# What's your alignment? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474 "2012-02-10T23:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/61 "2012-02-11T23:43:08Z")
I’m yet another one who’d have said they were neutral good, but the test said I’m plain old neutral. Since my response to this is ‘meh,’ perhaps that’s true. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/62 "2012-02-12T00:14:59Z")
The test said Lawful Good, but if I’m being honest I’d probably say Neutral Good. Then again, if I’m being honest maybe it actually is Lawful Good…no, probably Neutral Good. I’m kind and caring, but I’m also seriously and truly kind of a shit. Those of you saying Chaotic Evil, your at attempt honest self assessment is admirable, but in most cases I really, really doubt it, and I mean that in the best way possible. You’re Chaotic Neutral, maybe, but almost certainly not Chaotic Evil. When you actually meet somebody who is truly chaotic and evil all the way down to the core of their being, you will be surprised how fundamentally, breathtakingly alien and different that person is from you. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/63 "2012-02-12T00:19:19Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I took the quiz and the result was chaotic neutral. So I was seeing myself as gooder than I tested. Yes, I voted neutral good but my quiz result was neutral. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/64 "2012-02-12T00:22:39Z")
Would chaotic evil people harm themselves upon realizing they are chaotic evil? Well… I guess not as that would be oxymoronic. . ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/65 "2012-02-12T00:29:26Z")
One of the problems when anyone talks about D&D alignment, everyone expects “evil” to always mean colossal acts of barbarism, rape, and murder. Nazis and the like. But the fact is, most evil is small, petty, and banal. A lot of evil is simply kept in check by fear of being caught. There are people with psychopathic tendencies who “function” perfectly well in society, and seem normal, unless you take a really close look. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/66 "2012-02-12T00:33:48Z")
Lawful Good, with occasional wavering toward Lawful Neutral. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/67 "2012-02-12T01:23:59Z")
Chaotic Good I’m definitely on the side of good. I feel that most rules are stupid and pointless, and that home owners associations and dress codes are evil. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/68 "2012-02-12T01:32:38Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I had a pretty good guess, and it was definitely confirmed by taking the [online alignment quiz.](http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20001222b) > Neutral Good it is. Huh. I answered the poll as Neutral Good, but the quiz insists I’m Lawful Good all the way. I think I’m Neutral Good if only because I sometimes have problems with “tradition;” sometimes that translates as “But we’ve _always_ done it this way!”, which I hate. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/69 "2012-02-12T04:55:11Z")
As I said, I think that test is not really adequate for determining alignment of real humans. Anyone got a link to a better test? ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/70 "2012-02-12T09:56:13Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > One of the problems when anyone talks about D&D alignment, everyone expects “evil” to always mean colossal acts of barbarism, rape, and murder. Nazis and the like. > > But the fact is, most evil is small, petty, and banal. A lot of evil is simply kept in check by fear of being caught. There are people with psychopathic tendencies who “function” perfectly well in society, and seem normal, unless you take a really close look. I think the test measured banal selfishness and reported it as “evil”, way too strong a word I would not use to describe myself. I think Chaotic Evil could describe “Bender the Robot” and “Cap’n Jack Sparrow”, characters who fight evil and are good to their friends, but just happen to be a bit selfish and slippery. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/71 "2012-02-12T13:42:24Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > I think the test measured banal selfishness and reported it as “evil”, way too strong a word I would not use to describe myself. > > I think Chaotic Evil could describe “Bender the Robot” and “Cap’n Jack Sparrow”, characters who fight evil and are good to their friends, but just happen to be a bit selfish and slippery. True, and don’t forget there is an entire range of “evilness” in there. Those characters are just a little south of true Chaotic Neutral, which is simply someone who is extremely random at any given time. The range of that behaviour is naturally going to be far more limited than that of the ranges to either side. The major difference is in the valuation of _their_ personal freedom over the general freedom of others. In reality, the rage of actual behaviour would look something like this: CG…(…CN…)…CE So you can have people that mostly a little more selfish all the way through to sociopaths and psycopaths at the far end of CE; and people who are just a little more altruistic all the way through to Crazy freedom fighters and anarchists who want to burn the system don just to support their vision of helping. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/72 "2012-02-12T17:35:54Z")
Also, in the real world, evil people almost never think they’re evil. The capacity in human nature for rationalization is almost without limit. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/73 "2012-02-12T17:43:51Z")
The test above pegged me as Neutral Good, tho in comparison to the average of American society as a whole I definitely swing Chaotic (umm err sorry for the unintended implications). My view on obeying laws is that I do so such that I neither inconvenience nor distress others, or that my personal freedom is not constrained unnecessarily and pointlessly (if I am in a jail cell, natch). I’m a loner, I tutor rather than teach because I operate best with kids in 1-1 situations, and, while in general I don’t wear “chaotic” (showy) clothing, those who know me know that all the clothes I have are blue (my favorite color). And don’t get me started on my idiosyncratic personal philosophies, tho I will say that I’ve always held unworthy authority in contempt (my Catholic upbringing probably helped a lot there tho-just see the recent contraception brou-ha-ha for absolute proof of that). ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/74 "2012-02-12T18:50:23Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Lawful Good. I don’t cross the street unless the light is for me. Same. That quiz has no idea what it’s talking about. I’m as Lawful as Durkon Thundershield. Sure, I like to read and fantasize about the actions of chaotic heroes, so maybe that balances me out enough to make me Neutral. But I don’t really think that counts. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/75 "2012-02-12T19:12:12Z")
Test says Chaotic Neutral. My first guess was Chaotic(ish) Good(ish), so the test isn’t far off. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/76 "2012-02-12T19:15:16Z")
Definitely Chaotic Good. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/77 "2012-02-12T20:23:09Z")
I picked chaotic neutral on the first question for the poll, then I took the test and it was chaotic neutral. Not surprised, because I know me. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/78 "2012-02-12T20:52:37Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > I think the test measured banal selfishness and reported it as “evil”, way too strong a word I would not use to describe myself. > > I think Chaotic Evil could describe “Bender the Robot” and “Cap’n Jack Sparrow”, characters who fight evil and are good to their friends, but just happen to be a bit selfish and slippery. My favorite DM always used Daffy Duck as the exemplar of “nice” Chaotic Evil. Definitely chaotic, and not necessarily malicious but certainly self-centered. I think Woody Woodpecker would be full blown malicious Chaotic Evil. I think most children are arguably chaotic evil, though some are more lawful evil (“But it’s not faaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiir!”) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/79 "2012-02-12T20:56:16Z")
I am sufficiently undefined by laws (aka what Other People Think) that I dismiss your typology (naturally!). I am neither Neutral Good nor Chaotic Good; Neutral Good is closer but I do have laws and precepts that guide me in addition to my own immediate conscience and sense of what feels “right”; but those laws and precepts are my OWN, developed and maintained over time within my own head, and they are not the laws and precepts of the world surrounding me. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474/80 "2012-02-12T21:20:44Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I am sufficiently undefined by laws (aka what Other People Think) that I dismiss your typology (naturally!). > > I am neither Neutral Good nor Chaotic Good; Neutral Good is closer but I do have laws and precepts that guide me in addition to my own immediate conscience and sense of what feels “right”; but those laws and precepts are my OWN, developed and maintained over time within my own head, and they are not the laws and precepts of the world surrounding me. So, yeah. You’re not lawful. Your emphatic rejection of established authority in favor of your own conscience definitely puts you in chaotic territory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-alignment/612474.md?page=5)