suffer when there is the choice to be happy? Sevens also have difficulty staying focused or dealing with emotionally charged interactions.

8 - Coping strategy: As children, Eights often lived in combative environments where weakness was punished and they had to be strong to survive. As a result, Eights tend to lead with a strong and potent self-presentation and to hide or deny their own vulnerability. Strengths: Eights tend to be strong, powerful, commanding, energetic, and intense. Challenges: They can also have difficulty containing their own energy and anger, be controlling, and be unaware of their own vulnerabilities.

a see a little 8, a little 4, a little 7 and a little 1, but really a lot of any of them

 

[skylights]

i don't know if maybe i'm odd one out but i don't think that i would personally be able to recognize my type on those lists. it's too subconscious for me. i identify consciously most with 3 on the first list and 7, 4, and 3 on the second. not that it's not great to have the info, viridian, and maybe it'll be very helpful for elfboy, it just occurs to me that i am not able to consciously see my own patterns in them, because the 6 impulse is rooted so deeply. if you asked me outright if i thought the world was a very dangerous place and i had no footing, i would probably laugh and say that sounds overdramatic. but that's definitely a baseline premise i operate on - i am constantly preoccupied with stability, in one way or another.

aaand now that i've been unhelpful i guess i should try to be helpful

i guess what i found most identifiable with personally was the "mid-level" traits - not the superficial outward images ("businessman" for 6, etc) or the deep, core cycles, but the average motivations and negative behaviors. for example, 6 being defensive, evasive, and anxious; cautious, indecisive, reactive, and defiant; problems with self-doubt and suspicion. i can see this manifest most clearly in close/intimate relationships - i figure cause i'm sx-first. i stole those adjectives from enneagraminstitution, i'll post the ones for the other types here as well. i'm sure if you're anything like me, elfboy, you've read the damn EI descriptions 100 times, but maybe it'd be helpful to just see these adjectives in isolation. worth a shot, at least.

1 - controlled, careful, critical, perfectionistic; afraid of making a mistake; problems with resentment and impatience.
2 - demonstrative, sentimental, flattering; need to be needed; problems with possessiveness and acknowledging own needs.
3 - image-conscious, status-conscious; overly concerned with others' opinions; problems with workaholism and competitiveness.
4 - dramatic, self-absorbed, temperamental; feel exempt from ordinary life; problems with melancholy and self-indulgence.
5 - secretive, isolated, detached, high-strung; preoccupied with their thoughts; problems with eccentricity, nihilism and isolation.
6 - anxious, suspicious, defensive, evasive; runs on stress while complaining about it; problems with self-doubt and suspicion.
7 - spontaneous, acquisitive, scattered, undisciplined; become distracted and exhausted; problems with impatience and impulse.
8 - confrontational, ego-centric, domineering, intimidating; want control of environment; problems with temper and having a "shell".
9 - complacent, spacey; simplify problems and upset; too willing to go along with others; problems with inertia and stubbornness.

some of the other things that helped me - dunno if they'll help you elfboy, but maybe we'll get lucky - i nicked these lists from assorted places on the internet and have edited them, i claim no authority -

Hornevian groups (social response):
High responders (7, 3, 8) assert towards their nurturers, who reinforce their ego.
Middle responders (6, 2, 1) comply with their nurturers, who reinforce their superego.
Low responders (5, 4, 9) withdraw from their nurturers, who overwhelm their id.

Harmonic groups (response to conflict):
Competent types (5, 1, 3) try to control conflict.
Reactive types (4, 6, 8) engage with conflict.
Optimistic types (9, 2, 7) withdraw from conflict.

just food for thought, all of it

 

[Elfboy]

based off of this, 4 or 8

 

[Viridian]

i don't know if maybe i'm odd one out but i don't think that i would personally be able to recognize my type on those lists. it's too subconscious for me. i identify consciously most with 3 on the first list and 7, 4, and 3 on the second. not that it's not great to have the info, viridian, and maybe it'll be very helpful for elfboy, it just occurs to me that i am not able to consciously see my own patterns in them, because the 6 impulse is rooted so deeply. if you asked me outright if i thought the world was a very dangerous place and i had no footing, i would probably laugh and say that sounds overdramatic. but that's definitely a baseline premise i operate on - i am constantly preoccupied with stability, in one way or another.

aaand now that i've been unhelpful i guess i should try to be helpful

i guess what i found most identifiable with personally was the "mid-level" traits - not the superficial outward images ("businessman" for 6, etc) or the deep, core cycles, but the average motivations and negative behaviors. for example, 6 being defensive, evasive, and anxious; cautious, indecisive, reactive, and defiant; problems with self-doubt and suspicion. i can see this manifest most clearly in close/intimate relationships - i figure cause i'm sx-first. i stole those adjectives from enneagraminstitution, i'll post the ones for the other types here as well. i'm sure if you're anything like me, elfboy, you've read the damn EI descriptions 100 times, but maybe it'd be helpful to just see these adjectives in isolation. worth a shot, at least.

1 - controlled, careful, critical, perfectionistic; afraid of making a mistake; problems with resentment and impatience.
2 - demonstrative, sentimental, flattering; need to be needed; problems with possessiveness and acknowledging own needs.
3 - image-conscious, status-conscious; overly concerned with others' opinions; problems with workaholism and competitiveness.
4 - dramatic, self-absorbed, temperamental; feel exempt from ordinary life; problems with melancholy and self-indulgence.
5 - secretive, isolated, detached, high-strung; preoccupied with their thoughts; problems with eccentricity, nihilism and isolation.
6 - anxious, suspicious, defensive, evasive; runs on stress while complaining about it; problems with self-doubt and suspicion.
7 - spontaneous, acquisitive, scattered, undisciplined; become distracted and exhausted; problems with impatience and impulse.
8 - confrontational, ego-centric, domineering, intimidating; want control of environment; problems with temper and having a "shell".
9 - complacent, spacey; simplify problems and upset; too willing to go along with others; problems with inertia and stubbornness.

some of the other things that helped me - dunno if they'll help you elfboy, but maybe we'll get lucky - i nicked these lists from assorted places on the internet and have edited them, i claim no authority -

Hornevian groups (social response):
High responders (7, 3, 8) assert towards their nurturers, who reinforce their ego.
Middle responders (6, 2, 1) comply with their nurturers, who reinforce their superego.
Low responders (5, 4, 9) withdraw from their nurturers, who overwhelm their id.

Harmonic groups (response to conflict):
Competent types (5, 1, 3) try to control conflict.
Reactive types (4, 6, 8) engage with conflict.
Optimistic types (9, 2, 7) withdraw from conflict.

just food for thought, all of it

I understand, skylights... Its just that, well, those core motivations can manifest in a great variety of behaviors (especially phobic/counterphobic Sixes), so I thought going back to basics could be worthwhile.

Those are awesome categorizations! I'd forgotten about the Hornevian triads.

 

[Mal12345]

Let's take this from Viridian's International Enneagram post:

"6 - Coping strategy: Typically, Sixes grew up with authorities they believed were untrustworthy or unpredictable and felt they had to be watchful to survive."

The problem is defining oneself in terms of inessentials. Someone like Elfboy could agree with part of this statement but not all of it. So he could agree with "they had to be watchful to survive," but not the first part about not trusting authorities.

I'm not saying this is the case here. Only that I've seen that this way of mistyping is a problem. The whole description has to apply, not bits and pieces here and there.

 

[Kierva]

i don't know if maybe i'm odd one out but i don't think that i would personally be able to recognize my type on those lists. it's too subconscious for me. i identify consciously most with 3 on the first list and 7, 4, and 3 on the second. not that it's not great to have the info, viridian, and maybe it'll be very helpful for elfboy, it just occurs to me that i am not able to consciously see my own patterns in them, because the 6 impulse is rooted so deeply. if you asked me outright if i thought the world was a very dangerous place and i had no footing, i would probably laugh and say that sounds overdramatic. but that's definitely a baseline premise i operate on - i am constantly preoccupied with stability, in one way or another.

aaand now that i've been unhelpful i guess i should try to be helpful

i guess what i found most identifiable with personally was the "mid-level" traits - not the superficial outward images ("businessman" for 6, etc) or the deep, core cycles, but the average motivations and negative behaviors. for example, 6 being defensive, evasive, and anxious; cautious, indecisive, reactive, and defiant; problems with self-doubt and suspicion. i can see this manifest most clearly in close/intimate relationships - i figure cause i'm sx-first. i stole those adjectives from enneagraminstitution, i'll post the ones for the other types here as well. i'm sure if you're anything like me, elfboy, you've read the damn EI descriptions 100 times, but maybe it'd be helpful to just see these adjectives in isolation. worth a shot, at least.

1 - controlled, careful, critical, perfectionistic; afraid of making a mistake; problems with resentment and impatience.
2 - demonstrative, sentimental, flattering; need to be needed; problems with possessiveness and acknowledging own needs.
3 - image-conscious, status-conscious; overly concerned with others' opinions; problems with workaholism and competitiveness.
4 - dramatic, self-absorbed, temperamental; feel exempt from ordinary life; problems with melancholy and self-indulgence.
5 - secretive, isolated, detached, high-strung; preoccupied with their thoughts; problems with eccentricity, nihilism and isolation.
6 - anxious, suspicious, defensive, evasive; runs on stress while complaining about it; problems with self-doubt and suspicion.
7 - spontaneous, acquisitive, scattered, undisciplined; become distracted and exhausted; problems with impatience and impulse.
8 - confrontational, ego-centric, domineering, intimidating; want control of environment; problems with temper and having a "shell".
9 - complacent, spacey; simplify problems and upset; too willing to go along with others; problems with inertia and stubbornness.

some of the other things that helped me - dunno if they'll help you elfboy, but maybe we'll get lucky - i nicked these lists from assorted places on the internet and have edited them, i claim no authority -

Hornevian groups (social response):
High responders (7, 3, 8) assert towards their nurturers, who reinforce their ego.
Middle responders (6, 2, 1) comply with their nurturers, who reinforce their superego.
Low responders (5, 4, 9) withdraw from their nurturers, who overwhelm their id.

Harmonic groups (response to conflict):
Competent types (5, 1, 3) try to control conflict.
Reactive types (4, 6, 8) engage with conflict.
Optimistic types (9, 2, 7) withdraw from conflict.

just food for thought, all of it

ooh based off this, I relate to 3 and 8 equally. 2 ONLY to the people I choose and so far I've not gotten a chance to show it yet. Then 5.

engage or control, hmm, that's a food for thought, what does it mean to control or engage?

/checks definitions

 

[Mal12345]

I understand, skylights... Its just that, well, those core motivations can manifest in a great variety of behaviors (especially phobic/counterphobic Sixes), so I thought going back to basics could be worthwhile.

Those are awesome categorizations! I'd forgotten about the Hornevian triads.

I hadn't forgotten about them, or the Freudian id-ego-superego super-structures. But they are just so archetypal as to barely apply to reality if at all. That part of Riso's Personality Types is too rationalistic and simplistic.

 

[King sns]

i don't know if maybe i'm odd one out but i don't think that i would personally be able to recognize my type on those lists. it's too subconscious for me. i identify consciously most with 3 on the first list and 7, 4, and 3 on the second. not that it's not great to have the info, viridian, and maybe it'll be very helpful for elfboy, it just occurs to me that i am not able to consciously see my own patterns in them, because the 6 impulse is rooted so deeply. if you asked me outright if i thought the world was a very dangerous place and i had no footing, i would probably laugh and say that sounds overdramatic. but that's definitely a baseline premise i operate on - i am constantly preoccupied with stability, in one way or another.

aaand now that i've been unhelpful i guess i should try to be helpful

i guess what i found most identifiable with personally was the "mid-level" traits - not the superficial outward images ("businessman" for 6, etc) or the deep, core cycles, but the average motivations and negative behaviors. for example, 6 being defensive, evasive, and anxious; cautious, indecisive, reactive, and defiant; problems with self-doubt and suspicion. i can see this manifest most clearly in close/intimate relationships - i figure cause i'm sx-first. i stole those adjectives from enneagraminstitution, i'll post the ones for the other types here as well. i'm sure if you're anything like me, elfboy, you've read the damn EI descriptions 100 times, but maybe it'd be helpful to just see these adjectives in isolation. worth a shot, at least.

1 - controlled, careful, critical, perfectionistic; afraid of making a mistake; problems with resentment and impatience.
2 - demonstrative, sentimental, flattering; need to be needed; problems with possessiveness and acknowledging own needs.
3 - image-conscious, status-conscious; overly concerned with others' opinions; problems with workaholism and competitiveness.
4 - dramatic, self-absorbed, temperamental; feel exempt from ordinary life; problems with melancholy and self-indulgence.
5 - secretive, isolated, detached, high-strung; preoccupied with their thoughts; problems with eccentricity, nihilism and isolation.
6 - anxious, suspicious, defensive, evasive; runs on stress while complaining about it; problems with self-doubt and suspicion.
7 - spontaneous, acquisitive, scattered, undisciplined; become distracted and exhausted; problems with impatience and impulse.
8 - confrontational, ego-centric, domineering, intimidating; want control of environment; problems with temper and having a "shell".
9 - complacent, spacey; simplify problems and upset; too willing to go along with others; problems with inertia and stubbornness.

some of the other things that helped me - dunno if they'll help you elfboy, but maybe we'll get lucky - i nicked these lists from assorted places on the internet and have edited them, i claim no authority -

Hornevian groups (social response):
High responders (7, 3, 8) assert towards their nurturers, who reinforce their ego.
Middle responders (6, 2, 1) comply with their nurturers, who reinforce their superego.
Low responders (5, 4, 9) withdraw from their nurturers, who overwhelm their id.

Harmonic groups (response to conflict):
Competent types (5, 1, 3) try to control conflict.
Reactive types (4, 6, 8) engage with conflict.
Optimistic types (9, 2, 7) withdraw from conflict.

just food for thought, all of it

That's a good little group there. Helps me type myself better, (and question my types), and also helps type others. Though this looks like the unhealthy instead of the average. (Not questioning you, just pointing it out. "Average" sounds downright terrible.) This is how I (and other people around me) seem to act at their worst. Though, I guess the "unhealthy" often boils down to some pathology.

 

[Alternatum]

I hadn't forgotten about them, or the Freudian id-ego-superego super-structures. But they are just so archetypal as to barely apply to reality if at all. That part of Riso's Personality Types is too rationalistic and simplistic.

I agree, though I hadn't seen the Horvenian groups described in that particular way before. Basically, one of the reasons I originally typed as a four was because of the quickie type sorter at the start of "wisdom of the enneagram". I concluded I must be a 'withdrawn' type, as that bit was dead-on while the 'compliant' types sounded too self-sacrificing to be me. The thing is not only is six capable of looking like any other type, including to oneself (a bit like nines) but also a six without a half-decent sense of inner guidance can just totally go astray in all sorts of ways, which for me means often looking like a nine or a four.

I can't really explain very well to others why I think I'm a six, other than with how I see the universe as being full of nasty tricks up it's sleeve that it'll pull out when I'm not sufficiently wary - though often 'wariness' just means 'pessimistic'. I have a strong-ish gut feeling about being a six, which is just as well because if the descriptions are hit and miss, the instinctual variants and levels of development written for the type don't mean shit to me.

 

[Mal12345]

I agree, though I hadn't seen the Horvenian groups described in that particular way before. Basically, one of the reasons I originally typed as a four was because of the quickie type sorter at the start of "wisdom of the enneagram". I concluded I must be a 'withdrawn' type, as that bit was dead-on while the 'compliant' types sounded too self-sacrificing to be me. The thing is not only is six capable of looking like any other type, including to oneself (a bit like nines)

Elfboy, are you listening?

but also a six without a half-decent sense of inner guidance can just totally go astray in all sorts of ways, which for me means often looking like a nine or a four.

"Inner guidance," as in conscience? If you're speaking for yourself, can you be more specific about this?

I can't really explain very well to others why I think I'm a six, other than with how I see the universe as being full of nasty tricks up it's sleeve that it'll pull out when I'm not sufficiently wary - though often 'wariness' just means 'pessimistic'. I have a strong-ish gut feeling about being a six, which is just as well because if the descriptions are hit and miss, the instinctual variants and levels of development written for the type don't mean shit to me.

Instinctual variants don't mean anything to me either. When I first came to this forum I was shocked that instinctuals were being considered to such a degree. And apparently someone came along one day and decided they could be "stacked" like dice or dominoes.

Sixes don't stay in one Level for very long but vary up and down the continuum moment by moment.

Edit - in ANSIR terms what you describe about yourself sounds like the Sentinel type.

 

[Alternatum]

"Inner guidance," as in conscience? If you're speaking for yourself, can you be more specific about this?

No not specifically as in conscience, and I don't think I explained myself very well. Going astray could mean morally-astray, but I was thinking more generally along the lines of deviating from that which is likely to serve your own best interests, which may or not affect others. It is complicated but in my case I often retreat into fantasy, to explore hypothetical situations (what would/should I do here?) to help find my own sense of guidance and identity, which I am also unclear about. The scenarios are often nothing to do with my current situation (as it doesn't generally 'engage' me), and I use it largely as a substitute for real-life experience, which I find too hazardous, overwhelming and disappointing - I'm overly intolerant of getting things 'wrong'. There is a sense that maybe one day I'll feel prepared enough to face life more fully, but in the meantime want to minimize my involvement, which has in turn reduced my commitments/responsibilities.

Instinctual variants don't mean anything to me either. When I first came to this forum I was shocked that instinctuals were being considered to such a degree. And apparently someone came along one day and decided they could be "stacked" like dice or dominoes.

The funny thing is I find instinctual variant descriptions as specifically relating to sixes less relevant than those that are not type-specific. I too find the 'stacking' concept to be dubious.

Sixes don't stay in one Level for very long but vary up and down the continuum moment by moment.

Yeah, I just find the one written for sixes by Riso & Hudson too narrow, but then this is reflective of their limited view of the type.

 

[Mal12345]

No not specifically as in conscience, and I don't think I explained myself very well. Going astray could mean morally-astray, but I was thinking more generally along the lines of deviating from that which is likely to serve your own best interests, which may or not affect others. It is complicated but in my case I often retreat into fantasy, to explore hypothetical situations (what would/should I do here?) to help find my own sense of guidance and identity, which I am also unclear about. The scenarios are often nothing to do with my current situation (as it doesn't generally 'engage' me), and I use it largely as a substitute for real-life experience, which I find too hazardous, overwhelming and disappointing - I'm overly intolerant of getting things 'wrong'. There is a sense that maybe one day I'll feel prepared enough to face life more fully, but in the meantime want to minimize my involvement, which has in turn reduced my commitments/responsibilities.

That sounds like a perfect description of the 4. According to Riso, the 4 is in a state of constantly preparing to face life fully. Eventually, the 4s comes to realize that it's too late, they have wasted their entire lives preparing for a life that has passed them by.

The funny thing is I find instinctual variant descriptions as specifically relating to sixes less relevant than those that are not type-specific. I too find the 'stacking' concept to be dubious.

Yeah, I just find the one written for sixes by Riso & Hudson too narrow, but then this is reflective of their limited view of the type.

That depends on where you read about it. Webpage descriptions aren't very good. Personality Types has a comprehensive description of each type. I don't believe Riso left any stone unturned in that book.

 

[Alternatum]

That sounds like a perfect description of the 4. According to Riso, the 4 is in a state of constantly preparing to face life fully. Eventually, the 4s comes to realize that it's too late, they have wasted their entire lives preparing for a life that has passed them by.

Yeah I know, but I don't conform to every aspect of the behaviour specifications for either 4 or 6, so go by perception of core motivation first and foremost. I lack both reliable inner guidance and a strong sense of identity - these are both core issues for me. I reasoned that a six could feel defective just by feeling clueless, whereas can a four feel clueless due to feeling defective? I should perhaps also add that I don't actively avoid 'involvement' so much as not actually try much to be involved (I'm shy and hesitant) - don't know if that makes any difference though.

Maybe I've been biased by the forum I was involved with until recently, which had a more stringent definition of 4-dom than Riso & Hudson. But really it is unrealistic to think that everyone only has problems with guidance, identity or autonomy - I'm not sure everyone is 'a type', though I've observed enough to see that the types and underlying fixations exist.

That depends on where you read about it. Webpage descriptions aren't very good. Personality Types has a comprehensive description of each type. I don't believe Riso left any stone unturned in that book.

I've read 'wisdom of the enneagram' by Riso/Hudson. I would be interested to know whether 'personality types' has deeper or broader information on the types than 'wisdom', which incorporates a spiritual development 'bent'.

 

[Elfboy]

it's now between 4w3, 8w9 and 1w9.

 

[skylights]

i wish i could remember the exact point at which is struck me that you may be a 4w3, because i know i've been harboring that thought for a while now - maybe a month or so before you switched your sig to 4. it surprised me when you did (and admittedly gave me a dose of self-absorbed pride, lol) - given, of course, i don't know you IRL and i'm certainly no expert, but i'll share my current mind-tinkerings and let you see what you think.

you have a strong personality, i don't think there is anyone who can question that. certainly i can see a good deal of 8 in the way you are direct and power-oriented. however, most 8s do not exhibit nearly the degree of self-reflection and self-orientation that i think you do. to an 8 first, the main concern is being in control of their environment, and they have a very external orientation; their conflict seems mainly to be with the outside world. when i read your posts and see how you change your self-info, i don't get the sense that your conflict is mainly external. it seems that more of your conflict is internal, but you project it outwardly, and it manifests in your exchanges with the world.

when i first posted in this thread, i mentioned that i felt you were high-energy. i still think this is true. you seem dynamic to me. colorful. dramatic in the good sense of the term. it's not about body energy; you have a big identity. you have very clear tastes - you demonstrate to the forum what you like and what you do not. it's almost 3ish in nature... the thing is, an 8 really doesn't have much motivation to do that. consider kyuuei, an ENFP 8. she's pretty clear about herself, but there's no additional fantasy to it. your blog - "elfboy, chronicles of the prince of light" - there's little 8 about that title (i think blog titles are significant, because they're what you choose to describe reflecting on your life). it's not direct and in charge. it's a beautiful image though, it conjures fantasy. image. image triad. your name, too - what you choose to define yourself to the forum as. i'm not saying there couldn't be an 8 who chooses to call himself elfboy, but it's really not a name that speaks of 8. elves are beautiful, aristocratic, gentle, dreamy. and "boy" - kind of contradicts independence and assertion. it seems more 2, 4, 6, 7, or 9 than 1, 3, 5, or 8. "sword of the tempest" is also very fantastical and aesthetic in nature, though it does conjure an image of power. yet it's not straight-forward like 8.

let me steal from enneagraminstitute for a moment.

4. The Sensitive, Introspective type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental

check, check, check, check, check and check.​

8. The Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational

i don't really see powerful, or dominating... i know that you talk about being these things IRL but i don't see them on the forum (you do make some less than sensitive remarks occasionally, lol, but those are always quite taste-oriented), check, check, check, ehh not really confrontational.​

and as for more negative qualities - i don't see you doing direct put-downs, shitty abrasive remarks, etc. you're just kinda self-absorbed. i was just poking around threads and read this remark about you in that 3w4 thread -

You seem way too aware of being a narcissistic asshole to really be one.

which i think is true. i suspect more than a dominating, straight-talking 8, or a glossy, driven 3, or a conscientious, fastidious 1w9 (i don't see this one in you very much at all, not in the way you present yourself on the forum, at least), you're an expressive, creative, self-indulgent 4w3 aristocrat. i wanted to be a 4w3 for a while, actually, i think it's a beautiful typing, aesthetic and elegant... but i think that perhaps in 4ishness fantasy with a side of 3ish drive to excel, you see the traits of 8 and 1 that are really in you and that you would like to be more like, also, and fashion yourself in that way. like your blog - elfboy, prince of light - it conjures power and morality - and you are able to project those things about you that are facets of your personality. hence type confusion. but coco really hit the nail on the head. you seem much too aware to actually be an 8, and too openly expressive to actually be a 1. if anything it seems like your 1 attributes are more out of desire to be someone who appears like a 1 - upright, moral, a crusader, a prince of light. but not the negative qualities of a 1 - i don't see those in you.

what's particularly satisfying to me about that typing for you is that it resolves the issue of narcissism, which you clearly possess to some extent, but feels "put on", unlike 3's or 8's. certainly 8 could be second in your tritype, and as such it would reflect your greater degree of assertion and power-orientation.

4w3: The Aristocrat

These people are more self-conscious and aware of issues regarding their self-worth and how they are coming across to others than 4w5s. They want recognition for themselves and their work, and they typically put more effort into everything having to do with their self-presentation and related matters. They are more practical than 4w5, but also more extravagant - loving refinement, culture, and sophistication - typically seeing themselves as high class, elegant, and concerned with social acceptance. They can be competitive and disdainful of others; grandiosity and narcissism are expressed more openly and directly.

It means you're independent, but you like to make an entrance.

but of course this is all just conjecture

 

[VagrantFarce]

32 Pages?

The only sane advice one can give at this point is to take a break.

 

[Elfboy]

32 Pages?

The only sane advice one can give at this point is to take a break.

my last post in this thread was 2 weeks ago, I think that counts as a break

 

[guesswho]

Why the hell do you keep making threads about yourself?

 

[Elfboy]

Why the hell do you keep making threads about yourself?

this thread is like half a year old darling

 

[King sns]

it's now between 4w3, 8w9 and 1w9.

I can certainly see 4w3.