Personality quirks that put other people off, but that you find attractive

There’s this person. She doesn’t like talking.

She mumbles. She never initiates a verbal exchange unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you try speaking to her, she’ll respond only in a minimalist and utilitarian fashion. Having a conversation with her is like throwing someone a ball, only to have them put it in their pocket (to steal a quote I saw somewhere about Alexander Fleming).

Verbal communication clearly feels like work for her, not fun. Like crushing rocks.

She’s not a weirdo. She’s intelligent, creative and perfectly normal in most ways that matter. Although, she is… a bit strange. She’s certainly introverted and withdrawn. She projects inwards, not outwards. So much so that she can come across as… I dunno, self-absorbed? I don’t know if that’s the right word. She’s in her own bubble, mostly. She doesn’t care that much about what you’re doing over in your corner, one way or another. Or, if she does, she certainly doesn’t let you know.

And I find it incredibly endearing. I mean, she still communicates, just non-verbally if that’s at all an option. And she does like other people, she just doesn’t engage with them a lot, or, seemingly, worry much about their existence. This means that if she’s around, you get to shut up and just… be, at least more so than usually. And for once, that is OK. With most people, if you don’t talk for too long, they think you’re weird. But she’s very cool with it. She really just wants you to be quiet.

It’s all very zen, kind of, if you go with the flow.

I doubt most people find this kind of personality much of a turn-on, but I think it’s absolutely wonderful. A feature, not a bug, in my particular book.

You just basically described me perfectly. The only difference being I’m a man, and I don’t mumble when spoken to.

Because of that, I tend to like women who can yap a lot. Really, I don’t mind. During a movie, or while eating dinner… Yap away!

I like her already.

I’ve met several girls with significant speech impediments, and I found myself very attracted to them. Not a personality quirk, except that their personality would no doubt be influenced by such a socially conspicuous feature.

A lot of people are turned off by a lack of confidence, but I tend to find it endearing–as long as we get more comfortable with each other over time.

Intellectualism. Most people find know-it-alls to be mind boggling. Being one myself, I love a person I can talk to on an intellectual level.

I don’t know if it would be considered a quirk or not but I dated a girl who would always organize the table after having a meal in a coffee shop so it would be easier for the waitress to clean up. If we went shopping she would make it a special point to grab a basket from the parking lot or pick up some papers or trash blowing around. Her personnal life was a bit of an unorganized mess but she was extremely considerate when it came to others.

Long after we quit dating I was always happy to go help her with something, a real sweetheart.

I adore men who are talkers. Intelligent talkers, to be sure. I like someone who will debate with me, argue with me, inform me, and, occasionally, validate me.

My wife and I both do that.
I love when a woman snorts (once) in the middle of a belly laugh.

There’s a partner here in our law firm who isn’t very popular. He’s extremely intelligent and has a bit of a Sheldon Cooper-y personality. Other folks think him rude and avoid him, but I like him. He looks at issues of the day a bit differently than most people and usually has something brilliant and off-beat to say.

I like to talk to him. He’s a bit strange, but he’s never boring.

That ‘just right’ combo of smarts & snark.
There’s something about being around a person who you can Really talk to… or one who you can have one Hell of a lot of fun trying to talk to. They’re both good… in proportion of course.

Someone who can make every conversation with you seem like some un-written scene from some well written movie like “The Thin Man” or “The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer”.

“…they sent me to an orphanage. Some days, they didn’t beat me. Then one night, I ran away to NY. I used to… to Steal.”
“What did you steal?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“What did you steal…?”
“Crusts of bread. And… Things…!”

Really? That’s news to me. In my experience people like smart people, and are usually not enamored of stupid people.

Do you know a lot of people who particularly enjoy the company of dullards? I’ve never met anyone like that. I suspect everyone I know wishes I was smarter.

All of mine.

I agree, as some of the most confident-acting, smooth talkers, turn out to be some of the worst types; but some of the most sincere people, don’t give a great impression initially.