[Sanester]

I understand at the base what the difference between 1's and 8's are. I get the basic stuff, but the one thing that throws me off is every so often I meet people. Usually male, who I can't tell which one they are.

Sometimes I think they are 8's (or possibly CP-6) with a tendency to nitpick at everything, possibly as a form of control.

Other times I think they could just be a 1 who is for some reason, super aggressive/confrontational.

The phrase "put on blast" comes to mind. These people are overly eager to jump on every little mistake, often to a point of where they are childishly confrontational.

What is more likely as the type? These people are 8's who are eager to confront, and nitpick? They are 1's who are being overly aggressive? Or both are wrong, and my third guess about CP 6 is the closer one?

 

[Lunar Lamp]

Sounds more like a 1 than an 8 to me, or possibly some non-gut type. My Sp 8w9 grandpa did have an immature side, and sometimes intentionally pressed people's buttons, but it didn't really come off as criticism.

But you can take my opinion with a grain of salt, I consider myself a 'beginner' in understanding Enneagram outside of my own type.

 

[Purrfessor]

Yeah 8 can hit buttons, but unknowingly. I'm often blindsided when confrontation escalates to a certain point of being... personal. 8s are challengers by nature so it's possibly unconscious button pressing.

But if it's obvious that they know what they are talking about, and it's criticism on their part by way of intentional communication, then it's entirely possible it's a one.

One seems more likely based on your descriptions but hey you may not have the story straight or communicated it incorrectly.

 

[Blue Ribbon]

I can't really see 1s being super aggressive or confrontational. 1 is an introverted type. If anything, it takes the edge off the aggression. I hardly ever point out other people's mistakes unless it directly affects me. I'm more self critical than of others and I avoid direct confrontation as best as I can.

I'd say that open aggression is more of an 8ish trait. I can't think of which enneagram type would behave in such a nitpicky fashion though.

 

[Purrfessor]

6 might make sense tbh

 

[VagrantFarce]

The thing with 1s is that they're often choking themselves with anger, before pushing it on anyone else. So if a 1 is aggressive, the feeling is that the aggression is passing through them first - they're the first victim of it, in a way - before it goes anywhere else.

With 8s, the anger just feels so much more pure and full of animosity for whatever is around them - there's no filter, it just comes out, like a volcano.

 

[Full_fathom_4]

Just throwing into the ether, 8 goes to head, 1 goes to heart. So, from my perspective there's the difference bt it being business or just personal. But, worth adding...... 8 is personal to start. That child. The 1 was already parenting.

 

[Asd456]

The thing with 1s is that they're often choking themselves with anger, before pushing it on anyone else.

I don't doubt this depicts the conventional descriptions of 1, but I wouldn't say this is completely true given that the Sexual 1 is openly and explicitly angry as well. There's no filter - anger is readily expressed.

Chestnut outlines the Sexual 1's anger here:

This is the only One subtype that is explicitly angry and so is the countertype of the three One personalities. The Sexual One is impatient, can be invasive, goes for what he or she wants, and has a sense of entitlement. These Ones have an intensity of desire fueled by anger that motivates them to want to improve others. This can be expressed as a sense of excitement, passion, or idealism about the way things could be if people would reform their behavior, or if the reforms they envision were enacted by society. This makes them compelling and vehement.

This character feels entitled in the sense of possessing the mentality of a reformer or a zealot-one who knows how to live or do things better and so feels a right to assert their will over others. Like the mentality of a conqueror, this approach can be rationalized (and made virtuous through the rhetoric of their adherence to a higher moral code or calling.

This One's anger infuses his desire with a special intensity or urgency and the person has the sense that "I have to have it," or "I have a right to it," or “I have to improve it (society or another person) to make it the way I know it should be."

Sexual Ones have two sides: a more playful side oriented toward pleasure and an aggressive, angry side.

With 8s, the anger just feels so much more pure and full of animosity for whatever is around them - there's no filter, it just comes out, like a volcano.

The Sexual 1's anger is also described as erupting like a volcano: "their anger can be like a volcano that erupts... they perceive themselves as strong; they act impulsively, do things quickly, and have great strength and determination" (from Chestnut's Sexual 1 description).

I can't really see 1s being super aggressive or confrontational. 1 is an introverted type. If anything, it takes the edge off the aggression.

Sexual 1 is described as openly aggressive, angry, and confrontational; understandably for this reason, this type of 1 can look like an 8.

I hardly ever point out other people's mistakes unless it directly affects me. I'm more self critical than of others and I avoid direct confrontation as best as I can.

So you're a 1, but you don't relate to the Sexual 1. Interesting. It's very interesting to see the different variations within a type.

Sounds more like a 1 than an 8 to me, or possibly some non-gut type. My Sp 8w9 grandpa did have an immature side, and sometimes intentionally pressed people's buttons, but it didn't really come off as criticism.

I agree that a 1 is more critical (of themselves/others/or both) than an 8. Based on my experience, 8s sometimes like to push people's buttons just for the fun or thrill of it too. It's interesting that you see this as immature behavior, and not aggressive behavior.

 

[Blue Ribbon]

@Asd456

It's possible I'm not a 1 then. I do have a strong desire for structure despite my own scattered nature. I can get really anal about certain issues too, but I don't think I'm an angry person. If I'm angry, I'm not aware of it. In fact, people have previously praised me for my patience. If I do get angry, it's usually just a flash of anger but I rarely express it outward. My system is well regulated and I try my best to maintain a calm state.

Maybe it is possible that I'm a core 5 then... These are my two strongest fixes. My tritype would be 153.

 

[Asd456]

@Asd456

It's possible I'm not a 1 then. I do have a strong desire for structure despite my own scattered nature. I can get really anal about certain issues too, but I don't think I'm an angry person. If I'm angry, I'm not aware of it. In fact, people have previously praised me for my patience. If I do get angry, it's usually just a flash of anger but I rarely express it outward. My system is well regulated and I try my best to maintain a calm state.

Maybe it is possible that I'm a core 5 then... These are my two strongest fixes. My tritype would be 153.

Interesting. Why do you try your best to maintain a calm state? (Don't worry, I'm not trying to type you - that part just caught my interest.)

 

[Blue Ribbon]

Interesting. Why do you try your best to maintain a calm state? (Don't worry, I'm not trying to type you - that part just caught my interest.)

You can type me if you'd like to. I don't mind.

Maybe calm is not the right word. I just would like to avoid negative emotions just because I don't like to be in negative states. Actually, I would think I'm fairly easy going.