Writing with the Enneagram: Type 4

[@solafren9432]

Ooohhh baby!! That must mean 3 is on patreon, very excited to hear what you have to say on 1!

[@localscriptman]

NO I HAVE BEEN A LAZY BOY IT IS NOT ON PATREON YET

[@solafren9432]

@@localscriptman I gift you one guilt free nap, keep resting king, love the vids!

[@Quadrilli0n]

@@localscriptman MAN

[@ariespisces7965]

Ooo is this the gifting guilt-free breaks comment section I hope you all can have a nice tea/coffee/refreshing beverage break today!

[@robbiepiper6023]

@@localscriptman such a 4, how quaint

[@multitaskcreative]

Half the comments are using this series to improve their writing, and the other half are using it for self discovery and I think that's beautiful

[@zaidlacksalastname4905]

Definitely

[@andyroobrick-a-brack9355]

Art is life made fantastical.

[@lynniavelitia]

Hmm both. Both? Both.

[@CooperWood-lf7ry]

Well put! Yeah it is beautiful, enneagram is dope👏

[@tokujinsicura2190]

Both? Both is good 🥹

[@TaranVH]

These videos are so helpful. I tried looking up this stuff myself, but every website mostly focuses on positive character traits, like some sort of feel-good horoscope.

[@amanofnoreputation2164]

This is mainly because they don't have the specific purpose of designing fictional characters in mind which need to have specially curated arcs with a throughline taking them from an initial state, through conflict, and to a resolution.

[@MyBraza2377]

@@amanofnoreputation2164 ain’t that how therapy is supposed to work as well tho?

[@mondhoffman]

Enneagrammer is a good cite

[@debrachambers1304]

​@@amanofnoreputation2164That's not why. Earlier Enneagram teachings were pretty focused on the negatives, seeing each type as having a different state of deficiency to overcome.

[@tsunamiscientist568]

@@amanofnoreputation2164As Lucas points out in the first video, I don’t think that the way most people conceptualize the Enneagram in the modern day is really helpful for much. It kinda seems like categorizing for the sake of it, which is fine, but I’m not gonna learn it if that’s the entire point. The thing proposed in this series , that the Enneagram is about understanding your flaws so you can better yourself, offers more utility. I don’t see how a list of personality traits is supposed to diagnose your problems.

[@punch_cup]

came in thinking "i'm a four😁" left knowing "i'm a four 😐"

[@hoopchristine5202]

One of my friends got a type 4 result from a free online enneagram test. Then he read about it and realized his past mistakes and motivations are pretty 4-coded. Then this video dropped, and now he’s a little freaked out that you just called him out so perfectly (he hiked the Appalachian Trail and vlogged the whole thing. He literally disappeared into the woods with a camera and told everyone how he found himself lmao)

[@zaidlacksalastname4905]

7:49 "when the black hole becomes their north star" goes hard af

[@amanofnoreputation2164]

Shrek is a type four. His whole complex is that he can't have what he wants because he's an ogre and radically accepting that he's an ogre and everyone passes judgement on him keeps him from seeing that he passess judgement on other people as well and gives him an easy outlet for his pain. He finds company with his own lonliness. (Not to be comfused with seeking company with one's own solitude. That's a 9 thing.)

[@localscriptman]

You may have a good point there

[@clivah1499]

and he compares himself to an onion (stink) good point

[@benvel3392]

He is a big, green, abominable, ogre man. Good point.

[@shirendjorgee9320]

He also acts scary to the people on his swamp in a performative way. It’s like ‘well if people see me as a monster then I might as well give them what they want.’ It’s taking his pain of being ostracized and turning it into his identity. Like ‘Yes I’m a monster, and the fuck are you gonna do about it?’

[@beeboydraws9655]

@@shirendjorgee9320so wouldn’t nick wilder from zootopia also be a 4?

[@9nikola]

doofenshmirtz? The way he looks at his backstories and goes "this means I should be evil" and his whole arc is realising that he doesn't need to be evil?

[@thehuman2cs715]

He's widely recognized as a 4

[@9nikola]

@@thehuman2cs715 Good! thank you! I've only barely scratched the enneagram's surface so I'm just happy to have understood it well enough to place any character :D

[@heydiddlediddlethecatandth5251]

YOU'RE SO RIGHT HOLY SHIT

[@alfred8936]

Gonna borrow "just developing lore" next time I dramaticize my mundane problems to my remaining friends. Great video!

[@debrachambers1304]

"remaining" hahaha!

[@okasart]

Oops LOL

[@DarwinRoger893]

The pandemic was me developing lore. I think there was too much lore tho...

[@samm855]

Me as a 4 clicking on this video to be told I'm cool and quirky to feed my ego and instead got called a masochist

[@Aveilas11]

"Megamind is a 4" is not something I thought I would come away with from this video. Four fixations can also manifest in less brooding about pain and more thinking they're excluded from being like everyone else because of that pain. "Yes this is how everyone else is, but I'm DIFFERENT" can be both about good and bad things in life. That's why so many 4s fantasize about being great. It's not a 3 desire to be loved by the public as much as it is a belief they're excluded from the rules and woes of everyone else. "Becoming X is hard for YOU. I'm special and different though."

[@debrachambers1304]

"You laugh because I'm different. I laugh because you're all the same."

[@Frostbite08]

"I AM my flaws."- every 4.

[@nerocomicus3903]

"Thank you local script man" we all said in unison

[@Onezy05]

Hope you cover my type soon - type 0.

[@yeahaddigirl]

otherwise known as: type shit as in: that's some type shit type shit

[@Halberddent]

Does that make you a universal donor?

[@lynniavelitia]

Now that's epic writing, just creating a type 0 with something totally different. Maybe there could be negative types for each one.

[@St.Ellachick]

@@Halberddent Onlybif they're rh -

[@MrOtistetrax]

What comes after the decimal point?

[@ridney5887]

"and with your spirit": tone-deaf, boring, lands like a bag of gravel "and also with you": timeless, lyrical, a classic for a reason, a bop

[@localscriptman]

REAL

[@brycemurrin5130]

The old ways were musical in nature

[@uhwaykin]

TELL THEM

[@itsajem1683]

That’s what happens when you update to modern language 🙄 And with THY spirit

[@9nikola]

@@itsajem1683 that is also much more modern than the original

[@hazelthomas1146]

this video being dropped is my favorite occurrence of the day

[@Szystedt]

Facts!

[@SteveJubs]

On the enneagram, I’m a perfect 10.

[@apeculiaruser]

The gooner

[@Somefellowhumanbeing]

Oh nooo

[@chriswest8389]

I’m a 6…..I think. Lol.

[@w1ckedn0nsense34]

My best friend in the world is a type four, probably the most extremely on-the-nose type four I've ever met and they actually fit into the artsy stereotypes as well. In every social interaction, past trauma is brought up. Everyday that they come home from work, something horrifically terrible has happened to them. They dye their hair and talk loudly so that everyone (even strangers) can hear their opinions. They had a strict religious upbringing, so so much of their identity is based in opposition to that and in conflict with their parents. On a side note I'm a type 9 and I didn't realize that type type nines were so often mistaken as fours. But the whole "looking for a true friend" I relate to a lot. There's no point in trying to be anyone other than yourself because why would you want to attract friends or family that won't accept you for who you are? It's definitely for a different reason though, instead of a bombastic "here I am, deal with it!" It's more of a "here I am, what could I even do to change it?"

[@Scifi_Centaur]

Once I had an acquaintance who was half asleep on the couch suddenly sit up, point at me, and go "You're a 4". Having never heard of the eneagram before I was quite befuddled in the moment but was then told what it was. I went home, read the typing, and both felt incredibly insulted and understood at the same time lol. The part that hits the hardest is the "No one else can have your problem only you have this problem other wise it's not SPECIAL." Figuring out that I was coping with a lot of my stuff like this made me realize how incredibly stupid a point of few that is, and as a result I think was helpful in becoming more empathetic to other people who were going through similar things instead of being like "well actually my problem is worse because (fill in the blank)". Sad and tragic stories about yourself can be fun to tell, everyone likes a good story, but using them as a skeleton to frame your personality around just doesn't make for a very pleasant person, based on expierience

[@ursusludens7174]

Yay a new video, I can't wait till the playlist is complete so I can watch it a couple hudred times

[@onemoreminute0543]

Oh wow. That's really changed the way I view type 4. Might just be the most interesting enneagram type now imo.

[@hakunadamatta]

Yeah the generalization as “desiring uniqueness” never really compelled me but that Tyrion quote completely recontextualized what the 4 is really dealing with

[@rachelshepherd5721]

And every 4’s heart just grew 3 sizes, we adore being called interesting 😂

[@LighthoofDryden]

Me, a 3, dreading what’s coming to me, knowing that Lucas will be even more vicious and incisive with his own type

[@cam9913]

I love being read to filth. Great video btw

[@QueenSonoko]

Ive been told (by a friend who knows way more about the enneagram than me) that the "good damage" speech from bojack horseman is quintessential 4 behavior. The "all my suffering has to mean something" kinda attitude

[@cinnamons7298]

Jinx is a really good character with 4 struggles because it's really hard to just go back to normal after going through the experiences she has. For a person with such deep scars, what would the road to healing look like? How can you just be okay with being normal when all your life has affirmed the exact opposite? Really excited for the next season of arcane, because from the trailer it definitely seems like Fortiche has some form of recovery arc planned for Jinx.

[@dandelionthief3979]

So basically the 4s fear is "I suck and i cant get better" and so they use that fear as a shield and embrace the darkness and the 9s fear is "the *world* sucks and it won't get better" and they put on armour so they can survive the darkness Would you say?? I could see why people confuse them--similar circumstances, both very goth

[@localscriptman]

Yeah that’s a pretty good way of putting it!

[@NotEHcop]

@@localscriptman calm down partner. this is not a ! moment-

[@jolie7228]

@dandelion Thank you! Also it sounds like you just described the two types of good omens demons lol

[@Mariposa-rgb]

Also something I read, is that the Sexual type 4, instead of being the “masochist” 4, is the “sadistic” 4, and is the most angry and destructive type in the enneagram. In a way they are both sadist and masochist. They love the pain so by destroying everything and everyone around them that pain is justified. No surprise many villains fit this type.

[@vlc-cosplayer]

4's range from self-destruction (sp, so) to mutually-assured destruction (sx) 😆

[@hakunadamatta]

This channel always cuts through the bs and gets down to the stuff that matters, well done as usual glad I’m learning something unique from each of these videos

[@bunnyhopdotfbx]

As someone building a large cast of characters for future animations, these videos have been uncommonly helpful, thanks script dude 🙏🏽

[@pendragon8522]

From the sounds of it writing a tightly plotted story with a 4 as main protag sounds difficult. They'd make a fine antag or a colourful minor player on Team Protag, but basing a story on a 4 sounds like it is going to spend a fair chunk of time in the character's head while they're busy not being proactive. Whiny too... which lets some air out of the sympathy balloon. When you first started talking enneagrams months and months ago I have to say I was unconvinced at their use case, but this series is turning me into a believer. Good work, Lucas. Thank you.

[@pendragon8522]

@@Amiilunar I think anti-hero is something that can work for any number with the possible exceptions of 2s and 9s. With 4s though, the "acting out" is all based around their identity and related angst which to my mind strikes me as less proactive in a visual sense (ie cinematic) and you're going to have to spend a fair amount of time dealing with their identity shame and the related neuroses. JMHO. Probably lots of ways to skin that cat so have at 'er and best wishes. Keep on writin!

[@giasharie274]

Though I agree that 4s can make good antagonists and minor characters, I completely disagree that you have to spend a good time on the character’s head just for a 4 protagonist to work. If that was the case then Shrek wouldn’t exist. He *knows* he is an ogre and he fully embraces it, using other’s fear towards him as the shield to seclude himself and never change. It’s not until he encounters the 2 coded donkey that simply won’t leave him alone that he goes on a journey that ends up changing the way in which he ultimately perceives himself. Edit: and although yes you can make a good anti-hero as a type 4 (cue Megamind here), that’s not the *only* type of protagonist you can make that is 4 coded

[@spaghetto9836]

​@@pendragon8522This video focused mainly on the worst traits of 4's in stress (not that that's bad), but our heightened self-awareness to a fault can make us entertaining protagonists. Like Rue from Euphoria, or the MC of Inside Llewyn Davis (played by Oscar Isaac), or any protag who's the witty narrator of their story; we're so smart, yet we can't find a way to change our circumstance. And it's usually because we'd have to give up something fundamental to ourselves, which is what'd make us grow in the end. (See how I managed to romanticize that?) Having little agency as a MC isn't always bad, just like being flat; you just have to know what kind of story you're writing. Stories where the protag has little agency are usually those that have nonsense happening all around them that they must cope with, like Beau Is Afraid, & most other horror stories. To empathize with them, you'd have to make them the most relatively sane character in their world. That puts you in the shoes of a 4, bc you end up thinking "Wow, it must really suck to put up with these people everyday with no breaks, or anyone to give you one". Not to say we can't be proactive. Our goal just has to be _heavily_ identity-related, bc that's where our relentless determination shines. Like that manga with beautiful art, The Climber, where it's all about the guy finding his identity in an existential, self-indulgent, near self-harmful way that you're entranced by. Now if you meant "cinematic" in an action-oriented sense, this can still work in that genre. Not to call these protags 4's, but films like Boy Kills World & Hardcore Henry deal with inner monologues and no words at all from the MC respectively, as they're thrown into situations out of their control while being focused on a main goal. It's definitely an exercise to write a 4 as a compelling protagonist, as I struggle to myself. These are just my opinions, though.

[@fieldday4836]

These videos are some of the best content I've come across as a writer. I can't wait until this series is complete it's not only helping me write stronger characters but also helping me with figuring out what my narrative is actually about.

[@hacim42]

I really like the little characters for each type, I think it'd be cool to see a drawing with all 9 of em.

[@luridweekend]

The Twenty One Pilots lore feels very four coded. Tyler wove lore around his anxiety and even created an alternate identity that personified it: Blurryface. Then, once he actually started to feel better and his music reflected that, the fans tried to rope him back in to a dark headspace so they could keep seeing more of his pain. Instead, he's (likely) leaving the whole Blurryface identity behind him and starting something new.

[@noahcase7314]

My 4-ness demands I not be artistic, I must defy the stereotype.

[@legendlegendary1976]

😂😂😂

[@TheMightyKawama]

I'm not involved in writing but have friends who are and who often bounce ideas off me, thanks to your vids I actually can give them some worthwhile feedback more than just 'sounds cool, sounds bad' so cheers Lucas!

[@nahuelgalo2246]

Dude, this videos are a game changer. The system f*ing works. I have such a hard time making up characters because I don't get people. But this stuff just makes stuff click. I start not only understanding fiction better, but people better. I understand my girlfriend better, my mom, my friends. It helps me empathize in a way I couldn't before. Thank you so much for this incredibly useful tools! Can't wait to see the rest of them!

[@thesunthrone]

Yeah at first I was like "uhh numbers astrology, really?" but the way this subject is presented is top notch. No nonsense, no filler, all killer. Peak performance.

[@kujaneck]

I'm not fond of eneagram theories on people in the real world because I feel like everyone has most of them and there's very rare cases where someone is leaning towards a particular number. For writting characters though, it's amazing! Can't wait to dive into these vids thanks so much!

[@toddnichols6153]

And with this video, I have a complete enneagram playlist: 1-3 from Josh Keefe and 4-9 from Lucas. I can die happy now.

[@ilikemovies22]

I love Josh Keefe’s videos!

[@baqer7666]

Envy is the emotion/sin that's typically associated with 4's that I think is worth bringing up. The examples of the Grinch and the Joker as type 4's are great examples of this. Both characters look at all the happy people around them and are infuriated and go to actively sabotage their lives just to relieve their pain. 4's are the type of people who look at a happy couple and bemoan them for how shallow they are because in the back of their mind they know they're upset, but this angst translates into "These people must suck" instead of the reality of "I want what they have." This transformed envy is what leads to a lot of 4-coded behaviors/traits. They tend to identify with and amplify their suffering because it's what differentiates them from the happy people they hate. They're more likely to focus on injustice and obsess over it in a way that's focused on tearing others down rather than bring others up (ex. Joker). They're empathetic when it comes to other people talking about their pain and almost always identify with and as a victim as opposed. I'd say out of all of these the tendency towards a victim-complex is the most useful in distinguishing 4's. Not in distinguishing them against other ennea-types, but in distinguishing obvious 4's from weird 4-like creatures (sticking with the 6 splitting you could call these could be counterphobic 4's). 4's that believe themselves to be victims are obvious 4's, the Jokers, Grinchs etc. who you focused on in this video who fundamentally believe that they haven't done anything wrong. The ones who believe that their bad actions are justified and that put themselves in pain because they genuinely think it's more meaningful and fulfilling than plan happiness. But on the other hand, while normal 4's think "Pain is good and more meaningful than happiness," weird 4's think "It's good that I feel pain because I deserve it." They believe that they're fundamentally in the wrong, that they're not victims but aggressors who deserved to be punished, and so have taken the self-loathing train as far as it can go. I think these weird 4's are the reason there's as much confusion between 9's and 4's as there is. Because these weird 4's look and act a lot like 9's. If you believe that you're a bad person and also hate yourself, you're not going to act out on other people. You'll let them step over you because you don't think you deserve to counter their will. This is very similar to 9's behavior, but 9's don't believe they're bad people, they just don't have the energy or will to fight back. Weird 4's do have the energy, they have passion, it's just that a lot of that passion is stuffed into a super-ego that's constantly lambasting them for even thinking of fighting for as immoral a cause as themselves. While a 9 will numb themself and barely acknowledge when bad things happen around or to them, the weird 4 will amp them up in a similar way to a normal 4, but instead of acting out, they simply indulge in the pain. Anyways, if you have any better explanation for the weird 4 as some other type I'd be happy to hear it. I just felt that there's definitely a difference between people who identify with their flaws and think the world should be more like them and people who identify with their flaws and think they're forever stuck as horrible people.

[@alexlindstrom9971]

I've never seen anyone describe a weird 4. But it speaks to me because the bit of this video that didn't work for me is this notion that the 4 is certain of who they are and feels like a victim of a shitty world or whatever. No, I feel intense shame, generally, but otherwise identify with the four much more powerfully than the 9.

[@Attempt62]

Okay this weird 4 description is so so helpful for me. I genuinely have so little lasting hate or dislike of others and 'envy' seems so coded in the negative turned outward that that part of the 4 description has always been alienating for me... But allowing myself pain? Yes yes yes. Classic. Relatable. No problem at all. I see other people's good and I don't think I want it- because I can't have it. So I get sad. So I mourn when I see some great things. But I don't bring that towards other people, I just let that joy they have wash over me and swallow me up in a cavern of despair. Ah! Ok. Finally starting to get the envy thing. It's the lack of believing such good to be possible for me, and lack of negative outward feelings that always confused it for me.

[@Noelciaaa]

Can that "weird 4" be caused by having 1 as their fix?

[@YUR0ii]

i felt a little called out by the video but then i read this comment and now im crying i should probably finish that therapy intake form

[@YUR0ii]

i dont want to be the joker somebody help

[@isajohns8746]

Woof😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

[@localscriptman]

Bark bark

[@0rion5212]

I ain’t watched far enough to get this yet. Edit: Arf arf arf I still don’t get it.

[@dandelionthief3979]

@@0rion5212 I think they just mean "big sigh", either cuz they find the 4 type relatable, or just cuz the video is all about staring into the darkness and it's a little depressing--I think we all know people like this, and I think it's actually often easy to identify 4s because they WANT you to know!

[@algor000]

as a 4, i feel called out after watching this video lol fun fact: when i first learned about mbti, enneagram and stuff about personality types, i didn't like it. it felt like they were labels that simply put you in a box, and if i can be typed, then i'm not complicated and interesting enough (4 typa shit right) now i understand that different personality types actually are useful tools in understanding other people (and myself) and if anyone is wondering how 4s form throughout their life: if you can't fight suffering or run from it, you can simply accept it and learn how to live with it. you can integrate suffering into your personality and make it a part of your identity, so it won't be so scary and painful anymore and thank you localscriptman, i've been watching your videos for a year now and they really improved my understanding of writing💯💯🔥🙏

[@NotEHcop]

sigma moment

[@Noelciaaa]

Hmmm... that origin story you've written makes sense. Puts some things in perspective.

[@aephoes]

brosephony i am so stupidly obsessed w this series and im so close to fixating and learning everything abt ennagram stuff

[@BrianWendt]

Damn that's a fine ♥with a hole in it. One of your most evocative paint ups ever.

[@Thirdphp]

I've been waiting for a Type 4 vid from Josh Keefe for a long time now, and from YOU specially since you started the type 9. ITS FINALLY HERE LETS GO

[@devingallucci4829]

Feeling torn because I have the smug pride of being right than I'm definitely a 4, but also now I'm realizing the main character of my story isn't a 4 oop

[@starisrandom2016]

So what type is your character then? :0

[@devingallucci4829]

@starisrandom2016 probably a 9 :)

[@samgl7675]

I really think Zuko is a 4 with a strong 6 fix. His desire to gain Ozais approval feels more like search for identity. It seems like restoring this lacking " honour" is more about filling the void within, as opposed to trying to feel safe and secure, or belonging. I feel his anger and resentment toward Ozai is less about feeling unsafe or insecure and more to do with a wound to his self-worth? I also just dont see that heady anxiety or nervousness in him, hes very heart driven. Super passionate and vicerally intense. He definately struggles with trust, but his biggest issues are with himself, hes so angry at himself - he's pretty self obsessed in that way. He blames himself for not having what he lacks and works hard to try and get it (sp). I think that pivotal moment when he confronts his father is driven by an acceptance of his inner void and his drive to be true to himself, as opposed to simply wanting to be loyal to Iroh. His journey is soo internal. Ok lol I'm finally done, sorry it's so chaotic

[@LadyHecate-w5]

Bro no cap while I don't agree with everything you say you are one of THE BEST screenwriting channels in here. Appreciate it man.

[@flapdance]

I loved that you explained the type 4. There must be many movie makers that suffer from this defence mechanism.

[@cafers6607]

you have no idea how FAST I RUN everytime these video appear in my timeline

[@coffeefrog]

No wonder they’re so hard to write. 4s’ love of darkness and introspection twists them into pretzels of being aware of their own flaws and character arc while denying their humanity. They pursue sacrifice as a virtue unto itself, paradoxically making their sacrifices selfish. And they’re likely to use that selfishness as a reason to punish themselves further to advance their arc. They’re more likely to be aware of the stories they’re in, which ironically renders their decisions meaningless. Given that stories are about characters growing through the pain of overcoming a flaw that they deny, how do you depict a character who recognizes their flaws and craves that pain and to achieve meaning through it?

[@KathBorup]

Good point! Perhaps part of their journey is learning to be there for others. We can get very focused on our own struggles. If you give a 4 the role of supporting or helping someone else perhaps that would make them healthier!

[@vlc-cosplayer]

"They pursue sacrifice as a virtue unto itself" -- I told my mom "martyrdom is the most dignified death, you should be ready to die for your ideals, because if you aren't, then you're living life according to someone else's wishes" just 1-2 hours ago 💀

[@coffeefrog]

@@vlc-cosplayer Having the courage to die for a cause can be noble in certain cases but is heavily romanticized too, so we must be wary of how easily tempted we are by the glory of a political death. Martyrdom becomes selfish when it’s done to make yourself feel good as though your life has been meaningful and justified instead of when it’s actually done to effectively further the ideal. It can be used as a shortcut past the hard parts of life, an escape, a cheap and easy way to tell ourselves that we were greater than the people of lesser ambitions, and we might tell ourselves that they’ll be obliged to finally respect us then; however, the unromantic reality shows we can usually contribute more good to the world in the long run when we find the courage to take the hard road and live on. We often don’t appreciate how much courage people have to simply live. That, and we diminish our profound identities when we define ourselves by only one ideal in one scenario, because people like us care deeply about a lot of things and therefore have a lot of work to be done before we die. The world needs idealistic people like us in it.

[@spaghetto9836]

This. This here's the best description. Even more so than the video. Thanks for putting it so succinctly. ❤ Note: Do you think Deadpool is a 4..?

[@8pierrot89]

Is. Is Homura Akemi a 4

[@rayeiswriting4372]

As a 9 who thought I was a four because I do have a hard time finding identity, I appreciate this! I would love to deep dive into this. Because my version of 9 fantasizes about four-ness. I appreciate the identity through pain, I harbor resentment and want to be seen, but “on accident”. But the problem is that it all crumbles when there’s conflict or a disturbance in the force. If someone is in more pain than I am, I don’t ask them to “feel the pain, and to let it consume” them like it has consumed me. I want them to be better. I think I’m getting somewhere with this. I want to be the only person with pain and suffering because it’s much safer to me when I’m suffering and having the cool lore. But once others have it, I don’t like them having it. Especially if it makes them lash out, which is a big fear of mine. Then my type four family member resents me because I want to share the “suffering poet” space with them, but others like me more because I end up being a peacemaker and get the positive attention, where my 4’s get flack for being so negative.

[@ToqTheWise]

You make a good point about primary and secondary instincts. It’s sort of like how the primary instinct of a 5 is over identification with existential fear which in turn leads to the secondary instinct of forming a theory of everything. For me this was philosophy, psychology, and art. The primary instinct of a four is an over-identification with shame which leads to the secondary instinct of constructing a unique identity. I think my dad’s a four, a 4w3 to be exact, and he’s an interesting cause because he’s not a loud four. He’s not one of those “I’m broken and beautiful” fours. His identity rather mirrors that of a three. He wants to be successful, he wants to be one of these finance bros but privately he’s adopted the identity of someone who bad things just happen to. In his mind he’s someone who would be successful if it weren’t for the world fucking him over because Toddy is the perpetually persecuted victim. My sister is clearly a 3w2 and I don’t think she’d be able to live like this. If she encountered a setback, she’d work against it or find a way to avoid it next time. Because her validation comes from external success. She doesn’t want to feel like a piece of shit. But I feel like to some degree…my dad kind of does. Of course he’s not going to say that out loud because something like that is uncomfortable to admit, even to yourself. He doesn’t want to look directly into the blinding light of shame so he looks next to it by identifying as the guy who just can’t catch a break.

[@icyleamon]

Now that I think about it Bojack Horseman is clearly a four. He's wallowing in his misery for the durations of the whole series, he accepts how he is and shows all of his shit for everyone to see. His whole ark is understanding that he must and can change

[@itsajem1683]

“Before ‘and with your spirit’ dropped and went triple platinum” got me so good I had to rewind and make sure that was what you meant lmao

[@Official_Dingo_Dango]

Dude keep posting stuff like this you're helping a new generation of writers, I'm trying to learn as much as I can from your vids an some other creators to become a professional one day.

[@Minusoh]

Oh this has made it very clear to me that my current D&D character is a 4. Has developed physical monstrous traits, and so sees himself as nothing but. Has no dignity and encourages others to treat him the same. He's just an animal that can talk, is all. With this Enneagram stuff in mind it'll be interesting to think about how he'll bounce off the other player characters. Thanks for the upload 2 hours before game time!

[@ConnorJMiner]

ive waited years for the josh keefe type four video. this is even better.

[@MagikCat112]

I was outlining a character, and at first I thought he may be a 4, but after creating his backstory, I realized he is a 9. Your first video cemented my decision and provided some guidance for some of the details. So thanks!

[@rilohoneu6030]

"turns out he has the gay" lmfao dude you crack me up, while delivering quality information, love ya

[@evieyak]

ooo baby this is what i’ve been waitin for

[@JiveCinema]

Dammit localscriptman. These vids are genius. When You write the book make sure you yell at people in the book!! Make sure they pay attention. 🔥

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

I used to think Squidward Tennisballs was a type 4, but now that I see it, he's probably more of a type 3.

[@meat-circus]

This is definitely the one ive waited for the most. I went from not getting them at ALL to understanding it completely. Good good good series.

[@RooBearRay]

This video really called me out man I've been trying to put this into words for ages and you did it perfectly

[@stardra]

Each time one of these pop up I drop everything and watch it. So helpful for making characters, identifying what my current characters would type as and using these videos to help me make them have a more believable story and past.

[@SebaJK7]

I've been browsing through all of these and I'm starting to think my entire friendgroup struggles in the Heart cluster because "I'm not worthy of love" is the one common throughline that everyone keeps bringing up. Both dreading and looking forward to the 2 video because "I don't feel like I'm worth anything unless I'm making other people happy" has been my core problem for years now and that sounds like the closest fit I think.

[@2Navalie]

although im not a 4 myself this really helped solidify my struggle between 9 and 4! Im most definitely a 9. This helps a lot with developing my own characters of stories based on 4's, and help's see the true beauty of the enneagram 4 :)

[@notnt3401]

FitzChivalry Farseer from Robin Hobb's Farseer books is one of the best examples of a 4 in literature imo. He narrativizes and clings to his own suffering so much that his telepathically bonded wolf has to continually remind him to stop: "Leave off sniffing the carcass of your old life - do you enjoy unending pain? There is no shame in walking away from bones. Nor is there any special wisdom in injuring oneself over and over. What is your loyalty to that pain? To abandon it will not lessen you."

[@melonlord4396]

This is interesting, but I always thought of FitzChivalry as a 6. I see it as very similar to Zuko, being labelled as a 4 because of Vibes versus as a 6 because of his Character Arc as Local says. Given the themes of the original trilogy of loyalty and duty - always trying to find the correct cause or person to serve, and also what feels like a great deal of fear of the world around him, especially betrayal and losing the companions he cares for. I feel like his growth in the trilogy isn't so much from learning to be okay with not being okay - it seems more so to come in line with growing confidence in himself and learning to trust himself more versus the authority figures in his life. I haven't read beyond the first three books though, so maybe this changes in later arcs.

[@notnt3401]

​@@melonlord4396You could actually be right from a story PoV - there certainly are a lot of 6 themes present and inherent to a story centered around finding one's place in the world; which it is. (And it's been over a decade since I read the first trilogy.) I guess my major contention with a 6-typing is that the questions of loyalty, security and practical reality are things introduced to Fitz from external sources - it's something that characters like the Fool, Burrich and Chade have to remind him of, since by default he's too busy living in his own head and wallowing in his own deficiencies. Still, not necessarily opposed to it.

[@melonlord4396]

@@notnt3401 Fair point about them coming externally! I suppose his wallowing is dependent on which stage of the trilogy he is in. I think of moments in Book 2 where he is pretty excited to actively throw himself into his sailing under Verity etc, or moments before where following Chade gave him purpose. And in some ways, the fact they are external adds to the 6-ness too. In that when he loses a lot of his external supports in Book 3 he has to try (and often fail) to figure out what cause or purpose he should align himself too, regardless of what Chade or Burrich, or The Fool command of him. But him wallowing in his misery and wearing The Bastard on his sleeve is certainly a mainstay in the trilogy. I think a case can be built for both 4-ness and 6-ness! Thanks for this discussion - I've fallen in love with the original trilogy and am very excited to read the rest of the series. If its been 10 years and you can still remember characters and plot points this vividly it speaks to how good it is!

[@kendrixhavlik3051]

that said I think this is mostly correct, particularly about the masochism & the addiction to self-narrative. Another way to look at 4 is that it's all about symbolism, the self as a symbol. The grinch is a good example; Another one that isn't idealized or cool is Squidward from Spongebob. (and an example where it's fairly clear how his prentious self-narrative is ultmately just fantasy & cope to not do anything about his real life where he's no better than those he disdains)

[@quinnhost4341]

Damn, so that's why I always identified with Squidward even as a kid.

[@arcanewarrior863]

I think there's something you didn't mention about the 4, and why they identity so much with their flaws compared with other shame types. 2s and 3s goals are all based on external metrics, 2s by appreciation and 3s by success or popularity. The 4 is individualistic, their only metric is their own standards and personal ideals. Like the 9 they are an extremely idealistic type. However , while 9s idealise themselves and their world focusing on the similarities between their ideals and the world, 4s focus on their differences. Their shame doesn't just come from a lack of willingness to self improve, but it comes from a realisation that they can't live up to their own expectations, a lot like the rest of the world. The 4 is obsessed with beauty and ideas of morality, and will often choose to reflect these ideals artistically. Their obsession with uniqueness isn't just about romanticising their struggles, and i don't think a 4 "needs" to be different from the rest of the world, they just cant renouce their ideals that they identify with to fit in.

[@youcantbeatk7006]

This is me. I believe in a lot of traditionalist values as someone who grew up and was and still is abused in a liberal household however I can't live up to traditional standards of what I'm supposed to be. However I refuse to lower my standards because I still find it to be important that I improve myself. Rather than trying to conform to society to make myself comfortable, I conform to an imaginary societal system because I feel like that's just how things should be. "Be the change you want to see in the world," taken to its extreme. Only I just hate myself because I'm incapable of that despite my efforts. I just want to fight against the societal and cultural systems that create people like me.

[@kevinhu162]

I like that you settled into using the same outro music, this one's the vibe ~

[@catalystcomet]

I cannot express to you how much more complicated having a severe dissociative disorder makes piecing myself together. In regards to the enneagram, I look like an unfinished paint by numbers. Obligatory 'I have a therapist'.

[@TheRabbitPoet]

I find it funny that you mention nines and fours get mixed up a lot, as I can relate a lot to both fixations

[@TheRabbitPoet]

then again, I guess I just misunderstood the 9 complex. In a now deleted comment on the 9 video I mentioned the black parade and what I think it's about now that I'm more informed I realize that almost every song in the album is 4 coded

[@hannahmiller4663]

This has convinced me I am a four, and I dont know anything about ennegram yet. It hit when you said something about solving a self esteem issue by denying self esteem, and when you described the moment in lady bird where she wasn't as dark as she thought and asked why not listen to happier music was also something I came to the conclusion to.

[@beef3099]

YIPPEE! NEW VIDEO! been binging your videos for about a week now and I just wanna say thank you for the writing advice. while I am looking to go into a very different field of storytelling (comics and/or video games), the way you approach everything has really helped me make those ideas more achievable and “writeable” as actual stories. thanks for your work man 🫡

[@dianamarcu8939]

despite the “you are not a 4”, ngl, i’m pretty sure i still am one haha. i adore this series, thank you so much for making it. now i rly wanna make a 4 villain

[@genekay5940]

I’m gonna isolate myself I’m such scourge, there everyone is blocked, okay now what perfect person is going to come into my life that’ll see me in all my messy glory. But no one comes because you’ve made yourself unapproachable and if anyone talks to you you hide behind a tortured personality, and create a cycle of feeling rejected by not being your real self when forming relationships. I hate this ride

[@StorybyAtK]

I am so glad you embraced "Network"

[@farisweiss2373]

Love how you got to the 4 video before Josh did But yea nice video! It's nice to see my special interest be treated with genuine respect and care, and it's nice!

[@panicathedogpark]

Upon rotating this video in my mind periodically over the past few weeks, I’ve decided Goob/Bowler Hat Guy from Meet the Robinsons is a 4. “Hey Goob, what’s up? Cool binder! Wanna come over to my house today? :)” “They all HATED me >:(“ Also Wirt from Over the Garden Wall. Just a kid STEEPED in teenage angst for the sake of it.

[@mvddoxeatsbugs]

the quote “a child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth” is big 4 energy i’m starting to realize

[@axolotlinabucket1287]

how? it feel more like a four will stick close to the village build a wizard's tower at the edge of it and wallow in being this hermit "people misunderstood" while not actually being that much of a shut in and go around casting spells close enough to the village so people will see him

[@vlc-cosplayer]

@@axolotlinabucket1287 "if I can't be happy, then no one can" is 4's at their worst (best 👀)

[@Quadrilli0n]

Not really

[@Noelciaaa]

Nah that sounds like a 6 storyline

[@userdata9511]

I’ve always just assumed the Joker 7 typing all came from the comics or other continuity, which kind of made sense to me when thinking of The Joker in an abstract sense. Even though I haven’t actually read the comics.

[@MisterDillPickle]

diane from bojack horseman is literally a four arc, saying something along the lines of "if I can't turn my trauma into something, what good is it?" and then learns to just accept her trauma as is and do other things instead

[@_NobodySpecial_]

I relate to 9 5 and 4 the most, in that order. I dont identity with any one of them really but these videos are definitely gonna help me write arcs for my dnd characters.

[@_NobodySpecial_]

"4s must let go of their Shame bound masochistic identity and allow a new self, a healthier self to come into the picture" this resonates, I'm a 9 mostly though, I can handle just about any suffering and be good to keep going until I reach a quiet place to rest and start thinking too much about how bad everything is and how bad my life is. Then I take those issues I have and try and fix them or make them a non issue in the future. I overprepare myself because the fear of being found lacking sucks, 5, I suck at actually handling the situation so I just get used to the suffering and try to find a position to hold that hurts the least, 9, I hold the suffering as a part of my identity and struggle with active change because im afraid that there's nothing left to me but the bad shit and I leave paragraphs on youtube comment sections venting about everything but refuse to do any of the actual actionable steps to remedy my situation, 4. My characters with dnd were always self inserts with a few changes and it was difficult to play outside of my comfort zone, now I can make completely different people who I can relate to on a story level and play in a different way.

[@asheyoclm1127]

6:38 you’re a real one for that ☝️

[@spaceshipdreamer]

what is he referring to?

[@hammieli1875]

@@spaceshipdreamerSometime in the 2010s the church changed the response to “The Lord be With You” from and “And Also with you” to “And with your spirit”

[@domi6026]

I don’t get how people misconstrued this into a personality type test, because since discovering the enneagram through these videos, every single video has made me think “Oh I’m familiar with this problem”

[@starisrandom2016]

Simple, for me I relate to a lot of them but one of the types is my life's story. An eternal struggle.

[@Noelciaaa]

Same story as always: profit. People love personality types and so someone eventually had "marketed" it as such

[@hmm_yes_art]

Oh big dawg, just last night in my chamber while I was patiently awaiting for this video to drop I was reading through that EXACT 9 x 4 mistyping article you mentioned in the vid (the tab is literally still opened because I didn't have the time to get through it all). I've been told by multiple people within the past few years since learning abt the enneagram that I'm either a 9 or a 4, but never really understood why? And low key still don't tbh bc the 9 part makes sense to me for the most part, but the presentation of 4 descriptions has always thrown me off. But between the articles and the absolute heat spat in the vid I've def got a bit more of a solid foundation to work off of. Thank you local script man, very cool.

[@ridgy1461]

Would Jinx from Arcane be a four then? As a kid she experiences clear struggles with her own worth that have uh, consequences, and the key moment in her season 1 arc is her literally choosing to identify as a "jinx", as someone who can only bring death and destruction to everything around her. Silco's last line to her is a pretty solid representation of the 4 tragedy, where her over-identification with her terribleness is affirmed as being "perfect".

[@briarsrabbits9470]

My antagonists whos whole thing is "The world and people are terrible, and I will do terrible horrible things if it means the world can be a little bit better." Never would have pegged him as a 4 before this. His black hole absolutely became his north star. In the end, hes still saying things like "If people seeing me in prison will make them feel better, sure, just let me [goal]" which is still naritiveizing himself like you said 4s do. I wonder how I can make his arc more satisfying with this information youve given me...

[@justiceiria869]

I think he needs to learn to recognise the his own hubris and come to understand that the world isn't as bad as he perceives it to be. If the world and the people are horrible, than there needs to be a way to identify the source of the problems. Your character would need to recognise how his actions will end up promoting the problems how want to fight agains't. He might need to face the consequences of how his actions end up causing problems to others rather than himself. That is my 2 cents.

[@lisazoria2709]

Sounds like he could also be a dark One, maybe? 🤔 Unhealthy Ones can give into their rage and darkness in self righteous ways which may look similar to a four. They'll be willing to walk a destructive path and make great sacrifices to create what they see as a"better world". Type one disintegrates into type 4 in the enneagram.

[@debrachambers1304]

There's a certain character archetype that I've noticed has a 4-7 polarity. Sometimes they try to act like everything's all good, they don't care about anything, and other times they act all depressed and shit but think they're better for their pain, they have it because they're smarter/they see the truth. Ex: Gregory House, Rick Sanchez, Bojack Horseman

[@inxinfate]

thats so interesting lmao cuz my two highest types are 7 and 4 and i just constantly switch between these two mindsets

[@debrachambers1304]

@@inxinfate I think both types tend to fetishize specialness, and have an especially strong aversion to boredom.

[@inxinfate]

@@debrachambers1304 yes, this is true. though for me a huge part of it is adhd and autism, i need constant stimulation and i feel different by default even though im not really that different. the lines become quite blurry for me if the 7 and 4 aspects of my personality are even to do with my personality or because of my disorders, but maybe they are the same thing. who knows.

[@debrachambers1304]

@@inxinfate I don't think having disorders says anything about whether your traits indicate a type or not. It doesn't make sense to me that once you have enough traits which are severe enough to qualify for the label of a disorder, they count less towards your personality type.

[@inxinfate]

@@debrachambers1304 i got no idea, i just think its interesting. in my opinion i think the disorders i have are just normal personality traits and behaviours ramped up to a debilitating degree, so it still says something about my type.

[@c1975stark]

Oh man I thought I was a four, now I've reconsidered.

[@groshek4820]

Ho-ly smokes! Thank you! After this I'm reassured of being a 4. This video was very eye-opening still with the whole "why" of the type. Tyrion Lannister is probably one of my favourite if not the favourite character in all of fiction. Always had a problem with his typing though. People type him as 7 and I always kinda just accepted it for the vibes yet it irked me. He's a 4! Now everything makes sense. Also might be why I relate to him so much😅. The first 4 seasons of GoT really show his long negative 4 arc with him fully embracing his inner darkness during the trial. "I wish I was the monster you think I am." And he's swallowed by that black hole when he decides to murder Shae and Tywin.

[@gctypo2838]

Sounds like Caleb Widogast has this one. Not because he's dark and brooding (though he's definitely that), but because his growth comes in being okay with becoming okay. Listen to how he constantly describes himself as "a terrible person", how Cad talks to him about growth even in spite of the pain - his flaw is in believing himself to be unfixable, and his arc is in realizing he is worthy of kindness.

[@Wolfe324]

Fours are Stan Marsh hanging with the goth kids from south park

[@horchatatee5407]

I fucking hate this video because I have a friend who's really into the enneagram and he always said I was a four and I was like "no, impossible" because I always identified more with the problems of 1s and 9s and the whole gut thing and found the idea and the whole vibe associated with fours incredibly insulting and annoying. But I think I finally understand where he was coming from and I hate he was fucking right. I love my pain because I'm used to it, it's so familiar. and though I've done so much to improve and my life and the way I deal with things HAS improved. I still feel so stuck and it's that! I believe deeply, that there is something broken in me that cannot be fixed no matter what. That I will always be broken despite any efforts to mend myself and that anyone who sees any good in me just hasn't realized that or is misguided somehow. Ieven feel guilty because I think I am deceiving them somehow. But the real thing that's deeply wrong with me is that I full-heartedly, witll all my soul, with all my body BELIEVE that there is something deeply wrong with me. I AM BEING DECEITFUL BUT TOWARDS MYSELF! I know on some level that there's not more wrong with me than there is with the average person. But this idea that there is, is comforting in some way. It allows me to accept and justify any abuse I'm given by others and by myself. It lets me stay stuck in ways I don't like because I think it's hopeless to try to change them. It allows me to become complacent with things I don't like, because it's more comfortable to just accept things than say "no, I don't like this about this situation, I will be vocal about that and find what I need in it or out of it" "No I don't like this behavior of mine, I will spend time and effort to change it". Thank you. I'm here because I like writing, but this has given me so much more this time.

[@youcantbeatk7006]

I'm a similar way but I'd never say I'm "in love with my own pain." I despise my pain like anyone else, and I still try and fail to move away from it. I've also mostly moved past the phase of justifying abuse towards myself, but I'm also not in the financial or social position to stop it outright or at least reduce it to a manageable level so I'm still suffering, and I'm just mostly kind of over life at this point.

[@ZXNovaBoom]

All of this basically confirms what I've always felt about the 4: They're too dang confusing. As a 9 myself I've always felt that the 4 was kind of like a dire opposite to the 9, though that is probably not true at all. But man, they're just so confusing. I really don't get it. It's hard to know when you see it. Why do 4s gotta be so complicated? I just have difficulty wrapping my head around 4'ness ya know. But you saying "Emotional Masochism" did help a bit with understanding them.

[@HugaMoga]

i'm a 9 as well and i also find 4s incredibly confusing 🙋‍♀

[@starisrandom2016]

Me three. My friend is a type 4 and I'm constantly perplexed at her way of operating in the world. It's so specific and pointed on herself.

[@solanumlycopersicum5594]

The roleplaying game Vampire The Masquerade seems heavily 4-coded. There basically is mechanics for coping with being a Vampire, and embracing your humanity. If you cope badly, you descend into a self-destructive spiral, and the cursed nature of the vampire wins. Now, there are antagonist vampires, who even lean into the spiraling, and turn this mechanic around. They become more stable by following a completely different morality, and identifying with villainy.

[@NijiKonohana]

Thanks for this video. I commented on the previous video that I was looking forward to this one because Type 4 was the one I understood the least... And a big part of that was due to what you mentioned: people kept mistyping themselves or others as 4. I can see why they would, as 4s seem to have a quality that almost everyone likes to romanticise, but that just distracts people from the core of what makes someone a 4. It also frustrates me when whenever I seek materials about 4s, people kept talking about their "artistic side" and alluding to art, almost as though that's all a 4 does. But that's just a product of them being a 4, not what MAKES them a 4. Anyways, thanks again for the video. Can't wait to see the completion of this series. I'm wondering if you would delve deeper into how each type interact with each other in fiction? Like how 7s and 1s tend to be paired together, for example.

[@David-jw1xs]

I’ve been writing a character who believes that he is weak and the world is cruel, so he gets into a relationship with someone who he wants to hurt him, which would affirm his beliefs. So I’m pretty sure he’s a 4. I tried looking up the enneagram, and I couldn’t figure out 4 until this video, so thanks :)

[@pushumonster]

Now I'm very curious of your take on whether someone can actually heal from their enneagram, and in that case what happens next. Like, do you live happy ever after ? Do you have to keep your type in check forever to make sure it doesn't come back ? Does your next biggest fixation become the new type so you can take care of more bs ? Do you "move" in the direction of growth (a 4 learns 1's coping mechanisms and should now deal with 1 problems by learning 7's coping mechanisms...) ? Great series by the way

[@myles7022]

Love this series. Always an immediate watch.