Update Michael Jackson So 279 and Prince Sx 478 Comparison
Expanding and filling in the 2s that were missed. in the early dissemination of the Enneagram ;) Many were mistyped as other types…and 6 and 9 were typed as 2s.

Early in the dissemination of the Enneagram, Michael Jackson and Prince were thought of as good examples of the Enneagram Type 4. These two singer songwriters were thought of as 4s because of their unique approach to their work. They both fit the common stereotype of the 4 as the eccentric, creative, misunderstood genius. And they both gave genius a whole new meaning because they were also extremely charismatic. I initially agreed that both men were 4s but that they had different Tritypes® and Instinctual Stackings. I saw Michael as the social 479 and Prince as the sexual 478, respectively.

They were both heart type males, 2 and 4 respectively. but their energy and themes were very different/. So, I will compadre and contrast how they were alike and how they were very different from one another.

Sad Enneagram Type 2s
Then a few years ago, I happened upon some newly released footage of Michael Jackson with his sister Janet on Youtube.  It showed Michael ill at ease with the interviewer, somewhat at ease with his sister but still uncomfortable with himself. He readily spoke to Janet using words of encouragement and affection. Michael’s eyes had the look of someone filled with pride. His eyes were  soft,  glowing, and moist yet he seemed to be lonely and pleading for attention. His body language and energy appeared to be reaching out for an act of kindness and positive regard. As I watched the newly released ‘candid’ videos of Michael Jackson I immediately saw the  heartbroken neediness that 2s try so hard to conceal and could  no longer see him as a 4. It became abundantly clear to me that Michael Jackson’s language, word choices, and body language represented the ‘sad’ 2  rather than the social 4.

I first discovered the ‘sad’ 2s when studying the language of the 9 types in my Enneastyle research project in 1995. They were 2s that seemed like or identified with 4s because of their need to be seen as special and considered the special friend.

Incomplete Dissemination of the Type 2
As I am known to do, I immediately revisited all of the materials available on both men. I had learned from Claudio Naranjo that much of type 2 had been put into 4, 7 , 8, and 1 and  some of  type 9 had been added to the 2.  For this reason, the full dimensions of type 2 was incomplete and had only been partially disseminated.  I also came across my class notes from Ichazo’s work and the Anniversary Intensive I attended on Maui in 2005, and Naranjo’s first complete Enneagram  Intensive  in Colorado in 1996, along with Kathy Speeth’s training manual in the 1980s.

As I scanned through them I remembered that Naranjo had stated that the right side of the Enneagram was feminine and the left side of the Enneagram was masculine with the top of the enneagram as both masculine and feminine. He taught that  men on the right side of the Enneagram were more feminine and emotionally sensitive than men on the left side of  the Enneagram. And that women on the left side of the Enneagram were more masculine and logical in their assessments that women on the right side of the Enneagram.

Heart Type and Specialness
I also remembered learning that the all of the heart types (2,3,4) want to be special. It is a matter of how each type needs to be special. The 2 wants to be the special friend with the special people, the 3 wants to be known for their  special talents and achievements and the 4 wants to be known for their intellectual sensitivity and unique accomplishments.

Back to my earlier article: Michael Jackson and Prince are musical legends and gone way too soon. Throughout their amazing careers the two megastars enjoyed great successes. They both came of age in the 80s as young men and as solo performers. Both seemed to be children of destiny, born to entertain, to amuse, to inspire, to delight, and to pull on our heart strings. Through their music, they took us to the edge of our level of comfort, to the heights of exhilaration and to the depths of our emotional truth. As true child prodigies as well as mature artists, their music helped to not only shape the 80s, it continued to evolve and define whatever genre they addressed.

Heart Type Males
The male 2 and 4 are also a study of the male Heart type that is exceptionally creative and talented yet painfully shy, and eccentric. Because they were stars and affluent so young, they could fully indulge their types, instincts and Tritypes® and live their lives as true eccentrics. Their passions could be indulged and were seen on stage and in their private life. In spite of their shyness they were totally at home on stage sharing their talents with the world at large.

Both men were seen as emotionally sensitive and known for their need for connection to what is meaningful and transcendent. They were both known for their love of beauty, creativity, shyness and painful self-consciousness but their music and lyrics were decidedly different.

Prince was known for his own unique sense of aesthetics, his chronic frustration, his passion for protest, and his push-pull, love-hate style of relating. His edgy, provocative, sexy, angry, heart-broken lyrics were singular, and he was a true one of a kind.

Michael was known for his gentleness and caring nature. His lyrics were often hopeful ballads of a sad boy or young man in need of rescue. He too had his own unique style, emotional sensitivity and compassion for the those suffering all over the world.

Enneagram Type 2
The Ideal Image of the Enneagram social Type 2 is complex in that they need to be seen as appealing, giving, caring and heartfelt. This makes 2s aware of needs that other people miss. Most importantly, 2s want to feel needed, considered important and appreciated for their efforts. They naturally pay attention to the needs and concerns of others in their world and are ready to step in and lend a helping hand.

Under stress, they may have problems with pride and find it difficult to ask for help and can become manipulative to get attention or have their needs met. Their core fears are of being worthless, unneeded, unappreciated, unwanted, inconsequential, useless, discarded, lonely, and uncared for by their chosen attachment figures. At their best, they are empathetic, altruistic, welcoming, people that are able to see and intuit the needs of others and then tend to those needs.

Enneagram Type 4
The ideal image of the Enneagram Type sexual 4 is complex in that they have the single-minded drive to initiate and conquer but it is tempered by a great deal of emotional sensitivity due to the 4 need for depth, connection, admiration and validation. Most importantly, they want to be passionate, true to their feelings and be authentic. They see themselves as sensitive intellectuals that are creative, expressive and spiritual.
They are identified with their emotional states and their meaning. You see yourself as emotionally deep and seek beauty and meaning in everything you do. You may have problems with envy.

Under stress, you may be moody, haughty or overly emotional. Their core fears are of being painfully lacking, inadequate, flawed, defective, ordinary, not realizing your potential and being emotionally cut off. At their best, they are emotionally self-aware, self-revealing, creative and extremely compassionate and humane.

Male 2s are often poets and the gentle advisors that naturally counsel others. Male 4s are often poets and troubadours that express what they feel and in so doing, frequently express what we all feel. This proved to be very true for both Michael and Prince. So, their simultaneous rise to fame in the 80s reinforced the power of raw edgy creativity, laced with refinement, subtlety and heartfelt emotions.

Power Ballads of the 80s
The power ballad was an absolute given in the 1980s even if with hard rock band. The raw emotional truth of the ballads voiced universal pain. For most hardcore rock bands, ballads were often career defining. Both Michael and Prince loved ballads but not in the traditional way. Rather than an occasional ballad, their feelings were infused in every piece of their music, from the raw energy of pop rock to the tender sensibility of emotional expression.

Michael and Prince were able to express their wide range of emotions in such a poetic way that listeners could identify with both their music and their lyrics. ‘Gone Too Soon’ by Michael Jackson and ‘Purple Rain’ by Prince are only two examples of their ability to express deep and universal emotions.

‘Gone too Soon’ is a song dedicated to Ryan White, a young victim of AIDS who Michael befriended. He performed ‘Gone too Soon’ at the ball for former President Bill Clinton's first inauguration on January 20, 1993, where he highlighted the importance of supporting research for a cure for AIDS. Altruism is often seen with the social 2 and consideration for others is one of the hallmarks of type 2.

Prince was famous for being self-conscious and was often portrayed as image conscious. ‘Purple Rain’ is a deeply moving song. It is also the title of a movie in which Prince starred. ‘Purple Rain’ was a movie of course, but it has always been reported as very close to being autobiographical. So, to introduce himself to the mainstream audience as fragile and occasionally cruel could have killed his rising career. This probably took great courage to do. This raw honesty is another hallmark of 4.

Sexual 4s deny their fear of rejection and reject first to manage their distress. They can be counter-envious and shameless if they are experiencing an intense emotion. They claim their position as the state of longing feels unbearable. In fact, because they are the most emotional type, with the most emotional instinct in the most emotional ‘heart’ center, when triggered they can be emotionally over the top. One sexual 4 said, “I knew I was the sexual 4 because when I feel rejected, I am incredibly jealous, possessive, demanding, emotionally volatile, dramatic, intense, aggressive, loving and idealistic as hell - all rolled into one and at the same time.”

Van Jones, a human rights activist, humanitarian and close friend of Prince revealed more about the private life of Prince. According to Jones, “Prince rarely spoke about himself and, especially not about Purple Rain. Prince was always front and center, inspiring devotion and disgruntlement. Purple Rain may not be an autobiography, but it may be as close as we’ll get to his true story.”

Here is another interview with Van Jones talking about Prince.

Humanitarians
Most 2s and 4s are humanitarians. The 2s ability to see an unspoken need and fulfill it before it even registers as a need is the gift of 2.The 4s innate ability to demonstrate compassion for those that are suffering is also a gift. Michael Jackson and Prince had that these gifts in spades. They were true humanitarians and did a great deal to support those that were suffering throughout the world. Both had an interest in helping children. There is so much I could say about both men. Just to name a couple of examples…

In 1985, Michael co-wrote ‘We are the World’ with Lionel Ritchie for those starving in Africa. He also donated all the money he received from Pepsi, $1.5 million, to the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children. As a Jehovah’s Witness he did not speak of his generosity.

Prince was also a devout Jehovah’s Witness, so he too could not speak of his charitable works, but he did a great deal to support suffering as well. Privately, Prince supported ‘Rebuild the Dream’, a mobilization of hundreds of thousands of everyday people who come together to build strong vibrant communities from the ground up. He donated $250,000 to Eau Claire Promise Zone, a citywide grassroots coalition focused on ensuring the city’s children are prepared to graduate from college and be successful in their career and in life.

Rivalry
It is reported that Michael and Prince had a bitter rivalry. One report is that Michael was disappointed that Prince rebuffed his friendly efforts to be friends. Another report is that Prince did not want to sing in ‘We are the World’ because he did not like the song but was willing to write a song for those suffering in Africa. He also appeared elitist when he mocked Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ in an interview. Whatever the case may be, they were first and foremost performers and artists. The performer that is a 4 is every bit as competitive as the performer that is the 2 or any of the other types. In fact, the 2 ‘s need for attention and the 4’s envy may have been at the ‘heart’ of their rumored rivalry.

Both men were constantly compared to one another. Both had diversity in their music, including funk, R&B and disco. Both dominated the album charts in the 80s, Michael with ‘Thriller’ and Prince with ‘Purple Rain’. Both were shy and reclusive. Both had their sanctuaries, Neverland for Michael and Paisley Park for Prince.

Facts on their potential rivalry Michael Jackson vs. Prince: The Forgotten Rivalry by Kyle Anderson6/29/2009“…The evidence suggests that the rivalry was for real, but perhaps one sided. On his 2004 album Musicology, Prince had a lyric that went, “My voice is getting higher/And Eye ain’t never had my nose done/That’s the other guy.” He left “We Are the World” sessions but did end up donating a song to the benefit album. However, recent interviews with former Prince band members shared a friendlier side.

“They’d shoot hoops at Paisley Park,” longtime Prince drummer Bobby Z told the Star-Tribune. Prince had a deep-seeded competitive nature, so it’s easy to see where he would measure himself against Jackson’s success. Engineer David Z told a story about Prince’s attempt to play ping-pong with Jackson. “Michael drops his paddle and holds his hands up in front of his face, so the ball won’t hit him. Michael walks out with his bodyguard, and Prince starts strutting around like a rooster. Did you see that? He played like Helen Keller.'”

Jackson didn’t seem to go on record about Prince — in fact, he rarely had a negative word for anybody. This is common for the 279 that is identified with their sunny feelings.

Today it’s almost logical for two huge stars to go head-to-head (Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Kanye West), but it’s doubtful we’ll ever see two huge rivals like Jackson and Prince again.”

All performers are competitive as a competitive edge is essential to reach the pinnacle of success performers crave. Both Michael and Prince were known to be competitive and perfectionistic. All true artists are not only competitive; they are perfectionistic about their work. They honed their craft and wanted to deliver the experience they envisioned. This is essential for any artist that wants to stay at the top of their field.

Social 2 Ambition
Naranjo stated that the social 2 is the most ambitious type. But the 279s are known for their sunny dispositions and gentle natures. So, the social 279 would need to conceal all manipulations rather than overt aggression to fulfill their ambitions. With Michael’s songs we felt his emotions when he debuted in 1964 at the tender age of 6. Even in his counterculture roles he was soft. When he introduced “Thriller” he was dramatic and edgy but still appeared non-threatening. If you watch Michael in any interview, it is easy to see that Michael had an overall countenance of fragile gentleness. He gave off the aura of someone that needed to be cared for and protected. He was bashful, refined and introspective

Sexual 4 Competition
Naranjo stated that the most emotionally aggressive type is the sexual 4. They are known for their competitive nature and using hatred as a means for overcoming feelings of envy and inadequacy. The 478 is confidant and savvy which lightens the intensity of the sx 4. Prince was seen to be socially inhibited and shy but privately uninhibited.

Michael 279
Michael felt like he lost his childhood to his career. He began working as a little boy as the lead singer in the family business of the Jackson 5. He had a hard driving, abusive father that relentlessly had his sons rehearse so there was no time for childhood activities.

Michael loved the attention his career and success provided but he still longed for the happy childhood he did not have. He is said to have been sad about his childhood so wanted to recreate his childhood with more joyous memories by having all the things he felt he missed and wanted as a child. His focus was to create happier experiences and new memories. This is often indicative of the type sad 2 wanting to fulfill the wishes of others and having their wishes fulfilled. They are the true fairy godparent. In Michael’s case Neverland was a way to be his own fairy godparent, especially with the 279 Tritype®.

One social 279 reported, “People like me because I am deep, fun, soft, accepting and gentle. I often have ugly emotions and hateful thoughts, but I am afraid if I share them, I will no longer be thought of as the special person that is so ‘evolved, kind and spiritual’, So, I suffer in silence.”

You could see Michael’s 7 amplifying the 2’s desire for fantasy. His approach to music was always innovative and changing. His love of the unusual could be seen in his Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara. Neverland was the epitome of the 279 love of fantasy. But compared to the sx4 world the social 2 world is magical and happy is a sweet world.

Neverland, Michael’s property, was named for ‘Neverland’, the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan, about a boy who never grows up. The 279 Tritype® is very much like Peter Pan; they are forever young at heart with a childlike sense of wonder. Neverland was his home and his private amusement park. It contained a petting zoo, two railroads, a Ferris wheel, Carousel, Zipper, Octopus, Pirate Ship, Wave Swinger, Super Slide, roller coaster, bumper cars, and an amusement arcade.

You could also see the touch of fantasy in his attire. He dressed like a character in a play or in a circus and matched the look and feel of his amusement Park. His clothing was creative, stylized, theatrical and beautifully embellished with details. He often set fashion trends. His silver glove, born of aesthetic necessity to hide the lack of pigment on his hand due to vitiligo, (a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches) became a fashion statement. He was known for his trademark jackets.

The 9 can be seen in his gentleness, kindness, stubbornness and avoidance of conflict. He also appeared to be very elusive and passive. We can see the 9 and 7 in the way he described himself to his friend, Jason Pfeiffer. Jason, in a Noise11 interview said that Michael thought his daughter Paris had picked up his traits of being stubborn, intelligent and mischievous as well as his lust for life, laughing and being the center of attention. We can see the 4 and 9 in his withdrawn and quiet side, which amplified his shyness and feelings of inhibition.

His social instinct could be seen in his focus on others. One example is the building of the amusement park and then bringing children to enjoy it. An amusement park is a social activity. It is a place where people come together to enjoy themselves. So, he recreated the ideal childhood experience and shared it with others. This is what he felt he missed as a child even though he came from a large family, he felt lonely.

He debuted with the Jackson 5 when he was at the tender age of 6. He went solo in 1971 and was successful but he truly came of age in 1982 when he was 24 with ‘Thriller’. ‘We are the World’ co-written with Lionel Ritchie followed in 1985 with USA for Africa. It is a social subtype song as it is about helping others and recognizing that we are all one big family. Bringing together artists from all over the world to raise money for those starving in Africa by singing “We are the World” is a great example of the high side of the social instinct.

Fun facts about Michael has two stars in Hollywood, one with the Jackson 5 and one for his solo career. He won 8 Grammy Awards in 1984 and was declared the most famous person in the world in 1997.

Prince 478
The focus for all 4s is on what is missing and perceived to be valuable and out of reach.

I see Prince as the sx 478 Tritype®. The 478 is also a mystical and magical Tritype® like the 479 as both share the 4 and 7. However, with 8 in this Tritype® the 478 is driven by the raw, intense, authentic, edgy, innovating and the powerful. They are more grounded and less ethereal. This Tritype® takes a deep dive into whatever captures their interest. They amass so much data on a subject that intrigues them that they become experts. The self-revealing humanitarian side shapes what they have learned into a message they then share with others. This Tritype® of 4 is constantly changing, innovating and evolving.

The 7 in his Tritype® can be seen with his love of and use of color, diversity and a need to be positive. He is said to have had disdain for drama. He stated in the Larry King Interview that he was always focused on what is now and that he did not look back. He said he didn’t like labels but would call his music inspirational. His said that he doesn’t wallow and moves on.

This 4 is the most self-confident 4. The sexual 4 is focused on being inspirational. The 7 and 8 disapprove of the 4’s need to express their negative emotions. So, they express their feelings through creative outlets.

The 8 in his Tritype® can be seen in his expressions and attitude. When he fought for his artistic rights with Warner Brothers, he wrote ‘slave’ on his face in defiance of the record company. You can also see 8 in the way he toys with his interviewers. He had a sardonic sense of humor. In the Larry King interview, he toys with Larry about a word that Larry made up. When Prince said that he didn’t look back, Larry said so you aren’t reminiscer’? Prince asked Larry if that was a word. We can see Prince’s micro expressions and he displayed a true smile when Larry said he made it up like Prince had his symbol.

Prince was extremely articulate in all of his interviews. 4s are usually very articulate. We can see the 4 and 8 in his piercing intensity. He exaggerated his hair and makeup. He was flashy but refined and elegant at the same time. He was described as flamboyant, but with my experience of 4s, I learned that they hate the terms flamboyant and gaudy and prefer creative, intense, bold and colorful instead. So, my guess is that he did not like that characterization of his look. We can see the 7 and 8 in his autonomy and dry sense of humor.

As one sexual 4 described his experience of being the sexual 478, “ You are the most powerful and transformative during your sexual or emotional peak moments, to the point when you unite the primal with the Divine.” This journey can be heard in Prince’s songs. He focuses on the romantic and the sexual, weaving them together with ecstasy, pain and suffering.

As a sexual 4, Prince did this with intimates or by selecting a charitable cause that touched him personally in some way. He was an anonymous charitable donor. 478s are more hidden and stealth on one hand and bold and assertive on the other. The 478 does not need as much validation as the other 4s as they feel more self-possessed due to the 8 in the Tritype®. They can still be shy and inhibited but they do not have as much self-doubt and shine once they feel more at ease.

478s are often creative with an eye for design as this Tritype® has the creative type in each center. Everything Prince did had his signature look and a very personal touch. He had a passion for purple and was called the ‘Purple One’ and his fans were called the Purple Army. He designed his symbol that represented his emancipation from his limiting Warner contracts. He designed his Valentine’s Day china for his February 14th wedding to Mayte. The Lenox china plates had piano keys around the edge of the plate with a gilt gold edge along with his insignia, his symbol for Prince united with an M in the middle for his beloved Mayte. http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/nate-d-sanders/catalogue-id-srna10029/lot-7efa5aab-9015-4763-929a-a5bc0035cef4

The sexual instinct can also be heard in his songs. His lyrics were very intimate, sexual and deeply personal. In ‘Purple Rain’ he delivered a message of pain and loss that had universal appeal. Prince’s songs and lyrics were mostly about the dynamic between lovers. The lyrics in ‘When Doves Cry’ are about the intimacy of the kiss and an ensuing lover’s quarrel. In the song he is trying to understand why he is left standing alone. It is raw and vulnerable. This is another hallmark of the 4 as 4s repetitively over-analyze their emotions to make sense of their pain and give meaning to their suffering.

His 478 could be seen in the look and feel of his attire. This Tritype® loves the pirate look, leather and lace, creative innovation, adornment, opulent beautiful fabrics and edgy elegance. He had a personal style that was individualistic and enduring. It combined a unique presentation of his trademark purple with a touch of seduction, subtle sexiness and mystery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld9NslDs-a8

Prince wrote his first song when he was 7. He began performing in a nightclub in Minneapolis and signed his first contract for a demo at 17. Stevie Wonder, who could play 8 instruments, inspired Prince. So young Prince made a name for himself by being able to play 27 instruments. In 1978 he landed a recording contract at the age of 18. He came of age in 1984 with his movie ‘Purple Rain’ and album of the same name. He won an academy award for best original song score in 1985 at the age of 27. He was insanely prolific and played all 27 instruments on his debut record, For Y

A little more on Prince Friends of Prince have reported that he was very compassionate. They remarked that they didn’t hear from him when they were doing really well but he watched the news and if they or someone else had a bad day and something was going wrong, he knew it and called the person in distress. Van said that if you were down on your luck Prince called.

He rehearsed 150 songs so he could play what he felt like. He loved performing and jamming and often played 3 gigs in a night. True, creative genius that never stopped changing…Writer, singer, dancer, played all instruments, conductor, producer, actor.

When Prince was on the Arsenio Hall Show and appeared on most of the one-hour late-night program, his aura was perforated even more cleanly. The show began with an interview between Prince and Arsenio Hall. Arsenio joked more than once that he might have to edit certain parts out, but Prince surprised many with this playfulness in the Q&A. Prince showed his humor and answered all the questions he was asked. This is the side of Prince his friends all knew.

Similarities and Differences
Both Michael Jackson and Prince had painful childhoods. Both had suffered loss. Both had witnessed and experienced harsh discipline at the hands of their fathers. Both loved their mothers. Having said that, I would suggest that as a social 2, Michael played the roles of the characters on his albums such as the anti-establishment, angry man he portrayed in ‘Thriller.’ And as a sexual 4, Prince played himself such as the role of the shy, caring, deep, introspective, uncompromising, self-absorbed and a little cruel, ‘up and coming’ musical artist he played in ‘Purple Rain’.

Both men were amazing examples of the 2 or 4 with 7 in the Tritype®. They tried to focus on the positive but expressed their pain through their music. They both loved beauty and adornment, and designed clothing with embellished details. They were both sensitive and inhibited introverts, but they were innovative, magical and inspiring. They were dynamic, creative trendsetters. They were legends in their own time and their music will live on. They both have left deep and lasting imprints.

More on Tritype® here:
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