Type 7: The Epicure

As an Epicure, you cannot stand limitations. You attempt to assure a good life and survival through gluttony for interesting interrelated ideas, fascinating future possibilities and adventures. You express an outer-directed upbeat energy while rationalizing your defenses. This gluttony plays out in the three instinctual subtype behaviors that compensate for the original limitless capacity to travel the full spectrum of life fully and freely.

Self-preservation: Like-minded defenders/family

You feel secure when you identify with others of like mind and ideals. You find other deserving people to bond with who mirror your ideals and dreams. These people who share your life view may exist mainly in your imagination, as possibilities, or they may be family, friends and associates who fit into part of your dream. Your gluttony plays out through these like-minded defenders who protect you from being trapped or limited in a boring or painful life, and assure enjoyment in family-style gatherings and the good life. They are like family to you, although often not your biological family. You share pleasures such as dining out or planning interesting projects. As trusted fellow travelers, you brainstorm together and sustain a part of each other’s vision of a positive future. At your worst, your claims on others to support your point of view or material desires can be highly demanding and thoughtless.

Social: Sacrifice

In the social area you must reign in your gluttony for stimulating experiences or interesting ideas, plans and projects. To function in the group you must sacrifice some of your own desires for the higher social cause. You can postpone your own gratification and accept limitations willingly for the sake of group ideals or worthy endeavors with which you identify and enjoy, and through promoting a better society. You participate with others who mirror your philosophy and interests. Often the hardest part of adhering to the norms and requirements of the group is dealing with authority. You don’t want to be told what to do or waste time in routine tasks. In this instance, sacrifice acquires a martyr flavoring. You accept suffering for the sake of the larger cause, while imagining an idealized future that equalizes authority. You feel good about the sacrifices you make for family and valued choices. At your worst, you overbook yourself with too many social interests and activities, making it difficult to commit.

One-to-One: Fascination/suggestible

When your upbeat energy and active imagination manifest in the one-to-one relationship, you connect by finding what fascinates and interests you. Your attention goes to what in the “special” other sparks your interest and imagination, providing a channel for your gluttony energy. You feel magnetized to this person and begin to idealize him/her. You are likable, charming and disarming. This person basks in your energy and gets caught up in the rush of your ideas, plans and possibilities. When you lose some interest in the relationship or the spark cools, someone else naturally catches your eye. You find a way out, not realizing you are breaking promises that, from your standpoint, you never really made. Or you stick with it, ironically finding ways through suggestibility to keep the vision of a positive future, even when the situation may be disastrous. You just don’t see the negatives. At your worst, you can rationalize your way out of a seemingly committed relationship when it loses its thrill, seems confining or ceases to be self-serving.

Instinctual subtype descriptions: