[Rainbow]

Aren't we always changing; whether it be moods, interests, passions, lovers. Or is it just me?

[ParetoCaretheStare]

I think so, but then again enneagram theory is still just a theory, something to believe in. I think it's logically accurate for me, but my logical reasoning is extremely abstract, and the construct is developed for people who need help understanding themselves and other people more, and in general as a form of categorization for human resources and job recruitment/employment.

[MilkyLatte]

I'm changing radically all the time. Internally, at least - I think that to others, I'm more or less the same person I've always been. But the persona I show the outside world is only a very small fraction of who I am. It also might have to do with my MBTI type..

[emerald sea]

we aren't changing, we are just reflecting our current authentic internal state, part of our true self. emotions shift - and our feelings are a wild dramatic sea - but the nature of the person does not. if we are by nature emotional, then display of a different emotion is not a change, just yet another reflection of our already emotional nature. internal states are dynamic (changing) in all individuals, the surface is just more transparent (to make those internal states visible) in some people than in others.

a type 4 wants to be true to self such that what you see on the outside is a mirror image of the inside, although how much of the inside is revealed is dependent on how much they trust those around them. complexity often appears like "change" to the casual observer, whenever it is just reflecting yet another facet of a static multi-dimensional personality.

INFJs (a number of whom are type 4s) get misinterpreted often because of this. people are shocked by us, or think we have changed, even after they've known us for a long time...in reality what they are seeing has always been a part of who we are, maybe they've just never seen that side of us before. they may not have seen that side because our Fe senses how to establish rapport with various types of people and avoid offending them; and we tend to show to each person the facet of our true personality that is most compatible with them...this appears as "morphing into someone different" around different people when in reality we are being true to ourselves, just showing different aspects of who we are. so one person may see sides of us that another person may not see. (for instance, i joke around more around people who establish rapport by joking around, whereas people who i know don't appreciate my humor, or am not sure if they would, if they don't see me around those others, will not know how much of a jokester i am.)

or they may not have seen that side of us because life circumstances hadn't elicited that sort of behavior from us...there are conditions under which any person responds in certain ways, and one may never see them respond that way if that condition never occurs.

[Jawz]

4's aren't very likely to change. They have facets/aspects/shades to their personalities - but they project their one true image almost vehemently - usually filled with back-stories of their past.

[Aleksandra]

@emerald sea I couldn't agree more, that's exactly what I think. Actually, all replies to this thread are pretty accurate. I can add that even though our emotions and moods can change fast, our feelings are usually quite stable (well, at least mine).

[Transcendence]

4's aren't very likely to change. They have facets/aspects/shades to their personalities - but they project their one true image almost vehemently - usually filled with back-stories of their past.

Aren't we? I internalize a lot of shit all of the time, and even though I'm real and I don't change for anyone or anything, I still adopt new attitudes, ideas and ethics. I change, yet I stay the same.

[silverlined]

Well I know we often define ourselves by our moods and moods by nature change very frequently. Plus we are sensitive to these changes and tend to constantly track our moods and react to them.

In my personal experience, when I look beyond my moods, I find that I am rather consistent in some ways, but not others. I don't change lovers frequently at all and tend to treat relationships rather cautiously and put a lot of thought into whether I want to get involved or not. And when I develop intense feelings for someone, they stay intense for a long time and when they are intense I cannot move on.
My character and my values tend to be consistent over all, though at the same time I am open minded and do a lot of fine tuning and I do discover different sides of me and go through periods of wanting to express different sides more than others. I am complex but consistent in that and there are many values I have that I know I can't stray far from.

As for interests, I'm expansive and curious so I'm often developing new interests, but my interests all seem to be similar and related to artistic expression.

[treeghost]

@emerald sea - That is exactly what I was feeling when I tried to respond to this thread yesterday but deleted it. I couldn't have said it better. It's all about reflections.

[Jawz]

Aren't we? I internalize a lot of shit all of the time, and even though I'm real and I don't change for anyone or anything, I still adopt new attitudes, ideas and ethics. I change, yet I stay the same.

That isn't change --- that's assimilation.