Conservation, Sexual and Social

If we start from the Nasrudín-Naranjo theory of neurosis, which proposes that the lack of being is at the base of all passions of the enneagram, in the case of E9, what is in the foreground is a resignation regarding their loss of being. It is likely that this type attracts less attention than others precisely because they accommodate themselves to this loss, and because it is not as striking in the way they seek to replace it.

The fundamental feature of E9 is self-forgetfulness. To define it in greater depth, Claudio Naranjo uses the words laziness or inertia, which point to a lack of interest in one's own internal world, in looking within oneself. Naranjo also employs the term acedia, which seems the best to explain this lack of interest in caring for one's position or condition in the world. We have to understand the passion of sloth as psychospiritual inertia, by which the E9 seeks to stay in a state of spiritual ignorance—denying their inner world and avoiding any quest that allows them to awaken their conscience. It is as if darkening their conscience allowed them to forget the original separation from their being and to hide any restlessness connected with the experience of nuclear lack and the loss of the meaning of existence.

Psychologically, it is a resistance to any change, which manifests as a lack of motivation, conflict avoidance, and repression of emotions, accompanied by blindness to any friction that could occur at the intrapsychic or interpersonal level. It is as if the E9 resists differentiating themselves from others and becoming aware of the differentiation within their internal parts, in order to live in a state of illusory union both externally and internally.

It can be said that this Enneatype suffers from laziness in loving themselves or that their capacity for self-love has become numb. For lack of love, they have forgotten their being and disconnected from themselves. But instead of looking inward to retrieve their own inner experience, they seek to fill themselves through the experiences of others.

In the childhood of this Enneatype, we find children who had to adapt from an early age to demands and responsibilities and who stopped being themselves. Phrases like “I had no choice but to adapt to the circumstances” are repeated frequently. Consequently, this character suffers from a significant lack of inner experience.

The E9 is thus disconnected from themselves, and the way they attempt to fill the needs of others differentiates the subtypes. The Social 9 seems the least disconnected. Their participation—driven by their passion—makes them appear interested in the affairs of the world. It is the subtype that works against inertia (counter-passion) through their vocation to incessantly be jovial and earn a place. This apparent motivation is, at heart, a distraction from their internal world that leads them to the realm of activities, although not always aligned with their true interests. They have learned to relate to the world as a way to escape their existential emptiness and the painful experience of not being seen or of “not-being.” For the Social 9, adaptation is a movement that anesthetizes them—they do not seek applause or merit but instead participate in the world as a way of being. Their motto is: “If I do not participate, I am not.”

For the Self-Preservation 9, social belonging is not as important. This subtype survives pain and lack of love by filling this void with cravings. It is not just their appetite for food but also for experiences and objects, which distract them and make them believe they are satisfied. They appear to be content, but in reality, they are compulsive, with a disconnected satisfaction. That “happy chubby person” aspect is nothing more than a visible protective mechanism to avoid connecting with themselves. The Self-Preservation 9 sometimes seems not to be “there.”

The Sexual 9 also seems not to be “there,” but this is less evident than with the Self-Preservation 9 because their shyness makes them go unnoticed. The Sexual subtype blends with others, filling their emptiness by becoming one with another.

The main difference between the Social and Sexual subtypes compared to the Self-Preservation subtype lies in the expression of anger, which is much more visible in the latter. The Self-Preservation 9 is more stubborn and obstinate, while the Sexual 9 is softer and shyer, and the Social 9 is more smiling and good-natured.

There is also a notable difference in the realm of fantasy: The Self-Preservation 9 is much more concrete, while the Sexual 9 dreams a lot, especially about platonic love, and can build stories so rich in detail and so elaborate that they believe their fantasies will come true. The Social 9 also daydreams as a means of escape, but their fantasies are not about love; they are about belonging. This ability to fantasize is manifested in all three subtypes from early childhood and serves the purpose of ignoring the harsh reality to which they are subjected.

The Sexual 9 cries and feels the pain of others, but if they embark on a path of self-awareness or therapy, they may believe throughout their life that they are very lucky because they do not suffer like the rest of the world. They are completely blind to their own pain. They can also be confused with the Sexual E3, with the difference being that the

Sexual E3 invests much energy into continually working to seduce and be seen, while the Sexual 9 robotically conforms to whoever is next to them.

The Sexual 9 is also more reserved and shy than the Self-Preservation and Social 9 because they are more aware of intimacy and therefore feel much more misunderstood. None of the three subtypes likes to talk about themselves because they do not think they have anything interesting to say; they even consider themselves boring to others. However, the most talkative of the three could be the Self-Preservation 9, while the least talkative is the Sexual 9.

On the other hand, the Self-Preservation 9 subtype is more opinionated, stubborn, and crude when it comes to expressing themselves and making their presence felt. The Sexual 9, however, is trained from childhood to become invisible and silent, learning to blend into the crowd without being seen, entering and leaving rooms without anyone noticing. This makes them someone easily forgotten after the first meeting.

The Social 9 can take on the role of a group leader but does so without causing conflicts, which often leads them to go unnoticed. They act for the benefit of others, similar to the E3 Conservation, as both seek to be useful and excel at solving other people's problems. However, the Social 9 avoids standing out, unlike the Self-Preservation Three, who possesses more apparent self-esteem. The Social 9 seeks belonging rather than security.

The Sexual 9 is much closer to the E4 due to its connection with despair. It is less outwardly happy than the Self-Preservation 9. Unlike the E4, though, the Sexual 9 is unaware of the depth of their own pain, as they are distracted by their focus on not causing others to suffer. While the E4 cries and feels their own pain, the Sexual 9 cries and feels the pain of others. Without embarking on a path of self-awareness or therapy, they may believe they are lucky not to suffer as much as the rest of the world, remaining completely blind to their own pain. This subtype may also be mistaken for the Sexual E3. However, while the Sexual Three invests significant energy in seduction to be noticed, the Sexual 9 robotically conforms to whoever allows them to remain by their side.

The Self-Preservation 9 bears a closer resemblance to the E8 but differs in that they do not consciously take what they want. Instead, they act impulsively, unaware of their actions, and without truly experiencing the pleasure of their choices.

The Self-Preservation 9 often displays a sense of omnipotence, whereas the Sexual 9 feels much weaker due to their perceived dependence on others. The Sexual 9 deeply believes in this dependence, but the reality is they are so blind to themselves that, despite being the backbone of their family or relationships, others often perceive them as the strong one. The Social 9, on the other hand, is the least resigned of the three subtypes and can sometimes

display a rebellious streak. This rebelliousness is often channeled into group efforts, making them passionate advocates for social rights.

The Social 9 is generous to everyone, always acting for the benefit of others. In contrast, the Sexual 9 is more selective, prioritizing close, one-on-one relationships over larger groups. Their actions are reserved for those they hold dear—partners, family, or close friends. This stands in opposition to the Social 9, who thrives in group settings and prefers to work for the collective good.

The Social 9 finds joy in being part of a group, using their efforts for the benefit of all, especially for those in greater need. Conversely, the Sexual 9 feels out of place in group settings, as they struggle to manage relationships with multiple people at once. The Self-Preservation 9 also has a limited tolerance for group dynamics but is more transgressive and provocative. They are more likely to openly criticize others and engage in conflicts.

Among the three subtypes, the Social 9 appears the happiest. They seem more outwardly satisfied and less withdrawn. They are also more talkative compared to the Sexual 9, who often retreats into silence. Of the three, the Self-Preservation 9 has the greatest difficulty committing to a partner.

An example often shared by Naranjo illustrates the differences among the subtypes. Presented with a glass of water, none of the three are fully conscious of their desire to drink:

• The Self-Preservation 9 might think, “I’m not thirsty; I’ll drink it later when I’m thirstier. My body can handle going without water, and I have other things to do.” • The Social 9 might say, “I’m not thirsty. You take it; it’s logical that you’re thirstier than me since you’ve been in the sun longer.” • The Sexual 9 might insist, “You’re not thirsty, and I’m not thirsty. How could we possibly be thirsty?”