It seems like SO MANY PEOPLE are quick to type one of their parents (usually their dad) as an 8 (myself included here). But considering that 8s are usually considered to be rather rare, it just seems like there must be something else going on here.

Here’s some theories I think could better explain. I’d love to hear yours.

1) Boomer’s expression of masculinity looks the most like an 8, and involves a lot of repression of anything that doesn’t fit the masculinity model perfectly (true type).

2) Most people who are interested in the enneagram are a bit more on the sensitive side, and may have clashed hard with their Boomer dads who didn’t offer much in the way of emotional nurturing, so equate them as 8s.

3) Enneagram bias seems to often be ‘they’re a jerk- they must be an 8’ when in reality, there’s all types of jerks.

4) There really IS a generational shift in enneagram types and a lot of our dads are 8s.