Greetings.
I've recently stumbled across the Enneagram, and most of the tests I've taken have agreed that I'm an 8. (A few have claimed I'm a 5 or a 1, but I'm pretty sure I'm neither.) However, having looked more closely at all nine types, I'm starting to think I might be a 6.
Reasons I might not be an 8:
I'm aggressive, but I don't go out of my way to hurt people, and I'm far from vengeful. (If anything, I'm too forgiving, which is very six-ish. That being said, I don't have much trouble removing myself from relationships, either. If a relationship becomes toxic, I usually cleanly cut it off without much fanfare.)
I cry fairly easily (but always, always in private, and I never tell anyone). (This also might be just because my life sucks at the moment.)
I'm not particularly protective of people I'm close to. (This might just be because I'm not really that close to anyone, though... But the fact that this bothers me might be a hint that I'm a 6.)
I want people I respect to like me, and get worried/self-conscious when it seems like they don't.
When I was a really young child, before everything got screwed up, I apparently was very gentle and sweet.
Reasons I might be an 8:
Again, I'm aggressive. I don't "fight" with people, but I do love to debate, and I love a challenge.
I've heard that children who are 8s can sometimes become the caretaker for abusive/neglecting/unhealthy parents. That was definitely true for me. From a very young age, it somehow became my responsibility to carry my family through, and I did it without complaint.
I've typically reacted to oppression with anger. For example, when I began to think I might be bisexual, I wasn't afraid of what my religious fanatic parents might do, I was just kind of ticked off at them. Similarly, I often find people who insult me to be amusing.
I resist telling people about my problems.
I hate dealing with other people's crap - being a counselor would be my job in hell. I get annoyed when people expect me to fix their life for them, or even when they just want to waste my time by telling me shit. This may just be a reaction to the fact that I had to sacrifice my childhood to do this for my parents, though. (On another note: I'm not completely heartless. I donate a lot of time and money to charity, I'm a vegetarian, etc. I just hate listening to other people's problems when the whole world has issues. It seems selfish.)
I enjoy challenging the rules and authority figures.
When I become stressed, I typically become intense, focused, and strategic. I don't really know what I'm like when I'm not stressed, because I've basically been some variation of stressed most of my life.
I resist all forms of control. I've gotten into huge arguments with my older sister before when she has refused to let me leave her apartment (this was before I was able to drive).
I'm thinking that I might be a 6 that was shoved into the role of an 8, but it's hard to be sure. Also, if this changes anything, I'm only 18 and I'm still living with my crazy and controlling parents, which may be pushing me farther into this role.
Sorry for the wall of text. Not knowing has been making me crazy. If you need any other clarifying details, please just say so in the comments.
I've recently stumbled across the Enneagram, and most of the tests I've taken have agreed that I'm an 8. (A few have claimed I'm a 5 or a 1, but I'm pretty sure I'm neither.) However, having looked more closely at all nine types, I'm starting to think I might be a 6.
Reasons I might not be an 8:
I'm aggressive, but I don't go out of my way to hurt people, and I'm far from vengeful. (If anything, I'm too forgiving, which is very six-ish. That being said, I don't have much trouble removing myself from relationships, either. If a relationship becomes toxic, I usually cleanly cut it off without much fanfare.)
I cry fairly easily (but always, always in private, and I never tell anyone). (This also might be just because my life sucks at the moment.)
I'm not particularly protective of people I'm close to. (This might just be because I'm not really that close to anyone, though... But the fact that this bothers me might be a hint that I'm a 6.)
I want people I respect to like me, and get worried/self-conscious when it seems like they don't.
When I was a really young child, before everything got screwed up, I apparently was very gentle and sweet.
Reasons I might be an 8:
Again, I'm aggressive. I don't "fight" with people, but I do love to debate, and I love a challenge.
I've heard that children who are 8s can sometimes become the caretaker for abusive/neglecting/unhealthy parents. That was definitely true for me. From a very young age, it somehow became my responsibility to carry my family through, and I did it without complaint.
I've typically reacted to oppression with anger. For example, when I began to think I might be bisexual, I wasn't afraid of what my religious fanatic parents might do, I was just kind of ticked off at them. Similarly, I often find people who insult me to be amusing.
I resist telling people about my problems.
I hate dealing with other people's crap - being a counselor would be my job in hell. I get annoyed when people expect me to fix their life for them, or even when they just want to waste my time by telling me shit. This may just be a reaction to the fact that I had to sacrifice my childhood to do this for my parents, though. (On another note: I'm not completely heartless. I donate a lot of time and money to charity, I'm a vegetarian, etc. I just hate listening to other people's problems when the whole world has issues. It seems selfish.)
I enjoy challenging the rules and authority figures.
When I become stressed, I typically become intense, focused, and strategic. I don't really know what I'm like when I'm not stressed, because I've basically been some variation of stressed most of my life.
I resist all forms of control. I've gotten into huge arguments with my older sister before when she has refused to let me leave her apartment (this was before I was able to drive).
I'm thinking that I might be a 6 that was shoved into the role of an 8, but it's hard to be sure. Also, if this changes anything, I'm only 18 and I'm still living with my crazy and controlling parents, which may be pushing me farther into this role.
Sorry for the wall of text. Not knowing has been making me crazy. If you need any other clarifying details, please just say so in the comments.