Social 2 In Detail

Pride in the Social Sphere

Once the social instinct meets the Pride of a 2, it transforms said pride into someone who is often referred to as a social climber. Pride here takes form as feeling worthwhile when achieving a position they are after. They are the coldest and most intellectual 2, as to go out and conquer you need to know how to use your mind, for this reason they like to be seen as people of reference. Because of this, their seduction comes from the intellectual, they are also very efficient in working with people, being great with networking and interacting in the social sphere. Often a social 2 lacks a figure to look up to, and because of this they want to become that figure, going from a lonely child to a parent of everyone. They are also often counter-dependent, meaning rather than being dependent on others and acting the way the other wants them to, they are the ones to push others into playing the court for them, though often there is a person in the SO2s life who they are dependent upon, whether they can admit it consciously or not. They treat themselves as above others and this can manifest as both selfishness for status or a savior complex.

Ichazo titled SO2 "Ambition", it was linked to a prideful individual who exceeds at climbing the social or business ladder^[1], an importance and superiority that are nurtured by leadership.^[2] Naranjo defined it as someone whose pride translates into ambition and social seduction^[2], the most intellectual and emotionally cold among the 2s, someone who couldn't be considered "a silly blonde".^[3]

Claudio Naranjo's Social 2 Description^[3]

Social E2: The one chosen by the gods. Ambition.

I often have long conversations all by myself, and I am so clever that I sometimes don't understand a single word of what I am saying.
Oscar Wilde

The social E2s are noted for their ambition to be in everyone's hearts and to be publicly recognized as people of reference. They seek attention directly and confuse being taken into consideration with being loved. They may act in a provocative or unfriendly manner so as not to be ignored. Or marry influential people and focus their energies on the couple's goals, raising their children to succeed in this world. Mother models and competent wives are common in this character close to E3 and E1.

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
Oscar Wilde

The social instinct of the E2 is expressed in the motto “I am a friend of everyone.” There is a powerful desire to be valued by all the people in their social sphere. They enjoy introducing people and organizing meetings at home. They are very efficient at making themselves necessary and experts at creating networks; today they could be called influencers. The others are surprised at how they treat almost everyone, from the cleaning staff to the manager they don't know at all, with a close familiarity that makes them trustworthy. Another motto applicable to this subtype is “information is power,” and they make it their own from childhood.

They enjoy putting themselves in the center of attention in the social sphere, and have a great need to be remembered, fearing going unnoticed or feeling excluded. They become intimate with valued people in the group, to the point of being indispensable support. If they feel insecure about their power of social fascination, they cultivate new skills. They try to impress by giving advice; spiritual, financial, medical... or with allusions to important people as if they knew them intimately. This puts them in trouble, because the desire for it to be known that they are friends of VIPs can lead them to be indiscreet and reveal confidences.

Social E2s who are more trapped in their character structure can frustrate their loved ones by being scattered, having such a wide range of contacts, and not really paying attention to anyone. They are paternalistic and like to do favors, but making it very clear to the other person everything they have done for them. “What would you do without me?” They are the classic accomplice who covers up the misdeeds of an important person so that they feel indebted.

Social E2: A Conqueror Of Groups

On the first pages there are comments from various characters who are already giving an idea that Julius Caesar provokes very polarized opinions: “I am amazed that a man with such a weak constitution can march at the head of the majestic world and carry the palm alone.” “...a man who in personal worth is no stronger than you and me, and yet has grown prodigiously and is as terrifying as those strange upheavals.” “I saw Marco Antonio offer him a crown—although it was not a crown either, but a kind of crown—and, as I was saying, he pushed it away once, but, despite everything, I think he would have liked to have it. Then he offered it to him again, he rejected it again, but I think it was too heavy for him to withdraw his fingers from it... And then he offered it to him for the third time; for the third time he pushed it away from him.”

There is a mixture of fear, even hatred, and admiration for Julius Caesar: “... who would otherwise rise above the sight of men and plunge us all into servile awe?” “He walks around the world, which seems narrow to him…” “...what food does this Caesar of ours feed on, who has become so great?” “That already happens in Rome, truly, and there is plenty of space when there is only one man in it!” “Say that you feared Caesar, that you revered and loved him.”

Caesar transmits such a sensation of greatness that others feel small before such a character, who seems to be governed by other rules that go beyond human ones: “Yesterday still, the word of Caesar would have been able to face the universe.”

Caesar is oblivious to emotions that concern men and boasts of the strength of his character. Thus, he denies feeling afraid: “Such men never calm down while they see someone greater than themselves, and they are, therefore, extremely dangerous. I tell you rather what is to fear than what I fear, since I am always Caesar.” “The dangers that have threatened me have never looked but my back! When they saw Caesar's face they vanished!” And he even says he is amazed at fear: “Cowards die several times before expiring. The brave never taste death but once! Of all the marvels that I have heard, the one that most astonishes me is that men are afraid!”

Fierce and powerful, he stands at the top of the danger scale: “Therefore, oh gods, you turn the weak into the strongest.” “Too knows the danger that Caesar is more fearsome than he! We are two lions born on the same day, but I came first and I am more terrifying!” And he looks so powerful that he shies away from diplomacy. “Caesar sent a lie? Have I extended the conquests of my arm so far that I dare not tell a few old men the truth? Decius, go and communicate that Caesar will not go!” “Do not delude yourself that Caesar has such rebellious blood that he can change its true quality with what makes a fool throb, that is, with sweet words, with humiliating bowing bows and low servile flattery.”

All this to finally explain with crystal clarity how he understands that the world works: “The cause is my will.” His lack of humility may be a result of his rapid rise to power: “To tell the truth, I have never seen Caesar's passions dominate more than his reason; but it is well known that humility is a ladder for incipient ambition, from which the climber turns his face; who, once on the highest rung, then turns his back on the ladder, tends his eyes to the clouds and disdains the humble steps that raised him up.”

Compassion is, of course, the most absent quality, almost non-existent in Caesar: “The abuse of greatness comes when clemency is separated from power.” “I could soften if I were like you! If I could lower myself to beg, the prayers would move me, but I am constant like the pole star, which due to its fixity and immobility has no resemblance to any other in the firmament. Glazed are the heavens with innumerable sparks, all fiery and all glowing, but among them only one holds its place! This is how it is in the world: it is populated by men, and men are made up of flesh and blood and enjoy intelligence. And yet, I know of only one of them all who remains at his post, unyielding under pressure. And that this is me I will prove it in the following way!, [refusing a pardon, which represents his last act before being assassinated].”

Social E2 tends to stand out comparatively in a group based on the first impression it makes. However, it is quite common that, in a second impression, alarm bells go off around you, especially if you communicate what you think and if you start to observe people with your inquisitive gaze, or if you rebuke them with some uncomfortable question. In order to demonstrate his superiority, he will not waste an opportunity to show that he is on another level.

The social E2 is surrounded by a fueled fame, often fueled by himself and sometimes also by others, who attribute to him qualities that he may even possess, but magnified, as if meeting such an interesting person, as can be presented in sometimes how a social E2 somehow gave some benefit to his interlocutor.

It is not surprising that, as you progress in dealing with social E2, the people around you notice your arrogance and lack of kindness and empathy towards those you do not consider at your level. The social E2 divides the world between intelligent, effective, successful, powerful, strong, famous... and the others: the stupid, the slow, heavy, unsuccessful, complaining, weak, simple; placing himself, obviously, among the first.

The polarity that surrounds the social E2 transits between admiration and rejection, it is quite common that in its most intimate circle it is considered in high esteem, in fact, the people close to it also consider themselves privileged to belong to their circle, in a feedback of mutual importance. As the circle of relationships increases, his slights and put-downs are often less overlooked. It is as if with the intimate ones he had reached a tacit agreement of mutual acceptance with what is there. But this becomes very difficult to sustain in a larger circle due to the high level of intensity that relationships with the social E2 acquire.

It is important for the social E2 not to be in evidence below others, admitting to take charge of something that others despise. Only in the event that it is to save someone in trouble, he will not waste time, nor will he run the risk of inspiring pity.

The social E2 is not interested in liking anyone. If you receive negative feedback from third parties, it does not affect or reflect it; he feels so powerful that he manages to make himself immune to criticism. Along these same lines, you will have no qualms about making probing critiques before an audience about people, happenings, organizations, events, and any noteworthy occurrence. He boasts of not being false, of not hiding what he thinks.

The social E2 values ​​beauty and elegance as an element of prestige, his appreciation for the aesthetic results in the harmony of opulent environments, which he despises if they do not accept him. It is as if his opinion were conditioned by a prior acceptance of his criticism: he feels entitled to criticize everything, even what is close to perfect.

The way to discriminate against people for social E2 does not necessarily involve wealth, but rather intelligence. If a person does not emanate intelligence from his speech, his physical appearance, his presence, his knowing how to be, will be completely discarded. He prefers a poor intellect rather than a rich fool. His attitude is usually despotic, arrogant, and tyrannical.

E2 Social – Ambition

In the social two, the passion of pride manifests itself as a satisfaction in the conquest of the public.

To awaken a great passion you may not need to develop much intelligence, or pretend it, but a social two could never be enough to be considered a dumb blonde. A social two needs to be someone, and in order to be someone you need to use your mind more. Being a person who wants to be important to be able to feed his pride, he must be able to seduce the social environment, becoming a seducer of groups, a distinguished being and, perhaps, not only someone superior, but with a gift of leadership.

Ichazo spoke of ambition, but we could say that it is a passion to be in a certain sense above; and through such being above, having influence and having advantages. This is the type of person who presents himself to the world as great or important, unlike the sexual E2, who is mainly interested in being important to his partner, or the conservation type, which, as we will see, is a counter-two.

Cold

Within E2, who is the most emotional type, this is the least so among the three subtypes. If the defense mechanism of the E2 is repression, which turns unconscious the thoughts, cravings, and necessities regarded as unacceptable, in the social E2 this strategy leads to an almost complete cooling of emotions. There are times in which, faced with a significantly painful happening, he “freezes” and loses contact with part of his emotional world.

The social E2 can therefore remain impassible with nothing and no one able to question his aggrandizement. If anyone saw that he cannot do something, that he doesn't know or isn't worthwhile, it would be catastrophic because a self-referential must not ever allow himself to fail. At the same time, this coldness and hardness protects him and helps him cover his terror of being once again betrayed and that no one catches him in a fail. “To protect himself, he sometimes laughs at his feelings or ironizes them, in an attempt to avoid them, or altogether trivializes and doesn't own them.”

He shows himself immensely empathic and emotional when he is set to conquer. Just as he is emotionally indifferent once it doesn't interest him anymore or when he abandons it for another conquest.

The social E2 can go, from a deep subjectivity, to transgressing the norms thanks to his ease in diverting responsibility for his acts, nullifying his emotions, justifying inadmissible deeds, focusing all of his energy on the object of his ambition, above the current moral codes or certain general conventions.

To avoid contact with his inner lack and vulnerability, he shows himself only from his surface, with a hidden fear, keeping everyone from knowing his darker, more needy, and defective side. Or rather he covers the mistakes he makes with lies and arrogance, defending himself with total vehemence and a certain air of innocence, which overwhelms or pushes others away.

Egocentric

His zest for being in the center of attention; giving, organizing, doing, or talking, is another way in which he pales in his sense of solitude and insufficiency, as he confirms the conviction in being the center of the universe. He thinks that from this place no one will be able to question him, nor degrade him by taking him away from the stage from which he receives a transient admiration that he mistakes for love.

Ultimately, he is infatuated with himself; he is his most interesting conquest. In this perspective, he interprets the behaviors of others as referring to himself, be it positively or negatively. And demonstrates a great talent in entangling others for the satisfaction of his necessities.

Demanding and Hypercritical

Inside the social E2 there is a feracious and insatiable inner father, who shows himself demanding, cold, and without compassion, in the form of two coexistent inner currents. One does not tolerate that he diverts from the ambition and ideals that he has fixated. Only when reaching them will he value himself positively, although for a brief period of time, which will rapidly turn to another objective or territory to conquer. The other current, which flows in parallel, is an aggressive intentionality, a buried anger not always conscious, which is normally directed at himself, neglecting his personal care, health, resting times, or allowing himself to receive affection or care.

The social E2 follows an interiorized message from the parents: “Whatever you do, it's never enough.” Because of this he resorts to self-indulgence, occasionally; so that he can lower his own prosecutory angst or negative judgements that he elaborates about himself, and which he sees in the look of whom he has validated as an authority.

Sometimes, he can simulate withdrawal but as a way to demonstrate how without himself nothing works.

And this anger against the self also finds a way of discharge onto others in competition or despise.

As Karen Horney says, these are two sides of the same coin: “The proud develops a series of values that determine what he accepts in himself, of which he must be glorified and be proud of. But this system of values has to determine what must be rejected, disdained, and hated; and one is inseparable from the other. Pride and self-hatred are two expressions of the same process.”

Depreciative

Similarly to E1, the social E2 has invalidated his progenitors in some way and has developed, although this remains in the shadow, a profound despise for mistakes, imperfection, slowness, stupidity, pessimism, or fragility, both in himself and others. 

This devaluation starts to generate itself in the oedipal phase, with the polarization of the maternal and paternal figures, where one is idealized and the other despised, and then afterwards depreciating both. This leaves him, invariably, in a relational place in which he doesn't belong and that is horizontal or above the parents. By devaluing them, he lacks parental figures to idealize and with which to identify. This, in turn, will be the seed for not recognizing, as an adult, the power-figures, self-referencing as the only trustworthy authority.

Rebellious and Tyrannical

Ever since childhood they have realized how being close to authority provides him a deal of favors and benefits compared to his equals. They have learnt that holding privileged information or taking part in decision-making gives him a certain power.

Thus, the social E2s characterize themselves by believing to know better than others or that they are more efficient than the rest and by depreciating, like proper envious, others’ attributes. It is truly complicated for them to give up authority for someone, above themselves and their own convictions.

In many biographies of social E2s there are life-stories of certain intensity and instability. These experiences, mixed with their ideas of grandiosity and importance, make him believe that they have certain privileges or that they're above others. They could resemble a conservation E2 in this; notwithstanding, they are different in that the ambitious do this from a manifested anger and a superb and despot demandingness.

They have their own moral code, with which they decide what norms should or shouldn't be respected. This regulamentation can change over time, at his whim, if the circumstances require it, showcasing a total indifference to the ethical implications of other natures. They use and abuse a selective memory in regards to responsibility in his issues.

The lack of clarity with respect to his roles and the absence of limits within the subsystems of the family suppose the greatest obstacle for a social E2, to manage the tasks related to taking authority. This character at times wants to be a brother (colleague), and at others, a father (leader) to the group.

With his critical thinking, scathing and depreciative, and his narcissistic fantasy of omnipotence, doubts that someone can lead him. Somehow stores in memory that one day he delivered himself, naively, to his parents’ will, and was used and betrayed. Since then there is suspiciousness towards authority.

Intolerant of limits

The social E2 doesn't realize that there are external limits to getting what he desires nor to his possibilities. Curiously, given his aggressive and confrontational ways, neither does he know how to impose them to others (even if through humiliation). Because he can't register abuse or aggression as such, and may humiliate himself so as not to lose a relationship. Moreover, the pain he feels in the possibility of loss isn't so much related to the bond itself as it is to contacting the idea of not being worthy and the following abandonment, which would be an even greater humiliation. 

Intolerant of critics

Without relating to his own frustrations, the ego grows exponentially, because it is very difficult for people of this subtype to sustain the possibility of failing or being defective to the eyes of others, as well as risking himself to receive any type of criticism, which seem unbearable.

Competitive

Due to this exalted image of self there is no possible competition. If we were to ask a social E2 whether they are competitive, the answer would be a definitive no.

He “knows” that he is better and wants to be given the place he is due. And even though he can maintain an attitude of temperance, security, and confidence, not always does it come to fruition. Entering competition means wanting something one doesn't have and this could make him enter contact with an inner lack, need, or with envy, which underlie his character; or even more terrifying, with the emptiness that renders him incapable.

His ego cannot sustain the idea of there being a worthy enough adversary to be taken into account. He has already defeated the most difficult and powerful one as a child; mommy or daddy. Since then exists his taste for conquering the giant, only to then depreciate and abandon it. The buried fear is that, if he can't, he will become what he is most afraid of being: useless. Then will arrive despise and exhibit being abandoned, like in childhood, to a chaotic emotional world and to solitude.

The person of this character has constituted her self-esteem around being worthy and useful to others. If she can't achieve this, there's the threat of not being worthwhile and the following abandonment. “Everyone leaves, or I make them” they may say, but that's nothing but another way of confirming a narrative of orphan-hood and the need to be self-sufficient. Faced with this failure, the social E2 recomposes himself, isolates fear, belittles the heart, freezes his emotions and swears he will need no one.

Hunger of success and Blindness to failure

The person of this character has incorporated, early in life, the expectations that laid upon her, which drove her to have exit in whatever it is that she purports to. Thus she is not, in absolute, prepared to fail. Thanks to her fantasy, the defense mechanisms of repression and sublimation, and her self-concept of grandiosity, she camouflages it so skilfully that it can't be seen. 

Ever since she was little she would talk eloquently about herself as someone who does many things, of which she is certain; and that “all” are done well, which is not as certain. The key is in the adults believing her and giving motivation to keep being this way, so that she may feel admired and also quite very powerful. Sees herself as capable of convincing others, including of her lies. This way she incorporates an image of herself in which she is expected to do important and innovative things, and that she is successful in all she does.

The social E2, when getting to adulthood, tries to reproduce the same situation imagining lots of projects, and telling this as if it were done as a little boy or girl. Thus almost all energy is focused on professional life, mistaking the conquering of territories with receiving love. This way he is kept in contact with constant objectives that allow him to develop his self-image as competent and admirable.

He is an expert in sublimating every setback and makes others see that, even under pressure, his efforts don't cost him. Recollecting himself exhibits in his different personal and professional campaigns, and this benefits him in such a way that he keeps the feeling of accomplishing everything he purports himself. Nonetheless, even though he achieves important merits, he sells more than he can give. In this light he can't see how many casualties have been left in his way, and that he does not share, confirming his own neurosis.

Failure in the working ambit is one of the few opportunities a social E2 will have to realize how far can his self-sabotage and the pain he inflicts on others.

All energy, creativity, effort, and passion that he puts in work is done in detriment to his personal life. He sees all that is amorous, familiar, fraternal, or his own physical and mental health, as a moorland he only visits. He has gotten to the point of forgetting to play, or enjoying the world of love and affection; all of it to avoid connecting to his own vulnerability.

Taken to an extreme, the social E2 won't care about his alimentation, nor his health and most basic and urgent necessities, that he considers inopportune, faced with tasks of higher priority, that are the ones deserving of his attention.

When he fails, the social E2 hides at home or escapes by seeking big innovations in life: changing his social surroundings, his partner or work, maybe even his country. Or he may have refuge in different addictions, such as sex, drugs, gambling... or work, which is the most beloved and prioritized thing for him. Among the Ennea-types, we may definitely define him as the workaholic.

If he can't keep a romantic relationship, he will center on friendships to deaden the emptiness. Even then, if he fails professionally, projects are redirected to the partner with bigger expectations and demands, planning trips, setting rules to her life and trying to “improve” her, as if he had the strategic manual of the good partner; in this way he projects his own ambition onto the other.

This obsessive drive to success may manifest itself in the formula of “it's never enough,” coincident with the message received from the maternal figure: “you are not, and not ever, enough.” Every goal accomplished isn't turned to anything if not the fragile confirmation of his grandiosity and indispensability, but the emptiness is insatiable and demands constant conquers and astounding deeds.

Envious

Envy is the monster of the social E2. Realizing that he envies would be contacting needs, something he lacks, and this would lead him to inadequacy and the emotional void. Contrary to E4, he uses envy as a drive to overcome himself, as a jumpstart to conquer what another has. But the things, as they are; his eye is aimed at the other; what power they hold, what talents, or gifts that he hasn't. Of course that, again in contrast to the E4, this character feeling envy doesn't result in a way to be seen. To be admired he must be useful. ^[4]

Sandra Maitri's Social 2 Description^[5]

2+Social – Ambition

Social Twos are social climbers, very conscious of social hierarchies and intent on being accepted and aligned with those at the top as a way of resolving their sense of not belonging. Who they are associated with and how important those people are gives them their sense of social standing. The passion of pride manifests here in the self-validation and sense of being worthwhile that arise when they have achieved the position and status that they are after. It also manifests in their refusal to be seen as unimportant or ordinary, rather than special and stellar in whatever group they are part of or aspire to be connected with.

Beatrice Chestnut's Social 2 Description

Social 2 Subtype description (2021)^[6]

This subtype shows more leadership characteristics than the other two. They focus more on power and influence and so have a need to “seduce” groups. They project competence and confidence, and are good at playing to the crowd. They tend to enjoy public speaking. They are the most apt to give strategically to get something back. They are more politically savvy, but find it hard to be vulnerable. They tend more to deny their own needs and hesitate to ask for help directly. This is the most controlling of the three subtypes, and they display more of a tendency to manipulate to get what they want.

If this is your subtype, you tend to remain blind to pride and the way it fuels a need for importance and power. It will be important to notice if you display helpfulness and generosity as a strategy to exert control or gain influence. You may support others as a means to control or manipulate. You may get angry when others reject your advice or your help. You appear warm and magnanimous, but can be ruthless when seeking power or exerting control. You avoid vulnerable feelings, but may deploy a (false) vulnerable persona as part of an effort to seduce. You repress exhaustion and sadness in order to serve the ego’s need to be powerful and influential.

Social 2 Subtype summary (2013)^[10]

The Social Two is a seducer of environments and groups—a powerful, leader type whose pride manifests as a sense of satisfaction in the conquest of an audience. This is a more adult Two in whom pride is the most obvious; the Social Two cultivates an image of being an influential, supercompetent person worthy of admiration. The name “Ambition” reflects this person’s desire to “be on top,” and as a result of this lofty position, receive advantages and benefits. This Two “gives to get” the most and always has a strategic angle when expressing generosity.

Social 2 Subtype description (2013)^[10]

The Social Two: “Ambition”

The Social Two is a seducer of environments—someone who is good in front of groups; a more adult, leader type. In contrast to the other Two subtypes, the Social Two appears as a powerful or intellectual person. This Two has a passion for power, and their pride is expressed through having influence and advantages and cultivating an image of being an influential person.

This Two is the most obviously proud subtype because they are ambitious, know the right people, do important things, occupy positions of leadership, and are usually admired for their accomplishments. In the Social Two, the passion of pride manifests itself as a sense of satisfaction in the conquest of an audience.

In contrast to the more childlike Self-Preservation Two and the more overtly seductive Sexual Two, the Social Two is a more adult “Power Two,” the person who owns their own company, or works at a high level in an organization, or is a leader in their field.

The most intellectual of the Twos, the Social Two needs to be someone important to feed their pride—and to be important, you must use your mind more. Seduction operates in this case through the Social Two’s ability to influence the larger group by being impressive, exceptional, and knowledgeable.

The Social Two’s name, “Ambition,” refers to this person’s passion for being “on top,” being “in the know,” being close to people who are perceived as powerful, and for wielding power themselves. The Social Two has a passion for superiority—a passion to stand above. Because of their need for admiration, Social Twos are competitive and may at times be indifferent to, insensitive to, or in denial about the emotions of others. They tend to (unconsciously) believe that everyone wants to be like them, or that people are less able than they are, or that people are out to get them because they envy their superior skills.

Social Twos are skillful at working behind the scenes to extend their influence within the group and to help the larger entity move in directions that benefit them. They know how to orchestrate individuals within the group or community through the use of strategic giving as a way of gaining allegiance and respect. Although it often operates at a subconscious level, this Two has the strongest reliance on “giving to get” as a strategy in interacting with others. The Social Two almost always has a strategic angle when expressing generosity. They support others as a way of ensuring loyalty and reciprocal relationships. They think in terms of influencing the people around them through the offer or delivery of favors, and they make things happen through the promise of rewards or positive attention.

This Two can be a bit more introverted than the other Twos. They are more attuned to the effective cultivation of a public image that conveys power and authority; this makes them good performers in front of an audience, but it also necessitates a greater level of privacy or removal when they are offstage.

Social Twos can also be workaholics, with a tendency toward omnipotence. They may appear enthusiastic, confident or overconfident—and even manic at times. They tend to engage in power struggles, wanting to dominate and play the protector, and they may express a sense of territoriality at times. They usually have a highly positive sense of their work and their goals as well—they believe that they can accomplish anything.

People with this subtype tend to deny vulnerable emotions, such as shame, fear, despair, mistrust, jealousy, and envy. They may sincerely believe they are displaying vulnerability when they aren’t, or they may use a show of vulnerability for effect with an audience. On the low side, when they are more unconscious and unhealthy, Social Twos may be indifferent toward or contemptuous of others. They may take a position of power and control over others in ways they don’t see, and may even unconsciously exploit others, even while believing they are helping them.

The Social Two can resemble a Three or an Eight. Like Type Threes, Social Twos tend to be goal-oriented, competitive, and successful in their work. They typically get a lot done and have a reputation as powerful people who can lead the group. However, Twos usually have a softer presence and can show more vulnerability, warmth, or emotion on the way to achieving their goals, especially if such demonstrations support their larger aims, whereas Threes tend not to express vulnerable feelings as much. Like Type Eights, Social Twos can be powerful, influential, protective of others, and oriented to the big picture. Unlike Eights, however, Social Twos can display vulnerability more (or use a show of vulnerability to their advantage), and can more readily access their emotions in supporting others or establishing control.

Haiki Social 2 Description^[7]

Social Two: Ambition

We call the Social Twos Emperors, as they are more externally oriented. They have a lot of ambition, and both men and women of this subtype tend to be physically strong. They tend to train a lot and have thin waists and strong chests. This figurative armor helps them subconsciously feel invincible. This trait can give them a sense of coldness that doesn’t make them as emotional as Sexual Twos. These are also the subtype of Two that at times can seem like a One. Their pride and need to be someone important can occasionally seem overly strong. If we needed to put one type in charge of a just cause, Social Twos could be the captains of the boat. Ones too, but they would have to be very charismatic for people to follow them. At times, they can seem like some Eights, especially for their sense of protecting their own. They will protect their tribe with a sword and shield. They also will help those that they think need help (even if they didn’t ask). This action, which seems benevolent, as we will see, involves more traps than it seems at first.

This subtype of Two has a very strong capacity to attract others and corresponds quite well with the stereotype of the Italian mother. This Two, as opposed to the Self-Preservation Two, can be very competitive. Putting themselves as equal to others is hard for them and they tend to try to put themselves above. If this requires them showing their physical power, they will do it. It is not super easy for them to collaborate, as they have an inclination to give orders. It is extremely hard for them to ask for help. They tend to be people with a relatively forceful energy but interestingly, at times, some Nines can see themselves as this type. However, there are two basic differences between the types. Twos in general, especially Social Twos, have a more rigid energy (and an occasional narcissistic energy in guys of this subtype). On the other hand, Nines generally have a more masochistic energy. While this nuance can sometimes be difficult to observe, the Nine will say: “I can handle anything” while the Social Two will say “I can do anything.” Social Twos, when they do try to show their needs or that not everything is going well for them, feel a very strong sense of shame and embarrassment.

Carmen Durán and Antonio Catalán's Social 2 Description^[8]

SO2: Ambition -> Power

In this subtype, we believe that their true search is for “Power,” which is why we prefer this term. The consequence of this search of power is an ambitious attitude, where true needs are repressed by the eagerness to obtain a position of unarguable dominance, that proves how special they are. The capacity to confront risks gives them an entrepreneurial and adventurous aura, which masks their high level of dependency on people emotionally meaningful to them. But the ambition is oriented toward the recognition of the world or of some people previously regarded as valuable. Getting the approval of these people may become a bigger goal than actually confronting risks and more important than the true realization of the achievement. Maintaining this seductive attitude makes sense because, from it, they can generously and benevolently relate with others, as long as others admire them. If instead of recognition, they find opposition, seduction is substituted with coldness and toughness that make them put personal achievement over everything else.

La Mirada Libre's Social 2 Description^[9]

E2 Social: Ambition (Emperor/Empress)

We now move on to the mental subtype of the Twos. Here we do not settle for being the pride and joy of the family or the sweet little girl in Daddy's eyes; we are facing a true conqueror of territories, the one who is called AMBITION in the Enneagram. He wants everyone, not just his family or friends, to attribute personal importance to him, giving him a role of a reference in their lives.

Rubbing shoulders with adults from an early age, he was seen as someone important in the family, not as a child. He was also deprived of contact with his siblings, so he did not learn to relate to his peers as equals, but as competition or people to become superior to. Thus he will continue as an adult to polarize his relationships into "good guys and bad guys," or "with me or against me.”

He has a hierarchical view of people and confuses status with personal worth. Even if he does not mind being unloved, it is essential for him to not be ignored.

He is the least empathic of the Twos and can be mistaken for a mental character or an E1 because he plans, solves problems, handles mistakes, makes decisions, has social cognition and working memory. He is convinced that he can do things better than anyone else, although inside him there is an intense self-depreciation and a deep feeling of loneliness.

It is difficult for him to work in a team since he is a despot with himself and with others. He can abuse others by manipulating them into doing tasks he is not interested in doing himself, setting up a network of collaborators that allow him to dedicate himself to the creativity, organization, social relations or imagination of new projects.

Being an exemplary person of reference in his territory is what makes him feel complete. Under the task of becoming an adult in early childhood, he was forced to banish his heart. For him, there was no childhood beyond 7 or 8 years old (which brings him closer to E1 and E8).

As a child, he felt like "the chosen one," worthy of being seen with love, a special being, but when he was no longer useful to the mother or father, or was not convenient for them for any reason, he was pushed aside with contempt, making him feel deeply humiliated. Since then he has worked tirelessly (he does not feel physical limits) to recover his lost dignity through recognition and being loved again. And in all scenarios, that special person who was loved "unconditionally.”

There are certain differences between men and women of this subtype, but the undiscriminating characteristic is a feeling of being used during childhood, making him great and then "dethroning" him.

Paradoxically, when love comes to him, he distrusts it and cannot surrender or show his vulnerability and need for the other (that which he considers a weakness) precisely because he had to swallow his weaknesses as a child to grow up prematurely. When he considers that he is not loved or not in the proportion that he expects, he feels betrayed and beheads the person, authority or group, or walks away without giving an explanation.

It is the mental subtype of the E2 and its movement is "against".

References

[1] "The Arica Training according to John C Lilly and Joseph E Tart"

[2] Naranjo, C. (2017). "Ensayos sobre psicología de los eneatipos"

[3] Naranjo, C. (2012). "27 personajes en busca del ser"

[4] Naranjo, C. (2020). "Psicología de los eneatipos: Orgullo" (Translated by lawofseven14)

[5] Maitri, S. (2001). "The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram"

[6] Chestnut, B. (2021). "The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up"

[7] The Haiki Enneagram Website (Link To Subtype Translations)

[8] Durán, C. and Catalán, A. (2009). "Los engaños del carácter y sus antídotos"

[9] Psychology of Ennea-types Volumes by Claudio Naranjo Interpreted by La Mirada Libre

[10] Chestnut, B. (2021). "The Complete Enneagram"