Post by complex on Jul 24, 2020 15:53:50 GMT
Eights are strong-willed rugged streetsmart types who like feeling "grand" about themselves. They are competitive and decisive. They are gluttonous types who like to "live life hard"...like "work hard play hard"..."I want to really sink my teeth into that juicy steak." They delight in seeing themselves as animalistic yet think about things more deeply than they let on. Eights "just know" they have an inherent "gravitas" that most people don't have. They are anything but apologetic for taking up space around them. Others can immediately feel an eight's physical presence from their uninhibited "I am aligned with myself not you" expansiveness that is a reflection of their grand personality. They are naturally confident enough to not need to prove their strength to others or themselves. They simply assume they are both formidable enough and mentally tough enough to do whatever they gotta do, no discussion necessary. As tough as eights seem on the outside, what largely seperates eights from eight-lookalikes is how eights are even tougher from the neck up. They stomach the harsher realities of life that most others find unsettling. They are the least likely type to crack or break down psychologically. While they prefer being independent they know they can lead should they choose to. On the flip side they know deep down they are outsiders who can never fully be "one of the guys".
In a dog-eat-dog world eights feel they must be masters of their own destiny. They are unwilling to be controlled in any way. They tend to either run things or be independent contractors. They are wary of any interdependent setup where they aren't calling the shots. The eights that do work for others place a premium on getting financially independent as soon as possible. Even the mere possibility of being controlled triggers a need to prevent that from happening at all costs. That means controlling others if necessary whether it be dominating them or taking charge in a more formal capacity. The eight delusion is that they intend for reality to comply with how they want things to be. When that doesn't happen it feels like losing control. Basically the eight reframes not getting what they want as losing control which triggers increased anger and dominating behavior. This invites needless friction and makes them have to repeatedly learn life's lessons the hard way. Where it really costs eights is emotionally though. They pit themselves against the world so much that they deprive themselves from experiencing what it's like to be fully human. They miss what it's like to feel elated and discouraged, to be awed and apalled, to feel other emotions fully other than pure visceral anger. Letting their guard down and opening up is difficult for them.
Eights have a very strong sense of justice. There is nothing that ticks them off more than getting a raw deal. Eights have the biggest tempers and the english language often feels too trite to express their anger with. If there's one thing the eight feels compelled to do it's cuss. As eights don't like to be "moved" against their will, they are very aware when others are unfairly "moved" against theirs. They have a soft spot for innocence as it reminds themselves of what they've lost and are eternally trying to reclaim. In a dog-eat-dog world full of bad people it's one of the few things that makes them think the world isn't broken beyond repair. When they see innocent people getting the shaft it makes them very angry. Their protective instincts quickly kick in. They know someone's going to feel some pain and it's not going to be them. Eights are comfortable seeing themselves as monsters and have no inhibition against being "badder" than the bad to meet out punishment. "Judgement day" is where they feel most at home, where they are judge, jury, prosecutor, and most importantly, executioner. "Executioner" in this case means due to the eight the life of the perpetrator will never be the same.
Eights do not trust easily but once you're in you're in to stay unless you really screw up. If an eight yells at you he sees you as a decent person who did a bad thing. That's not as bad as him giving you the silent treatment which means he's cutting you out. Eights like to test people not to see where they stand but more to putting the finishing touches on whatever they have compiled on you. They pride themselves on having the ability to see what makes a person tick. They prefer to enter the fray only at the very end when they are about to finish things as opposed to lashing out in the middle of things. When an eight starts testing you it means he already found a red flag, like an "any last words before I get rid of you". They don't like to show their full hand until the end. Of course if you betray them you are gone.
Due to their more unconscious sense of self they aren't as aware of how they come across to others. They shamelessly assert their selfishness which others find refreshing. They do not feel the need to justify themselves in the least. They do they feel the need to hold themselves to any standards. Their streams of consciousness are "I choose to" as opposed to "I feel obligated to" or "I hold myself to". They revel in being "bad" and in not needing validation. In response to being called a thug, they may respond "damn straight" while kneeling down to give a child a free ice cream cone. They assume others don't like them until proven otherwise and therefore they don't need validation from others. When they don't get validation it confirms their self-image of someone who doesn't need validation. They also like to have a disconnect between them and others' perceptions of them to reinforce what others think of them doesn't matter. It reinforces their outsider nature, how they are "here" others are "there". That's how things were always fated to be. It goes without saying as outsiders eights also view many societal rules as stupid.
In enneagram theory eights are instinctive-thinking-feeling in that order. On a much deeper level eights really want power to make sure they are never vulnerable. Eights unconsciously do everything from a position of strength. They have a nose for what detracts from gravitas in realtime and avoid that. They live large and move against the world at the expense of feeling soft and tender emotions, and coming to grips with neglected feelings. They "trivialize" emotions and avoid both feeling them and coming to grips with them. The eight fixation in its purest form is an aversion to being "moved" by soft and tender emotions that make them feel weak. During a "moment" they become even more grand to avoid being moved emotionally. Their speaking becomes more measured as if to try to slow down time itself. With their fear buried deep in the unconscious position they can walk and talk like they have gravitas. The inhibition against being "moved" also applies to the physical and thinking realms. Everything seems so clear when they keep themselves pitted against the world. They know who their enemies are. They have a purpose and a mission. Simply put they feel engaged and alive. But it only serves to keep their mind off of coming to grips with their feelings they've put off processing. Their internal landscape feels like a purgatory as they forever battle unresolved emotions and issues that linger. They feel emotions most deeply when they leave them behind as if to finally give them a proper burial after a long period of neglect. They are much more sentimental than they let on and feel regret and nostalgia over not having felt more in the moment that had come and gone.
Unhealthy eights are totally out of touch with their feelings. They are often outlaws. They brag about having no conscience and more importantly they mean it. They are totally insensitive to others and have no remorse. They focus exclusively on living hard and large. They can be very destructive. In extreme examples they are brutal dictators. Saddam Hussein was a good example but not just because he was a brutal dictator. Eights in general don't like feeling they need to understand the world to navigate it. They see it as the world "telling them what to do". But most eights come around to reality and do what they gotta do to survive. Saddam was totally delusional. He ignored the advice of his generals and drew up the battle plans himself without regard to logistics. His plan was to have his army fall back in concentric rings around Baghdad despite there being a limited number of crooked roads. He had no desire to play his hand the best he could. He just didn't care he was out of touch with reality anymore. Healthy eights in contrast are magnaminous. They acknowledge their emotions. Although they are naturally self-validating they accept being "touched" by others. They are willing to make themselves vulnerable emotionally as the hardest person to conquer is oneself.
8w7s are less inhibited and tend to be colorful characters. They tend to have more mercurial life patterns. They are more cocky and convey a "it's a priviledge for you to engage me" vibe. They intend for reality to contour itself around the way they go about their business. They expect the red sea to be parted for them. They are a double-gluttony subtype and are more likely to have the itch to gamble and be high-rollers. They are vulnerable to taking on too much risk and overextending themselves. They are more frenzied and cathartic and have more self-destructive tendencies. They tend to be iconoclasts who delight in turning things upside down instead of solidifying them.
8w7s believe the best defense is a good offense. Their style of dominating is to preemptively attack you to keep you off balance. They delight in "checkmating" you as their seven wing makes them focus on where your options and possibilities are so they can cut them off. They have a greater focus on tactics and strategy. They are more "I reign supreme and will summon all my powers to blow you to smithereens".
8w9s tend to be more reserved and self-contained. They are more modest and friendly. They aren't as megalomanic as 8w7s. They are less likely to overestimate themselves. They speak in simpler language and seem less "heady" than 8w7s with their more drawn out cadence. They don't understand the eight-winged-seven self-destructive behaviour. They are more grounded and unmovable but they can get aggressive in a hurry if provoked. They are natural defenders who focus on solidifying structures as opposed to tearing them down and starting anew.
8w9s believe the best defense is to be well-fortified. They don't believe in preemptive aggression. They wait for the enemy to strike first and are natural counterpunchers. Their style of dominance is to endure whatever you throw at them and gradually steamroll you. They delight in pushing their weight against you and making you feel their physical presence. They are more "I am unbreakable and will steadily wear you down".
8 vs 1: Eights don't need to follow rules to consider themselves moral people.
8 vs 2: Eights wear their badassery on their sleeves while twos suppress that side of themselves.
8 vs 3: Eights view themselves as animalistic where that is too uncivilized for a three's self-image.
8 vs 4: Eights trivialize their emotions whereas fours amplify them.
8 vs 5: Eights have much more energy and will and aren't overwhelmed by their emotions.
8 vs 6: Eights like to feel grand and sixes don't. Eights often see the need for clarity as weakness and deny it.
8 vs 7: Eights will control people if necessary to avoid being controlled whereas sevens are more carefree.
8 vs 9: Eights invite conflict whereas nines don't.
(Source)
In a dog-eat-dog world eights feel they must be masters of their own destiny. They are unwilling to be controlled in any way. They tend to either run things or be independent contractors. They are wary of any interdependent setup where they aren't calling the shots. The eights that do work for others place a premium on getting financially independent as soon as possible. Even the mere possibility of being controlled triggers a need to prevent that from happening at all costs. That means controlling others if necessary whether it be dominating them or taking charge in a more formal capacity. The eight delusion is that they intend for reality to comply with how they want things to be. When that doesn't happen it feels like losing control. Basically the eight reframes not getting what they want as losing control which triggers increased anger and dominating behavior. This invites needless friction and makes them have to repeatedly learn life's lessons the hard way. Where it really costs eights is emotionally though. They pit themselves against the world so much that they deprive themselves from experiencing what it's like to be fully human. They miss what it's like to feel elated and discouraged, to be awed and apalled, to feel other emotions fully other than pure visceral anger. Letting their guard down and opening up is difficult for them.
Eights have a very strong sense of justice. There is nothing that ticks them off more than getting a raw deal. Eights have the biggest tempers and the english language often feels too trite to express their anger with. If there's one thing the eight feels compelled to do it's cuss. As eights don't like to be "moved" against their will, they are very aware when others are unfairly "moved" against theirs. They have a soft spot for innocence as it reminds themselves of what they've lost and are eternally trying to reclaim. In a dog-eat-dog world full of bad people it's one of the few things that makes them think the world isn't broken beyond repair. When they see innocent people getting the shaft it makes them very angry. Their protective instincts quickly kick in. They know someone's going to feel some pain and it's not going to be them. Eights are comfortable seeing themselves as monsters and have no inhibition against being "badder" than the bad to meet out punishment. "Judgement day" is where they feel most at home, where they are judge, jury, prosecutor, and most importantly, executioner. "Executioner" in this case means due to the eight the life of the perpetrator will never be the same.
Eights do not trust easily but once you're in you're in to stay unless you really screw up. If an eight yells at you he sees you as a decent person who did a bad thing. That's not as bad as him giving you the silent treatment which means he's cutting you out. Eights like to test people not to see where they stand but more to putting the finishing touches on whatever they have compiled on you. They pride themselves on having the ability to see what makes a person tick. They prefer to enter the fray only at the very end when they are about to finish things as opposed to lashing out in the middle of things. When an eight starts testing you it means he already found a red flag, like an "any last words before I get rid of you". They don't like to show their full hand until the end. Of course if you betray them you are gone.
Due to their more unconscious sense of self they aren't as aware of how they come across to others. They shamelessly assert their selfishness which others find refreshing. They do not feel the need to justify themselves in the least. They do they feel the need to hold themselves to any standards. Their streams of consciousness are "I choose to" as opposed to "I feel obligated to" or "I hold myself to". They revel in being "bad" and in not needing validation. In response to being called a thug, they may respond "damn straight" while kneeling down to give a child a free ice cream cone. They assume others don't like them until proven otherwise and therefore they don't need validation from others. When they don't get validation it confirms their self-image of someone who doesn't need validation. They also like to have a disconnect between them and others' perceptions of them to reinforce what others think of them doesn't matter. It reinforces their outsider nature, how they are "here" others are "there". That's how things were always fated to be. It goes without saying as outsiders eights also view many societal rules as stupid.
In enneagram theory eights are instinctive-thinking-feeling in that order. On a much deeper level eights really want power to make sure they are never vulnerable. Eights unconsciously do everything from a position of strength. They have a nose for what detracts from gravitas in realtime and avoid that. They live large and move against the world at the expense of feeling soft and tender emotions, and coming to grips with neglected feelings. They "trivialize" emotions and avoid both feeling them and coming to grips with them. The eight fixation in its purest form is an aversion to being "moved" by soft and tender emotions that make them feel weak. During a "moment" they become even more grand to avoid being moved emotionally. Their speaking becomes more measured as if to try to slow down time itself. With their fear buried deep in the unconscious position they can walk and talk like they have gravitas. The inhibition against being "moved" also applies to the physical and thinking realms. Everything seems so clear when they keep themselves pitted against the world. They know who their enemies are. They have a purpose and a mission. Simply put they feel engaged and alive. But it only serves to keep their mind off of coming to grips with their feelings they've put off processing. Their internal landscape feels like a purgatory as they forever battle unresolved emotions and issues that linger. They feel emotions most deeply when they leave them behind as if to finally give them a proper burial after a long period of neglect. They are much more sentimental than they let on and feel regret and nostalgia over not having felt more in the moment that had come and gone.
Unhealthy eights are totally out of touch with their feelings. They are often outlaws. They brag about having no conscience and more importantly they mean it. They are totally insensitive to others and have no remorse. They focus exclusively on living hard and large. They can be very destructive. In extreme examples they are brutal dictators. Saddam Hussein was a good example but not just because he was a brutal dictator. Eights in general don't like feeling they need to understand the world to navigate it. They see it as the world "telling them what to do". But most eights come around to reality and do what they gotta do to survive. Saddam was totally delusional. He ignored the advice of his generals and drew up the battle plans himself without regard to logistics. His plan was to have his army fall back in concentric rings around Baghdad despite there being a limited number of crooked roads. He had no desire to play his hand the best he could. He just didn't care he was out of touch with reality anymore. Healthy eights in contrast are magnaminous. They acknowledge their emotions. Although they are naturally self-validating they accept being "touched" by others. They are willing to make themselves vulnerable emotionally as the hardest person to conquer is oneself.
8w7s are less inhibited and tend to be colorful characters. They tend to have more mercurial life patterns. They are more cocky and convey a "it's a priviledge for you to engage me" vibe. They intend for reality to contour itself around the way they go about their business. They expect the red sea to be parted for them. They are a double-gluttony subtype and are more likely to have the itch to gamble and be high-rollers. They are vulnerable to taking on too much risk and overextending themselves. They are more frenzied and cathartic and have more self-destructive tendencies. They tend to be iconoclasts who delight in turning things upside down instead of solidifying them.
8w7s believe the best defense is a good offense. Their style of dominating is to preemptively attack you to keep you off balance. They delight in "checkmating" you as their seven wing makes them focus on where your options and possibilities are so they can cut them off. They have a greater focus on tactics and strategy. They are more "I reign supreme and will summon all my powers to blow you to smithereens".
8w9s tend to be more reserved and self-contained. They are more modest and friendly. They aren't as megalomanic as 8w7s. They are less likely to overestimate themselves. They speak in simpler language and seem less "heady" than 8w7s with their more drawn out cadence. They don't understand the eight-winged-seven self-destructive behaviour. They are more grounded and unmovable but they can get aggressive in a hurry if provoked. They are natural defenders who focus on solidifying structures as opposed to tearing them down and starting anew.
8w9s believe the best defense is to be well-fortified. They don't believe in preemptive aggression. They wait for the enemy to strike first and are natural counterpunchers. Their style of dominance is to endure whatever you throw at them and gradually steamroll you. They delight in pushing their weight against you and making you feel their physical presence. They are more "I am unbreakable and will steadily wear you down".
8 vs 1: Eights don't need to follow rules to consider themselves moral people.
8 vs 2: Eights wear their badassery on their sleeves while twos suppress that side of themselves.
8 vs 3: Eights view themselves as animalistic where that is too uncivilized for a three's self-image.
8 vs 4: Eights trivialize their emotions whereas fours amplify them.
8 vs 5: Eights have much more energy and will and aren't overwhelmed by their emotions.
8 vs 6: Eights like to feel grand and sixes don't. Eights often see the need for clarity as weakness and deny it.
8 vs 7: Eights will control people if necessary to avoid being controlled whereas sevens are more carefree.
8 vs 9: Eights invite conflict whereas nines don't.
(Source)