Image Types
Intro to image
The Enneagram is clean. Within each center of intelligence there’s one of each Hornevian Group and Harmonic Triad.
2 is compliant with their rejection
3 is assertive with their competency
4 is withdrawn with their frustration
Heart/image types are described as preoccupied with “shame” rather than fear or anger. This can be confusing, especially given that all compliant types (126) tend to be riddled with shame. It helps to keep in mind that centers of intelligence do not literally describe emotions one feels the most.
Shame is not always social humiliation, but can also describe “distress caused by consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior,” or “a loss of respect or esteem.” A shamed heart core feels like they have lost themselves, generally by not meeting the lofty image goals they set.
An image is two-dimensional. The ideals heart cores set for themselves are not constantly changing, unless they are a 3. It is not, “who am I at my core?,” but “what am I portraying to others?”
Type breakdowns
2 wants to be seen as an infallible giver. If you reciprocate, you compete with their role as the most caring and compassionate. A 2 will tend to ignore or become uncomfortable with affirmations of their strengths, while thirsting for them subconsciously. They are cut off from this need. Rejection types are akin to a cat bringing its owner dead birds—whether or not the recipient is actually benefiting from the 2’s gifts, they will keep coming. Compliant means that there is a sense of consistent, external standards driving the 2’s actions. “I have to be this way, because Father says so. Father will punish me otherwise.” (In reality, 2s are the ones punishing themselves if they don’t meet the standards. Cutting off any internal need feels easier than the guilt of not being seen as perfectly giving.)
3 wants to be seen as versatile, accomplished idols. Their type structure will determine whether they want to be a spontaneous, quick-talking snake oil salesman or the dutiful pillar of the community. Where 2s and 4s will narrow, 3s will widen. They see an opportunity to gain admiration (or to make a quick buck in those with more sp influence) and quickly step in. Do not mistake this for other attachment type’s dutiful adaptability—3s are assertively taking action, and if they detect they aren’t in a maximally flattering place, they will find greener pastures or push until they’ve found a mask the world considers shinier. 3s have a mental resume of all the things they have done, are known for, and can do, and can yank out relevant pieces for given environments. They are often ruthlessly pragmatic about image matters—if you suggest they can lighten up, they’ll think: “This is how the world is. If I don’t do these things I’m missing out.” 3s are so focused on building these personas that they often lack a strong sense of self beyond the résumé. Their spirit animal is a question mark. “If I can be anything, what am I? What am I not?” Public failure can be crushingly humiliating, as they’ve placed their sense of self in their ability to tackle any role.
It would be remiss for me to claim that 4s want to be seen a particular way, because as soon as I place them in that box, they will distance themselves from it. A 4 knows that their brokenness distinguishes them from the rest of humanity. Their perspective is that they are the ones lowering themselves, deigning to push back their inherent unrelatability to be slightly comprehended by the masses. If a person thinks they know who the 4 is or can relate to them, they are wrong. Because the 4 is so preoccupied with how different they are, this ironically makes them an image type obsessed with comparing themselves to existing standards. I like to say that frustration cores are the most easily triggered out of all the types because they CANNOT IGNORE when something is bothering them. “You were this yesterday, weren’t you?” Well, you just don’t get it.
If image types slip, they will hide. 2s will smile after they’ve broken open and shown they have needs, say “oh I can’t believe that happened! That wasn’t me!” 3s will reframe past mistakes as simply part of their process (or more likely, hide that they ever happened.) 4s will destroy all they have created if there’s a sense someone else is misinterpreting it, or worse, has done it first.
Examples (self prezzy because that’s what I focus on)
Image types pick their role and impose it on the world, even when it’s annoying.
2 is my friend doing our dishes and when someone says "stop I don't want you to" she just says "no." Repeatedly. Every time. Even if it's putting strain on the relationship or the other person is pleading you to stop, she’ll keep doing it.
3 is a relative using liquid nitrogen to attempt to remove her acne scars and burning her face, or taking secondhand diabetic medication to lose weight even when she isn't diabetic. The picture of health through harm in other ways.
4 is feeling the urge to criticize well-intentioned things because the idea that someone is "seeing" you a certain way grates like sandpaper, boxing you in, wanting to tear your skin off when you see someone else has tried the thing you put hours into crafting yourself.
Would you destroy yourself to be able to perfectly shape how you are seen? If not, you are likely not an image type.
Destruction of self by existing
Image types need their inner workings to be noticed by the world to actually exist. An art piece needs eyes. But in the case of 2s and 4s, being noticed for what they actually are destroys the ideal of selflessness or of inaccessible depth. In 3’s case, being noticed means there's nothing left. The point of the image was the image. What else?
Struggles in a nutshell
Part of the pain of 2 is that you want to be adored, but you're rejecting any reciprocation of the affection because if you did it with reciprocation in mind it's not "good" enough. Also no one actually wants you to do everything for them, so the core type structure can be alienating.
Part of the pain of 3 is that competency is cold and unforgiving. My relative just walked around with an injured face not fully hidden by makeup. Acknowledging her drastic measures made things worse would be too much to bear. A 3 strives for perfection and is constantly filling in or glossing over the gaps, and this preoccupation with image means they tend to neglect development in other realms.
Part of the pain of 4 is if others notice their image crafting for what it is, it's like: "if others were able to get this/describe it semi-accurately, maybe it wasn't deep enough.”
So I think I’m an image type. Fuck. What now?
Awareness of natural tendencies and that they are not actually necessary to function is one step. I’m not really a pastor or god or equipped to claim you should move from your natural tendencies to something completely the opposite, but I would be inclined to ask the following question: if another you, with all your behaviors, thoughts, and patterns was instantly created on the opposite side of the world, what would be left of you?
Written by Annie, an sp/so 631(749). She has no sources, but talked to image types for three months and internalized GOD’s strange, poetic-esoteric style until she had to spit this out on the wall. If after reading you’re screaming “what does any of this mean!!!”, message her on Discord at motency#1843 and she’ll regale you with her gossipy tales.
