Post by complex on Jul 24, 2020 15:44:58 GMT
Type six is the most "human" enneagram type and arguably the most authentic in that respect. All enneagram fixations are coping strategies to deal with the world and the six gestalt is most representative of the struggles of humanity throughout its history. More than any other type the life story of a six is about "coming into their own".
Sixes are head types that view the world as inherently unpredictable. They feel they came into an everchanging world without blueprints that account for the vagaries of life and have to play catchup. They see the danger that lurks just around the corner and need to figure out how to either remove it or cope with it, as well as find some backup through allies or something else out there that's a strong enough foundation. They have a base state of unrest they may not be aware of but their anxiety is visible to others. Their worst fear is to come to the horrible realization that they put trust in the wrong people and find out the basis of everything they believe in is a lie. Simply put sixes fear being "uprooted" so they construct a strong enough mental framework and/or support system of people to navigate life with to prevent that from happening.
This means making sure as many things are as "clear" to them as possible. Due to their elevated who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what if?" head center cognition they notice and assess seemingly everything and then some. They want to find out if a way of thinking is legitimate. They want points to be unambigious and motives to be transparent. They want to see who knows what they are talking about and who is trustworthy. They want to be able to intuit where you are coming from and where you are going with this. Clear intentions are a sign of honesty and no hidden agenda and bring about parity and therefore fairness. Fives naively downplay motives and are ignorant of procedures and policies within power structures. Sevens blindly rely on the future and think they can have their cake and eat it too. Sixes however refuse to take anything for granted until it passes their smell test. They have a heightened awareness of catastrophic scenarios and worry the rug will be pulled out from underneath them when they see bad things happen to innocent people. Heaven forbid any of these things should happen to their loved ones. They have little faith things will work out on their own and are natural "what's plan B" people. They feel compelled to anticipate and figure out how to cope with potential problems as they know what could happen if they don't.
How sixes cope ranges from avoidance(phobic) to aggressively facing their fears head on(counterphobic). Due to their head center ambivalence sixes alternate between susceptibility and suspiciousness towards authorities and systems. They can instantly shift from fearful to aggressive and vice versa. There is no type that exhibits contradictory behaviour like a six. On a less conscious level they are on the lookout for someone or something worthy of trusting. On a more conscious level they keep a watchful eye out for who or what is most definitely not. They are very aware of when things are unfair or uneven between people. They sense who has power and who is likely to abuse it as they often see themselves as the underdog. This is frequently enhanced by the perception of being mistreated by authority figures during their formative years. Sixes may appear as devils advocates, skeptics, BS sniffers, self-doubters, pseudo-sevens, or something else but they all test for clarity and certitude and have an underlying state of unrest. Ironically they are often less unsettled during a real crisis since their mind doesn't have the time to blow things out of proportion. Even though the real source of anxiety is inside themselves it would be nice for things in life to be more clear.
Sixes see the world as inherently unpredictable so they feel they must be prepared and have a minimum amount of certainty in their lives. Just as they are consistently loyal to who and what they believe in, the people close to them must also be trustworthy and loyal to them. Many sixes choose to root themselves in friends and family instead of more external things like systems and authorities. They form strong friendships and come across as genuinely honest and down-to-earth. They like people who are authentic and dislike smooth-talkers. They can be selflessly supportive and stay loyal even to those who are no longer worthy. Betrayal is the worst violation of trust so there's no way they'd let people close to them hang out to dry. If people have managed to earn their trust(not an easy task due to their testing) it's only fair they stick by them in bad times as well as good. In an uncertain world one must hold onto the few that are worth it. It's hard to find people who are honest and dependable and who also do what they say they will do. True respect must be earned and those close to them have earned it.
Being able to earn their way in the world is also important. They value resourcefulness and contingency planning, and find satisfaction in earning the fruits of their labors. They believe in a merit-based system where each person is treated fairly and proportionally to how they deserve to be treated. They respect people who are deserving and don't like it when people get to where they are unfairly. As long as working hard and playing by the rules is fairly rewarded they accept their circumstances. They hold themselves to their own standards despite how unpredictably difficult the world is so all they ask for is a fair shot in life. They intend to be treated fairly and for things to be okay as long as they follow the rules.
Sixes favor spelled-out rules that make things more out in the open and fair for everyone. They feel them being responsible and following the rules despite how difficult things can be should count for something. Add to that they are already hard on themselves and they often feel justified in making excuses when bad things happen. While they doubt their decision-making it's not their fault the world's so unpredictably difficult. If they follow the rules it's not their fault if things don't work out. If they are responsible and things go wrong it's not their fault. If they don't stick their necks out no one can blame them for anything. They may criticize themselves to avoid criticism from others. They may even sabotage their success to avoid standing out and being a target for criticism. In their mind if you saw how difficult things are for them you'd see things from their perspective. Their enhanced head center cognition causes their superego to feel overburdened with constant self-criticism. They struggle to meet what they think is demanded of them due to believing the only way of being okay is to be loyal and follow the rules. They fear not being able to do anything right and that imminent punishment and criticism is just around the corner. They are looking for how to be or how to act. They want to be good and rule abiding, not deviant or culpable.
In enneagram theory sixes are head center primary at the expense of their feeling and instinctive centers. Being in the center of the head triad they may not be fully aware of their anxiety because they're so used to it. Excess cognition in a six's primary thinking center can be compared to being inside the "eye of their hurricane". By looking at types five and seven outside the eye sixes are reminded of the full extent of "thinking triadness" in themselves. Head types especially sixes have lots of who?/what?/where?/when?/why?/how? cognition. This is the root of their underlying anxiety and the enviornment merely exacerbates it. The head center also has to do with the focus, distractability, and scatteredness, as well as motor and tempo. It contains the most hamster-wheeling and vascillating energy of the three centers. Type six has the most head center energy and there is no type that has as much ambivalence as a six. While all head types overthink to predict and protect themselves from the world, sixes are the types most prone to "thinking so much they fake themselves out" and turning to their superego to resolve their cognitive dissonance.
Sixes excessively try to use their head center to nagivate life. The mental framework they construct for themselves is really a form of "shorthand" to map life's numerous contradictions to that their overactive who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what if?" cognition burdens them with(anxiety by definition). By mapping to this internal shorthand they can be certain that at least most of what they conclude will be correct. In contrast to the fives's "nothing sacred" attitude sixes have an investment in keeping their own way of looking at things intact. They reject information to the contrary to protect the way of thinking they are loyal to. On a deeper level they know their defense mechanisms reduce anxiety via clarity but distort reality. They yearn to be able to get in touch with their "quiet mind" so that they can "just know" how things really are.
When this "shorthand" gets taken far enough it becomes "projection". They may see a person act in a certain way and based on their history project that person had such and such motivations behind that action. On a more subconscious level delving into further analysis could cause cognitive dissonance so they go for the answer that is most "clear" to them. This may be what they would do if they were in their shoes or what "side" or group that person appears to be most aligned with. If a person supported something politically they might be more inclined to project that person has the same belief system of others that had the same yes/no position on that issue. Due to projection sixes are prone to confusing what's clear to them with what the truth is. In order to find out if what's clear to them is not correct they have to go against their way of thinking before they have "proof" so there's internal resistance to going down that murkier mental path. This is most obvious in their implicit bargain with the world: how it's "clear" that they will be okay if they are loyal and follow the rules. To "realize" one may be screwed even if they follow a particular set of rules is to open a pandora's box of possibly never being safe no matter what. This may be more correct but is anything but nice and clear.
Sixes are the most likely types to believe in Murphy's law: "whatever can go wrong will go wrong". Unhealthy sixes are very programmable due to their head center being "short-circuited". They succumb to their anxiety and either become sheep..."I can't cope so you do my thinking for me since you are authorities"...and/or excessively project their insecurities onto others. Healthy sixes have learned to access their "quiet mind" to manage their fears and put them into perspective. Once they have mastered their internal anxiety they can become pillars of strength without losing their gift for being "human". What was "us vs them" is now the courage to fight for something bigger than themselves. Healthy sixes like Joe Gibbs have a talent for leading while remaining "one of the guys". More than any other coach he made the redskins a family centered around "core redskin values" where no player was unfairly above another. Winning three different superbowls with three average quarterbacks was a testament to his ability to get the most out of his players.
6w5s want answers to account for unknown circumstances more than support or guidance. They look more for predictability as they are especially aware of what doesn't make sense around them. Their five wing causes them to be do-it-their-selfers with respect to how they look at things. They are more likely to stick to their views than try out different views at others' suggestions like 6w7s. They are more precise in their communication and are often serious and focused thinkers. They are more analytical and tend to be strategic problem solvers. They focus more on precedent, what has worked that can possibly be adopted. They tend to put credence in structured systems of knowledge that make sense of how things are. Structure also makes it easier to function in real life since they keep their distance similar to fives. They prefer to know the rules so they can go about their business without being interfered with. They also protect themselves by withholding just enough to make sure they don't get hurt emotionally.
6w5s tend to distrust the outside world more and see it as dangerous. They fear trusting the wrong person or ideology and being led along like a pawn, or worse, being betrayed. They are constantly on the lookout for whatever doesn't seem quite right. They have a nose for what is rotten underneath and aren't flattered by smooth-talkers. They have more of a bunker mentality and don't like being an easy target. They are tighter and more coiled. They are more closed off and snap at others easier. They are more independent and insular as interactions with others sometimes feel too demanding. They are very careful about looking towards others for support and advice and instead put lots of pressure on themselves to make up the difference. They care more about their pipelines to the world being severed than losing support from people. They constantly imagine worst case scenarios as how could one not with everything that goes on in the world. They tend to be natural skeptics and devils advocates. They are more wary and guarded as well as more cynical and sarcastic. They have conditioned themselves to expect the worst as few things are more painful than being blindsided. While they want to know what you are thinking it's more to have everything being open and concrete than them needing help. They see flattery as fake and don't want to be patronized. They'd rather be called out than given undeserved reassurance. If a person is too accomodating they wonder what the catch is.
6w5s want to find the whole truth in a situation. They question and test anything and keep track of every inconsistency. They focus on resolving discrepancies. They are natural private investigators in how they are skilled at sussing out others. They concentrate on what people say and especially the way they say it: tone, body language, speech patterns, attitude, etc. They may not always intuit correctly but that's a small price to pay when the alternative is naively ignoring what can go wrong out there. They get nervous if others aren't as forthcoming as they are. They want to know what others are thinking especially if they ask so many questions without explaining where they are coming from. They feel they must know others' intentions to feel at ease. They don't believe in having things sugarcoated for them so negative feedback is better than no feedback.
6w5s are vigilant types who see themselves as underdogs and view the powerful with suspicion. They are vigilant and have a heightened awareness of whose or which "side" someone is on. They are very aware of when things are unfairly uneven between people and feel compelled to bring attention to that "abuse of power". The danger of leaving this unchecked is too big to be ignored. This passion often makes them follow politics but can apply to their everyday lives as well. They feel entitled to have their opinions be acknowledged and respected just like anyone else's. If someone unfairly marginalizes them by arrogantly claiming to know them better than they know themselves they feel justified to call out the cliques and mutual admiration societies behind it all. They don't see any hypocrisy since they are all about goodwill and open with their shortcomings. They don't see themselves as attackers nor do they wish to alienate so they are surprised others may see them like that. When they are wrong they can seem paranoid. When they are right their vigilance combined with their relatability gives them a dimension to effect change even eights don't have.
6w7s are more insecure and look for guidance and support from others. They look for people who can supply them with the bearings necessary to handle life's obstacles. They are more self-questioning and doubt their ability to find security in the world on their own. They tend to "weigh" their opinions with others. They interact with what's around them to make sure they are on the right track. They are more open and quicker to trust others. They are enthusiastic and friendly. They are less likely to say unequivocally they are right and others are wrong. When they challenge people they rarely employ a sustained scrutiny like 6w5s do. They go out of their way to show they aren't threatening which 6w5s often consider weakness. Being tough and protective yet flexible and openly vulnerable makes them endearing and likeable. They have a talent for rallying others around them when they bring attention to someone being mistreated.
6w7s are less focused and more distractable than 6w5s. They have a disorganized all-over-the-mapness with how they get all their ideas out. They are not as worried about being imprecise as they feel relieved just to be able to empty everything they were considering out of their hyperactive mind. They hurredly put down their thoughts as fast as they can for fear of leaving something about like jotting down their dreams before they forget them. They list all their points even the most anecdotal ones just in case. They want to be on the safe side as they are never quite certain about things. While 6w7s are more scattered than 6w5s they can come up with creative ideas that may be missed by more structured thinking.
6w7s want everything around them to fit nicely with their constructed safe reality. They want to be happy and content in addition to finding something strong and stable. They externalize their ambivalence and exhibit more contradictory behavior than 6w5s. They trust either too little or too much, rarely just right. When they find safety they mistrust it as too good to be true and give off mixed signals which in turn makes others uneasy with their unpredictability. Their contradictory traits and hamster-wheeling stem from doubt of themselves which drives their need for loyalty. They have push-pull tendencies from both not wanting to feel dependent on others and also not wanting to alienate them. They want to be independent with a safety net. They aren't sure how others feel about them and periodically need to be the center of attention for fear of being abandoned. They are more like divas with their flair for the dramatic. They fear being unable to cope in life and are more likely to have a victim mentality. Unlike 6w5s the last thing they want is distance. They are more demonstrative but also more masochistic and self-hating. Even if they are wrong they just want someone to be on their side and not be judgemental. Reassurance is most effective and therefore easiest to trust. They also want empathy and understanding. Honest criticism can come later once they have stopped overreacting and cooled down. In the meantime they want others to work things through with them. If they locate the source of anxiety within themselves instead of their enviornment they start to feel grounded.
6w7s are more awed and apalled than 6w5s. They are more easily startled. They vascillate between feeling excited and catastrophic thinking. They are most prone to thinking so much they fake themselves out. When their thinking center is "short-circuited" they think they are more rational than they really are. Their cognition can cause them to feel different about others from one moment to the next, as well as fear others feel equally ambivalent about them. They can swing from very nice to very challenging and vice versa. They are more hamstrung by their anxiety and frequently feel "something just came over them". When there is hardly any danger they are surprised at how much of what is buried inside them comes out. They want badly to quell their hyperactive mind from hamsterwheeling through harmful future scenarios but nothing seems to stay reliable or predictable long enough to relax with. They are like children who are gripped by fear of their own shadows and are grateful for anyone who can set them free. When there is serious danger paradoxically everything is clear and they become calm. Going in they are anything but confident but coming out they are often surprised and proud of their bravery.
6 vs 1: Ones have a life-long mission to self-improve themselves and tend to be very certain in their convictions. Ones equate repressing themselves with being more worthy. Sixes find it much easier lying to protect loved ones as they don't have a transcendant view of morality like ones.
6 vs 2: Twos are more confident and self-righteous. Twos being enablers are naturally parental while sixes are natural team players. Twos repress what is at odds with their gentle self-image whereas sixes repress themselves to fit in.
6 vs 3: Threes think it is their destiny to become someone outstanding whereas sixes aren't as naturally confident in their abilities. Threes keep their eye on the ball while sixes are prone to getting stuck in contingency planning.
6 vs 4: Fours are naturally elitist and sixes aren't. Sixes don't romanticize being different like fours do.
6 vs 5: Sixes focus much more on motives and intentions. Fives look before they leap emotionally. Sixes don't romanticize isolation and don't have delusions of grandeur like fives do. In contrast to fives, sixes orient themselves towards practical application of knowledge.
6 vs 7: Sixes don't have the blind faith in the future and themselves that sevens have. Sixes are much more self-conscious than sevens. Sixes are much more naturally responsible. Sixes are compliant types with a strong superego influence.
6 vs 8: Eights like to feel grand and sixes don't. When the desire for clarity and the desire to avoid weakness conflict the six will choose for former and the eight the latter.
6 vs 9: Sixes see nines as not alert enough while nines see that sixes need to chill out. Sixes have a heightened desire for things to be clear and communicated effectively while nines will be fine with explanations that "sort of" make sense due to their more elastic cognition. Nines find it easier to gloss over discrepancies. What is okay to a nine has a very wide latitude.
(Source)
Sixes are head types that view the world as inherently unpredictable. They feel they came into an everchanging world without blueprints that account for the vagaries of life and have to play catchup. They see the danger that lurks just around the corner and need to figure out how to either remove it or cope with it, as well as find some backup through allies or something else out there that's a strong enough foundation. They have a base state of unrest they may not be aware of but their anxiety is visible to others. Their worst fear is to come to the horrible realization that they put trust in the wrong people and find out the basis of everything they believe in is a lie. Simply put sixes fear being "uprooted" so they construct a strong enough mental framework and/or support system of people to navigate life with to prevent that from happening.
This means making sure as many things are as "clear" to them as possible. Due to their elevated who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what if?" head center cognition they notice and assess seemingly everything and then some. They want to find out if a way of thinking is legitimate. They want points to be unambigious and motives to be transparent. They want to see who knows what they are talking about and who is trustworthy. They want to be able to intuit where you are coming from and where you are going with this. Clear intentions are a sign of honesty and no hidden agenda and bring about parity and therefore fairness. Fives naively downplay motives and are ignorant of procedures and policies within power structures. Sevens blindly rely on the future and think they can have their cake and eat it too. Sixes however refuse to take anything for granted until it passes their smell test. They have a heightened awareness of catastrophic scenarios and worry the rug will be pulled out from underneath them when they see bad things happen to innocent people. Heaven forbid any of these things should happen to their loved ones. They have little faith things will work out on their own and are natural "what's plan B" people. They feel compelled to anticipate and figure out how to cope with potential problems as they know what could happen if they don't.
How sixes cope ranges from avoidance(phobic) to aggressively facing their fears head on(counterphobic). Due to their head center ambivalence sixes alternate between susceptibility and suspiciousness towards authorities and systems. They can instantly shift from fearful to aggressive and vice versa. There is no type that exhibits contradictory behaviour like a six. On a less conscious level they are on the lookout for someone or something worthy of trusting. On a more conscious level they keep a watchful eye out for who or what is most definitely not. They are very aware of when things are unfair or uneven between people. They sense who has power and who is likely to abuse it as they often see themselves as the underdog. This is frequently enhanced by the perception of being mistreated by authority figures during their formative years. Sixes may appear as devils advocates, skeptics, BS sniffers, self-doubters, pseudo-sevens, or something else but they all test for clarity and certitude and have an underlying state of unrest. Ironically they are often less unsettled during a real crisis since their mind doesn't have the time to blow things out of proportion. Even though the real source of anxiety is inside themselves it would be nice for things in life to be more clear.
Sixes see the world as inherently unpredictable so they feel they must be prepared and have a minimum amount of certainty in their lives. Just as they are consistently loyal to who and what they believe in, the people close to them must also be trustworthy and loyal to them. Many sixes choose to root themselves in friends and family instead of more external things like systems and authorities. They form strong friendships and come across as genuinely honest and down-to-earth. They like people who are authentic and dislike smooth-talkers. They can be selflessly supportive and stay loyal even to those who are no longer worthy. Betrayal is the worst violation of trust so there's no way they'd let people close to them hang out to dry. If people have managed to earn their trust(not an easy task due to their testing) it's only fair they stick by them in bad times as well as good. In an uncertain world one must hold onto the few that are worth it. It's hard to find people who are honest and dependable and who also do what they say they will do. True respect must be earned and those close to them have earned it.
Being able to earn their way in the world is also important. They value resourcefulness and contingency planning, and find satisfaction in earning the fruits of their labors. They believe in a merit-based system where each person is treated fairly and proportionally to how they deserve to be treated. They respect people who are deserving and don't like it when people get to where they are unfairly. As long as working hard and playing by the rules is fairly rewarded they accept their circumstances. They hold themselves to their own standards despite how unpredictably difficult the world is so all they ask for is a fair shot in life. They intend to be treated fairly and for things to be okay as long as they follow the rules.
Sixes favor spelled-out rules that make things more out in the open and fair for everyone. They feel them being responsible and following the rules despite how difficult things can be should count for something. Add to that they are already hard on themselves and they often feel justified in making excuses when bad things happen. While they doubt their decision-making it's not their fault the world's so unpredictably difficult. If they follow the rules it's not their fault if things don't work out. If they are responsible and things go wrong it's not their fault. If they don't stick their necks out no one can blame them for anything. They may criticize themselves to avoid criticism from others. They may even sabotage their success to avoid standing out and being a target for criticism. In their mind if you saw how difficult things are for them you'd see things from their perspective. Their enhanced head center cognition causes their superego to feel overburdened with constant self-criticism. They struggle to meet what they think is demanded of them due to believing the only way of being okay is to be loyal and follow the rules. They fear not being able to do anything right and that imminent punishment and criticism is just around the corner. They are looking for how to be or how to act. They want to be good and rule abiding, not deviant or culpable.
In enneagram theory sixes are head center primary at the expense of their feeling and instinctive centers. Being in the center of the head triad they may not be fully aware of their anxiety because they're so used to it. Excess cognition in a six's primary thinking center can be compared to being inside the "eye of their hurricane". By looking at types five and seven outside the eye sixes are reminded of the full extent of "thinking triadness" in themselves. Head types especially sixes have lots of who?/what?/where?/when?/why?/how? cognition. This is the root of their underlying anxiety and the enviornment merely exacerbates it. The head center also has to do with the focus, distractability, and scatteredness, as well as motor and tempo. It contains the most hamster-wheeling and vascillating energy of the three centers. Type six has the most head center energy and there is no type that has as much ambivalence as a six. While all head types overthink to predict and protect themselves from the world, sixes are the types most prone to "thinking so much they fake themselves out" and turning to their superego to resolve their cognitive dissonance.
Sixes excessively try to use their head center to nagivate life. The mental framework they construct for themselves is really a form of "shorthand" to map life's numerous contradictions to that their overactive who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what if?" cognition burdens them with(anxiety by definition). By mapping to this internal shorthand they can be certain that at least most of what they conclude will be correct. In contrast to the fives's "nothing sacred" attitude sixes have an investment in keeping their own way of looking at things intact. They reject information to the contrary to protect the way of thinking they are loyal to. On a deeper level they know their defense mechanisms reduce anxiety via clarity but distort reality. They yearn to be able to get in touch with their "quiet mind" so that they can "just know" how things really are.
When this "shorthand" gets taken far enough it becomes "projection". They may see a person act in a certain way and based on their history project that person had such and such motivations behind that action. On a more subconscious level delving into further analysis could cause cognitive dissonance so they go for the answer that is most "clear" to them. This may be what they would do if they were in their shoes or what "side" or group that person appears to be most aligned with. If a person supported something politically they might be more inclined to project that person has the same belief system of others that had the same yes/no position on that issue. Due to projection sixes are prone to confusing what's clear to them with what the truth is. In order to find out if what's clear to them is not correct they have to go against their way of thinking before they have "proof" so there's internal resistance to going down that murkier mental path. This is most obvious in their implicit bargain with the world: how it's "clear" that they will be okay if they are loyal and follow the rules. To "realize" one may be screwed even if they follow a particular set of rules is to open a pandora's box of possibly never being safe no matter what. This may be more correct but is anything but nice and clear.
Sixes are the most likely types to believe in Murphy's law: "whatever can go wrong will go wrong". Unhealthy sixes are very programmable due to their head center being "short-circuited". They succumb to their anxiety and either become sheep..."I can't cope so you do my thinking for me since you are authorities"...and/or excessively project their insecurities onto others. Healthy sixes have learned to access their "quiet mind" to manage their fears and put them into perspective. Once they have mastered their internal anxiety they can become pillars of strength without losing their gift for being "human". What was "us vs them" is now the courage to fight for something bigger than themselves. Healthy sixes like Joe Gibbs have a talent for leading while remaining "one of the guys". More than any other coach he made the redskins a family centered around "core redskin values" where no player was unfairly above another. Winning three different superbowls with three average quarterbacks was a testament to his ability to get the most out of his players.
6w5s want answers to account for unknown circumstances more than support or guidance. They look more for predictability as they are especially aware of what doesn't make sense around them. Their five wing causes them to be do-it-their-selfers with respect to how they look at things. They are more likely to stick to their views than try out different views at others' suggestions like 6w7s. They are more precise in their communication and are often serious and focused thinkers. They are more analytical and tend to be strategic problem solvers. They focus more on precedent, what has worked that can possibly be adopted. They tend to put credence in structured systems of knowledge that make sense of how things are. Structure also makes it easier to function in real life since they keep their distance similar to fives. They prefer to know the rules so they can go about their business without being interfered with. They also protect themselves by withholding just enough to make sure they don't get hurt emotionally.
6w5s tend to distrust the outside world more and see it as dangerous. They fear trusting the wrong person or ideology and being led along like a pawn, or worse, being betrayed. They are constantly on the lookout for whatever doesn't seem quite right. They have a nose for what is rotten underneath and aren't flattered by smooth-talkers. They have more of a bunker mentality and don't like being an easy target. They are tighter and more coiled. They are more closed off and snap at others easier. They are more independent and insular as interactions with others sometimes feel too demanding. They are very careful about looking towards others for support and advice and instead put lots of pressure on themselves to make up the difference. They care more about their pipelines to the world being severed than losing support from people. They constantly imagine worst case scenarios as how could one not with everything that goes on in the world. They tend to be natural skeptics and devils advocates. They are more wary and guarded as well as more cynical and sarcastic. They have conditioned themselves to expect the worst as few things are more painful than being blindsided. While they want to know what you are thinking it's more to have everything being open and concrete than them needing help. They see flattery as fake and don't want to be patronized. They'd rather be called out than given undeserved reassurance. If a person is too accomodating they wonder what the catch is.
6w5s want to find the whole truth in a situation. They question and test anything and keep track of every inconsistency. They focus on resolving discrepancies. They are natural private investigators in how they are skilled at sussing out others. They concentrate on what people say and especially the way they say it: tone, body language, speech patterns, attitude, etc. They may not always intuit correctly but that's a small price to pay when the alternative is naively ignoring what can go wrong out there. They get nervous if others aren't as forthcoming as they are. They want to know what others are thinking especially if they ask so many questions without explaining where they are coming from. They feel they must know others' intentions to feel at ease. They don't believe in having things sugarcoated for them so negative feedback is better than no feedback.
6w5s are vigilant types who see themselves as underdogs and view the powerful with suspicion. They are vigilant and have a heightened awareness of whose or which "side" someone is on. They are very aware of when things are unfairly uneven between people and feel compelled to bring attention to that "abuse of power". The danger of leaving this unchecked is too big to be ignored. This passion often makes them follow politics but can apply to their everyday lives as well. They feel entitled to have their opinions be acknowledged and respected just like anyone else's. If someone unfairly marginalizes them by arrogantly claiming to know them better than they know themselves they feel justified to call out the cliques and mutual admiration societies behind it all. They don't see any hypocrisy since they are all about goodwill and open with their shortcomings. They don't see themselves as attackers nor do they wish to alienate so they are surprised others may see them like that. When they are wrong they can seem paranoid. When they are right their vigilance combined with their relatability gives them a dimension to effect change even eights don't have.
6w7s are more insecure and look for guidance and support from others. They look for people who can supply them with the bearings necessary to handle life's obstacles. They are more self-questioning and doubt their ability to find security in the world on their own. They tend to "weigh" their opinions with others. They interact with what's around them to make sure they are on the right track. They are more open and quicker to trust others. They are enthusiastic and friendly. They are less likely to say unequivocally they are right and others are wrong. When they challenge people they rarely employ a sustained scrutiny like 6w5s do. They go out of their way to show they aren't threatening which 6w5s often consider weakness. Being tough and protective yet flexible and openly vulnerable makes them endearing and likeable. They have a talent for rallying others around them when they bring attention to someone being mistreated.
6w7s are less focused and more distractable than 6w5s. They have a disorganized all-over-the-mapness with how they get all their ideas out. They are not as worried about being imprecise as they feel relieved just to be able to empty everything they were considering out of their hyperactive mind. They hurredly put down their thoughts as fast as they can for fear of leaving something about like jotting down their dreams before they forget them. They list all their points even the most anecdotal ones just in case. They want to be on the safe side as they are never quite certain about things. While 6w7s are more scattered than 6w5s they can come up with creative ideas that may be missed by more structured thinking.
6w7s want everything around them to fit nicely with their constructed safe reality. They want to be happy and content in addition to finding something strong and stable. They externalize their ambivalence and exhibit more contradictory behavior than 6w5s. They trust either too little or too much, rarely just right. When they find safety they mistrust it as too good to be true and give off mixed signals which in turn makes others uneasy with their unpredictability. Their contradictory traits and hamster-wheeling stem from doubt of themselves which drives their need for loyalty. They have push-pull tendencies from both not wanting to feel dependent on others and also not wanting to alienate them. They want to be independent with a safety net. They aren't sure how others feel about them and periodically need to be the center of attention for fear of being abandoned. They are more like divas with their flair for the dramatic. They fear being unable to cope in life and are more likely to have a victim mentality. Unlike 6w5s the last thing they want is distance. They are more demonstrative but also more masochistic and self-hating. Even if they are wrong they just want someone to be on their side and not be judgemental. Reassurance is most effective and therefore easiest to trust. They also want empathy and understanding. Honest criticism can come later once they have stopped overreacting and cooled down. In the meantime they want others to work things through with them. If they locate the source of anxiety within themselves instead of their enviornment they start to feel grounded.
6w7s are more awed and apalled than 6w5s. They are more easily startled. They vascillate between feeling excited and catastrophic thinking. They are most prone to thinking so much they fake themselves out. When their thinking center is "short-circuited" they think they are more rational than they really are. Their cognition can cause them to feel different about others from one moment to the next, as well as fear others feel equally ambivalent about them. They can swing from very nice to very challenging and vice versa. They are more hamstrung by their anxiety and frequently feel "something just came over them". When there is hardly any danger they are surprised at how much of what is buried inside them comes out. They want badly to quell their hyperactive mind from hamsterwheeling through harmful future scenarios but nothing seems to stay reliable or predictable long enough to relax with. They are like children who are gripped by fear of their own shadows and are grateful for anyone who can set them free. When there is serious danger paradoxically everything is clear and they become calm. Going in they are anything but confident but coming out they are often surprised and proud of their bravery.
6 vs 1: Ones have a life-long mission to self-improve themselves and tend to be very certain in their convictions. Ones equate repressing themselves with being more worthy. Sixes find it much easier lying to protect loved ones as they don't have a transcendant view of morality like ones.
6 vs 2: Twos are more confident and self-righteous. Twos being enablers are naturally parental while sixes are natural team players. Twos repress what is at odds with their gentle self-image whereas sixes repress themselves to fit in.
6 vs 3: Threes think it is their destiny to become someone outstanding whereas sixes aren't as naturally confident in their abilities. Threes keep their eye on the ball while sixes are prone to getting stuck in contingency planning.
6 vs 4: Fours are naturally elitist and sixes aren't. Sixes don't romanticize being different like fours do.
6 vs 5: Sixes focus much more on motives and intentions. Fives look before they leap emotionally. Sixes don't romanticize isolation and don't have delusions of grandeur like fives do. In contrast to fives, sixes orient themselves towards practical application of knowledge.
6 vs 7: Sixes don't have the blind faith in the future and themselves that sevens have. Sixes are much more self-conscious than sevens. Sixes are much more naturally responsible. Sixes are compliant types with a strong superego influence.
6 vs 8: Eights like to feel grand and sixes don't. When the desire for clarity and the desire to avoid weakness conflict the six will choose for former and the eight the latter.
6 vs 9: Sixes see nines as not alert enough while nines see that sixes need to chill out. Sixes have a heightened desire for things to be clear and communicated effectively while nines will be fine with explanations that "sort of" make sense due to their more elastic cognition. Nines find it easier to gloss over discrepancies. What is okay to a nine has a very wide latitude.
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