# Enneagram and Vegetarianism/Veganism



## Stan the Woz (Apr 10, 2012)

So it occurred to me that there might be some correlation between enneagram type and the prevalence of vegetarianism/veganism. Respond to the poll with your type and whether you are or not, and feel free to discuss any theories on the matter - what types do you think might be more likely to go vegetarian or vegan?

I'll start. I'm a type 1 and a vegetarian, and I wonder if there might be some correlation between certain types (1 and 4, maybe?) and taking up this kind of lifestyle. I'd imagine 1's might want to do it because of ethical reasons (avoiding animal mistreatment, or just seeing it as a virtuous thing) and 4's...I don't know. I'm not a 4. But it seems like there might be some tendency. Thoughts?


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## Sina (Oct 27, 2010)

I doubt there is a statistically significant correlation lol. But, as far as personal observations are concerned, I know a lot of veg*n ones (do it for ethical reasons) and even nines. My 1w9 partner is a vegetarian for ethical reasons. 

I have been vegetarian in the past, but it was mostly for fun. My diet is 95% vegetarian anyway because, culturally, meat isn't prepared often where I come from. I know many 3s who are veg*ns for "health" (read: weight loss/maintaining 'svelte' figure) reasons, and there are some who follow the diet for moral reasons. I know a few veg*n 7s.


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## sodden (Jul 20, 2009)

I was a vegetarian for ten years, primarily for ethical reasons. Ethical: I empathize with and love animals, why would I eat them? Also for the strain it puts on the environment. Then I got pregnant and craved beef like mad and decided my body needed it. I eat meat maybe once or twice a week now. I also got tired of being so anal about food. That said, if I were to follow my principles whole heartedly, I would be a vegan again. I've just become a disillusioned slacker.


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## Stan the Woz (Apr 10, 2012)

Boss - Yeah, I wasn't trying to say it was caused by type or anything like that, just that it seemed like there could be some interesting connections due to type motivations. I'm also not trying to call anyone out as "immoral" for not being vegetarian - that's your business. I will say, regarding correlations, that I would wonder what the type least likely to be vegetarian is - I'd imagine it's probably 8, as I would think a lot of 8's would be not only less likely to worry about the deep moral implications (1 or 4) or body image which can benefit from such a lifestyle (3) and more likely to like the idea of "power", or as a man said when I asked him about it, "species dominance" that carnivorousness allows. 

brainheart - Yeah, I see where you're coming from. Personally, I've been a vegetarian for 15 years (or more significantly, about 80% of my life) because as a little kid I was pretty freaked out by the idea of eating animals. But once again, I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad. You have to find what works for you - no one else can.


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## Sina (Oct 27, 2010)

@Stan the Woz, I didn't think that you were judging anyone here at all. It's an interesting question. Now that I think about it, 6s also tend to have veg*n leanings because of their feelings for the underdog and their response to oppression, broadly speaking. Some of them tend to empathize with animals quite a bit.

And yes, theoretically speaking, 8s would be least likely to adopt veg*nism for the reasons you gave. 
In my case, personal pleasure trumps nearly every other consideration which is why I can't stick with any kind of restrictive diet. I do avoid factory farmed meat because I disagree with the extreme mistreatment of animals (their blatant commodification), the less than acceptable quality and taste of the meat, but it's not a big enough deal to me that I'd give up meat over it. I am a 3, btw. And, again, you needn't worry about the moral judgment part. That wasn't even on my mind.

p.s. to mention/summon a member just place @username


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## username (Apr 6, 2010)

Boss said:


> p.s. to mention/summon a member just place @username


Youuu raaaaaangg [in my deep, 'Lurch' voice]?


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## Sina (Oct 27, 2010)

username said:


> Youuu raaaaaangg [in my deep, 'Lurch' voice]?


well hello there *dramatic hair flip* 

thanks for demonstrating my point lofl. I was surprised when I saw that username was actually someone's "username", but then I left it alone. Hilarious.


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## RoSoDude (Apr 3, 2012)

I am not a vegetarian, but that's more just because of what my family eats. I wouldn't want to inconvenience them; were I to become vegetarian it would be because of how horrible the meat we eat in America is, and how terrible conditions are for the animals. It's not so much about morality for me but just how bad our food industry is. It's more about my base skepticism/cynicism (typical 6 stuff) than any focus on what is right or wrong (a concept I'm not so sure I believe in objectively).

So I'm not, but I could be. Eh.


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## Stan the Woz (Apr 10, 2012)

@Boss: Okay, good. Just wanted to make sure.

Your point about personal preference is certainly true - biologically, certain people enjoy the taste of meat more than others, and I doubt that would have any meaningful correlation with type (and it could definitely be a determining factor). The question is how much of the population of vegetarians and vegans are those people for whom preference was a major factor (or, at least not a big inhibition) and how many chose moral reasons over that. It could certainly be true that the biological factors are more prevalent than any kind of psychological motivations.


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## Vivid Melody (Apr 25, 2011)

I am currently a vegan for health reasons but pretty sure I mostly want to stay this way because I don't agree with how most farm animals in this country (the U.S.) are treated. If I do ever buy meat, not supporting companies that abuse animals. It's appalling and it breaks my heart.


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## Stan the Woz (Apr 10, 2012)

It is rather...unnerving at times. One of the things I'm glad about (retroactively) is that I became a vegetarian early, so I didn't have the moment of "Oh god what is this" when I learned about the horrible conditions in some factories.


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## Mendi the ISFJ (Jul 28, 2011)

Stan the Woz said:


> It is rather...unnerving at times. One of the things I'm glad about (retroactively) is that I became a vegetarian early, so I didn't have the moment of "Oh god what is this" when I learned about the horrible conditions in some factories.


what were the deciding factors in your becoming a vegetarian?


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## Swordsman of Mana (Jan 7, 2011)

most likely: 1, 2, 9
least likely: 7, 8


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## Chili990 (Aug 25, 2011)

Currently it seems that I'm the only vegetarian type 8 here. For me, vegetarian diet has been a way to rebel against my meat eating family. Yet they accept my choices.


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## sodden (Jul 20, 2009)

RoSoDude said:


> I am not a vegetarian, but that's more just because of what my family eats. I wouldn't want to inconvenience them; were I to become vegetarian it would be because of how horrible the meat we eat in America is, and how terrible conditions are for the animals. It's not so much about morality for me but just how bad our food industry is. It's more about my base skepticism/cynicism (typical 6 stuff) than any focus on what is right or wrong (a concept I'm not so sure I believe in objectively).
> 
> So I'm not, but I could be. Eh.


yeah, part of my deal is I'm married to a meat eater, so I make a point to buy local pasture raised eggs, organic cage free chicken, and pasture raised beef. I get yogurt and cheese from cows who are supposed to be humanely treated. It's not as good as being a vegan, but it's better than nothing.

I can see a lot of (especially healthier) fours being vegetarians. Part of being a four is empathy and sensitivity, not to mention introspection. So we're inclined to consider our values and our actions. there's too much emphasis placed on our being self absorbed, but that's an unhealthy quality.

I should add my brother, a 5, has been a vegetarian for the past twenty years. He is because he hates how farm animals have taken over wild land and he wishes they would go away. I can relate to this too. I'd much rather have wild animals around than domesticated ones.


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## Stan the Woz (Apr 10, 2012)

Mendi the ISFJ said:


> what were the deciding factors in your becoming a vegetarian?


I became a vegetarian when I first learned what meat was (around the age of 3). I was fundamentally disturbed by the idea of eating something that had been an animal (I had a lot of fears as a little kid, so this is probably partly a manifestation of that).


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## aconite (Mar 26, 2012)

I became a vegetarian when I was 13. Eating corpses is very disgusting to me, and I dislike how animals are treated. I've never really liked meat, and I do just fine without it. After several weeks I started to realise that meat smells very bad (people who eat it are used to the smell_ - it's hard to eat something that reeks of morgue, you know?


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## BeauGarcon (May 11, 2011)

I'm vegetarian. And I hate to explain why, people always seem so negative about this - like you want attention.


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## Coburn (Sep 3, 2010)




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## Stan the Woz (Apr 10, 2012)

JuliaRhys said:


>


:L

I dunno about that, man. I hear we're kinda stringy.


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## hauntology (Feb 12, 2012)

type 7 pescetarian. want to be vegetarian but i live on fish.  don't think type affects it for me. mostly for me it's because i don't think food in general should be commercialized.


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## basementbugs (Apr 5, 2012)

Type four, former vegetarian and now a pescetarian. I'd prefer to be a vegetarian still, but had to give it up for health reasons. I have allergies and intolerances (some severe, some mild to moderate) to many of the common sources of protein for vegetarians, thus continuing with a vegetarian diet was not allowing me to get adequate protein.


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## soya (Jun 29, 2010)

i am a vegetarian. definitely compassion has something to do with my choice, but not exclusively. i find factory farms disgusting and unhealthy. not sure if type has anything to do with it, but one could certainly paint a portrait of the "9 hippie" here if they chose to. ha.


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## Sonny (Oct 14, 2008)

Great, I'm a cliché.


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## treeghost (Apr 2, 2011)

I'm a type 4 and vegetarian. It started mainly from compassionate reasons. And now that I'm older and have read much more about the whole industry, it is definitely for ethical, health and global reasons also.

I was just thinking the other day about this. I noticed that three type 9 people I know (mom, cousin, coworker) all tried vegetarianism for a while but didn't stick with it. It could be they felt compelled but didn't want to get too involved with the entire shenanigan of it.


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## Varyafiriel (Sep 5, 2012)

It seems that a lot of ONES, FOURS and NINES eat vegetarian/vegan. I am a 6w5 and as well a vegetarian (almost vegan) for ethical reasons, but I have ONE and FOUR in my tritype.


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## Lord Bullingdon (Aug 9, 2014)

I've been everything from carnivore to vegan in my time. For cultural reasons, for fun, for the environment, for reasons of poverty, whatever; my diet changes accordingly. 

These days, in my life, it seems like just getting enough to eat is challenge enough. I'm mainly trying to cut out the junk that my parents have eaten all their lives that I'm watching kill them.

The main people I know of as being vegan / vegetarian have been environmentalists, and they come in all types. Generally have a strong social instinct rather than a particular type.


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## Kisshoten (Dec 15, 2009)

My family is full of vegetarians and my parents refused to permit the consumption of meat when I was young and curious about eating meat. It was also for religious reasons that we did not consume meat. The situation was compounded by how, being vegetarian for my entire life, I couldn't (and still can't) stand the smell of any meat. I also have a soft spot for animals and I cry more easily if animals get hurt, than say if humans were to get hurt. So, my curiosity faded and now I'm perfectly content eating grains and veggies. In fact, my vegetarianism has led me to fear leaving my country because chances are that I'll have a very hard time finding the right kind of food outside. 

I also equate eating meat with eating corpses, thanks to a friend who once drew that analogy in an attempt to discourage another fellow non-v. Now I can never see eating meat as anything else. =/


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## 0+n*1 (Sep 20, 2013)

I only know two persons with alternative diets. One is my cousin, which is a 6w7 if I am not mistaken, and she is a pescetarian and she dislikes when people ask her for her reasons why she has that diet. She started when she got into meditation. My impression (which could be wrong because I am not her and I don't know her exact reasons) is that the group she joined was vegetarian and she tried it and thought it was a good diet (for moral or health reasons, who knows?) and now she does it because she's used to it and she's fine with it. The other is one friend that's very invested in social causes. He is a 7w6 so/sx (or sx/so) and he does it for environmental reasons. He thinks the diet we are having is no longer sustainable. But he isn't militant about it, he takes it with lightness. The other day he confessed to me that he has been starting to think that the true reason why he does it is because he wants to go against conventions.


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## Sirius Black (Sep 28, 2014)

Type 9, I'm not vegan. I'm well balance between meat and vegetable. 
In many condition, I eat anything (food). I'm not too picky for food


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

I think I may switch to vegetarian in the future but mostly because gf is and it's easier for me to change than ask her to change since her reasons are ethical and religious. So that's also an aspect to consider. I don't value my eating habits that highly. I'll like meat and just eat it when she's not around pretty much.


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## Blazkovitz (Mar 16, 2014)

I don't see any valid arguments against eating meat. If it's OK for a wolf to eat a rabbit, why not for a human? I am also OK with hunting, if it's for food and not just to derive pleasure from killing.


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## Varyafiriel (Sep 5, 2012)

Blazkovitz said:


> I don't see any valid arguments against eating meat. If it's OK for a wolf to eat a rabbit, why not for a human? I am also OK with hunting, if it's for food and not just to derive pleasure from killing.


Read Peter Singers work. There you'll find tons of valid arguments against eating meat.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

Meat tastes too damn good to forsake.


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## Flaming Bassoon (Feb 15, 2013)

I barely eat any meat out of taste preference, though it's partially moral too. I understand that in nature if you're on the top of the food chain you're going to consume other animals so I don't try to push this view on most people, but they _really _should eat a lot more vegetables, especially here in the U.S.


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## JTHearts (Aug 6, 2013)

type 2 and yes


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