Home  Tests  Types  Diagrams  Books  Forums  Goals  Search
Main | Type 4 | Type 5 | Movie | Care | Chat

Enneagram Type 4 Board Archive

Fours and Assertiveness

Fours and Assertiveness


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Type 4 Message Board ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Diarmuid on January 23, 2000 at 21:26:59:

Is it really true that we 4s are, in general, wusses?
Are we being atypical when we face up to our enemies?

I can quote lots of authorities on this; they reckon 4s just wilt into depression when attacked.
Apparently, when we receive aggression from others, we jump straight into despair and general self-destruction. We rarely confront our aggressors, preferring to get melancholic; or worse, we turn it into self-loathing: "He's right - I AM worthless."
When I think about Richey James, this seems to be a valid viewpoint. [If you don't know about this guy, you should. Dafyd and Tigs will tell you. Narcissist, intellectual, self-mutilating anorexic low self-respect pop star performance artist. Missing, presumed dead.]

Is this true for you? Have you been mistreated by somebody without ever standing up for yourself? Do you fold in situations where 8s would assert themselves?

For me, anyways, this is untrue. I have a keen moral sense (which isn't to say I always *act* morally, but I always know the moral implications of any action).
If I receive aggression from somebody, and they have no moral basis for it, I ALWAYS give as good as I get. It's my policy to make sure they regret their actions. If I am in the wrong, however, and have made a tactless remark, and somebody reacts aggressively to it, then fair enough, aggression is not appropriate.
This is, in fact, 8-like behaviour.


Follow Ups:



Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Type 4 Message Board ] [ FAQ ]
type4board/messages/8439.html