Everyone is Conning Everyone | Six Degrees of Separation and the Enneagram

In this episode of The Enneagram in a Movie podcast, Mario Sikora, TJ Dawe and TJ Ingrassia talk about the 1993 film, Six Degrees of Separation, starring Will Smith and Stockard Channing. Paul, played by Smith, cons his way into Manhattan's upper crust by absorbing elite codes of conduct. But Ouisa, played by Channing, and Flan Kittredge, played by Donald Sutherland, were born into money and are doing the same thing, just more smoothly. The three hosts examine how Navigating Threes constantly refine their map of how to fit in, why their sense of self depends on external validation and what it means to strive for belonging without losing standing. They also unpack the film's treatment of authenticity, class consciousness and duality.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:03] Intro

[00:38] Thoughts on this week’s movie

[03:58] About Six Degrees of Separation

[06:04] The movie as Navigating Three

[12:52] Striving to Feel Outstanding in the film

[20:28] Threes find ways to accomplish things

[25:53] Who are we really?

[29:34] Understanding group dynamics

[34:33] Creating a sense of self

[38:40] A series of stories

[43:58] The Navigating Three