@@Spookatz. That's literally the whole point of this series. Go watch "Fixing the Enneagram" literally two videos ago and he will explain that this is the problem he's trying to fix by using the Enneagram as a tool to categorize people problems, not people.
@@AtomicRiftYT was talking about people assigning enneagrams to themselves lol, i know it's a good writing tool and stuff, was mainly commenting on the people (one deleted their comment) assigning it to themselves when it's uh reductive when applied to real people
It's interesting how many different types try to emulate the characteristics of an 8 and get mistyped for it; so many "tough guy" characters who project the image of a stereotypical 8 turn out to be 6s or 3s once you peel back the layers. I think it ultimately comes down to ego vs. gut instinct (Freud's iceberg model as covered in the video) - mind/heart trio types are angry and obsessed with power because it gives them a security blanket/conceals some blistering shame. (Unhealthy) 8s are angry and obsessed with power because they don't know what other way to be; they're an unstoppable force of nature and an inarticulate, emotionally-stunted child wrapped in one.
what do you do if you want power because you want to fix things because nobody else is fixing things? I don’t know anything about the Enneagram what complex is that
I'm sure this is the most interesting stuff there is in TH-cam right now, I mean you are looking into the long lost core of fiction writing, which is trying to simplify the real world and real people, while using tools that are actually used to explain the real world and real people
8s have an ability to force people out of their shell. Tyler Durden when he threats the soon-to-be vet guy with a gun; Ueno from Koe no Katachi when she tells Shouko, "I don't want your apology, just say out loud what you think", their boldness just has to permeate the air.
I'm anticipating in this series that i will either learn dynamics I never thought of, or learn how my subconscious has been playing me like a fiddle. Looking forward to it!
this might be part of the reason typical gangster/mafia stories never really fully resonate with me. their motives seem completely alien to me, so i never end up connecting with any of the characters.
My dad is probably the eightest eight that exists, so much that he would be a great case study of an 8. He lived in an orphanage as a boy for a couple of years because his mom couldn't take care of him. Even when he was with his family, he had to look out for his weaker brother. He lived on his own from age 16. Life was tough in post-war Germany. This is the stuff eights are made of. So, when I was growing up, he was always the tough dad that would immediately and bravely respond to any threats from the outside. But when threats came from the inside, like his failing health at multiple points in his life, he would always fail miserably at assessing those. I have never known a man who is so out of touch with his own feelings. Eights don't have it easy, being that tough comes with the price tag of self neglect and bad introspective.
2:48 Been writing an 8 and I just realized all the three types of 8 stories you just gave is literally what I'm writing. I've unintentionally made it so 8-ish that I'm almost proud of myself.
4 and 6 are the types I have the hardest time understanding because so many sources focus only on the cliches characteristics, so I can’t wait to hear your take. I’m loving these videos!
I can't wait for him to explain 4s. So many people immediately label 4s as the quirky artist type without examining the underpinning dysfunction, which is the fear of a lack of identity. The quote unquote "quirky" type is only quirky out of a desperation to stave off annihilation.
Never cared about enneagrams (just look at how it's typed, what an horrible word, hate it) and never really seeked out "what type am I" quizzes but these videos help me understand it as a tool for storytelling and it's incredible how many doors it has opened in my brain, many thanks for that.
9:53 the shot of Gustavo Fring implies he’s an 8 and that’s an easy assumption to make but I’ve been thinking about this a lot and to me, his character reads more as 1-coded. He is defined by a seething resentment and a strict, calculated perfectionism and his entire life is built around carefully orchestrating his revenge exactly the way he wants it. That scene in particular shows the 1’s greatest weakness, which is that he’s unable to ever let himself relax and enjoy anything. He abandons a potential date because he’s afraid anything superfluous in his life will distract him from his singular purpose. And in the end, Gustavo’s perfectionism is what kills him. He could’ve killed Hector (an actual 8) at many different times in the story but his deep resentment would only let him make it as cruel and personal and drawn out as possible. The 8 doesn’t operate like that. The 8 can hold grudges and be strategic but they don’t usually have the compulsion to carefully arrange everything in a perfect order the way a 1 does, and they almost never keep such a tight lid on their emotions.
Excellent video and I’m so SO GLAD you’re doing this series to give the enneagram some legit rep, but I do have some small bones to pick… Saying that type 8s “don’t know how to justify” why they want something is such a ~3 that used to identify as an 8~ thing to say. 8s WON’T justify it. They don’t need to. That’s the point. 8s usually know how they COULD justify things if they wanted to. But justifying is submitting to the idea of needing outside approval for their wants/actions and 8s resist that by nature. It’s like what you’re saying about justice. 8’s desires are not filtered. there’s no sublimating. An 8 wants to do something, they’re gonna do it, don’t get in the way. It’s not that the 8s ego doesn’t exist, it’s that they actively choose not to use it because using it would be giving up a measure of control to the outside voices that inherently influence the ego. You say 8 is a common story arc and I think you are SPOT ON correct, but I wish this video would’ve explored more ways that story manifests than just the 3- or maybe avoided narrowing it down to just 3… it’s really telling how many of the personality database or Reddit polls disagree that characters are NOT 8s (even when their story and every demonstrated motive points to that fixation for them). And yes, enneagram typing tends to lean towards vibes, so I think people avoid letting characters BE 8s because 8s are kind of stigmatized as the tyrants/villains of the enneagram. But, this video focused a lot on the stereotypical “might makes right”, macho-man 8. Which isn’t very useful because it assumes upfront power dynamics in your main conflict- which are rare. I definitely agree that the enneagram works best when you pull characters out of the stereotypical narrative of their type, but outside of westerns, wars, or action stories, there’s not really a use for the fighter archetype. Still, normal people everywhere are 8s. So if the 8 fixation is particularly anti-social, and the worst of 8-type behaviors are socialized out of people (especially women) at a young age, you end up with people who have a drive that they have to mask in order to satisfy it (i.e. play nice enough with others or you can’t rule the sandbox). So, 8s usually ARE capable of diplomacy as the route to power, independence, or control. note I didn’t say validation- I said control, because unlike a 3, the 8 isn’t masking to conform to expectations as a coping mechanism. the drive toward power IS the cope and the masking is the method to get that power. Of course, that mask quickly fails when an 8 fix is unhealthy or forced to use their 8-type coping mechanisms, plus an 8s diplomacy won’t have the same polish as a 3 and they’ll likely resent having to use it or will just stop the second it becomes inconvenient. But, my point is- unless they’re unhealthy or immature, most 8s won’t look overtly like 8s from the outside. I just wish this would’ve been brought up because so many people mistype 8 stories and make characters with wonky motives because they don’t think a character who isn’t constantly physically or verbally threatening people can be domineering and motivated by the need for control. The 8-fix can look like a lot of things! Wolverines a great example. Silco is also a great example. I always look at John Silver from Black Sails. He comes across like a 6 in how he reads power dynamics, or like a 7 in how he jumps at opportunities and runs away from commitment, but at the end of the day, EVERYTHING he does is aimed towards holding his world together with both hands, by his own rules, for his own goals. He’s at his lowest, most mentally-broken when he’s forced to depend on others. At the core of it, fighting tooth and nail to be in-control and to not depend on anyone then having to come to terms with the mortifying ordeal of needing other people is the 8 arc. Your character doesn’t have to be a tyrannical despot to have control as their driving force. Control can- and usually is- just control over one’s own life. For most 8s in the real world it’s the desperate drive to never take anyone’s shit.
Thank you SO MUCH for writing this! I've always found 8s a bit difficult to understand on a deeper level, it's kind of easy to look at stereotypes where they end up quite loud, cartoony and one note. But the quieter or healthier 8s are difficult to notice. This clears some things up and gives me direction with my 8 character!
Ok I’m usually the guy that adds snarky remarks about the enneagram mentions. But I have to admit I like the way you’ve come to frame these types over the last few videos. It kind of helps me dodge my impulse to nah-uh! and just examine these examples for what they are. Looking forward to the rest of the series man. Keep up the good work
I agree with 8s being mistyped, but I feel like I don't super frequently see 7s get mistyped, aside from some of them getting typed as 9s. Can you elaborate?
@@tsunamiscientist568sure, i can elaborate. I relate with the type seven problem so it's mostly based on my experience. Sevens are always described as fun loving, adventurous, happy-go-lucky people which isn't true. While these traits do show up in sevens, that's a stereotype you'll find online. Most memes, advice and overall discussion about sevens seem to be circled around them being chaotic goofs 😜. A lot of them will straight up say that sevens are optimistic which is too broad of a statement to make. Sevens are typically avoidant types, they run away with unpleasant things because they don't want to deal with the pain and they avoid them by finding a coping mechanism that can give them dopamine. A crucial part of a seven's childhood wound is negligence and pain, which they try to avoid instead of dealing with them. And sevens don't just do quirky things, some resort to drug use and destructive methods. As for me, I'm not the chaotic sunshine, optimistic sweetheart who is spontaneous. I avoid things that are painful, yes but everyone does it differently and uniquely. The key point of this video is that while the core problem is similar, it manifests in people differently. That's where the problem is with most representation for sevens. I hope that was cohesive, i yapped too much.
@@tsunamiscientist568sevens are written off to be the cheery, optimistic, sunshine and happy-go-lucky without any thought behind it. Yes sevens can be like that but pop psychology will only see them as chaotic gremlins.
My brother and I tend really hard to the 8 and 5 type respectively. We once smoked through multiple days and watched the first season of True Detectives. Seing this dynamic between an immature 5 and an immature 8 slowly resolving their complexes was quite the experience... It didn't exactly feel good, but it probably was much needed
this is my favorite series. I look forward to falling asleep relistening to this for years to come. It does make for great characters and also lots of uncomfortable introspection. Looking forward to cringing my way through the five video
Your Enneagram series arrived at the perfect time, I am so excited! This already helped me get my character writing unstuck. As they say, "a LocalScriptMan is never late, he arrives precisely when he means to".
When my mental state was at its worst, I was convinced I was a 5 type, because I feared being incompetent and desired being capable. This I guess was my lie, I feared being incompetent but underneath that I feared not being in control, because to me competency is control, and if i were not competent then I was weak and at risk of harm. It's interesting to see how different people perceive a fear or desire, to make myself in control I don't make myself bigger or try to be scary, its more inward and psychological. I'm definitely leaning more towards an 8 type lol.
Was watching this video on mobile when a Gigantic Storm started. Imagine the humor when, while watching the video about the Type that wants Control and Power, a text from my mother covers the screen: "Do we h e power"
If you haven’t, you need to listen to Sleeping At Last’s album on the Enneagram. Masterpiece. There’s a companion podcast on how each song was composed that is very much in the vein of your understanding of the enneagram system. Listening to the 8 song made me realize I have a powerful 8 wing. Listening to the 9 song always makes me cry. In the podcast on the 9 fixation, they introduced me to the helpful notion that 9s don’t need to grow up in a bad environment, just one in which they perceived that something was more important than their needs, like a sibling going through something or an illness or death in the family. I learned to put my needs in my back pocket for later.
Thank you for addressing each type's EGO! It's a rather helpful insight as I've noticed that other Enneagram sources generally fail to mention the aspect of self-justification.
I really enjoy these series. This deep characterization stuff is smth I am in desperate need of for my own stories and I love the way you explain your interpretations of these types. These vids give me a lot of inspiration, can't wait for the rest of them!!!
God I am so glad I found your channel again (watched your dialogue video a long time ago). Seeing someone do an actual narrative breakdown about pathological issues rather than "See he likes to be good so he's a 1!!" is exactly what I've been craving :')
It has officially been 8 days since the last Enneagram upload. Over a week has passed, and consequentially, the oath of weekly Enneagram uploads has been broken. We are now sworn enemies and I have lost all meaning in life.
I don't entirely agree with the Freudian analogy, but not because it does any disservice to Freud -- Local's actually done a really solid breakdown of Freud's overall psychoanalytic model. But it gets complicated with this "ego" buisness. Put it this way: I wouldn't say a person who can't justify their bullshit, like an eight, has a weak ego. They have a _maladaptive pattern_ within that ego which makes them skillful at handling certain things and terrible at others. If it was a simple linear variable of better ego equals better power to justify your motivations, threes wouldn't have any weaknesses and would be perfectly integrated people. In practice, the supposed strength of their ego doesn't make them inherently better people or more adjusted. Just because the eight is a gut type doesn't mean that his ego is undeveloped because his ability to _interface with what his gut is telling him_ is a function of his ego. (A cognitive function, to be precise.) Remember, just like Local explained, the ego is supposed to mediate across the id and superego. The eight (along with nines and ones) have egos that are well adapted at dealing with the id, but are bad at dealing with the superego: with integrating their desires into a social context. Under Jung's personality model, the gut cluster of enneagram types would be called "intuitives" because their most developed psychological function is intuition at the expense of sensation and vice versa for sensation types. A type which is able to individuate and mature deals with their bullshit by getting in touch with their inferior function. A hypothetically perfect person would have all four cognitive functions fully developed, but all that any actual person can do is approach this ideal, but never reach it. This is why the eight compensates for their "lack of ego" by cultivating vulnerability that helps them chill out a bit instead of constantly being dragged backwards through hedges by the id. It's not a concrete filter in the way that other types have it, but it does attenuate the worst of their symptoms. Joining a system with structure is good for them because that's earthy, sensative type shadow work. (I used to think drawing was shadow work for this beause it literally requires you to look at things carefully. I am idiot. Don't be me.) The reason the nine doesn't flip the table like the eight when things go bad is probably because they are introverted rather than extroverted: if something bad happensinthe eight's environment, the eightgoes and fixes it becaus eh is externally oriented. When something bad happens in the nine's environment he's like, "Oh yeah? Well that's just, like . . . your opinion man," because he doesn't need control over the situation the way the eight does and is internally oriented. If it bothers him that much, he can just remove himself from the situation. To put it another way, we often say someone has a "fragile" ego if they are sensitive to what other people think of them in stark contrast to the eight's "your opinions can't stop me because I can't read" utter disregard for them. The irony of this perspective on ego is that people with this form of insecurity are also what we'd call "egomanical": your sterotypical narcissist. Under Local's analogy, such a person with a "big" or "inflated" ego would actually have a very weak ego because their only justification for why they should have everything they want is that they think they are the barycenter of the universe. What it comes down to is that what's good for an ego is that it is "adjusted," which is another way of saying balanced. It is balanaced betwen the ego and the superego, between thinking, feeling, sensing, and intuiting. All Jungian personality types inherently lack this balance because they are each only parts of the whole and all that applies whether you take être or avoir (whether you say you personality type is something you are or someting you have.)
Got an ISTP 8w7 protagonist, which makes the vulnerability equals death characteristics mixed with plenty of impulsiveness particularly fun to write while still getting to have a proper emotional payoff as she actually learns to trust someone.
Only been a patreon for a week or so now but it's so cool to see how a video can evolve. I already saw the wip 8 video twice and thought it was pretty comprehensive but the small parts you added in this version make my entire understanding of the 8 archetype way more detailed than before (diving deeper into the lack of ego and search of approval in social skills) really cool. Love your stuff
This made me realize a character I'm writing might be an 8? Their arc involves them being in a false position of power, but because of their self centeredness they fully believe they're actually in control Being impulsive and closed off makes them easily manipulated It's by opening up that the character realizes this "power" isn't really what they want and by being vulnerable is how they could finally be in control of their life and start properly decision making
Very well done! Using your character sheet was a great idea! Also, doubling down on the pathology type idea by orienting it as: "pathological adaption was necessitated by X", "pathological adaption shows itself in Y ways", and "pathological adaption can be lessened through Z", is really helpful. It makes the mechanics of the in-character dynamics clear. Also the Ego thing, how the person justifies their behavior, is great! Have I said that I think your character sheet is a great tool? :D
I'm so glad you've hooked me onto the enneagram. It's helped me understand not only myself as a 1, but also my characters. The characters I struggle to type are the ones I need to develop more clearly, because if I can't understand their type, I won't be able to understand their motives.
Very much enjoying this series, I've been wanting to understand the nuances of the enneagram in a way that's actually useful for me when it comes to writing and so far these videos have done exactly that
As a fellow Gut-Type (Type 9) I can definitely understand a lot of things about the 8. Especially the not thinking part. I don't really feel like I think a lot. In fact I've felt like wanting to be like an 8. Just, doing. But yet, I can't. I just kind of, go with the flow. Let the non-speaking part of my brain guide me. Yeah that's it. Let me scratch that. It's not that I don't think, most of the time I'm not thinking in words. Conscious thought, I guess? The brain is complex and thinking doesn't mean your inner voice has to talk. There's a part of your brain that doesn't speak too, and I think Gut-types are especially in it.
As an 8, I feel like "not thinking" part is overstated. I do think, it's just that my thinking does not stop me. LocalScriptMan framed it very correctly, 8 is "take control or die". Dying is not an option, so I will do what I need to do, even when I don't like it at all.
I was looking forward to this video because theirs a character I've been working on with 8 complexes. The exciting thing is that they try to control situations with tricks and manipulation and aren't the world-concerning type. It was fun to find out that you stumbled into something fairly unique.
Ngl chief, I saw the thumbnail and was like “huh he’s doing another 9 video? Thats weird” not realizing that Wolverine’s claw was covering the bottom half. Genuinely got confused
I remember doing an enneagram test because "it will teach us about each other and how to relate to one another" and I thought the whole thing was more pointless than myers briggs. The test reckoned I was a 7, but I didn't really agree with anything it said. However... I'm looking forward to the next video to see if I have 7 pathology. Oh boy.
0:42 “5s are said to be very organized and good with abstract ideas. Like yeah, that’ll happen when you spend all of your time hiding in your own brain because you’re terrified of the outside world.” Can’t wait for you to do a 5 video so I can chuckle sardonically while you dissect some of my psychological defense mechanisms.
It’s so annoying trying to search up the enneagram explanations and all it is is personality descriptions like “kind, active, mature 🥺” LIKE NO THAT’S NOT WHAT I WANT‼️
I think Oedipus would be a good example of an 8. At the start of the play, he's in a position of leadership and does a pretty good job of it too: he seems to genuinely care about his people (even referring to them as his "children") and declares that he is willing to do whatever it takes to save them from the plague. But then his power gets threatened: when he feels like he's under attack, he begins to lash out at Tiresias and Creon and goes into defense mode. The story ultimately ends with him having to recognize his faults, give up his power, and sacrifice himself (by leaving Thebes) in order to free his people from the curse, so it very much fits in with the third story arc mentioned. Anyways, really enjoy the videos! As someone who's fascinated by both storytelling and psychology this is a cool intersection of those things from a fresh perspective.
cant wait for him to do 3 and 4 so it feels like a personal attack as he explains it
me and the boys waiting to get attacked (it's to get stronger):
REAL
IM WAITING FOR THE FOUR SO BAD
I'm waiting for 4 so I can figure out if I'm a 4 or a 9 (by his definitions)
I NEED a four
literally waiting for 5/6 for this exact reason 😭
8s are nice to write with, they can feel so completely evil in one story and endearing and down to earth in another
I find myself constantly writing 8s in my story. Forced myself not to use one in this story and it was so much harder than expected.
@@cosmic8437Don't forget that each type can feel evil in one story and down to earth in another. 😉
I love this series. When I was acting, I used the Enneagram to help get in my characters’ mindsets. It’s so useful for writing for the same reason
8s need to hear about the Enneagram the most but they're the least likely to listen to you about it
Love his videos, and introduced to enneagram because of them. Initially believed I was a 5, but have since come to realize (I think), I'm an 8.
I love it when people try forcing themselves into a box that was made up by someone they don't know personally
@@Spookatz. Ah, you're new here.
@@Spookatz. That's literally the whole point of this series. Go watch "Fixing the Enneagram" literally two videos ago and he will explain that this is the problem he's trying to fix by using the Enneagram as a tool to categorize people problems, not people.
@@AtomicRiftYT was talking about people assigning enneagrams to themselves lol, i know it's a good writing tool and stuff, was mainly commenting on the people (one deleted their comment) assigning it to themselves when it's uh reductive when applied to real people
I feel like eights are extremely common in storytelling, probably because a need for control is very active.
And who doesn't storytell without wanting to control the story
@@9nikola no, i just want to drop interesting people in an interesting environment and see what bs happens, its like an ant farm! but with people!!
@@galacticpotato607 You want to control which environment interesting people are in?
@@9nikola no! i want to make an interesting environment to give them tools to work with & watch THEM make it into something even cooler!!
@@galacticpotato607 God in YT comments
It's interesting how many different types try to emulate the characteristics of an 8 and get mistyped for it; so many "tough guy" characters who project the image of a stereotypical 8 turn out to be 6s or 3s once you peel back the layers. I think it ultimately comes down to ego vs. gut instinct (Freud's iceberg model as covered in the video) - mind/heart trio types are angry and obsessed with power because it gives them a security blanket/conceals some blistering shame. (Unhealthy) 8s are angry and obsessed with power because they don't know what other way to be; they're an unstoppable force of nature and an inarticulate, emotionally-stunted child wrapped in one.
what do you do if you want power because you want to fix things because nobody else is fixing things? I don’t know anything about the Enneagram what complex is that
Sounds like a 1 based on Local’s comment at 7:00, but personally can’t say for sure
@@wren_. But why You wanna fix things ?
@@wren_. Sounds quite enneagram 1 (from the brief description atleast)
@@wren_. could be type 6 or 8 depending on how you go about it.
I'm sure this is the most interesting stuff there is in TH-cam right now, I mean you are looking into the long lost core of fiction writing, which is trying to simplify the real world and real people, while using tools that are actually used to explain the real world and real people
"Babe, wake up. LocalScriptMan just uploaded."
8s have an ability to force people out of their shell. Tyler Durden when he threats the soon-to-be vet guy with a gun; Ueno from Koe no Katachi when she tells Shouko, "I don't want your apology, just say out loud what you think", their boldness just has to permeate the air.
I'm anticipating in this series that i will either learn dynamics I never thought of, or learn how my subconscious has been playing me like a fiddle.
Looking forward to it!
this might be part of the reason typical gangster/mafia stories never really fully resonate with me. their motives seem completely alien to me, so i never end up connecting with any of the characters.
My dad is probably the eightest eight that exists, so much that he would be a great case study of an 8.
He lived in an orphanage as a boy for a couple of years because his mom couldn't take care of him. Even when he was with his family, he had to look out for his weaker brother. He lived on his own from age 16. Life was tough in post-war Germany. This is the stuff eights are made of. So, when I was growing up, he was always the tough dad that would immediately and bravely respond to any threats from the outside. But when threats came from the inside, like his failing health at multiple points in his life, he would always fail miserably at assessing those. I have never known a man who is so out of touch with his own feelings. Eights don't have it easy, being that tough comes with the price tag of self neglect and bad introspective.
Please keep going. I must have the full Enneagram collection!
2:48 Been writing an 8 and I just realized all the three types of 8 stories you just gave is literally what I'm writing. I've unintentionally made it so 8-ish that I'm almost proud of myself.
4 and 6 are the types I have the hardest time understanding because so many sources focus only on the cliches characteristics, so I can’t wait to hear your take. I’m loving these videos!
Agreed. 6s are very difficult to differentiate from 5s for me, so I'm excited there.
I can't wait for him to explain 4s. So many people immediately label 4s as the quirky artist type without examining the underpinning dysfunction, which is the fear of a lack of identity. The quote unquote "quirky" type is only quirky out of a desperation to stave off annihilation.
One of my favourite 8s is Tywin Lannister. It's very easy to see how his worst side comes from the need for petty control.
🔨This will be mandatory viewing in my writers rooms from this point onward.
Waddup LocalScriptMan, please feed into our parasocial relationship
The wolverine imitation cracked me
Righttt , the deep voice saying " I hate all of them " 😂
Never cared about enneagrams (just look at how it's typed, what an horrible word, hate it) and never really seeked out "what type am I" quizzes but these videos help me understand it as a tool for storytelling and it's incredible how many doors it has opened in my brain, many thanks for that.
Daemon's arc in HOTD season 2 SPOILER is also a great example of an 8 learning how to submit by acknowledging something bigger than him exists.
9:53 the shot of Gustavo Fring implies he’s an 8 and that’s an easy assumption to make but I’ve been thinking about this a lot and to me, his character reads more as 1-coded. He is defined by a seething resentment and a strict, calculated perfectionism and his entire life is built around carefully orchestrating his revenge exactly the way he wants it. That scene in particular shows the 1’s greatest weakness, which is that he’s unable to ever let himself relax and enjoy anything. He abandons a potential date because he’s afraid anything superfluous in his life will distract him from his singular purpose. And in the end, Gustavo’s perfectionism is what kills him. He could’ve killed Hector (an actual 8) at many different times in the story but his deep resentment would only let him make it as cruel and personal and drawn out as possible. The 8 doesn’t operate like that. The 8 can hold grudges and be strategic but they don’t usually have the compulsion to carefully arrange everything in a perfect order the way a 1 does, and they almost never keep such a tight lid on their emotions.
Excellent video and I’m so SO GLAD you’re doing this series to give the enneagram some legit rep, but I do have some small bones to pick…
Saying that type 8s “don’t know how to justify” why they want something is such a ~3 that used to identify as an 8~ thing to say. 8s WON’T justify it. They don’t need to. That’s the point. 8s usually know how they COULD justify things if they wanted to. But justifying is submitting to the idea of needing outside approval for their wants/actions and 8s resist that by nature.
It’s like what you’re saying about justice. 8’s desires are not filtered. there’s no sublimating. An 8 wants to do something, they’re gonna do it, don’t get in the way. It’s not that the 8s ego doesn’t exist, it’s that they actively choose not to use it because using it would be giving up a measure of control to the outside voices that inherently influence the ego.
You say 8 is a common story arc and I think you are SPOT ON correct, but I wish this video would’ve explored more ways that story manifests than just the 3- or maybe avoided narrowing it down to just 3… it’s really telling how many of the personality database or Reddit polls disagree that characters are NOT 8s (even when their story and every demonstrated motive points to that fixation for them). And yes, enneagram typing tends to lean towards vibes, so I think people avoid letting characters BE 8s because 8s are kind of stigmatized as the tyrants/villains of the enneagram. But, this video focused a lot on the stereotypical “might makes right”, macho-man 8. Which isn’t very useful because it assumes upfront power dynamics in your main conflict- which are rare.
I definitely agree that the enneagram works best when you pull characters out of the stereotypical narrative of their type, but outside of westerns, wars, or action stories, there’s not really a use for the fighter archetype. Still, normal people everywhere are 8s. So if the 8 fixation is particularly anti-social, and the worst of 8-type behaviors are socialized out of people (especially women) at a young age, you end up with people who have a drive that they have to mask in order to satisfy it (i.e. play nice enough with others or you can’t rule the sandbox). So, 8s usually ARE capable of diplomacy as the route to power, independence, or control. note I didn’t say validation- I said control, because unlike a 3, the 8 isn’t masking to conform to expectations as a coping mechanism. the drive toward power IS the cope and the masking is the method to get that power. Of course, that mask quickly fails when an 8 fix is unhealthy or forced to use their 8-type coping mechanisms, plus an 8s diplomacy won’t have the same polish as a 3 and they’ll likely resent having to use it or will just stop the second it becomes inconvenient. But, my point is- unless they’re unhealthy or immature, most 8s won’t look overtly like 8s from the outside.
I just wish this would’ve been brought up because so many people mistype 8 stories and make characters with wonky motives because they don’t think a character who isn’t constantly physically or verbally threatening people can be domineering and motivated by the need for control. The 8-fix can look like a lot of things! Wolverines a great example. Silco is also a great example. I always look at John Silver from Black Sails. He comes across like a 6 in how he reads power dynamics, or like a 7 in how he jumps at opportunities and runs away from commitment, but at the end of the day, EVERYTHING he does is aimed towards holding his world together with both hands, by his own rules, for his own goals. He’s at his lowest, most mentally-broken when he’s forced to depend on others.
At the core of it, fighting tooth and nail to be in-control and to not depend on anyone then having to come to terms with the mortifying ordeal of needing other people is the 8 arc. Your character doesn’t have to be a tyrannical despot to have control as their driving force. Control can- and usually is- just control over one’s own life. For most 8s in the real world it’s the desperate drive to never take anyone’s shit.
Thank you SO MUCH for writing this! I've always found 8s a bit difficult to understand on a deeper level, it's kind of easy to look at stereotypes where they end up quite loud, cartoony and one note. But the quieter or healthier 8s are difficult to notice. This clears some things up and gives me direction with my 8 character!
Ok I’m usually the guy that adds snarky remarks about the enneagram mentions. But I have to admit I like the way you’ve come to frame these types over the last few videos. It kind of helps me dodge my impulse to nah-uh! and just examine these examples for what they are. Looking forward to the rest of the series man. Keep up the good work
Eights and sevens are so misunderstood and mistyped like its actually insane.
I agree with 8s being mistyped, but I feel like I don't super frequently see 7s get mistyped, aside from some of them getting typed as 9s. Can you elaborate?
@@tsunamiscientist568sure, i can elaborate. I relate with the type seven problem so it's mostly based on my experience. Sevens are always described as fun loving, adventurous, happy-go-lucky people which isn't true. While these traits do show up in sevens, that's a stereotype you'll find online. Most memes, advice and overall discussion about sevens seem to be circled around them being chaotic goofs 😜.
A lot of them will straight up say that sevens are optimistic which is too broad of a statement to make. Sevens are typically avoidant types, they run away with unpleasant things because they don't want to deal with the pain and they avoid them by finding a coping mechanism that can give them dopamine. A crucial part of a seven's childhood wound is negligence and pain, which they try to avoid instead of dealing with them. And sevens don't just do quirky things, some resort to drug use and destructive methods.
As for me, I'm not the chaotic sunshine, optimistic sweetheart who is spontaneous. I avoid things that are painful, yes but everyone does it differently and uniquely. The key point of this video is that while the core problem is similar, it manifests in people differently. That's where the problem is with most representation for sevens.
I hope that was cohesive, i yapped too much.
@@tsunamiscientist568sevens are written off to be the cheery, optimistic, sunshine and happy-go-lucky without any thought behind it. Yes sevens can be like that but pop psychology will only see them as chaotic gremlins.
@@DarwinRoger893 Oh, yeah, true. That makes sense.
Low key the paint doodles in this video are extremely useful for my writing 😂😂😂 (which is to say thank you)
My brother and I tend really hard to the 8 and 5 type respectively. We once smoked through multiple days and watched the first season of True Detectives. Seing this dynamic between an immature 5 and an immature 8 slowly resolving their complexes was quite the experience... It didn't exactly feel good, but it probably was much needed
gotta love that thumbnail
First time i heard 8s are the hero type
this is my favorite series. I look forward to falling asleep relistening to this for years to come.
It does make for great characters and also lots of uncomfortable introspection. Looking forward to cringing my way through the five video
Your Enneagram series arrived at the perfect time, I am so excited! This already helped me get my character writing unstuck. As they say, "a LocalScriptMan is never late, he arrives precisely when he means to".
When you're in charge of the script, you can never be late
Lucas. Best 8 characters of the year . . . "THELMA", "The Penguin" and Matlock.
When my mental state was at its worst, I was convinced I was a 5 type, because I feared being incompetent and desired being capable. This I guess was my lie, I feared being incompetent but underneath that I feared not being in control, because to me competency is control, and if i were not competent then I was weak and at risk of harm. It's interesting to see how different people perceive a fear or desire, to make myself in control I don't make myself bigger or try to be scary, its more inward and psychological. I'm definitely leaning more towards an 8 type lol.
Maybe you're a 4?
my prayers have been answered dude u don’t even get how desperately i needed this
ur amazingggg!!!
The thumbnail is absolute genius.
Was watching this video on mobile when a Gigantic Storm started. Imagine the humor when, while watching the video about the Type that wants Control and Power, a text from my mother covers the screen:
"Do we h e power"
If you haven’t, you need to listen to Sleeping At Last’s album on the Enneagram. Masterpiece. There’s a companion podcast on how each song was composed that is very much in the vein of your understanding of the enneagram system. Listening to the 8 song made me realize I have a powerful 8 wing. Listening to the 9 song always makes me cry. In the podcast on the 9 fixation, they introduced me to the helpful notion that 9s don’t need to grow up in a bad environment, just one in which they perceived that something was more important than their needs, like a sibling going through something or an illness or death in the family. I learned to put my needs in my back pocket for later.
EGO:
Enternal
Gustification
Operation
Thank you for addressing each type's EGO!
It's a rather helpful insight as I've noticed that other Enneagram sources generally fail to mention the aspect of self-justification.
I really enjoy these series. This deep characterization stuff is smth I am in desperate need of for my own stories and I love the way you explain your interpretations of these types. These vids give me a lot of inspiration, can't wait for the rest of them!!!
God I am so glad I found your channel again (watched your dialogue video a long time ago). Seeing someone do an actual narrative breakdown about pathological issues rather than "See he likes to be good so he's a 1!!" is exactly what I've been craving :')
Love this type of content. The enneagram rules! I think the character of Sam Loudermilk from the show LouderMilk is a good example of a type 8.
I love these videos breaking the Enneagram down but they don't come out quick enough
It has officially been 8 days since the last Enneagram upload. Over a week has passed, and consequentially, the oath of weekly Enneagram uploads has been broken. We are now sworn enemies and I have lost all meaning in life.
I don't think I've been this excited for a youtube series before
Good stuff, can't wait for the other 7 videos
the drawings really help XD i'm serious but i'm laughing as well.
I don't entirely agree with the Freudian analogy, but not because it does any disservice to Freud -- Local's actually done a really solid breakdown of Freud's overall psychoanalytic model. But it gets complicated with this "ego" buisness.
Put it this way: I wouldn't say a person who can't justify their bullshit, like an eight, has a weak ego. They have a _maladaptive pattern_ within that ego which makes them skillful at handling certain things and terrible at others.
If it was a simple linear variable of better ego equals better power to justify your motivations, threes wouldn't have any weaknesses and would be perfectly integrated people. In practice, the supposed strength of their ego doesn't make them inherently better people or more adjusted.
Just because the eight is a gut type doesn't mean that his ego is undeveloped because his ability to _interface with what his gut is telling him_ is a function of his ego. (A cognitive function, to be precise.) Remember, just like Local explained, the ego is supposed to mediate across the id and superego. The eight (along with nines and ones) have egos that are well adapted at dealing with the id, but are bad at dealing with the superego: with integrating their desires into a social context.
Under Jung's personality model, the gut cluster of enneagram types would be called "intuitives" because their most developed psychological function is intuition at the expense of sensation and vice versa for sensation types. A type which is able to individuate and mature deals with their bullshit by getting in touch with their inferior function. A hypothetically perfect person would have all four cognitive functions fully developed, but all that any actual person can do is approach this ideal, but never reach it.
This is why the eight compensates for their "lack of ego" by cultivating vulnerability that helps them chill out a bit instead of constantly being dragged backwards through hedges by the id. It's not a concrete filter in the way that other types have it, but it does attenuate the worst of their symptoms.
Joining a system with structure is good for them because that's earthy, sensative type shadow work. (I used to think drawing was shadow work for this beause it literally requires you to look at things carefully. I am idiot. Don't be me.)
The reason the nine doesn't flip the table like the eight when things go bad is probably because they are introverted rather than extroverted: if something bad happensinthe eight's environment, the eightgoes and fixes it becaus eh is externally oriented. When something bad happens in the nine's environment he's like, "Oh yeah? Well that's just, like . . . your opinion man," because he doesn't need control over the situation the way the eight does and is internally oriented. If it bothers him that much, he can just remove himself from the situation.
To put it another way, we often say someone has a "fragile" ego if they are sensitive to what other people think of them in stark contrast to the eight's "your opinions can't stop me because I can't read" utter disregard for them. The irony of this perspective on ego is that people with this form of insecurity are also what we'd call "egomanical": your sterotypical narcissist.
Under Local's analogy, such a person with a "big" or "inflated" ego would actually have a very weak ego because their only justification for why they should have everything they want is that they think they are the barycenter of the universe.
What it comes down to is that what's good for an ego is that it is "adjusted," which is another way of saying balanced. It is balanaced betwen the ego and the superego, between thinking, feeling, sensing, and intuiting. All Jungian personality types inherently lack this balance because they are each only parts of the whole and all that applies whether you take être or avoir (whether you say you personality type is something you are or someting you have.)
This was really helpful can't wait to see you breakdown the 4s, and the 1s.
wake up babe, new localscriptman video dropped
Got an ISTP 8w7 protagonist, which makes the vulnerability equals death characteristics mixed with plenty of impulsiveness particularly fun to write while still getting to have a proper emotional payoff as she actually learns to trust someone.
Only been a patreon for a week or so now but it's so cool to see how a video can evolve. I already saw the wip 8 video twice and thought it was pretty comprehensive but the small parts you added in this version make my entire understanding of the 8 archetype way more detailed than before (diving deeper into the lack of ego and search of approval in social skills) really cool.
Love your stuff
This is the best writing series on TH-cam. Happy to learn from ya, Script Man!
I love this series, thank you!
Absolutely the best, most insightful, useful and hilarious script writing content on TH-cam ❤!!!!
Another banger video with a banger thumbnail. I'll be taking notes 👀
This made me realize a character I'm writing might be an 8?
Their arc involves them being in a false position of power, but because of their self centeredness they fully believe they're actually in control
Being impulsive and closed off makes them easily manipulated
It's by opening up that the character realizes this "power" isn't really what they want and by being vulnerable is how they could finally be in control of their life and start properly decision making
bro was so on point when he mentioned 5...
this is now my favorite series on youtube
Thank you very much! Helps a lot. I am a littly happy now, because it means I did understand my character right :-)
Very well done!
Using your character sheet was a great idea!
Also, doubling down on the pathology type idea by orienting it as: "pathological adaption was necessitated by X", "pathological adaption shows itself in Y ways", and "pathological adaption can be lessened through Z", is really helpful. It makes the mechanics of the in-character dynamics clear.
Also the Ego thing, how the person justifies their behavior, is great!
Have I said that I think your character sheet is a great tool? :D
bro I'm loving this Eneagram series!!! so helpful, thanks !
I would just like to share this is the absolute most exciting series ever. Can’t wait until this is finish
Love this kind of videos. Please do all of them and put them in a separate playlist.
Just two in and this is already the best series on the enneagram I have seen so far
Oh, I hope you do more of these! I actually started studying the Enneagram months ago because of your great video about it!
love how you describe the enneagram its always how i saw it too..... very excited for 7
Really enjoying these videos. Helps me see my characters in a new light😊
I'm so glad you've hooked me onto the enneagram. It's helped me understand not only myself as a 1, but also my characters. The characters I struggle to type are the ones I need to develop more clearly, because if I can't understand their type, I won't be able to understand their motives.
Very much enjoying this series, I've been wanting to understand the nuances of the enneagram in a way that's actually useful for me when it comes to writing and so far these videos have done exactly that
I love learning about this, you're awesome!
I feel so attacked
absurd amount of localscriptman content lately, I feel blessed beyond measure
This enneagram series is so good. Hoping for you to cover the rest!
Good stuff :) excited to see the other videos. Your perspective is very interesting
AWWW YEAH NEW WRITING VID
I love being eight-coded
As a fellow Gut-Type (Type 9) I can definitely understand a lot of things about the 8. Especially the not thinking part. I don't really feel like I think a lot. In fact I've felt like wanting to be like an 8. Just, doing. But yet, I can't. I just kind of, go with the flow. Let the non-speaking part of my brain guide me. Yeah that's it. Let me scratch that. It's not that I don't think, most of the time I'm not thinking in words. Conscious thought, I guess? The brain is complex and thinking doesn't mean your inner voice has to talk. There's a part of your brain that doesn't speak too, and I think Gut-types are especially in it.
As an 8, I feel like "not thinking" part is overstated. I do think, it's just that my thinking does not stop me. LocalScriptMan framed it very correctly, 8 is "take control or die". Dying is not an option, so I will do what I need to do, even when I don't like it at all.
bro, been writing a book about story telling and this page really helping collecting my thoughts :)
I was looking forward to this video because theirs a character I've been working on with 8 complexes. The exciting thing is that they try to control situations with tricks and manipulation and aren't the world-concerning type. It was fun to find out that you stumbled into something fairly unique.
ily local scriptman youre my hero youre my knight in shining armor
Looking forward to 7. Love this series
Thank you for another great video on the enneagram
Amos Burton from The Expanse comes straight to mind when learning about 8s
Eren Yeager, the perfect 8 arc.
i be crazy. AAAHHHHHHHH
Ngl chief, I saw the thumbnail and was like “huh he’s doing another 9 video? Thats weird” not realizing that Wolverine’s claw was covering the bottom half. Genuinely got confused
I remember doing an enneagram test because "it will teach us about each other and how to relate to one another" and I thought the whole thing was more pointless than myers briggs. The test reckoned I was a 7, but I didn't really agree with anything it said.
However... I'm looking forward to the next video to see if I have 7 pathology. Oh boy.
LocalScriptMan subs are eating so well rn my gawd🔥
Hurry and release the rest of these so that all of my writing from here on out can be based off of this series
Ah, Kratos has 8 tendencies.
0:42 “5s are said to be very organized and good with abstract ideas. Like yeah, that’ll happen when you spend all of your time hiding in your own brain because you’re terrified of the outside world.”
Can’t wait for you to do a 5 video so I can chuckle sardonically while you dissect some of my psychological defense mechanisms.
finally, i have been waiting for this
Was hoping you’d touch on The Holdovers for the first story arc type. One of my favorite eights.
Put a type 5 in a race for power plot and watch them squirm as they need to make quick-time decisions with no prep time or information gatherinh
This works well for the mc in my wip.
this could not have come out at more perfect timing lol. i’m struggling with an 8 character and their interactions with a 4 character rn lmao
Love these videos!
It’s so annoying trying to search up the enneagram explanations and all it is is personality descriptions like “kind, active, mature 🥺” LIKE NO THAT’S NOT WHAT I WANT‼️
I think Oedipus would be a good example of an 8. At the start of the play, he's in a position of leadership and does a pretty good job of it too: he seems to genuinely care about his people (even referring to them as his "children") and declares that he is willing to do whatever it takes to save them from the plague.
But then his power gets threatened: when he feels like he's under attack, he begins to lash out at Tiresias and Creon and goes into defense mode. The story ultimately ends with him having to recognize his faults, give up his power, and sacrifice himself (by leaving Thebes) in order to free his people from the curse, so it very much fits in with the third story arc mentioned.
Anyways, really enjoy the videos! As someone who's fascinated by both storytelling and psychology this is a cool intersection of those things from a fresh perspective.