The idea of negative behaviors (disintegrative) and positive behaviors (integrative) of ego fixations is an idea of psychology that is not entirely without merit. However, the idea of focusing on behaviors has a fundamental drawback. That is, it tends to ignore the true purpose of Enneagram Knowledge as clarified understanding of the ego to support transcendence from the suffering of the ego. When detached from this essential purpose, it tends to become a manner of reinforcing ego identification rather than a path leading to transcendence. When this happens, the long term consequence is entrenched suffering and can lead to explosive incidents of negative behavior because the ego is actually trying to suppress itself. When this happens pressure on the psyche builds.
Why does this detachment of purpose happen? It is a matter of misunderstanding the nature of human life and reality. We are spiritual beings and a such we need guidance and practice and most of all we need cultural recognition that we are more than simply material beings. With the rise of materialism and existential attitudes and philosophies we find our selves in Western Culture, which has spread worldwide, that is in a state of spiritual and moral collapse. That is, there is no guiding Culture to point us to the discovery of our true nature. Religion has failed spectacularly in Western Culture as is well shown by Existentialism that it does not address the fundamental foundation of science and logic. Religion requires belief that contradicts science and logic and despite repeated attempts to show otherwise the religious Philosophers cannot change what is a fundamental contradiction. As such, there is no trust in Western thinking in any path that shows us a true understanding of ourselves as more than simply material beings. Real Enneagram Knowledge was created for just this purpose that through science, logic, ontology, physiology and the theology of Unity a path that does not rely on Faith could regenerate true Culture. Hence, removing pieces of the knowledge of the Enneagrams of the Ego and then presenting them as standalone therapy with no recognition of the original purpose of that knowledge results in a contradiction that ultimately reinforces the ego. Hence, the focus on positive and negative behaviors produces a strengthening of the ego rather than a transcendence of it.