Since discovering Enneagram last year, I have become obsessed with the personality model. For me, learning more about my type has led to massive amounts of personal growth. But now and again, I like to simply have fun with the enneagram and the types. I have a pretty good view of each type and I couldn't help myself from wondering what vibes different cities in the United States gave off. Here is what I came up with:
1 - The Reformer as Philadelphia
Photo by Gibson Hurst™ on Unsplash
Type One is described as principled, purposeful, self controlled, and perfectionistic. When I think of the city of Brotherly Love, I tend to imagine the deep history and the roots of our country's founding. The forming of the United States' constitution puts me in mind of the principled and purposeful qualities of the one.
2 - The Helper as Denver
Photo by Cassie Gallegos on Unsplash
Type Two was difficult for me to decide on. Eventually I thought Denver fit best, I imagine the city as a inviting and non-judging community that falls in line with the two traits of being demonstrative, generous, and people-pleasing.
3 - The Achiever as New York City
Photo by Jonathan Riley on Unsplash
New York City is a highly dynamic place, but the most common characteristics I think of NYC as are shared with that of the Type Three: success oriented, adaptive, driven, image conscious.
4 - The Individualist as Seattle
When I think of Seattle I think of rain, and being withdrawn from the rest of the country. Type Fours, know for being melancholic, sensitive, expressive, self-absorbed is the perfect fit for the Rainy City.
5 - The Investigator as Boston
Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash
Type Five is described as perceptive, innovative, secretive, isolated. Boston evokes feelings of independence and intuition, much as the five, and can seem standoffish at times.
6 - The Loyalist as Chicago
Photo by Pedro Lastra on Unsplash
Chicago seems to be a great representative of the Midwest and shares many commonalities with the Type Six, such as "engaging, responsible, hard-working, trustworthy."
7 - The Enthusiast as San Antonio
Photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash
Admittedly, I don't know much about San Antonio, but when I think of this city I imagine a vibrant cultural center. This idea seems to fit best with the Type Seven that is known as spontaneous, versatile, distractible, and scattered.
8 - The Challenger as San Francisco
Photo by Jack Finnigan on Unsplash
San Francisco was an easy choice for me. This city feels prideful and bodacious and immediately made me think of the self-confident, willful, decisive, and confrontational Type Eights.
9 - The Peacemaker as Los Angeles
Photo by Sterling Davis on Unsplash
When I think of Los Angeles I imagine easy-going surfers, and that relaxed California state of mind. This is why I chose LA as the receptive, reassuring, agreeable, and complacent representative of the Type Nine.
Cities are not people, but just as people, cannot fully be defined by a number. There is more growth and depth for all of us than one label, and more qualities that others may not always see. These were just how I view each city and enneagram type, but as always, there is more than meets the eye.