# What's your worst character defect? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 16, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997 "2001-06-16T02:32:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/1 "2001-06-16T02:32:32Z")
What do you perceive as your worst character defect? Dishonesty? Jealousy? Greed? Insouciance? And would you be willing to have this defect of character removed, or is it something you consider vital to yourself, and want to keep, regardless? Personally, I think my worst defect is self-absorption. I really have to work to pay attention to other people, and to listen to them and their side of things. This mainly manifests in my social life, and not in my professional life. But it is something I would like to get rid of, and am working on improving. Qadgop “If there’s anything here that’s more important than my ego, I want it taken out and shot!” -Zaphod Beeblebrox ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/2 "2001-06-16T02:41:15Z")
I have a bad temper. I blame it on my Irish / Italian heritage. Thankfully, it’s not as bad as it used to be, but I really had to work on it. I’m also rather defensive. I’m working on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/3 "2001-06-16T03:05:15Z")
Complacency. When I comfortable in a situation, I tend to not want to leave it until it becomes overwhelming (ie. my current job, which sucks) and I get desperate to change when I should have heeded the early warning signs. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/4 "2001-06-16T03:12:01Z")
I am lazy. I should be a slender, gorgeous, bestselling author with a beautiful showcase home. If I could just get my ass moving. Also I lack humility. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/5 "2001-06-16T03:12:29Z")
Vanity. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/6 "2001-06-16T03:20:01Z")
Geez, where to start. I have a few. 1. Laziness. There’s always things I should do, but keep putting it off. Unless it comes down to I _have_ to get something done, I rarely do anything ahead of time. 2. My temper. This doesn’t go off all the time, but I have certain topics which will set me off. This however hasn’t been so bad since I’ve been on my anti-depressants though. 3. Impatience. I hate waiting. I want something, I want it now. I want to do it _now_ I’m horrible about that. Are any of these things something I would consider a vital part of myself? No. I would do away with each one if I could. In fact, I’ve gotten my temper under more control than I ever have in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/7 "2001-06-16T03:28:08Z")
I leave myself far too open to heartache. Whether I’ve caused it, or been the victim of…it flies to me like a moth to a flame. I would give up the causing of it. But I’d take a thousand heartaches to get it right someday. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/8 "2001-06-16T03:38:43Z")
I can trace every major mistake in my life to impatience, which is odd, because I’m very good at waiting. I can entertain myself with the contents of my purse for hours. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/9 "2001-06-16T03:42:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cyn \* > \*\*I can entertain myself with the contents of my purse for hours. \*\* LOL. If you have in your purse what an ex of mine carried around in her purse, I can understand why… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/10 "2001-06-16T04:16:09Z")
I’m a useless lazy slacker bum. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/11 "2001-06-16T04:58:30Z")
My unquenchable thirst for human blood. ---
**Author:** ![straykat23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@straykat23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straykat23)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/12 "2001-06-16T05:00:30Z")
Passive/Aggressive ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/13 "2001-06-16T05:10:55Z")
I’m too nice, NO, REALLY, I mean it. I was edging my lawn today and this girl comes walking by. I grabbed the cord and as I was walking with it, it brushed against her leg. She stopped, turned around, and stood there looking at me. I said, smiling “Was that rude?” She scrunched her nose and said, “Yes. You almost tripped me.” “Sorry, no harm intended.” Now there’s no way I could have tripped her over-exaggerating ass. I wanted to say something mean at the time like, “Shut your trap, BITCH.” But I just don’t have it in me. I wonder why it comes so easy now, after I’ve thought about it all day. ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/14 "2001-06-16T05:36:33Z")
Oh that’s an easy one: lack of sticktoitveness. I tend to get really, really pumnped up about a project, or a new job, then within months, even weeks get sick of it. I am now really, really reluctant to commit to anything long-term out of fear I’ll just dump it off the side real quick. As a matter of fact, I’m ending this post out of boredom! But I was really excited when I saw the OP . . . 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/15 "2001-06-16T05:38:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > \*\*Oh that’s an easy one: lack of sticktoitveness. > > I tend to get really, really pumnped up about a project, or a new job, then within months, even weeks get sick of it. I am now really, really reluctant to commit to anything long-term out of fear I’ll just dump it off the side real quick. > > As a matter of fact, I’m ending this post out of boredom! But I was really excited when I saw the OP . . . 😃 \*\* Oh I’m also a horrible procrastinator and spend way, way too much time on thr Net!!! HELLLLP!!! ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/16 "2001-06-16T06:18:53Z")
I’m too polite to arseholes. People are rude to me, I bottle it up. They continue being rude, I continue bottling it up. Finally, I snap, and show my considerable temper. Then I feel guilty, and _I’m_ the one who has to apologise. Sucks, that. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/17 "2001-06-16T07:19:02Z")
I rolled a four on charisma, but I’m hoping to bribe the Dungeon Master to let me roll again. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/18 "2001-06-16T13:22:40Z")
So what are we all doing about our character defects? Every time I get into a conversation with a anyone, I try to remember to shut up and listen, and to ask questions about that person and their interests. And I work very hard to not top their tale with some experience of mine. I really hate this trait in other people, so I think it really sucks that I’ve got it, too. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/19 "2001-06-16T13:30:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\*So what are we all doing about our character defects? Every time I get into a conversation with a anyone, I try to remember to shut up and listen, and to ask questions about that person and their interests. \*\* You’ll make a fine doctor one day. I’d do something about my flaws, but I’m just too lazy to think about it. I’m close to perfection as it is anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997/20 "2001-06-16T14:10:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > You’ll make a fine doctor one day. Now,now! This is in my personal life. Professionally I keep the focus on the patient, and rarely introduce my own experiences into it unless I feel it can help affirm the patient’s own experiences. I’ve been told by many patients that they stay with me because I do listen to them, and respond to their questions. Which makes the whole issue somewhat ironic that I do this so well in my physician role, but can fail so miserably in my personal experiences. Perhaps it is a reaction to being so “other-focused” for 60 hours a week, that it’s hard to listen to other people if they’re not paying me to do it. Isn’t that awful? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-worst-character-defect/68997.md?page=2)