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Multiple Enneagram Subtypes/Instincts Concrete examples of each 'range' of instinctual variants?

Venus Rose

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2016
Messages
324
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I have actually been curious about this one myself, as the descriptions are rather abstract and short. I would like to see real-life examples of each of these ranges. You may talk about yourself, or someone else - whatever helps you demonstrate the different ranges. Feel free to debate whether the range descriptions themselves are accurate or not, and how (if) you would change them.

Here they are:

sx/sp

sx/sp seducer (weak sp) - sx in full command produces an active recruiter of potential mates; but being sx/sp this remains in the yin mode of seducing. charismatic and overtly sexualized, arguably the most purely sx of all stacks and ranges. draws from so/sx shadow to liven up sx into an erotic playfulness and to keep sx far ahead of their relatively nominal sp. an emotional yearning to their mating ritual; an inherently unstable range that can lead to a pattern of serial heartbreak. often confused for sx/so.


sx/sp mystifier (midrange) - the range where the mystique of the sx/sp stack is at its strongest. unconsciously attracts with intense eye contact and other sx feelers, but holds back enough to give them a kind of untouchable or hard to get close to quality. depending on their true intentions this can either frustrate their sx or reward their functional sp cooling system. like midrangers of all stacks, there's a seemingly casual approach to meeting their variant needs as the secondary instinct is kept both in play and at bay, and others may wonder what they really want.


sx/sp wanderer (strong sp) - the most clasically 'blocked' of the sx's, often exchanging intimacy in favor of the more immediate pleasures of the body. paradoxically the most wandering and restless of the sx/sp's. pulls from sp/so to ensure the sx flood is contained by the sp levee, which can provide a sense of stability at the expense of seeming put off by others. sex can mean a hollow satisfying of the instinct while more vulnerable feelings are suspended. quietly charged but muted, and can seem self pres first.

sp/sx

sp/sx ascetic (weak sx) - mimics sp/so building of career and security, with an eye on advancement in the name of self sufficiency, but little or no concern for status as in the case of so/sp. generally serious but enjoys being amused by others.
quote: "looking out for number one."
pulls from: so/sp, to mute sx
role: the island, the one-man enterprise

sp/sx binger (midline) - can 'hang out' around likeminded persons to imbibe in favorite goodies, though social interaction itself is not a priority. they do however remain slyly conscious of interpersonal attraction, even if characteristically hesitant to make a first move. whether alone or not, retains an air of privacy, reluctant to 'come out' of themselves.
quote: "all things in moderation, including moderation."
role: the soloist, the mercenary

sp/sx decadent (strong sx) - sp at its most saturated with sx; self-attending ways are offset by a wilder outgoing streak, reaching outside themselves then pulling back. noticable 'sx-y' quality, often enough to pass for sx first.
quote: "what is my life, without the things I love?"
pulls from: sx/so, to enhance sx
role: the sensualist, the hedonist

sx/so


fireside sx/so - strong sx, weak soc and weaker sp. pulls from sp/sx shadow to intensify sx. exhibitionism, wild abandon, most 'on fire' of all stacks or stack ranges.

flirter sx/so - strong sx, moderate soc, weak sp. highly sociable and extroverted per type, flirtatious interaction style, more coy than firesiders but more risque than coolsiders.

coolside sx/so - strong sx, strong soc, weak sp. pulls from so/sp secondary, political activist streak, 'cooled' by soc with some intellectual reserve, channels sx into social causes.

so/sx

lightsiders vs darksiders is almost like a phobic/counterphobic split in attitude. the lightside is engaging, ingratiating even, and is the closest to what has become the stereotype for so/sx. unmistakably friendly, amusing, eager to attend to others in a personal, customized way. also hesitant or unwilling to upset the delicate chemistry or harmony of individual or group dynamics, since soc cohesion is at a premium.

darksiders on the other hand seem eager to prove their soc isn't in full control, so they typically test the boundaries of traditional soc values. maybe knee-jerk reactions against sheepish herd behavior, group mentalities, or warmside strategies for making connections. they aren't any less healthy by definition, but can seem that way due to their darker, more confrontational manner. they use highly customized interactive tactics like all so/sx's, but in a more uncompromising "keeping it real" way, owing to the active tension between "good" soc and "bad" sx.

midrange so/sx's have a less pre-committed way of dealing with people, and therefore seem to express the mercurial qualities of the so/sx nature more than the others. I used to call it the "grey" range since it made me think of dusky unreadability, or manipulation through inscrutability. midrange so/sx's seem especially averse to being predictable, preferring the license to adapt whatever attitude the situation requires. until those conditions are clear they default to a kind of seeming indifference or nonchalance (a stark contrast to the sociably upfront quality of their cordial so/sp cousins).

so/sp

so/sp warmside (weak sp) - pulls from sx/so to enhance outer warmth, revving up the soc to where they can pass off as more stereotypically so/sx than many true so/sx's. not surprisingly, many supposed so/sx's are in fact so/sp's of this range. being sx last they tend to relate less through nonverbal expression and more through talking and joking around; but what they lack in subtlety they may make up for in overt conscientiousness, whereas so/sx's tend to be subtle and tactful. the populist, the humorist, the fundraiser.

so/sp cordial (midrange) - the classic or 'true' so/sp, not likely to be mistaken for either so/sx nor sp/so. the most wide reaching and moderate of the ranges; friendly but not ingratiating, anchored by a larger sense of community but not at the expense of delicate alliances. more verbal than the formal range but less sociable than warmsiders; have a strong sense of fairness and equality, though an academic or careerist bent may come off as elitist. the journalist, the globalist, the egalitarian.

so/sp formal (strong sp) - pulls from sp/sx for a more self contained style. soc while still primary, is muted; can seem critical and more impersonal than the other ranges. a usual focus on topics, issues, and responsibilities affecting specific levels of society. usually well connected, but in informal settings may let others do most of the talking. can seem self pres at first glance. the pundit, the judge, the commentator.

sp/so

sp/so strongside (weak soc) - concerned with building and maintaining an orderly home, personal stability, and the protection and nurturing of these life support systems. consequently many strongsiders are concentrated in the small towns and suburban areas where likeminded people support and respect each other's space and privacy. tapping sx/sp gives them a taciturn edge, tending to be social-second in name only; this range is arguably the purest expression of self preservation. their somewhat gruff demeanor can make them quite amusing despite themselves. can occasionally seem sp/sx due to stronger focus on personal items, food, and domestic concerns. the pillar, the accountant, the farmer.


sp/so builder (midrange) - the most businesslike range of sp/so, and hence all stacks and ranges. trades a degree of self sufficiency to be involved with larger organizations, bringing along their natural propensity for development and management of resources. for example a strongsider may attain financial security for themselves or loved ones, but a midrange builder may enrich an entire team, company, or city on the way. frequently found among entrepreneurs, architects, engineers, bankers, city planners, corporate ceo's, and coaches, as well as proprietors and managers of small businesses. can be difficult for them to relate outside of their primary focus, being more 'locked in' to their stack than the other ranges. as such they are inclined to busy themselves with projects which seem useful to them. the planner, the developer, the executive.


sp/so weakside (strong soc) - draws from so/sx to produce what is overall a lighter, friendlier, and more humor employing style within self pres (though funny through conscious effort and without much irony, unlike strongsiders who are relatively less aware of how they're perceived). can seem more sociable than many so/sp's, and better embodying of a common touch. a notable degree of social consciousness tempers their more private security seeking instinct, so not surprisingly weaksiders can seem soc first, often with a certain generous or self sacrificial quality. the self deprecator, the sidekick, the philanthropist.

[x]

Here is a pdf by Susan Rhodes, which also somewhat focuses on ranges:
http://www.enneagramdimensions.net/articles/subtype_relationships.pdf#start
 

Tomb1

Active member
Joined
Jun 15, 2011
Messages
994
I'll give Susan Rhodes a more serious look when she can show me her comprehensive 2000+ breakdown for every type wing and stack.

Stackemup Typology (enneagram-side) presents the only valid breakdown for every type, wing and stack. typewatch is atleast presenting a breakdown for every type, wing and stack. It's breakdown is invalid, however. A lot of groupings don't make sense and typings are just flat wrong (it's like, learn the difference between enneagram and socionics)....you would need to invent over 20,000 new classifications in order to make that breakdown coherent (trifix alone couldn't cut it). And it can't be correlated with socionics. There's all impossible combinations. A for effort, F for accuracy. Mine is much better.

Furthermore, My 2500+ breakdown for every type, wing and stack does not need/require/justify additional "stack range" classifications....and I've got the only valid visual typing model of stackings.

Worse, those stack range descriptions underscore a profound misunderstanding as to the nature of so/sp, sp/so, sx/so, sx/sp, so/sx, and sp/sx...that doesn't help. also, no supplementary visual typing model of just stackings was included with the materials...
 

Venus Rose

New member
Joined
Jul 8, 2016
Messages
324
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Ok, I could provide some examples, I suppose.

My mother, I believe, is the "weakside" sp/so. She is almost always stocking up on things, having a backup for backup...saving things, re-using them. Even though she is not unhealthy, sometimes I feel like we are, a little bit, "hoarding things"; and I personally prefer and clean and spacious surroundings. That is, if I pay attention to my surroundings at all, lol. I usually don't and am messy. She also has this habit of warning me about "what would happen if you go out at night alone" "don't do this and that, it's not safe" etc. and she is quite (over)protective. Wants to be on the safe side, and doesn't like putting people she cares about (her family) in way of any danger. Likes to look out for them (SP 2). However, she is very social-conscious as well. Keeps very much in touch with her friends, interacts with them often, if not on a daily basis. Likes visiting them, inviting them over. Gets upset if I didn't want to go with her to her friend's place, because "they invited everyone, it won't look good." Is kind of sociable, pleasant, likes an emotionally pleasant and lighthearted atmosphere. Tritype 269. 279 possible.

My father I believe is the strong sp and sx variation on sp/sx (type 1 INTJ). He seems to have some of that "brooding" look often attributed to sx/sp; though on cognitivetypes, they showed one of the facial expressions of Ni doms, and it was this very concentrated, somewhat intense, almost a little troubled look they apparently have. But he has also mentioned that he "actually does take risks" when I mentioned the variants to my parents, and that he is not quite as security oriented as sp first descriptions often sound. He seems quite passionate about anything that he does believe in, though he will rarely verbalize. He doesn't usually get overtly angry, but he does, it is very strong. He is however, uber serious about security, career, planning for the future, and prioritizes this over literally anything else. When I discussed the enneagram variants with my parents, he warned me about the "obsession" component of sx and that I should be careful, since I guess in his eyes they could be destructive or detrimental at times towards self-pres goals. Tritype 135.
 

Tomb1

Active member
Joined
Jun 15, 2011
Messages
994
Core axiom...the soc-variant intensifies each type’s core gestalt and the sx-variant softens each type’s core gestalt. The social variant’s intensification is rooted in the soc’s drive to immortalize themselves (or an aspect of themselves) into the social ether by affecting the culture/world in a large way. This intensification also includes a vigilanteism in the context of not letting anything stand in the way of this.

Sx-instinct softens the soc’s intensification.

so/sp is the most on "fire" of all the stackings. Sp-second hardens and optimizes the soc- first’s agenda towards immortalization. so/sp-terroristic
so/sx is second runner up but the fire is more easily put out/simmered due to counterbalance from the libertine side.
sx/so is softer and more diffusive than so/sp and so/sx….the notion sx/so is the most on fire of the stackings is conceptually/structurally/logically flawed (thus invalid).

easiest way to parse out so/sp from sx/so is to grasp for the more focused, lofty, 'untouchable', island quality (sp-wall)...
 
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