Emotionality and Fantasy

The E7 is a mental character, a personality that breaks free from pain by separating emotional and instinctive experiences from cognitive elaboration. Avoiding contact with emotions and repressing their natural instincts, the E7 relies on intellectual understanding. This results in a freezing of emotions and an impulsive, instinctive life disconnected from deep pleasure, while the intellectual part is reduced to an instrumental and strategic mind.

In the Self-Preservation subtype, the only emotional window it keeps open is that of rage. This anger is sometimes expressed affirmatively and directly but usually transforms into cynicism or indirect aggressiveness, channeled through contemptuous irony. This emotional detachment serves a strong sense of self and the need for material gain.

This is a greedy character who feels a lack when unable to satisfy their desires—desires which they confuse with needs. Someone disconnected from their emotions is not nourished by anything, as nothing truly fills them. The E7 is, at its core, frustrated and chronically dissatisfied. The Self-Preservation 7 wants everything, but at the same time, they are unsure of whether they want something too badly, because nothing seems to interest them enough.

“On the one hand, I search for emotional intensity, but when it’s there, I get scared and pull away, playing it off as madness. Like when you get too close to a paper to read something and the letters blur, making your eyes feel strange. Well, like this. And that’s how I use imagination and fantasy: I start explaining the world with metaphors. My fall into the shadows was when I started seeing the difference between how life told me things were and what was actually happening. I had a hard time understanding what was going on with me. I can easily see where others are going; I think I have a good sense of smell (I insist on ‘believing’ it), and I anticipate. But in this process of getting ahead of myself, I don’t realize what’s happening to me or what I’m feeling.” (MONICA)

On one hand, anguish and emptiness push the Self-Preservation 7 to form superficial attachments, bonds based on mutual interests rather than love or friendship. These connections are founded on utilitarian expectations, rather than respect or altruism. On the other hand, their insatiability and difficulty in committing to deeper relationships—like with a partner—become apparent. Partners may quickly complain about the lack of transparency, communication, and trust typical of a Self-Preservation 7 in intimacy. The E7 may also struggle with tenderness and affection, as they are accustomed to going their own way, functioning autonomously, radically independent, clever, constantly seeking novelty, conquest, and self-interest, with a background that is a mix of easygoing and misanthropic tendencies. They need time to "verify" that the love they offer is "real" before fully surrendering.

Pain is an emotion that the Self-Preservation 7 harshly represses. Let’s remember that gluttony, more than just a search for pleasure, is an effort to avoid suffering. This repression leads to a superficial emotional consciousness. The E7 avoids seeing things as they are, disguising reality in convenient colors, and deceiving themselves.

The passion of gluttony—a receptive orality intensified to the point of becoming a predatory or parasitic will—constitutes a thirst for pleasure (or avoidance of frustration) in an attempt to recover the lost paradise of true freedom in their natural impulses. The E7 will suffer from the consequences of this mistake when, over time, they realize that the pursuit of pleasure, comfort, and advantage has distracted them from living their true life.

Being well, and even love, are confused with physical and economic well-being. But can one truly "be well" without integrating emotions and addressing what causes suffering? The operation of the Self-Preservation 7 is centered on distancing themselves from everything that bothers them, which translates into an avoidance of inner reflection.

“I have a lot of hidden pain. Now that I’m allowing myself to feel it, a lot of sadness and crying come up. It relieves me to let myself feel the sadness. Crying helps me soften, connect with the emotion, with the feeling, to open my heart, and to be able to be with myself, to accompany myself... I also feel loneliness, a historical loneliness; a lack of emotional support, of connection. These are the emotions I’m aware of now. They were covered up. There was this idea of a happy life and ‘Peter Panism’: enthusiasm, parties, plans, dinners, trips... to escape and not confront those feelings.” (ANONYMOUS)

As a counterpart to this avoidance, somatizations, stress, anxiety, and digestive issues are common (likely somatizations of repressed emotions such as fear, abandonment, and lack). The Self-Preservation 7 subtype oscillates between rudeness and physical resistance during manic phases and a remarkable apprehension, especially in depressive phases.

“Since I was little, I’ve been taking medication to open my appetite. I’ve always somatized my nervous state in my digestive system, with tension and fear. Once, I had a colonoscopy, and the doctor said I had a tortuous colon, calling it a sign of high tension in my life... My neck is another area where I have high tension and stiffness.” (ANONYMOUS)

“It could be that the typical digestive issues of this character stem from not being able to assimilate the feelings they deny. I’ve had diarrhea all my life, so much so that it seemed normal to me. Now it’s less frequent because I’m more aware of which foods make me feel bad. I’ve also had a weak immune system, perhaps as a symptom of the inadequacy I feel.” (MARÍA MARTA)

Anxiety and paranoia about one’s health are also not uncommon... And here lies the best-kept secret of a Self-Preservation 7: they are hypochondriacs.

“I’ve had episodes where I ended up in places I still can’t explain. When I was eleven, I became paranoid that I was going to swallow my tongue. At night, I tested whether it was possible to swallow it. Eating became hard because I feared I would choke. The doctor blamed it on the growth spurt I had that summer. At the time, my parents were separating, and I had more information than I could handle. Curiously, when school started, I had mini-meetings with my friends to tell them my parents were separating, but not to worry. I boasted that they had more to worry about than I did. This shows the disconnect between what was happening to me, which I diverted into physical sensations, and what I showed to the world. Now, when I experience hypochondriacal episodes, I start reviewing what’s happening to me to divert it toward physical illness.” (MONICA)

We are dealing with someone who only validates “I’m fine, you’re fine” and strongly rejects both their own feelings of passion and the discomfort expressed by others. However, they also fail to fully enjoy life, as constant vigilance to avoid pain or discomfort acts as a barrier to experiencing other emotions.

“When I feel anger, sadness, etc., I don’t validate it, telling myself, ‘I think it’s not right for me to feel this because what’s happening isn’t that bad.’ Between ‘it’s not that big a deal’ and ‘they’re going to think I’m a brat,’ the emotion overwhelms me. With these two thoughts, I delve into control and image. So when I manage to go beyond this internal dialogue and embrace what I feel, if someone confronts me, I doubt again whether what I feel is real.” (MONICA)

Any claim of emotional need is understood as a lack of love or even a betrayal of their balance, well-being, and independence. The Self-Preservation 7 is highly sensitive to feeling emotionally invaded.

“For me, intense emotionality is closely related to invasion, manipulation, and disrespect for my space, my needs, and my emotions. I am learning to open myself up to feel and accept that fear and everything that moves me there.” (ANONYMOUS)

Fear is another emotion that the E7 avoids, even though they retain it.

“The last time I felt fear was in a dream. The experience was so intense that I woke up scared, tearful, and half awake. I thought, ‘This is really scary, damn it!’ I realized how little fear has let me live. I sometimes think, ‘I won’t go through this again.’ The child I once was said, ‘You won’t go through this again.’” (NÉSTOR)

As a subtype of E7 within the head triad, this character builds their ego structure on an avoidant, fearful foundation. According to Francesco Bonsante, the E7 is a personality formed as a defense against the fear of losing control, with the fear of abandonment being

more visible. This leads them to avoid the experience of "emptying themselves," which is typically associated with abandonment.

Paradoxically, they become the personality least able to handle the suffering of abandonment—and any painful emotions—when life catches them off guard. The fear of abandonment, linked to the loss of control, is both widespread and repressed. Beneath their apparent optimism, there is a lack of confidence in the external world. This mistrust is the root of their need for freedom, which corresponds to a fear of being controlled and conditioned.

Their childhood conviction was that no one could provide them with protection and affection. At some point, they decided they must be autonomous and self-sufficient to ensure their well-being. This made them a fierce individualist. As a result, they will live their relationships with the belief that the other person must be at their disposal, and they will view any resistance to their needs as a betrayal. Their tendency to lie and distort reality is connected to the childhood sensation of having been engulfed by their mother. In that relationship, they felt torn between the need to "save" her and the desire to keep her in check to avoid emotional engulfment. Hence, their fear of losing their freedom.

The Self-Preservation 7 is someone who suffers from a strong fantasy of self-sufficiency.

“I don’t usually ask for favors unless it’s something very important to me, but I’ll do favors for many, somehow creating a debt, something that puts me at an advantage. Many times, people have told me I’m self-sufficient, which flatters me on one hand and hurts me on the other. This attitude often leaves me alone. Not needing anyone isn’t real—I’m aware that I need, but it’s associated with my childhood survival. When I needed something, I had to figure it out alone, and that’s deeply engraved in my body.” (NÉSTOR)

This character tends to be easily offended and will disavow anyone at the slightest provocation. He reacts aggressively to criticism, even though he doesn’t allow himself to be conditioned by it. While he is convinced that he can handle everything, inside, he is far more fragile than he appears.

“Faced with any emotion that takes me out of my comfort zone, my tendency is to move on. If I stop, it’s to think or reason why what’s happening is happening. Depending on the area (work, love, family, etc.), I look for one solution or another. Sometimes I seek justifications, explanations, to see the positive side and ‘understand’ the painful part of the situation (without feeling too much, just a little). I also get distracted and disconnect by doing other trivial things. My Achilles’ heel is, for me, not only opening my heart, but exposing myself and showing my true feelings without any games or strategy. Just doing what I want, without expecting anything in return. Let me fall.” (NÉSTOR)

“I feel an immense paradox: as if I were someone very strong on the outside and absolutely sensitive on the inside. I remember being very fragile as a child: short, skinny, quiet... I lived alone with my fantasies. I didn’t like being treated with such diminutive terms. When they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d say: ‘I want to be strong!’ My sister would tease me, ‘Don’t you want to be pretty, smart, rich, famous?’ And I’d respond, ‘I want to be smart... and strong!’ I don’t know where that desire came from, maybe from the feeling of being fragile amidst so many giants, in an atmosphere of emotional storms. Later, I understood that everyone in my family was very emotional, uncontrolled, inflamed... and I felt insecure. I began to contain my feelings and kept everything in silence.” (LUCIANA)

The emotional discomfort of this subtype is diffuse, yet constant, and is intertwined with narcissism. It only subsides through lenitive outlets such as sex or alcohol. Repressed feelings of inferiority or envy are common, along with a tendency to feel "bad," inadequate, or lacking. In general, the Self-Preservation 7 doesn’t feel comfortable with the world around him, despite his apparently cheerful temperament. This is influenced by his schizoid orientation and a childlike sense of threat regarding his own conservation.

His utilitarianism, his strategy, and his ability to get a slice of what’s available stem from emotional withdrawal. Someone who isn’t connected with others through the heart—the radical skeptic who doesn’t view life as sacred—finds it easy to exploit others and commodify everything.

Emotionality in the Self-Preservation 7 is profoundly castrated, left aside. This is someone who has hardened very early. The "weird mix" of E8 and E5, where lecherous and schizoid traits create an indecipherable personality puzzle, leads this enneagram type to be distanced from emotional contact.

On the other hand, the lack of emotional transparency is undeniable: dishonesty begins with disconnection from empathy. Therefore, it’s difficult for him to identify emotions like fear or anger.

“Sometimes I realize something has made me angry only after days or months have passed. At the time, I downplay it by telling myself I might be exaggerating, but later I see that it’s not the case—it hurt me. Sometimes it’s hard for me to move on, especially when the damage is caused by someone I consider ‘family.’ Here, the word ‘mafia’ often comes to mind.” (MONICA)

In general, this character fears emotional life, which sustains his typical disconnection (and ultimately condemns his greed). He exaggerates his fear of pain, believing that things will hurt more than they really will. A common thought is that if he succumbs to pain, he’ll never recover, which fuels his compulsion to avoid it.

“Emotions scare me. And when I talk about emotions, I mean anger and sadness. When I see sadness in others, I feel like they’re walking through an autumn forest. But when I deal with mine, it’s like a lake of fast-moving waters that will suck me in as soon as I step in. I’ve had times of bordering on depression; in fact, I feel like I’m finally emerging from one that lasted about three or four years. When I read Claudio’s phrase, ‘You get depressed to avoid it hurting,’ I was amazed... That’s it. While submerged in the dark, I was always afraid of touching something and going mad. It’s like a part of me hides things from me. And that part doesn’t stop me from shifting the waters so I don’t drown in them.” (MONICA)

The Self-Preservation 7 is someone used to monitoring the world, not only to detect opportunities but also dangers—controls and forms of authority that could curtail the achievement of their desires. The defense mechanism of rationalization taints everything with its explanations and intellectualization of life.

Reason is elevated to a pedestal, but that doesn’t mean the E7 behaves rationally. Unlike an E5 or E6, reason is used for convenience—to seduce or undermine an opponent, or to "order" the emotional world of others. It’s an attempt to compartmentalize each emotion without having to truly engage with them.

Linked to this need to be heard is the E7’s inability to listen, even though he may not be aware of it, as he offers apparent empathy with an attentive presence. In matters of parenting, his love for indulgence is less than it appears, due to his persuasive talent and charm.

Underlying this is the fear of losing control—losing one’s head. This includes fantasies of aggression and, in some cases, a fear of physical violence, often rooted in childhood abuse, which is really a fear of his own repressed aggressiveness.

“All the misfortunes of man derive from the fact that he cannot sit quietly and alone in a room,” said Blaise Pascal. This phrase applies perfectly to the conservative subtype: avoiding boredom is a constant in the life of a E7.

“Boredom,” as Alejandro Napolitano explains, ties into a larger issue—the relationship that Enneatype E7 has with time and temporality.

The emptiness, the tedium, are poorly handled by the E7, who rarely notices that it’s when nothing seems to be happening, when time slows down, that the roots of things grow deeper. Long before effort or expectations bear fruit, waiting becomes unbearable. The absence of immediate attractions breeds anxiety, stress, and a sense that life is being wasted—like a cow that isn’t giving milk or an existence devoid of excitement. There’s a constant urge to seek results, as the E7’s own slowness—and that of others—becomes

intolerable. His chronic dissatisfaction means nothing satisfies his needs, so he keeps moving in an attempt to escape painful feelings like guilt or sadness.

Despite this internal rage, there’s no genuine desire to hurt anyone. The real struggle for the Self-Preservation 7 is recognizing the pain caused by his disaffection, his emotional neglect, and his tendency to prioritize pleasure over obligation. This blind pursuit of instant gratification often disregards the hurt and exhaustion that his impulsive behavior can bring.

Napolitano also highlights the compulsive need for brilliance and performance that is characteristic of this type. This trait often prevents the healing silences and stillness needed to truly assimilate life situations.

Emotional dryness is at the core of the Self-Preservation 7’s charm and people skills. His intense mental life distances him from emotional depth, as emotions are primarily processed in his head.

Because he has sealed himself off from pain, he’s also impermeable to other emotions. Or, at least, it’s difficult for him to express them when others are watching, for fear his "strong" self-image will be questioned. There’s a deep fear of vulnerability, of abandoning the warrior role and losing control of the situation. The phobia of pain makes emotional contact extremely difficult. Love, after all, passes through pain, and we can only reach the depths of the heart when we slow down and become receptive. The associated irrational belief might be: "If I go through the pain, I will die." This belief leads the E7 to avoid pain, compulsively seeking pleasure, sex, seduction, or leisure to escape from difficult situations.

There is a confusion between emotionality and affability. Not knowing how to access emotions easily, he presents himself as a warm person, a good host, gentle and paternal, as well as accommodating and attentive to those he intends to seduce. However, this warmth can quickly turn to coldness, distance, and even insensitivity when the other does not belong to his circle of trust. a Self-Preservation 7, without conscientious work, is very far from the concept of universal love, as if denying the essence of human nature to those whom he does not accept as part of his bonding system.

This polarity is complemented by another, which we could call greatness and smallness. a Self-Preservation 7 will try to behave in a soft and unassuming way with those who are the object of seduction, to the point of being perceived as humble, while feelings of greatness flow unchecked inside, a belief in having special virtues. "They do not claim any glory for themselves, but they want their ideas to triumph."

The Self-Preservation Enneagram E7 is adept at staying out of any situation that upsets him emotionally. He compartmentalizes problems to deactivate them and entangles others in trying to convince them that he is right or, at least, knows how to earn their appreciation

despite everything. He avoids commitments and responsibilities, with very little capacity to feel guilty. In fact, he seems immune to guilt, and when it does arise, he defuses it with rationalizations and indulgence. This contrasts with a reality that seems to have crushed the motivation of Self-Preservation 7s in childhood, making them more fussy and allergic to the emotional commitments or demands of relational life. Narcissists (and this applies perfectly to the Self-Preservation 7).

Not only do they show considerable talent for rationalizing their lack of social consideration, but they also use a variety of other intrapsychic mechanisms with equal ease. However, reflecting very little on what others think, their defensive maneuvers are transparent, poor camouflage to a trained eye. Their inability to hide what is bothering them also contributes to them being seen as cocky and arrogant.

Post a Testimonial:

"People, to me, have typically been divided into two camps. On one hand, there are those I know, who care for and love me. On the other, there’s the rest of the world. This other group is made up of indifference and offense, because it is not uncommon for me to hear that someone I don’t know, or know little, has said that I am arrogant, contemptuous, indifferent, etc. Those who love me try to defend me: 'How unfair,' 'They don’t know you,' 'But you are a very good person...' and the truth is that they are right. What happens is that it becomes clear to me that those who don’t know me are also right." — (DAVID)

Arrogance is related to a repression of aggression. His narcissism does not allow him to clearly identify strong aggression, which, however, he usually conveys through words, with ironic humor or sarcasm.

"I can feel a lot of anger and aggressiveness inside. And one reason why I don't express it is that I consider it too strong, overflowing, and I feel that it won't have a place, it won't be admitted. So, I don't allow it to surface to preserve my good image." — (ANONYMOUS)

Psychological aggression is then expressed through jokes and ambiguity, with which emotional tension is ironed out. "Should I laugh or be angry?" the "victim" often wonders. It’s a bit like a scene from Groucho Marx: "Excuse me if I call you gentlemen, but I don't know you very well. I never forget a face, but with you, I’m going to make an exception. Don’t think wrong of me, lady. My interest in you is purely sexual." "The secret of life is honesty and fair play... if you can simulate that, you’ve succeeded."

"Humor is a double-edged sword for me. What would we be, or who would we be, without humor? Having a sense of humor is healthy (and this is the perfect premise and excuse to use it), but when it turns into irony, it can become a weapon to express our dark side. In my

case, it’s been a way to say things that otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to. Very easily, I can see the Achilles heel of the other. I do it when I feel disadvantaged or threatened because that way I will know where I can go if confronted. Although there is no guarantee of success, at least I have a card to play." — (NÉSTOR)

In his quest for self-gratification, his aggressive impulse, generally less repressed than in other E7 subtypes, helps reinforce his gluttony. The combination of fear, lack, selfishness, and aggressiveness explains this Enneatype well, balancing between the sullen, the ruffian, and the seducer. However, his own anger frightens him, it seems inappropriate, reprehensible, and he tends to hide or disguise it to preserve "harmony" and his good image.

"Another emotion that scares me is anger because it is the least valid. When it’s loaded with anger, I’m afraid it will get out of hand and hurt someone. Or that I will lose control and be seen outside of myself. When I see someone losing it, I tend to internally cut their head off, thinking: 'There’s no need, he’s gone.' In the end, my limits for staying in control are loss of control and insanity. Whoever is unflappable wins. And sometimes, I see myself using imperturbability, even with fire inside, as a weapon. In adolescence, I always tended to pick on a friend who got angry quickly. We used to get into debates over various topics. Once he told me, 'Damn, Monica, you always want to be right.' To which I, with half a smile and fire inside, said, 'If we’re arguing, it’s because I’m not the only one who wants to be right.' Seeing his anger, I forget mine or I’m not as sorry." — (MONICA)

With such aggressiveness, the Self-Preservation 7 Enneagram type will find it difficult to hide it, especially in situations where he is free from the judgment of his surroundings. At other times, as Albert Rams says in 27 Personalities in Search of Being, he does not notice "the aggressive acting that accidental mistakes, jokes, forgetfulness, or absent-mindedness can entail."

Especially with his penchant for hurtful humor and destructive irony, he marks territory and makes anyone who plays as his opponent (i.e., who is not part of his "family" or network) feel idiotic. We are talking about a E7, and like all of his character, the Self-Preservation one also presents an avoidance of aggressive impulses, though not as much as the other subtypes. In addition, his aggressiveness makes the relationship between conservational gluttony and envy more evident, even though Enneatype Four is somewhat antipodal to Enneatype E7.

Gluttony, like oral-aggressive envy, looks outward for what it vaguely perceives as an inner lack. However, unlike envy (where there is heightened awareness of ontic insufficiency), gluttony fraudulently conceals this insufficiency with false abundance, comparable to pride, so that the passion is externalized without complete self-awareness.

This translates, in conservation, into a perpetual escape towards the pleasures of the senses as a pseudo-way of fleeing from the intimate and unspeakable feeling of frustration.

In the Self-Preservation 7, aggressiveness is not paralyzed as a masochistic defense against the hostile impulse towards the same-sex parent, which has not served as a figure of identification. Somehow, he has managed to develop an additional aggressiveness that facilitates his path toward egoic self-satisfaction. This means that when faced with a violent situation, he can alternate between paralysis or freezing out of fear, and violent reaction, even reckless.

"He was about three years old and playing with a new toy that played music. My father appeared very angry and kicked the toy, rendering it useless. I remember how internally I only heard silence. I got up, left the room, and went to the dining room to stare at the TV, not speaking and not feeling anything beyond freezing." — (ANONYMOUS)

"I was in 4th or 5th grade, about nine years old, playing with rubber bands with a friend at recess. An 8th-grade girl, about twelve, came to bother us, especially my friend. I kept playing as if I didn't see her... until the impulse took me to spit in her face. The girl froze. They've always told me that when I get angry, I’m scary. And here I would add that I too am frightened by the fantasy that I could kill." — (MONICA)

A sample of the intellectually aggressive and contemptuous behavior with authority, typical of the Self-Preservation 7, is offered by the philosopher Epicurus when he was barely fourteen years old and studying in public school:

The teacher told the class that, according to mythology, at the beginning of everything was Chaos. The young Epicurus asked the teacher, "And where did Chaos come from?" The teacher replied, "We cannot know that, it is a point reserved for philosophers." Epicurus responded, "Then why do I come here to waste my time? Right now, I am going to see the philosophers." This anecdote already reveals the Enneatype E7 character: light, irreverent, relentless, and impatient, not content simply to follow where everyone else is going.

De Crescenzo makes the following observation about the character of Epicurus, which aligns perfectly with the Self-Preservation 7:

"Who knows why Epicurus, so sweet and courteous with women, became a real viper with intellectuals, and especially with the Platonists and the Aristotelians? Probably, he wanted to be considered an autodidact and rejected any relationship between his thinking and that of others. A competitive intellect."

In Essays on the Psychology of Enneatypes, Naranjo applies the three psychic instances described by the psychoanalyst Karen Horney—towards, away, against—to each

Enneatype, suggesting that E2, E9, and E7 are expansive characters (going towards the other).

However, this primary characteristic is qualified by a secondary one. The Two moves towards others (towards-towards), the Nine moves away (towards-far), and the E7 moves against (towards-against). This shows that, in addition to the warmth with which the E7 approaches personal relationships, there is also an element of rebellion and insubordination that is very present in their behavior.

Among the E7 types, the most antagonistic is the Self-Preservation type, "which is also the most similar to the E8, in its rudeness, use of vulgar language, greater self-interest, orientation towards profits, and cunning." With this, Naranjo introduces a third characteristic:

Although it is the I that most tends to go against others, I would say that the Sexual 7 is the most impulsive and extroverted-expansive, despite the little credibility of its generosity. Meanwhile, the Social 7, on the contrary, seems to be the most withdrawn in their search for goodness through the sacrifice of gluttony.

Self-Preservation 7s often camouflage emotion with fantasy, thinking they feel and speculating about it. The result is an authentic exchange where it becomes usual to give (or present) a cat for a hare.

“I also thought I felt. And this thought moved me so much! I have always camouflaged emotion with fantasy. The pleasure and happiness, with that kind of capacity for suggestion. Brotherhood, friendship, and love, with relationships of debt, interest, and loyalty. Pain and sorrow, with an intellectualized discourse on the evils of the world. Safety, with dialectical display. Rage, with fine irony. Authentic compassion, with iron protection.

I have disguised or mocked fear as a grotesque clown that scared no one and cast it away with self-sufficient bravado.

I have omitted the sharpest aspects of reality. I have tinted the black paintings of the war with a school watercolor of basic colors. I have rationalized the lacerating wounds in my life to the point of ignoring them completely. I have therefore hidden and denied my deep pain, preventing the people around me from feeling their own.

I have sung to life, secretly fearing it. I have simulated love, avoiding its frustrations. I have cheated death, hidden between your skirts. I have challenged God by becoming His entourage, to create another world, less hostile and more friendly. Finally, I have been moved by pure narcissism to feel like an intelligent fan, so important, so vital, so indispensable. And I have paid the price, of course. Survival doesn’t come cheap. And more, if it lengthens beyond forty...” (ORI)

Beneath this atmosphere of confusion lies a basic fantasy: that of feeling inadequate, not feeling good, or not knowing how to experience love. That of being an emotional idiot with a small heart.

“I live the fantasy that I don’t feel well. That emotion is wrong, and someone (unidentified) is going to scold me. When I immerse myself in the least pleasant emotions for me regarding someone, I think I’m going to be scolded. They are going to realize that I am not right (mixing emotion and reason), and they are going to catch me, placing me in an even more vulnerable and childish place. Because I put the Other in a place of superiority... and from there, it is easy for me not to let myself fall completely, associating emotion with loss of place and vulnerability.” (MONICA)

We are facing a character with a great capacity to imagine, both in the creative sense and in anticipating fears, dangerous scenarios, or dystopian futures. The fact is that, as in any mental Enneatype, the head usually shoots off at the first sight of change.

“Fantasy for me has two faces: light and shadow. Depending on how I am, I am shot to one side or the other. When it’s light, I appropriate it quickly; when it’s the shadow one, I live it as if it weren’t mine, as something that possesses me... Another fantasy to avoid taking responsibility for something happening to me. I amuse myself fantasizing about the fear of the shadow, rather than taking charge of it.” (MONICA)

Beautifully illustrated fraud, fanciful lies—mythomania or fantastic pseudology—are also common. The person tells stories that are not entirely improbable and contain glimpses of truth. They sustain them over time, present themselves in a favorable light, and become so involved in the plot that they sometimes come to believe it.

“As a journalist, I tried to stick to the facts, knowing that anyone who read me would do so with a magnifying glass. But journalism is a trade partly developed with a drink in hand. And it’s full of fanciful E7s. You compete to see who has the biggest account. And in the end, I realize I always season my stories. I recognize a desire to entertain and move. And I remember Nasrudin when he tells the people that the king stopped to talk to him. People are amazed, admiring him. Until a simple peasant asks him: ‘What did he tell you?’ And Nasrudin confesses: ‘Get out of my way.’” (DAVID)