Type Seven is best known for their pursuit of pleasure. It is best not to interpret this too narrowly, but rather broadly construe their vice, gluttony. Gluttony, in this case, is the distinct sense of wanting "more" of whatever it is that attracts the Seven's interest. This can often be sensory things--food, drink, etcetera. This could also indicate an "adrenaline junkie," someone who gets "high" from high risk physical activities. However, it can just as easily be activities of a quieter nature. Intellectual pursuits can be attractive to sevens. So can movies. Or TV. Or art museums.
What marks a Seven as distinguishable from, say, a Five or a Nine, is the core motivation. A Five might have an extensive library because she wants to be knowledgable, and sees discovering knowledge as the "solution." A Nine might be equally addicted to television, but with the goal of narcotizing and avoiding movement or change. In the case of the Seven, avoiding pain is the key. The Seven wants to keep everything upbeat and positive. He doesn't want to be "down." He's not concerned with obtaining knowledge, and in fact, the desire for "more," the desire to feast on everything available, can make him more of a dilettante, which is very different from the Five's obsessive desire for expertise.
For the Seven, conscious awareness of depression and anxiety are unbearable. A depressed Seven's dark moods may rival the intensity that is normally attributed to type Four. If type Four's depression is represented by steady rain, then type Seven's depression is represented by a brief but destructive hurricane. It is not surprising, then, that Seven is the type most inclined to turn to distractions and seek to get as much "pleasure" as possible, whether that pleasure is constant partying, traveling the world or a penchant for Italian horror.
In his ethics, Diogenes Laertius discusses the passions of the soul. There is much that could be applied to many different types, but I'd like to specifically focus on the aspects most useful to type Seven.
Diogenes Laertius lays out four passions: pain, fear, desire and pleasure. Each of these have sub-categories. For example, the sub-categories of fear (defined as an expectation of bad things happening) are dread, hesitation, shame, shock, panic and agony. (Ethics, 7.112-113) Desire, by contrast, contains the attributes of spiritedness, hatred, want, anger in general, wrath, quarrelsomeness and sexual love. (Ethics 7.113-114) Meanwhile, the passion of pain has the following attributes: pity, grudging, envy, resentment, heavy-heartedness, anguish, congestion, sorrow and confusion. (Ethics, 7.111-112)
It is the passion of pleasure that most typifies the Seven fixation. Pleasure contains enchantment, which is a state of being charmed. There is additionally, "enjoyment," which is when one takes so much pleasure in a thing, generally of a recreational nature, that results in a neglect one's responsibilities. Another pleasure that Diogenes Laertius mentions is "mean-spirited satisfaction" which could be understood by its modern day correlate in the German language of Schadenfreude. Finally, there is rapture, wherein pleasure is emphasized to such an extent that there is an overall breakdown of virtue. (Ethics, 7.114)
These sorts of passions have the result of crippling the soul over time, as Diogenes states that "as there are said to be ailments in the body, such as gout and arthritis, so too in the soul there are love of reputation and love of pleasure and the like." (Ethics, 7.115) It may be helpful for the Seven to start thinking of the excesses in terms of a physical ailment, that in each case, it is potentially crippling and that, rather than avoiding pain, in times can result in a very profound and longer-lasting pain. Arthritis and gout are degenerative diseases: over time, they get gradually worse. In much the same way, the passions are degenerative. Left untreated, they can cause the soul and the psyche to degenerate to the point where it is difficult to function properly.
What ought to be strived towards are the three good states of the soul. I think here, there is a strong interconnection between the three states, where one can help result in the other. The three good states are:
Joy: This is moderate elation composed of enjoyment, good spirits and tranquility. So, through enjoying oneself in a tranquil, rather than a manic fashion, joy can be increased. Think of it like when you have the same favorite meal too many nights in a row. After about a week or two, you start to get a little bit sick of it, you don't enjoy it as much. The pleasure is actually intensified by having something occasionally, since when it's too often, you will habituate and stop enjoying the thing. Therefore, it makes the most sense to be moderate in one's pleasure in order to achieve the highest degree of satisfaction.
Caution: this is moderate, but well-reasoned, reserve. By getting in the habit of having a little bit of caution, it will be easier to restrain. This doesn't have to be a lot of caution. Try exercising caution in one out of every five instances of gluttony. Once you are able to do that comfortably, try doing it in one out of every four instances. Keep doing it until you can comfortably exercise caution one out of every three times.
Wish: this is composed of goodwill, kindliness and acceptance. (Ethics, 7.116) This is generally well-wishing for others. Perhaps spending time helping out in a low-key way (for example, volunteering in a soup kitchen) can help make one aware of the value of moderation. Try doing this a few times, in a situation where you don't have to make a long -term commitment, such as during the holidays. Ask yourself the following questions: How did it feel to feed people? How did it feel to see others lining up just to be able to eat? What anxieties did this create in me? How might I be more moderate in my enjoyments and cautious in my indulgences to ensure that I have them in the future? How would I feel if I indulged too much now and then had to do without at a later date?
If you would like to read Diogenes Laertius' writings on the passions of the soul, you can find them in Hellenistic Philosophy: Introductory Readings. 2nd edition. Inwood and Gerson translation
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Type Nine and Stoicism
Type nine is described by Naranjo as the "most stoic of characters." Nines are amiable, pleasant, harmonious...as long as you don't bother them too much. They occupy a neutral place that avoids extremes. They're generally pleasant people, frequently friendly, but in a way that maintains a nice, comfortable middle ground. Where nines run into trouble is when a situation demands too much of them and thus disrupts their harmonious, neutral position and forces action. Stoicism and resignation, repressing emotional investment or higher expectations for the sake of comfort and routine, become a means of averting action.
My reading suggestion for Type Nine is "Hellenistic Philosophy: Introductory Readings" translated by Inwood and Gerson (Hackett, 2nd edition). Pay particularly close attention to the writings on fate on pages 179-190.
Cicero criticizes the "lazy argument." The lazy argument states that since something is fated, actions are meaningless: if you're sick, it doesn't matter if you call the doctor or not since your fate is already sealed. Cicero rightly points out that such an attitude would have the consequence of rendering all actions as meaningless.
This is especially poignant for nines since the nine's tendency to resign themselves to fate could have the inevitable consequence of reducing everything to insignificance until inertia occurs. However tempting this may be, one is wise to remember the concerns raised by Alexander of Aphrodisias: if everything is fated then nothing is praiseworthy or blameworthy as virtue and vice become mere matters of fate. "But it is absurd," he argues, "to say that the virtues and vices are not in our power, and that they are not objects of praise and blame." (II-88) Nines of a spiritual bent, especially nines with a one wing, may find it helpful to contemplate what virtuous action means to them, and how they actively contribute to their virtue.
I think it could be helpful for nines to look at these passages and contemplate how their peacefulness may be intertwined with some implicit, underlying fatalism. After doing that, consider Chrysippus' response to the doctor argument: he suggests that fate can be conjoined and co-fated. The argument that it does not matter if you call a doctor neglects the point that getting well may be fated, but so is calling the doctor, therefore it is not the case that action doesn't matter, but rather that both the action and the outcome are intermingled. So, accepting one's fate also means accepting one's involvement in the course of one's fate. This way, one may maintain an overall accepting attitude while finding small ways to take action.
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My reading suggestion for Type Nine is "Hellenistic Philosophy: Introductory Readings" translated by Inwood and Gerson (Hackett, 2nd edition). Pay particularly close attention to the writings on fate on pages 179-190.
Cicero criticizes the "lazy argument." The lazy argument states that since something is fated, actions are meaningless: if you're sick, it doesn't matter if you call the doctor or not since your fate is already sealed. Cicero rightly points out that such an attitude would have the consequence of rendering all actions as meaningless.
This is especially poignant for nines since the nine's tendency to resign themselves to fate could have the inevitable consequence of reducing everything to insignificance until inertia occurs. However tempting this may be, one is wise to remember the concerns raised by Alexander of Aphrodisias: if everything is fated then nothing is praiseworthy or blameworthy as virtue and vice become mere matters of fate. "But it is absurd," he argues, "to say that the virtues and vices are not in our power, and that they are not objects of praise and blame." (II-88) Nines of a spiritual bent, especially nines with a one wing, may find it helpful to contemplate what virtuous action means to them, and how they actively contribute to their virtue.
I think it could be helpful for nines to look at these passages and contemplate how their peacefulness may be intertwined with some implicit, underlying fatalism. After doing that, consider Chrysippus' response to the doctor argument: he suggests that fate can be conjoined and co-fated. The argument that it does not matter if you call a doctor neglects the point that getting well may be fated, but so is calling the doctor, therefore it is not the case that action doesn't matter, but rather that both the action and the outcome are intermingled. So, accepting one's fate also means accepting one's involvement in the course of one's fate. This way, one may maintain an overall accepting attitude while finding small ways to take action.
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Sunday, July 24, 2011
Type Six and Pico's "900 Theses."
Okay, kids. Today we're going to talk about syncretism.
Well, syncretism and type six.
Sixes, as you may know, are the skeptics of the enneagram. Often referred to as "Devil's Advocates," they're the type that questions everything, including themselves. There is an underlying existential anxiety that drives them which manifests as an overwhelming doubt and corresponding desire for certainty. This certainty manifests in a variety of ways. Sixes are most known for their orientation towards groups, particularly the safety and identity of the group, but I suspect this may just be the Social Six, and not always then. Sixes can seek to find things to believe in, and this is usually systems of reference, which can be anything from bureaucratic guidelines and religious texts to tarot cards to mentors.
The "need for something to believe in" gets overplayed a bit, I think. Not that it isn't there, but just that it paints a "fanatical" picture which may not be limited to type six. Fanaticism seems to be more of a collective thing, a movement that occurs in certain places at certain times, and is more indicative of a wounding in the psyche of a culture, nation or even a world which, ironically, has been projected onto type Six. I say ironically, since the chief defense mechanism of Sixes is projection. The operative phrase is "chief" as we can all use any of the defense mechanisms at any given time. Sixes use projection the most, but I suspect that this, too, is the result of the doubting mind of Six. When you doubt everything, including your own thoughts and impulses, it can be unclear exactly what is going on: does she desire him or does he desire her? Who exactly is angry at whom? Thoughts go from oneself to others and, based on just how unacceptable the impulse is, may return to oneself only to be boomeranged again.
It is this state of constant thinking, constant questioning, that drives one to try to find security in a thought, person or belief system. When one's thoughts are in the perpetual motion of questioning, concluding, reversing and questioning, finding a "first principle" is an understandable reaction. I see the type Six need for security as more akin to Descartes' search for a first principle to escape skeptical doubts. In the skeptical tradition, all sources of knowledge are brought into question and the position becomes asserted that one cannot say anything with certainty. Descartes' Meditations were intended to escape this problem by finding one foundation, or principle, that the person could rely upon. I see the Six desire for something to believe in as a first principle: the Six wants some foundation, some truth of which she can be absolutely certain, to build upon and remove doubt.
However, I do not think that Descartes' Meditations is the solution for type Six. Since what Sixes really need is faith, Descartes may fuel, rather than alleviate, the fixation. Instead, I would suggest Pico's 900 Theses. The Theses were an attempt at syncretism--the synthesis of numerous different schools of thought--in which he explored multiple traditions with the intent of integrating Plato and Aristotle. Towards the end of the Theses, he introduced occult philosophy by way of Kabbalah and integrated it with Christianity. Probably one of the more shocking Theses (this was 1486, after all) was:
Not surprisingly, it was deemed heretical, and Pico had to flee, though the condemnation was later lifted. Most known for his occult philosophy, Pico not only talks about Kabbalah, but well known medievalists like Aquinas, as well as Greek philosophers, Islamic philosophers, Chaldeans and so forth.
The benefit Pico presents for type Six is that he has integrated a number of different philosophers from wise (and in some cases, arcane) texts that have stood the test of time and therefore can represent a mediation between the Six's need for a reliable frame of reference and the ability to appreciate many different kinds of truth.
My exercise for Type Six would be as follows: pick up a copy of 900 Theses, either for purchase from a site like Amazon or from an academic library, if you have access. Read as much from the Theses as you can, but be sure to sample at least some of the different schools of thought. Then, pick three philosophers that he talks about who strike your fancy, but make sure they're each from a different school of thought. Read their work, either online or through a library. As you explore their thoughts, keep a record of your impressions--your thoughts, reactions and what in particular you find persuasive. When you're done, write your own syncretic account of what you've learned and how it can pertain to your life. (It can be as long or as short as you'd like.)
Well, syncretism and type six.
Sixes, as you may know, are the skeptics of the enneagram. Often referred to as "Devil's Advocates," they're the type that questions everything, including themselves. There is an underlying existential anxiety that drives them which manifests as an overwhelming doubt and corresponding desire for certainty. This certainty manifests in a variety of ways. Sixes are most known for their orientation towards groups, particularly the safety and identity of the group, but I suspect this may just be the Social Six, and not always then. Sixes can seek to find things to believe in, and this is usually systems of reference, which can be anything from bureaucratic guidelines and religious texts to tarot cards to mentors.
The "need for something to believe in" gets overplayed a bit, I think. Not that it isn't there, but just that it paints a "fanatical" picture which may not be limited to type six. Fanaticism seems to be more of a collective thing, a movement that occurs in certain places at certain times, and is more indicative of a wounding in the psyche of a culture, nation or even a world which, ironically, has been projected onto type Six. I say ironically, since the chief defense mechanism of Sixes is projection. The operative phrase is "chief" as we can all use any of the defense mechanisms at any given time. Sixes use projection the most, but I suspect that this, too, is the result of the doubting mind of Six. When you doubt everything, including your own thoughts and impulses, it can be unclear exactly what is going on: does she desire him or does he desire her? Who exactly is angry at whom? Thoughts go from oneself to others and, based on just how unacceptable the impulse is, may return to oneself only to be boomeranged again.
It is this state of constant thinking, constant questioning, that drives one to try to find security in a thought, person or belief system. When one's thoughts are in the perpetual motion of questioning, concluding, reversing and questioning, finding a "first principle" is an understandable reaction. I see the type Six need for security as more akin to Descartes' search for a first principle to escape skeptical doubts. In the skeptical tradition, all sources of knowledge are brought into question and the position becomes asserted that one cannot say anything with certainty. Descartes' Meditations were intended to escape this problem by finding one foundation, or principle, that the person could rely upon. I see the Six desire for something to believe in as a first principle: the Six wants some foundation, some truth of which she can be absolutely certain, to build upon and remove doubt.
However, I do not think that Descartes' Meditations is the solution for type Six. Since what Sixes really need is faith, Descartes may fuel, rather than alleviate, the fixation. Instead, I would suggest Pico's 900 Theses. The Theses were an attempt at syncretism--the synthesis of numerous different schools of thought--in which he explored multiple traditions with the intent of integrating Plato and Aristotle. Towards the end of the Theses, he introduced occult philosophy by way of Kabbalah and integrated it with Christianity. Probably one of the more shocking Theses (this was 1486, after all) was:
There is no science that assures us more of the divinity of Christ than magic and Kabala. (900 Theses, 9>9)
Not surprisingly, it was deemed heretical, and Pico had to flee, though the condemnation was later lifted. Most known for his occult philosophy, Pico not only talks about Kabbalah, but well known medievalists like Aquinas, as well as Greek philosophers, Islamic philosophers, Chaldeans and so forth.
The benefit Pico presents for type Six is that he has integrated a number of different philosophers from wise (and in some cases, arcane) texts that have stood the test of time and therefore can represent a mediation between the Six's need for a reliable frame of reference and the ability to appreciate many different kinds of truth.
My exercise for Type Six would be as follows: pick up a copy of 900 Theses, either for purchase from a site like Amazon or from an academic library, if you have access. Read as much from the Theses as you can, but be sure to sample at least some of the different schools of thought. Then, pick three philosophers that he talks about who strike your fancy, but make sure they're each from a different school of thought. Read their work, either online or through a library. As you explore their thoughts, keep a record of your impressions--your thoughts, reactions and what in particular you find persuasive. When you're done, write your own syncretic account of what you've learned and how it can pertain to your life. (It can be as long or as short as you'd like.)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Type Four and Affectation
Oops, it's two type 4 posts in a row. In my defense, I tried writing a post about type 5 but BlogPress crashed as I tried to post it. I'll try to rewrite it soon.
So, I was thinking about type 4 and Kierkegaard's idea of affectation. Well, not Kierkegaard exclusively: he was likely influenced by a lot of the intellectuals in Europe at the time. Affectation referred to someone that was a bit of a "dandy," considered to be pretentious, a bit of a self-styled wannabe. In intellectual circles, the worst thing one could be accused of was affectation.
Fours are especially susceptible to both the accusation of affectation and the fear of being perceived that way. The worst thing is to be seen as "affected" in some way, because above all else, they want to be original, but this push towards originality is primarily image (and self-image) oriented, which puts them at a higher risk for affectation than other types.
Where Fours can be helped is by recognizing what Kierkegaard points out--no one is free from affectation. Kierkegaard may be known for his orientation towards selfhood, but remember, for him that was found through a relationship with God. Most people, therefore, lacked a truly realized self. Kierkegaard himself was guilty of affectation and realized that: he would often stroll down to the theater during intermission just so people would see him there and think he'd been in attendance, even though he had not. Kierkegaard recognized that this affectation was something no one could be free from. Certainly, we should strive to not be affected, but we should also recognize that we are all affected to an extent.
This realization can help Fours get out of the trap of "I'm authentic, original and unique but they're phony and affected" which paradoxically leads to the not infrequent perception of Fours as being the pretentious, affected ones. By recognizing that everyone is affected to some degree or another, the me/them boundary can be transcended.
A good exercise for type Four might be to go through the week writing down every time they notice phoniness in others. This will help to recognize just how compulsively such judgments are made. After doing that, the Four could spend the next week observing and writing down every time they notice taking extra trouble to convey their own desired image.
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So, I was thinking about type 4 and Kierkegaard's idea of affectation. Well, not Kierkegaard exclusively: he was likely influenced by a lot of the intellectuals in Europe at the time. Affectation referred to someone that was a bit of a "dandy," considered to be pretentious, a bit of a self-styled wannabe. In intellectual circles, the worst thing one could be accused of was affectation.
Fours are especially susceptible to both the accusation of affectation and the fear of being perceived that way. The worst thing is to be seen as "affected" in some way, because above all else, they want to be original, but this push towards originality is primarily image (and self-image) oriented, which puts them at a higher risk for affectation than other types.
Where Fours can be helped is by recognizing what Kierkegaard points out--no one is free from affectation. Kierkegaard may be known for his orientation towards selfhood, but remember, for him that was found through a relationship with God. Most people, therefore, lacked a truly realized self. Kierkegaard himself was guilty of affectation and realized that: he would often stroll down to the theater during intermission just so people would see him there and think he'd been in attendance, even though he had not. Kierkegaard recognized that this affectation was something no one could be free from. Certainly, we should strive to not be affected, but we should also recognize that we are all affected to an extent.
This realization can help Fours get out of the trap of "I'm authentic, original and unique but they're phony and affected" which paradoxically leads to the not infrequent perception of Fours as being the pretentious, affected ones. By recognizing that everyone is affected to some degree or another, the me/them boundary can be transcended.
A good exercise for type Four might be to go through the week writing down every time they notice phoniness in others. This will help to recognize just how compulsively such judgments are made. After doing that, the Four could spend the next week observing and writing down every time they notice taking extra trouble to convey their own desired image.
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Location:Fours and Affectation
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Type Four and The Enneads
Recently, for a grad seminar, I got to write a presentation incorporating Plotinus' Enneads. In the Enneads, Plotinus discusses virtue. Based on a small segment from Plato's Theaetetus, Plotinus expands upon an important distinction: civic virtue and divine virtue. In civic virtue, one does good deeds for the sake of reputation. In divine virtue, one must dispel the dark side within oneself in order for Godliness to emerge.
The path, Plotinus tells us, is through reason. By reason, one learns to restrain the passions. These include sensory passions, such as for fine foods or physical desires, but this also includes emotional passions, such as grief and anger.
This is a big challenge for Fours. Fours tend to feel the emotional passions quite intensely. Fours also can take refuge in the sensory passions. The grief of an ended relationship is both soothed and validated through a night drinking fine wine and imported chocolates. A passionate affair can serve to stimulate fantasy and intense emotions.
At the same time, feelings of grief, anger and shame can overwhelm objectivity. This can be anything from an inability to concentrate on work to an inability to put painful experiences into perspective on account of not stepping outside of the subjective standpoint.
Plotinus explains that when reason is employed, the involuntary passions become under reason's control. When this happens, wisdom is attained and godliness may emerge. Furthermore, his distinction between civic and divine virtue is useful for Fours to bear in mind. Fours when moving to One can become more productive, but the core image triad issues remain: to avoid feeling flawed and create a compensatory outer image that is better in some way. Plotinus is a reminder to Fours to reach for absolute virtue and not merely civic virtue.
Fours often will be drawn to philosophers such as Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, but this is probably not the best course for Fours: both can flatter the image as being deep, dark and complex. Rather, Fours would be better off pursuing serious contemplation of ancient Greek, as well as Medieval, philosophers. Here, the Four can benefit from the emphasis on rationality while being encouraged towards ethical actions.
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The path, Plotinus tells us, is through reason. By reason, one learns to restrain the passions. These include sensory passions, such as for fine foods or physical desires, but this also includes emotional passions, such as grief and anger.
This is a big challenge for Fours. Fours tend to feel the emotional passions quite intensely. Fours also can take refuge in the sensory passions. The grief of an ended relationship is both soothed and validated through a night drinking fine wine and imported chocolates. A passionate affair can serve to stimulate fantasy and intense emotions.
At the same time, feelings of grief, anger and shame can overwhelm objectivity. This can be anything from an inability to concentrate on work to an inability to put painful experiences into perspective on account of not stepping outside of the subjective standpoint.
Plotinus explains that when reason is employed, the involuntary passions become under reason's control. When this happens, wisdom is attained and godliness may emerge. Furthermore, his distinction between civic and divine virtue is useful for Fours to bear in mind. Fours when moving to One can become more productive, but the core image triad issues remain: to avoid feeling flawed and create a compensatory outer image that is better in some way. Plotinus is a reminder to Fours to reach for absolute virtue and not merely civic virtue.
Fours often will be drawn to philosophers such as Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, but this is probably not the best course for Fours: both can flatter the image as being deep, dark and complex. Rather, Fours would be better off pursuing serious contemplation of ancient Greek, as well as Medieval, philosophers. Here, the Four can benefit from the emphasis on rationality while being encouraged towards ethical actions.
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Sunday, June 12, 2011
Twos and Kierkegaard
I have a number of Kierkegaard's journals. I'm fond of reading through them, spotting the various ironic quips and occasional insights. One personal favorite of mine is when Kierkegaard says, "people understand me so little that they do not understand when I say I am misunderstood."
It's no doubt quips such as these which are why Kierkegaard is seen as a bit of a Four exemplar. Truth to be told, if Kierkegaard was a Four, he was one who expended most of the Four issues in his youth and, developing a profound sense of humor about himself, saw the dangers of aesthetic self-indulgence in one's spiritual development.
It is not my intent to advise him as a tool for Fours today, however. Today, I would like to draw your attention to his work, Sickness Unto Death, which I believe could be highly helpful to type Twos.
Twos, for those of you familiar with the Enneagram, tend to be oriented towards being loved and being seen as lovable. It's often been said that if Fours want to be rescued, Twos want to be a rescuer. Twos, like Fours, are highly emotional, although it is positive emotion that they like to convey. Underneath this, however, is a profound neediness and a desire to be seen as caring, loving people. Twos can be dramatic, just like Fours can be, but they are typically less conscious of it. The drama of Twos manifests in effusiveness and often maneuvering for greater contact and closeness. Typically, this closeness is sought through good deeds--the loving spouse, the teacher with the "calling" to help others, the nurturing friend--although Twos, especially with a dominant Sexual instinct, can be seductive and flirtatious as well.
When Twos are healthy, they go to Four, becoming more introspective, more willing to spend time reflecting on themselves, and more aware of negative--as well as positive--feelings. To aid in going to Two, I think some reflections on Kierkegaard might be helpful.
Sickness Unto Death talks about people being in despair, although Kierkegaard lays out two types of despair: Earthly and Eternal Despair. Despair in this sense refers to trying to find the self through the wrong kind of relationship. For Kierkegaard, it is only in a relationship that a self can be found, but the problem is that most people go astray by looking in the wrong place for this. It is only with God that the right relationship can be achieved and the self realized.
In Earthly Despair, the person seeks a relationship with society to find the self. There are two ways in which this typically manifests: one is the affected individual, who seeks to replace herself by adopting a completely false self that is some sort of societal ideal. She never wants to reflect on herself, and tries to be someone else. In the second case, the person may engage in self-reflection for a time, but invariably lands upon undesirable, unflattering aspects of the self and experiences a bit of moral horror. Unable to face the dark side of the self, she distracts herself through involvement with the community: volunteering with one's church, giving to the arts, being a caring spouse and so forth. In short, the person is an upstanding member of society, all the while with the unconscious intent of avoiding reflecting on the negative aspect of oneself.
In Eternal Despair, the person realizes that nothing can be gained through involvement with society and withdraws, becoming aware of the dire situation, and staying in a reclusive, self-enclosed state. When this happens, the person may realize it is a relationship with God that is necessary. However, it is equally possible that the person will go mad in this isolated state, and engage in self-destructive behavior, ranging from addiction to suicide. Kierkegaard considered Blake and Shelley to both be in this kind of despair.
While these were intended to be universal and not type-specific, one can no doubt see the presence of the image triad types in Kierkegaard's account. The first kind of Earthly Despair reminds me a bit of the issues Threes are most vulnerable to, while the second kind of Earthly Despair reminds me a bit of type Two, and Eternal Despair contains definite similarities to Type Four.
For Twos, I think this is especially powerful. First, Kierkegaard presents a deeply spiritual account which, while certainly not applicable to every Two, still may appeal to a number of Twos. Kierkegaard presents a helpful reminder that society can often have elements that, while giving a sense of community, can interfere with the quest for self when gone too far. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that Twos should withdraw completely from society, I do think that by learning about the differences between the types of despair, could inspire Twos to explore spiritual techniques that require more solitude. These techniques could be anything from taking a bit of time each week to engage in spiritual practice to long walks in nature, to simply securing an hour a day in which they can close the door and practice a creative pursuit. The first step is to realize that too much involvement in the community can be a kind of despair or misrelation, and a distraction from facing the more unpleasant aspects of the self.
If you're a Two and philosophically inclined, you might find it helpful to read Kierkegaard's Sickness Unto Death. Try reading it in conjunction with journal keeping, where you read one hour a day, then write your reflections on what you think it means and how it might help you come to your security point, Four.
Introductory Post
The purpose of this blog is to suggest ways in which philosophy can help different enneagram types.
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