Posted by Polly on December 27, 1998 at 10:08:43:
In Reply to: Re: So...et al posted by cc on December 24, 1998 at 23:36:50:
I answer questions with questions because though I could come up with answers to the questions, I prefer to know what is really being asked first -- I just think that the answers will be better, or at least more likely on point. As for my type, I'm trying to determine it. I've always considered myself a 1, but I'm coming to think I'm more a 7. And so maybe I keep lobbing questions back both for the reasons I said first and because I'm really curious and I think that more knowledge is better, as a general matter. So from what you've responded now, it does sound like you're feeling locked in as a "type," and you're challenging the notion that people can be labelled, because labelling feels like pigeonholing. I think that a thoughtful consideration of the Enneagram system will indicate that though we are "types," we aren't one-dimensional beings. Just because a hallmark of an 8 isn't a appreciation for and desire to express oneself through art or other creative endeavors doesn't mean that an 8 can't be meaningfully engaged in those things. You certainly have approached the issue in a typical "8" way -- directly, confrontationally, but why do you feel that this typing means you can't fully enjoy and feel satisfied by other aspects of life? I'm not "fluent" in the E. system yet, but I would think that developing non-typical attributes of your type could mean that you're at a certain level of development (or integration, or whatever) or have a wing that enjoys these things. I think that a point of the E. system is, as with other personality/development structures, to gain a good sense of a starting point for ascertaining your characteristics *and* motivations, so that you can then identify how and when developing can/should occur.
I think that though some people may find that they act just like their types almsot all of the time, that cannot possibly be the experience for everyone, and I personally certainly find that to be too confined. Okay, so I said I think I'm a 7, and so it's important to me to have options and elasticity, so yes, that will color my take on your issues/questions. No, I do'nt think it's good to be a stereotype and only a stereotype -- certainly robs me of what I think of as my humanity/complexity. At the same time, as I've sort of said, I think that identifying one's type can be liberating in that it can give information as to what are underlying reasons for my behavior or resistance to certain things or draw to certain things. I would think that everyone's type would color his responses to answers, because each type takes in and processes information differently and will latch on to some different aspect of a question.
I still am not sure I understand your original point -- whether it is to challenge the E. system as too rigid and not allowing of your other interests (though I would bet that you approach the art, etc. that you enjoy in a way that is not contra the way an 8 would approach them), or whether you are questioning whether you are an 8 or where you are in your own development, or whether you are feeling too much pressure from those who find the E. system a good framework to behave in a certain way or like only certain things.
Answering your questions in order: #1 whom ever #2 maxed on that already #3 yes #4 no #5 2 part question, part 1 no, part2 of course #6 see 7 #7 "A little knowledge is a bad thing." My conflict is with the bigoted mind set of many of the followers of the E gram, those who say that X may not exhibit the characteristics of Y because X is X. I am an arch typical E8, but I have a house full of my paintings non E gram people describe as delicate and sensitive. E gram people tend to disreguard them because I'm not the "type" to be doing things like that. When does a type become a steriotype? How does one break through that? Is this a common problem? Am I in a unique situation? How unique? What type are you? How much can I expect that to color your answers? Why do you answer questions with other questions? So?
>