*SIGH* Counterphobic 6 AGAIN

You're probably sick to death about hearing about Counterphobic 6s. But, I have something I want to say about it

A lot of people have adopted the stance of "There's no such thing as a counterphobic 6, it's a spectrum, with all 6s having counterphobic tendencies and phobic tendencies." I think, in a certain respect it's true. But in another, it's wrong.

My guess is that the interpretation of Counterphobic 6s are that they run to danger. When they're afraid, they face down what they're afraid of. And most 6s who read that think "Ok, I do that sometimes, I must be kind of a counterphobic 6 sometimes." And then the spectrum idea comes on, which is that all 6s are counterphobic in some areas and phobic in others.

I'd also guess that a few more issues going on are:

- People find the subtypes too rigid
- The descriptions of 6s are often demeaning and uncomfortable to read. So the lure of being a counterphobic 6 some of the time is attractive
- There's a general atmosphere online about taking down boundaries and walls and making things more flexible. And that's being applied to the Enneagram community

But even with all that in mind, I disagree with this stance that it's a spectrum. Because the counterphobic 6 isn't someone who "runs at danger" or is "brave". The counterphobic 6 is about control.

The counterphobic 6 is defending himself from the temptation to surrender just as violently or aggressively as they are specifically counter phobic. Which means the conflict isn't just about fight/flight, but fight/surrender.

Going along with this is a deep insecurity about how weak they are within themselves, which will be evidenced (to themselves) by whether they back down or not. So backing down becomes the enemy

The CP6 deals with doubt and insecurity by adopting an excessive certainty, and refusal to "give in" to the temptation to not believe in whatever he has doubts about.

This is the 6 that is specifically interested in being in charge. Rather than submitting to authority, they want to be the authority.

(This isn't the same thing as being a rebel, or not doing what you're told. No one, as far as I'm aware, like's being commanded, and most 6s are capable of rebelling against whatever they don't want to do. I'm talking about the need to push yourself forward as the Leader wherever you are almost compulsively, as a coping strategy)

The counterphobic 6 almost certainly competed against their parental authority as a child/teenager. Again, not rebelling, (most teenagers rebel, and then leave if things get too stiffling). The CP6 stays, and competes for the authority over the home, fighting for control over the decision making for the home at large, if they feel threatened by their parent. Usually later in life, they find security, peace, and the ability to get what he/she wants by being in charge

To quote Naranjo:

"To the extent that competitive usurpation is involved, there is guilt, fear of retaliation, and a perpetuation of paranoid insecurity. Belonging in this category are, aside from the denouncing of authority and the competitive wish to stand in the place of authority, "argumentativeness," "criticality," "skepticism," and "cynicism."

And, another quote from Richard Rohr (and just to be clear, I don't think CP6 = Sociopath):

"The counterphobic 6 is scared to death of reality. You can normally see it in their eyes. What they do is, when they're afraid of something, they move into it and take absolute control over it."

So, to sum up: Counterphobic 6s are brave, but that's not what counterphobia is about.
- Counterphobia isn't running at your fear, it's taking control of it.
- Counterphobia is about control issues, deep uncertainty.
- Counterphobia is pushing for yourself as the authority to take away the power of those above you because you don't feel safe otherwise
- Counterphobia is refusing doubt, and in extreme cases, scapegoating and projecting your fears onto something external, which you can make into the enemy, and thus overcome