5 Signs You are a Misanthrope

Misanthrope comes from the Greek “misein Anthropos,” which roughly translates as “to hate people.” As the name implies, misanthropes have a general disdain for human interaction, and deal with other humans in either a fight or flight reaction: they either avoid people, or confront them with annoyance.

Since kindergarten, one of the important life skills taught to us is how to make friends and behave kindly, so that others will like us. However, growing up and experiencing human interaction can produce good and ugly results. Oftentimes, it is the bad experiences that will give the lasting impression that influences whether or not you’ll hate the idea of dealing with people.

# You love the Internet

Because with the internet, you can watch movies, do your work, shop, and be entertained without having to deal with people physically. However…

# You rarely visit social media, if you’re interested in social media at all

The idea of socializing with people without having to stand near them should be appealing to you, but with your level of antipathy, you’ve unfriended more people than you’ve accepted—if that’s even possible at all. If you’re on Facebook, your favorite buttons would be unfollow, unfriend, and report abuse. Your means of online interaction would be your old email address, which you will only give to a chosen few.

# You can’t stand kids

Children are like adults, only less inhibited and, oftentimes, more self-centered. Not good news for a misanthrope who can’t even stand dealing with adults. Being invited to your friend’s children’s party is the perfect Stephen King-ish nightmare for you, and hearing all the cries, whines, and high-pitched shouting makes you want to go violate child abuse laws.

# You have little tolerance for small talk

Your idea of an ideal conversation is something answerable by yes or no. You also have a sentence limit—anything further, or if the conversation starts to get uninteresting, gives you the urge to flee with your ears covered.

# Reunions are not your thing

When reunions are mentioned, other people usually worry about what to wear, or what gifts to bring, if it’s a family affair. Misanthropes, however, would be thinking of possible reasons or excuses to say no. If attendance is inevitable, you tend to move around more often, like a spy switching safe houses, to avoid unwanted attention or conversation.