Type Two

Twos are power-oriented. Twos pridefully believe that their strength, judgment and control are what holds the world together—whether the world likes it or not. This quality is defined by a drive to shape the world in their image under the banner of responsibility or legacy. This relates to the Two’s core distortion that others need them—need them for guidance, direction, order, counsel, advice, love, attention, management, control, etc. The two sees this fact of their importance as baked into a perceived moral and social order. Twos aren’t wired to compromise/negotiate/bargain with the world in order to do so, though, but attempt to seductively or assertively maneuver others into a spot of dependence, maintaining themselves in the willful position.

Twos are visionary. Twos don’t dream in abstract ideals but see themselves as a force of order, destined to shape their surroundings into a legacy that reflects their greatness, judgment and vitality. The two doesn’t just want power in the now—they want to leave behind a world that bears their signature. Their land, their name, their bloodline, these are extensions of the two which the two wants that to endure. Their vision is about permanence, the ranch as an empire. They see themselves as larger-than-life. This self-belief in their greatness fuels a vision of control and influence that radiates outward through family, town and social order. The two’s world must mirror the greatness they see in themselves even if they have to bend people to fit that vision. They are not chaotic but believe they bring structure even if it’s ruthless. Harshness is sometimes necessary. Mercy is the Two’s to give, not a moral imperative.

Twos are expansive. The Two’s expansive quality is a deep urge to enlarge their presence, their name and their dominion, emotionally, socially, financially. It is not just ambition but sprawl, driven by the belief that their identity (“the self”) must cast a long shadow and shape the world around them. The Two has never owned or acquired enough. They want more land, more influence, more control, not so much out of a hunger for things but as a natural expression of who they are. Possession is not greed but gravity in that the Two believes that things are meant to orbit them, not the other way around.

Twos are self-serving. The self-serving nature of the Two is regal, unapologetic, and deeply woven into their sense of identity and status. It is not sly or hidden but front-facing and justified in the Two’s mind. They don’t sneak around for what they want. They claim it, because they believe it is theirs by right, especially when they feel they have done more, risked more, and stood taller than those around them. In other words, they believe in their own greatness, so serving themselves is justified, even noble. They believe that the world is better off with them at the top. Help from a Two is never free but that there is always an implied loyalty or subservience owed in return (“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”) Needless to say, the Two makes instrumental use of others like they were tools, adornments or threats to be neutralized—lovers are proof of virility, children are reflections of self, spouses, partners and mistresses are possessions, and enemies are foils to be conquered. The self-interest of the Two expands outwards like a kingdom. They are self-centered not by greed but by scope. The self becomes the central organizing force of the future.

Twos are entitled. The entitlement of the Two is born out of aristocratic-like self-exemption. They see themselves as above the rules, immune to consequence and forever youthful in appetite. The sporting life provides Twos with a channel for their adrenaline addiction. The Two is not a beacon of maturity nor do they want to be. They chafe at expectations of aging, settling, or temperance. They want to remain virile, exciting, and potent even if it shames their family or tarnishes their legacy. They cling to vitality through danger, sex, and spectacle even as the world moves on. They are not ashamed of their behavior. They even romanticize it, believing it keeps their edge sharp. People who play too safe die before they are dead. Twos can create an interesting contrast that does not go unnoticed, by day holding themselves out in the social and political ether as a rich and successful pillar of society and at night diving headlong into what the two deems to be a ‘prideless’ perversion.

Twos are possessive. Twos bloat up their sense of worth by collecting needy people that they can impose their identity over. They need to see themselves as all-important in people’s life (“He would have nothing if it wasn’t for me”) . Even something as simple as not telling a Two or a Two’s child “you’re welcome” can trigger the two into a retaliatory response. They constantly blow up over anything that strikes a blow at their identity. When Twos sense that people are making shows of independence, they will call attention to it, guilt-tripping them (“I treated you like a son, like one of my own children!”). They also like to work influence behind the scenes, trying to manipulate and coerce people in ways that extend and expand the Two’s identity, helps the Two keep up good impressions and reflects on the Two’s importance. Twos are all about keeping up appearances – the person who sends flowers to every wake of every person they know who lost somebody.

Twos are dominating. Inevitably Twos have a superficial style of dominance that is mostly symbolic. They might have a gimmick where they can tear apart a phonebook, but there’s a trick to it. Curtis Sliwa, a Type Two, exemplified phony dominance perhaps better than anyone. He orchestrated multiple hoaxes in the late 1970s. He tried to appear honorable by faking a subway wallet return. He fabricated stories of foiled rapes and muggings. By feigning conflict and victimhood, Sliwa painted himself as a righteous warrior under siege, compelling public sympathy and authority. However, he later admitted that these were constructed narratives to cement the Guardian Angels’ image. Sliwa’s “tough guy” mythology unraveled even faster after he got shot in 1992. He ran straight to the cops. He wore a wire and cooperated with the FBI. He testified against Gotti Jr. It clashed with his whole macho-vigilante “we don’t run to the system” image. He painted the Guardian Angels as New York’s arm of justice. But in reality they were largely theatrical, and their patrolling was performance art. They were a media brand, used by Sliwa as a springboard for talk radio, mayoral campaigns and tabloid stunts.

Twos are vengeful. Inevitably the way that Twos conduct themselves causes many to view the Twos negatively, even as moronic and clownish (“Look at this bozo trying so hard to court the reputation of a pillar of society, an upstanding citizen, meanwhile, blowing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year sleeping with coked out strippers, taking six of them at a time out to breakfast, right out in the open, as if the whole State doesn’t know what a pathetic joke he is!”) This drastically conflicts with the way the Two sees the reality of themselves. The vengeance of the Two is orchestrated, symbolic and tied to identity. They view your offense upon their identity as a tear in the perceived moral or social order and so for the Two, vengeance becomes a sacred act, one that is orchestrated, symbolic, tied to identity and designed to correct a cosmic imbalance – to show that they (the Two) are still the axis around which things turn.

Healthy Twos are humble. When the Two lets go of their pride, what emerges is a powerful and often noble humility, but not the submissive kind, rather a more dignified type of humility that is marked by a shift from needing to be the all-great center of the universe to being willing to serve something higher than self-image. They shift from glory-seeking to grace. They are opened up to seeing others as full, worthy, sovereign beings. They no longer have to prove they are great. They give themselves to causes, missions, and communities.  Their charisma remains but it is now selfless. What emerges is magnamity, stability and service. They become dignified servants of meaningfulness, not tyrants of image.

2w1s are altruistic. They strongly embody the servant aspect of type Two and feel a strong sense to volunteer themselves for the welfare of others. They often disdain ownership and greed and are drawn to work in the healing, helping, or sometimes legal professions where they can establish their greatness through indispensability.

2w1s are serious. They are more restrained in their emotional expression, sometimes spock-like, but not as a rule, and tend to get things done. They have more common sense and practical survival skills than 2w3s. They are also driven by more guilt and self-criticism than 2w3s and don’t go after what they want as manipulatively, or connect with people as easily, often preferring to work behind the scenes or in an independent capacity. They don’t get distracted by frivolous pursuits.

2w1s are outspoken. They are rigid in their views and more critical of other people’s actions. They can overreact when rules are unfair, take their marbles and go home.  They give moral credence to their feelings, preach the right thing to do, and will start to talk at people rather than to them. They can be punitive and are quicker to reject people for calling their good intentions into question. However, such separations are often just temporary.

2w3s are charmers. 2w3s are less able to approve of themselves internally therefore approval and validation has to be bestowed upon them by others. As a result, 2w3s turn their attention outwards and have difficulty forming an identity that is separate from other people. This other-directed tendency makes 2w3s vulnerable to the dispositions of other people but also gives them sensitivity for the thoughts and feelings of those they seek the approval of. It also gives them a vigilance for possible rejection. Ultimately, they want to win people over and are on the look-out for signs of indifference. Indifference is something that Twos hate as they interpret emotional neutrality as rejection. They exude feel-good vibes, are hyperactive, and can seem nervous around issues that pertain to validation. They are more prone to temper tantrums. They know how to sell people on their desirability. They can turn moods and feelings on like a light switch, knowing what will garner them attention. A master at reading others’ needs, they can project feeling-states on cue.

2w3s are fickle. They can be histrionic attention-seekers. They seek out stimulation on a constant basis and they try to impress and amuse people, seeking to sell and market themselves, and they engage people as if they were trying to fill a bottomless pit within themselves. They seem caring, have a softer touch and look for ways to please others as a way to court admiration. They constantly perform and enjoy the spotlight. They can be prone to exaggerated overconfidence and extreme forms of workaholism

2w3s are coquettes. Giving others gifts or simply their attention is their main form of generosity. They have more awareness for image and tend to strongly embody the seductive aspect of type Two. They like to flatter and stroke people’ss egos more than the other wing does and 2w3s often do it indiscriminately and on occasions not suited for it, but can go hot and cold, very often compartmentalizing their connections.

2w3s are clingy. When less healthy, they don’t just let go of relationships or take rejection easily. If rejected, their focus can escalate to the point of stalking and harassing. They may spy on people or show up in unexpected places. They can become obsessed with individuals, sometimes consumed by a destructive jealousy.

The Two’s self-importance is more rooted in their emotional truth. It is internally generated. The three’s self-importance is external, a quality that is brought into the self via branding and image and which doesn’t exist unless others are seeing it.  

Fours dwell in their inner worlds. Two usually avoid it. Twos want to be a somebody in the lives of others. Fours want to be a somebody in the world that their fantasy persona inhabits.

Fives are detached. Twos are emotionally expressive.

Six vigilance scans for danger. Two vigilance scans for rejection.

Seven hedonism is unrestrained. Two hedonism is well-mannered.

The two’s approach to exercising power puts a high premium on keeping up appearances and doing the dog and pony show. This is vastly different from the eight’s approach to exercising power. The two’s expansiveness is driven by pride and image. The two’s expansiveness is driven by a lack of inner brakes.

Ones are more focused on principle. Twos focus more on people.