# Which type has the most trouble with self-identification? Why?



## Wake (Aug 31, 2009)

My opinion is that sixes are kind of like individualists without an aims to be that way, so they are doomed to be the least unknowing about their type. They are reactionary as well to much in life and don't always think everything through unless its security driven, so they don't do the most soul searching as my type does (type 1) to be able to label themselves pretty easily.


----------



## jbking (Jun 4, 2010)

Each type has its issues to work through so I see them all as being equally messed up when it comes to problems.

I just noticed the pattern though that there are 2 different cycles within the Enneagram logo this site uses. 3-9-6 is one cycle while the other is 1-4-2-8-5-7, which seems kind of kooky to me at the moment.


----------



## Wake (Aug 31, 2009)

The poll question reads _Which type has the most trouble with self-identification? Why_ is the question, not _which has the most problems_ as we all have our issues which we can't work through easily. I figured I would be a little vague in the thread name then be very specific in the poll question. Perhaps thats why this has a weak rating.


----------



## jbking (Jun 4, 2010)

I'm sorry I missed where the question was explicitly stated. I still think for self-identification each type is just as hard as any other type. I don't believe it is that hard to take any pair of types and construct people that may well identify quite well with both and thus there can be the question of am I an X or a Y?

Just to add some personal context on this, while the type 1 is where I identify the most, there are times where a 5 also seems to be a large part of me as well. This is without getting into the whole idea of having Tri-types which allow for people to combine this in an another way that can make this more complicated to try to use.


----------



## Vanguard (Dec 22, 2009)

Gotta be 9s. The ones I know always can see "a little bit of themselves in everything". 6s on the over hand can usually tell they're 6s, they notice the whole anxiety and focus on the negatives thing which are pretty obvious 6 traits.


----------



## screamofconscious (Oct 15, 2009)

I wish I could have voted for more than one. I voted 6 but 9's can have a pretty hard time typing themselves too.
9's are humble to the point of losing site of who they are whereas 6's can have such a variety of combination of issues that they can be just as difficult to type. Poor descriptions that don't to justice to the type as a whole make it difficult too.


----------



## HannibalLecter (Apr 18, 2010)

Type 5; that is, they've the most problems. Not social problems (though, they do have those), but math problems, philosophy problems; intellectual problems.


----------



## Wake (Aug 31, 2009)

perhaps I can get the thread name to match the poll question via holy powers of admin, to stop confusion with this thread.


----------



## thewindlistens (Mar 12, 2009)

I voted type 9. I'm still not sure if I am a type 9, it doesn't fit well, just better than anything else.


----------



## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

Isn't it meant to be 9's, that find it hard to type themselves?


----------



## Rena (Jun 8, 2010)

I think there are two different issues: Identifying your correct Type, and self awareness of your personality. As far as identifying and testing to figure out type, yes, Nines have a difficult time with that, as previously stated. 

But the issue of self-awareness is something I've thought about a lot. I agree with Wake, that Sixes do seem to have some issues with seeing themselves clearly. I'm not sure if it's because they are not introspective, or because their anxiety distracts them from what's really going on within themselves. But many Sixes I know don't have a clue how they come off to others sometimes. You can read them a description that fits them perfectly, and they don't see themselves in it at all. 

The types that are more image focused (2,3 and 4) don't usually have that problem. Those types are very self-aware. Fives, also, can usually give you a pretty accurate run down of their personality (even ones who don't know anything about typing). I joke with one of my Five friends that he treats human behavior like a science experient, observing reactions and feelings from an analytical, remote viewpoint.


----------



## screamofconscious (Oct 15, 2009)

Rena said:


> I think there are two different issues: Identifying your correct Type, and self awareness of your personality. As far as identifying and testing to figure out type, yes, Nines have a difficult time with that, as previously stated.
> 
> But the issue of self-awareness is something I've thought about a lot. I agree with Wake, that Sixes do seem to have some issues with seeing themselves clearly. I'm not sure if it's because they are not introspective, or because their anxiety distracts them from what's really going on within themselves. But many Sixes I know don't have a clue how they come off to others sometimes. You can read them a description that fits them perfectly, and they don't see themselves in it at all.
> 
> The types that are more image focused (2,3 and 4) don't usually have that problem. Those types are very self-aware. Fives, also, can usually give you a pretty accurate run down of their personality (even ones who don't know anything about typing). I joke with one of my Five friends that he treats human behavior like a science experient, observing reactions and feelings from an analytical, remote viewpoint.



Dead on about 6's. I think that the biggest problem with those descriptions though is that a lot of them make us sound like drones. Empty minded followers, when we're anything but. 

I don't agree at all that image focused types are very self-aware though. Certainly not for the reason of being image oriented. One of the biggest misunderstandings I find about 3's is that they are they're deceptive to everyone. In a sense, it's true because if one is not honest with themselves, they can't really be honest with others. The core of the issue of the deception however shouldn't be placed on others...it is the dishonesty with ones self that hurts them so. 2's and 4's have issues with repressing certain aspects of themselves as a means to promote their image too. I find it difficult to say that any of the types have some advantage over the others in terms of gaining self-awareness.


----------



## Rena (Jun 8, 2010)

screamofconscious said:


> I don't agree at all that image focused types are very self-aware though. Certainly not for the reason of being image oriented. One of the biggest misunderstandings I find about 3's is that they are they're deceptive to everyone. In a sense, it's true because if one is not honest with themselves, they can't really be honest with others. The core of the issue of the deception however shouldn't be placed on others...it is the dishonesty with ones self that hurts them so. 2's and 4's have issues with repressing certain aspects of themselves as a means to promote their image too. I find it difficult to say that any of the types have some advantage over the others in terms of gaining self-awareness.


_Unhealthy_ 3's are deceptive- that's a critical difference. And even in that case, with a less healthy 3 who is so bent on impressing people that they fall into deception, it's still not self-deception- they know exactly what their doing and why their doing it. Now, they may repress and lose touch with their feelings, but they still know that they exist- they just push them to the back for a while. It's a common myth about 3's and it kinda gets on my nerves. (me being a 3 and all. :wink

But you're right- all types can gain self-awareness, but some are more inclined to be interested in it than others. But it doesn't mean it's any easier. In fact, sometimes i wonder if those of us who are really interested in learning about our personalities are more likely to be hard on ourselves- know what I mean?


----------



## screamofconscious (Oct 15, 2009)

Rena said:


> _Unhealthy_ 3's are deceptive- that's a critical difference. And even in that case, with a less healthy 3 who is so bent on impressing people that they fall into deception, it's still not self-deception- they know exactly what their doing and why their doing it. Now, they may repress and lose touch with their feelings, but they still know that they exist- they just push them to the back for a while. It's a common myth about 3's and it kinda gets on my nerves. (me being a 3 and all. :wink


Well that sparks a whole slew of questions! This isn't the right thread for it though...I don't want to hijack it...perhaps I can just hijack you! Come here little girl, I have candy. http://personalitycafe.com/type-3-forum-achiever/24829-3s-deception.html#post509875



Rena said:


> But you're right- all types can gain self-awareness, but some are more inclined to be interested in it than others. But it doesn't mean it's any easier. In fact, sometimes i wonder if those of us who are really interested in learning about our personalities are more likely to be hard on ourselves- know what I mean?


I do think some types are more inclined to be interested in self-awareness...just not necessarily due to an image fix. But being hard on ones self in order to reach that goal seems to be the nature of the beast. In order to gain self-awareness, we must be willing to accept parts of ourselves that we find undesirable.


----------



## Kitten (Mar 28, 2010)

Since I wasn't sure, I clicked "View Poll Results" without voting, and was interested to see that Type 9 currently has the most votes - the type that I got the highest scores on, and yet I've determined that I am NOT a Type 9 since both 9w1 and 9w8 sound way too different from me. ...And yet I'm still having trouble determining my Enneagram type after all this time - I'm still not absolutely sure which I am. The self-identification problem! XD

But although I've determined I'm not a Type 9 afterall, I can still relate to a lot of the Type 9 characteristics, so I think I can see where people are coming from, besides having self-identification problems myself. XD I suppose maintaining a calm mindset in looking into all the possibilities would sort of make you... lose the sense of yourself. You could probably see some equal parts of yourself in ALL the types, if you tried!

...And so, I still won't vote, since I'm not absolutely sure. Because now Types 6 and 3 sound like they could have self-identification problems to me too, for reasons others have already mentioned. :mellow:


----------



## Liontiger (Jun 2, 2009)

I said type 9 because we tend to see ourselves in almost every type. We are the adapters. Based on theory alone, 9 would be the most obvious type to have difficulties with self-identification. I think awakened 9s would have a more difficult time typing than average or unhealthy nines, though. Our weaknesses are pretty distinct.



Kitten said:


> Since I wasn't sure, I clicked "View Poll Results" without voting, and was interested to see that Type 9 currently has the most votes - the type that I got the highest scores on, and yet I've determined that I am NOT a Type 9 since both 9w1 and 9w8 sound way too different from me. ...And yet I'm still having trouble determining my Enneagram type after all this time - I'm still not absolutely sure which I am. The self-identification problem! XD
> 
> But although I've determined I'm not a Type 9 afterall, I can still relate to a lot of the Type 9 characteristics, so I think I can see where people are coming from, besides having self-identification problems myself. XD I suppose maintaining a calm mindset in looking into all the possibilities would sort of make you... lose the sense of yourself. You could probably see some equal parts of yourself in ALL the types, if you tried!
> 
> ...And so, I still won't vote, since I'm not absolutely sure. Because now Types 6 and 3 sound like they could have self-identification problems to me too, for reasons others have already mentioned. :mellow:


Out of curiosity, what made you decide you weren't a nine?


----------



## Scruffy (Aug 17, 2009)

I'll vote 9, as they do see themselves in most. 

6's can have some problems, at least superficially (for example a lot are mis-types on this site) they like to wear the 7, 5, and 8 mask.


----------



## Kitten (Mar 28, 2010)

Lightning said:


> Out of curiosity, what made you decide you weren't a nine?


Well... hmm... :mellow:
*reads up all about 9's again*

I don't know, maybe I AM a Type 9. At least, the general overall description of a Type 9 seems to fit me more than a Type 2 or Type 7 in that MORE of the description fits me... but there is so much of 2 and 7 that suits me too, but I guess that would be my Enneagram tri-type thing: 9, 2, 7. 

But then I come across the conflict of deciding whether I'm a 9w8 or 9w1 - the descriptions of 2w1, 2w3, and 7w6 (I'm definitely not a 7w8.. I don't have much 8-ness in me, so I'm more likely 9w1 than 9w8) fit me MUUUCH better than the description of 9w1. It's only when I look at the types alone that Type 9 seems to fit me better - but add the wings, and suddenly Type 9 doesn't seem me anymore.

But my Enneagram knowledge is INCREDIBLY limited.. I really don't know much about it at all.. and perhaps I could be in self-denial about certain things. So maybe I COULD be a Type 9, I suppose. o.o

...Haha, that would certainly help me to vote for Type 9 for this thread's poll, for self-identification problems! :tongue:


----------



## Tacos (May 10, 2010)

Wichever one is mine -_-


----------



## Liontiger (Jun 2, 2009)

Kitten said:


> Well... hmm... :mellow:
> *reads up all about 9's again*
> 
> I don't know, maybe I AM a Type 9. At least, the general overall description of a Type 9 seems to fit me more than a Type 2 or Type 7 in that MORE of the description fits me... but there is so much of 2 and 7 that suits me too, but I guess that would be my Enneagram tri-type thing: 9, 2, 7.
> ...


I have found 9w8 and 9w1 descriptions to be rather lacking. Just look at 1 and 8 and see which of the two you relate to more. For a type nine, one of the fundamental differences between the wings is how you deal with your anger. A 9w8 is likely to bottle their anger and then explode. A 9w1 is likely to have a tight grip on their anger, trying to suppress it. It comes out in more subtle ways, such as passive aggression.


----------

