It is said that Community, Purpose, and Hope are the pillars of a “happy” life. (Don’t get me started on the word happy. I’ve been fighting with it my whole life. But that’s for another time.)
I have been lucky enough to find Community and Purpose. And for that, I have the Houseless community to thank. They have given me those things.
But Hope has been lost to me. I have felt an existential sense of hopelessness for the last few years.
I shout into the wind that there are human-fucking-beings laying condemned and rotting on the streets of the richest, most Christian country in the world. And the only thing that is being done about it is to punish me for trying to help them.
I ran for city council and I lost miserably.
I send requests to the mayor to talk to me about tiny houses and they go unanswered.
Humanity is cruel, selfish and full of fear. Those are fundamental truths that can’t be denied.
When you deeply understand that reality it makes Hope seem naive and childish.
But then I found the enneagram. It can be traced back to the Christian Desert Fathers (a group I’ve long admired) in the 4th century. They focused a lot on inner spiritual work and self awareness.
I have learned that I’m an 8 with a 7 wing.
A person who is an Eight with a Seven wing in the Enneagram is often referred to as “The Maverick” or “The Nonconformist.” This personality combines the assertive, powerful, and protective nature of the Eight (“The Challenger”) with the adventurous, enthusiastic, and energetic qualities of the Seven (“The Enthusiast”). They tend to be bold, assertive, and action-oriented, often seeking excitement and challenges while resisting control from others. This combination creates a dynamic and charismatic personality that can be both protective and somewhat impulsive.
The thing about Eights is that they are a force of nature. They have the power to change the world.
And that is something I have seen in history all the time. Yes. The fundamental negative traits of humanity are truth. But that’s not the entire story. Humans are also self-aware and are capable of compassion
You can make people change. Eights do it all the time. Child labor laws, the 8 hour work day, the freedom of speech, the end of slavery. Leaders can make social change.
And that’s when I realized that I have the power to change the world. Eights often have an over-inflated sense of self importance, I think.
I just had to dash this thought off to you because it’s really a big shift in my perspective of the world.
Here’s a cool image of the enneagram if you want to check it out.
