Type 4
Key Traits
Individuation: moment-by-moment constant individuation of the "self," not being a team player
Disdain: everything presents as unrelated to the 4, everything is too shallow for the 4
Frustration: psychologically creating a "problem" that is insurmountable in order to amplify the feeling of "frustration"
Pointed negativity: disdain, disgust
Artistic sensibility: artistic process is a way of communicating authentic truth, worship of beauty
Frustration: the shallow world is never congruent with the 4’s fantasy of their own depth
Over-personalizing negatively: over-amplifying every negative emotion as if the upsetting underbelly of life is the only truth and everything else is a shallow veneer, not afraid to bring things down
Shadow/Lost self: Blind to what makes them connected to the world
Core Fears: Being easily understood or easily liked, being ordinary, too happy, too satisfied
Wants Depth
Character
There is a lot of mistyping at 4 in the enneagram community, mostly due to misinterpretation of texts. This large-scale mistyping has even caused a feedback loop where the texts about 4 are describing mistyped people. The reasons for this are multitude but two main ones are: 1) people attracted to typology relate to the need to be unique/different, and 2) people confuse type 4 with trauma or their dark side. It's important before discussing what 4 is to discuss what it's NOT.
Type 4 is NOT the following things.
Type 4 is NOT:
Being candid about traumatic experiences (this can be anyone, but less likely a withdrawn type)
Self-deprecation (this is seen most often in 6's and 9's especially if there's 4 in the trifix, also 7w6)
Being artistic (any type can be artistic, 4's just have a specific aesthetic expression need that's tied into their type structure)
Being depressed (depression and/or sadness are emotions/conditions that can be experienced by all types, even bright 7's, and many 4's are not depressed at all)
Being moody/dramatic (4's do tend to be reactive and moody, but so do 6's and 7w8’s)
Being unique or weird (4's individuate constantly, but any type can do unique and strange things, ex. Lady GaGa is a 7, Björk is a 9)
Being overly emotional (all types have emotions, not all types identify with them, but type 6 as the most outwardly emotional type in some cases)
Enduring pain on the inside and having to smile on the outside (this is highly 9ish and not ever 4ish)
Feeling detached from mainstream things (this is true of 4, but any type can be sardonic and biting about "basic" people or mainstream things, type 6 for example can either be the one doing what everyone else is doing or the one who's sarcastically speaking out against it)
Fearing being flawed (4’s feel that the world is shallow and flawed and they are too deep for it, this creates a frustration and fantasy around their superior self-image)
The fact is that everyone is special, everyone wants to be unique, everyone fears being flawed, and everyone has the capacity to be artistic or emotional. 4’s don’t want to be separate, they’re coming from a place of already being so. 4's are unaware of how to modulate themselves to anything if it contradicts their inner experience.
Being part of the image triad, the type 4 structure is based around creating a particular crafted self. For 4’s, the image that they create is a crafted image of being “un-crafted.” 4w3’s present as unreachable, beautiful people with some kind of mysterious wealth and pedigree. 4w5’s present as dark philosophers that can mine the depths of this garbage world.
4’s are coming from a place of assumed separateness. There is no superego telling them how different/unique they should or shouldn’t be. Often the attachment types get stuck to the idea of being a 4 because they are dealing with a type structure that consciously fighting against the unconscious urge to actually be in sync with others. 4’s are almost unaware of how they are “trying to be different” because it’s just their automatic belief that they already are. They live life with the automatic assumption that they will be different from those around them and enjoy the frustration of that problem. The blind spot for 4’s is to see that they might actually have something in common with their fellow plebeians and should stop viewing most people as common trash. 4w3’s especially will come across as aloof, arrogant, bitchy, disinterested, superior, rude, angry, and delicately royal. They lack the innate desire to be on the same page as anyone or anything. Attachment fixes and/or the Social instinct in high prominence can counteract some of that innate separation. It will not change the type though.
4's are processing a moment-by-moment constant individuation of self-image from others vs. Attachment types processing a moment-to-moment adaptation. They are hypersensitive to everything and automatically try to refashion their own sense of self based on those experiences to enforce that they are alien from their external circumstances. This has often been simplified in enneagram literature as "wanting to be unique." 4’s don’t need to try for uniqueness. They feel they are already a Baroque pearl in a world of plastic. The internal messages for 4 are such that the 4 isn't allowed to have a good time even if people are looking to them or sending positive energy their way. Any time common ground could happen, the 4 will find a way to individuate themselves. You'll see 4's not being a good sport, not playing along, and being very particular about what they are and how it differs from what other people are saying to them. The heart centre is concerned with image, but image is not concrete like the body centre. It's something that needs to be produced. At 4, the mental centre is constantly trying to make sense of the emotional centre by over-processing internal states and over-individuating to create a solid sense of self that will never be solid enough. 4’s will be extremely specific about what they are and who they are. 4's can get so concerned with how they're coming across in the most self-absorbed way that they forget to empathize with others. This is the opposite of image type 2.
4’s are addicted to being frustrated. This can look similar to reactive neighbour type 6 that can complain a lot about specific problems. 4’s will consistently experience problems in relation to their instinct/trifix and often project this deficiency in that area to others as a never-ending frustration. This is not the same as being depressed, because any type can experience depression and sadness. Even in a happy state of affairs, 4’s seem to pick out the negative aspects of reality. The state of mind of a 4 is an active frustration rather than a resigned depression (which more fits some versions of type 9).
4’s are living in a reality where nothing is related to them. The things people say or do will register as “not me” and they will usually show signs of disdain, disgust, or disinterest while still maintaining their image of having mysterious wealth. As a withdrawn type, they will not be overly expressive or vocal about their disdain like a more expressive 6 or 7. And they will also not mask their disdain in a sleepy absent-ness like 9. It will be pointed but subtle. As a hexad type, 4’s are overly identified with whatever their current location is; and that location is naturally included to not find common ground.
As reactive types, 4’s are comfortable expressing negativity, complaining, etc.; and as frustration types, will generally have a specific set of issues that they can't ever seem to solve. For example, if the 4 has complained about never being able to have the lifestyle they want, and then they objectively accomplish that goal, there's a part of them that won't accept that they're content or happy and won't be comfortable with others congratulating them. They'll need to create a new problem. However it's important to note that almost any type can relate to feeling dissatisfied even when things are good. The difference is that 4's or types with 4 in the trifix will unconsciously seek the dissatisfied state, addicted to the frustration of everyone and everything being too shallow.
4's tend to feel hatred/disdain as an underlying driving emotion. They can have articulated and pointedly-directed feelings of hatred towards specific people or situations without any of the superego/connectedness of Attachment to send the message that "hate is wrong." This is not violent or dangerous hatred, but rather a petty, hyper-specific, negative arrow. Many of the 9's mistyped as 4's will mistake their bubbling anger or the hidden shadow of their positivity as this kind of 4ish hatred. 4's have no superego need to be open-hearted, kind, or compassionate. This is not to say that they can't be all of these things, but it's not an idea built into their type structure and not something for which they will strive. 6's with 4 in the trifix, for example, will be comfortable being negative and have no problem expressing this verbally. However, 6's will still display a need for acceptance, a fear of being cast away, and they will emphasize how different/problematic they are as if it's a problem/danger to be put on the table right away. Even when 6's are at their most negative, they still tend to be funny and likeable.
4's at their best can sometimes still come across as unreachable and rude. 4 is less likely than a 6 or 7 for example to come into a space and splat their problems on the table or be wildly bold and self-revealing right off the bat. 4 is a withdrawn type, so there's a part of them that doesn't even want to share themselves because they feel superior and detached anyway. It's best to just sit up on your throne in jewels where everyone can see you but not actually reach you. Getting too close implies that you're "one of them," and of course you're not.
4’s run the gamut in style. 4w3's will generally do things to appear untouchable, elite, royal, and delicate. 4w5's are more eclectic and can be grungy. In any case, they can have a stylistic personal statement that reflects who they are that they are over-identified with. In an attempt to nurture the false belief that they are a separate outsider from others, they seek depth and deeper meaning in everything they encounter. Since everyone else is a common plebeian, the 4 must be the only one who can squeeze the emotional juices and oceanic depth out of life in order to transform the mundane into the tragically beautiful.
At their best, 4’s have a large capacity to be empathetic with a person’s darkest secrets, avoiding the superego responses of 1’s or 2’s, but not quite matching the ability to hold space for others like 9’s. That being said, there is nothing in the type 4 structure that feels compelled to be warm-hearted or compassionate as an underlying goodness. 4's are not judgemental in a right vs. wrong way, but can be super judgemental about things they hate. 4w3's can have a long list of aesthetic things that disgust them, whereas 4w5's can ted to direct their judgement/disgust at 5ish introspective concepts like politics/philosophy, etc.
Lines of Movement
4 moves to 1
Positive: become disciplined rather than allowing emotions to control their life, learn practicality, get things done, become less negative as a result of emotional level-headedness, use strong principles to take action
Negative: become overly picky and critical of how no one does anything right, superiority anger, preach at people, self-loathing for not living up to their expectations
4 moves to 2
Positive: become less self-absorbed, focus on other people's needs in a healthy way
Negative: take a more hands-on approach to attracting love by using manipulation and clinginess, give out of desperation and deny their own needs, become dependent on object of need, feign illness to get love
comparisons with other types
4 vs 1:Both frustration types, 1's don't indulge in their inner states as much, 4 views inner states as authentic and need to be displayed, 4's are reactive
4 vs 2: 2 is a positive type and 4 is a reactive type, 4's don't want anyone to make their problems seem solvable, 2's are other-oriented and 4's are self-oriented, 4's are elitist and have no desire to appear nice or sweet
4 vs 3: 3 focus on self-development and success, 4's focus on self-expression and emotional truths, 3's present their best, 4's present their fabricated version of brokenness
4 vs 5: 4's indulge inner feelings and states searching for an identity, 5's indulge inner thoughts searching for understanding
4 vs 6: 4's are elitist and/or see themselves as separate, 6's are adverse to narcissism and are prone to tribalism (many comparisons of 4 and 6 written above)
4 vs 7: Both frustration types, 4's focus on the negatives, 7's on the positives, 4's complain about how they'll never have what they need, 7's blindly believe they'll get what they need
4 vs 8: Both reactive types, both intense and biting, but 8's are the tough exterior with the marshmallow core underneath while 4's are the opposite, 4's use vulnerability as a point of strength and 8's avoid vulnerability to maintain strength/control
4 vs 9: Both withdrawn, both have capacity to be emotional or angry, 4's like to be separate, 9's innately feel like there's no identity boundary between them and others, 4's are constantly cultivating who they are and presenting it to others, 9's feel like who they are can shift to different landscapes that are all "them" depending on who they're with, 4's are reactive and present their darkness, 9's feel some need to be a positive face for others and suffer on the inside, 4's are out of touch with their bodies and 9's are stuck in their bodies; 4's are more prone to hate, 9's are more prone to anger, anger is less specifically targeted than hate, rather a reaction to send the message "I exist" where as 4 hatred sends the message "I'm not worthless"