Although there is the question of the Enneagram symbol and types misleading christians in their search for spiritual direction, misuse of the enneatypes in other ways is a trap that can easily be wandered into. I'd like to explore a few of those dangers I've seen over the years.

Stereotyping

The obvious dangers of stereotyping with the enneatypes comes about when someone studying or using the system attributes characteristics to a person just because they are a certain enneatype. Here are some of the assumptions that could be a problem:

• The assumption that a particular enneatype characteristic applies to every person identified as that type - would you want someone trying to tell you who you are without actually taking the time to know you?
• The assumption that a person has been typed accurately - how would you be treated if someone thought you were someone that you're not?
• The assumption that a person is limited by their enneatype - would you feel comfortable being screened from a job based solely on your enneatype?
• The assumption that the enneatype system is absolute and complete - even the so-called experts can't agree on the enneatypes of famous people.

The assumptions above were based on how others look at us, but what about how a stereotype affects how we look at ourselves? What can happen if we identify too closely with our enneatype?

• Using your enneatype as an excuse - I can't help being that way because I'm a {insert enneatype here}.
• Trying not to be your enneatype - I have to try not to be a {insert enneatype here} because that's my path to health. (What about stereotype threat?)
• Enneatype as a self-fulfilling prophecy - you begin seeing certain characteristics in yourself that weren't recognizable before perhaps because they weren't there.
• Working on issues based solely on your enneatype -
  • what if you've been typed wrong?
  • what if those issues are not yours but a generalized list for a stereotype?
  • what do these people offering these lists of issues really know?
  • what if working on these issues does more harm than good?

Accuracy of the System

Let's face it, the enneatypes are an interpretive system not an absolute one. Every person has a different interpretation of the enneatypes - sometimes these differences are subtle distinctions, sometimes not. Authors don't agree on the enneatypes of famous people. Ad-hoc adjustments to the system add another layer of interpretation (i.e., wings, subtypes, variants, stress points, directions of integration, trifixes, tritypes, etc.). So when two or more people are talking about a particular enneatype, are they even talking about the same thing?

It's difficult to debate the accuracy of the system, especially when we don't even know who's system we're talking about.

As a side note to this article: Here's an article that I wrote about overcoming your fixations of attention or compulsions of behavior - if that's your interest in the system.