jenny Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 one of the definitions of 'classic' literature that i agree with indicates that the main character must be rounded with flaws - they cannot be entirely moral, nice, or kind. there must be something to complexify the character, otherwise the whole story will be aesthetically flat and predictable. tripe. irl, i tend to very much dislike people who maintain that they have no flaws, as they are flat, unpredictable, and invariably hypocritical, dishonest, or lacking in rigour. my question to forum is what are *your* fatal flaws? (naivete does not count, that's displacement. ) here are mine: i'm really lazy; i always prefer charm to virtue; and i like inciting. o! sorry! just to be clear - this is a different kitten than mental illness, or chemical difficulties. these are personality traits that you know yourself to have, and you have come to accept them as part of the complex richness of your individual character. Link to post Share on other sites
meanon Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Mine: I get bored very easily and if I do not find suitable diversions I will create them (bad behaviour over insanity I say). I am also far too sensitive. There are more but that's enough for now Link to post Share on other sites
Dug Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I am way too sensitive. I care too much about what others think about me. This hasn't been totally crippling, but it has caused me a lot of pain in my life. Link to post Share on other sites
look forward Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I am way too indecisive to the point of irritation for others and myself.. I have problems making the simplest decisions its ridiculous but I just cant help it.. if I am faced with more than one option on something I crumble and get completely confused.. I also can be way too negative I always assume the worst will happen no matter what I do.. If I have an interview for something I tell myself that I wont get it before I even go so that if I don't get it I wont be upset.. its really bad I mean why cant I just be a little positive arrgghhh.. I am also very gullible and have a willingness to believe that everybody is nice even when they clearly are not Link to post Share on other sites
zarathustra Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I'm erotically restless, I break organizational rules, and I occasionally incite (or tempt) others to become just as restless and rule-breaking. I enjoy doing this. Also, I'm guilt deficient. Link to post Share on other sites
faux Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I suppose this is where I can finally let out some of my quirks: I am so highly critical of myself. I believe myself to be unintelligent at all times. I fluctuate constantly from thinking I look alright, to feeling ugly or fat. I really do not like these things. If I am hurt, I will insist upon using the injured body part no matter how much pain I must live through. I am working on this, as my hand never seemed to heal from last summer. If someone shakes my hand with a good grip I feel some amount of pain. This flaw could very much prove to be fatal. I hate chocolate. I list this because people find me odd that I really do hate chocolate, and I do not like people seeing me as some oddball. I am almost always too forgiving, and too kind, to all the wrong people. I tend to trust everyone. I take everything that is said to me seriously. It seems that I can actually discern sarcasm; I just convince myself to take it literally anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Pyrannaste Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I'm lazy, oversensitive, shy and I tend to overreact when something hurts my feelings. I'm not easily offended but when someone is rude or mean to me, I can become a real b*tch. Stupid people annoy me and I don't even try to hide it. I also overrate my own intelligence -which is probably my worst flaw. Link to post Share on other sites
HokeyReligions Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Interesting post! I don't trust anyone -- but I don't think this is a negative thing. I miss some opportunities for friendship or success because of this total lack of trust, but I can deal with that. I am a procrastinator extraordinaire! If I can put off until next week what I could have done yesterday, I will. I don’t like that about myself because in my professional life I HAVE to do as much as I can each day and NOT put things off. Because of my natural proclivity toward procrastination this tends to make work more stressful to me. I’m working to overcome this and I do what I need to do when I need to do it (in other words no one at work sees me as a procrastinator because I’m good at hiding it) but its like dieting – just because I’m not eating pizza anymore doesn’t mean I don’t still crave it! My sense of humor doesn’t always mesh with mainstream society. I think some weird stuff is really funny and some things that others find funny I think are dull. This severely limits how much enjoyment I can derive from others, and how much enjoyment I can provide to others. I wish I could fit in better then maybe I could trust more and have more friends. For example; I enjoy going to the dentist—it’s like a comedy club to me and when I have a root canal or something done I always have a little mirror so I can watch what they are doing and sometimes I laugh while I’m in the chair. Dentistry is just so ludicrous to me and the whole thing just tickles me no end. That and mammograms! I WISH my husband could watch a mammogram. They are uncomfortable and can actually hurt sometimes, but they are so funny to watch—I can just envision Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner or Jane Curtain (old SNL) doing a mammography skit! (Jane, you miserable slut—let go of Gilda’s bujumbas!) Link to post Share on other sites
bella8464 Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Sometimes I don't think before I speak, or I can be too straight-forward. I can be a perfectionist and expect too much of myself. Nothing is ever good enough usually. I am such a dreamer. My head is in the clouds more often than in reality. I am too much of a hopeless romantic. Things in the past can haunt me for years. Sometimes I let past events affect the present. I am obsessive compulsive, overly sensitive, spend too much money on myself and everyone (sometimes people that I don't even really know) and i definitely spoil my dog too much. (psssstt...also as crazy as this is, sometimes i even talk to her, my friends have even caught me doing it in public ) Worst of all....when I am pmsing WATCH OUT...I am without a doubt the biggest b*tch on the planet during that week Link to post Share on other sites
FreeMe Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I procrastinate!! It's probably my worst flaw. I have lots of others of course, but that is my "fatal flaw". Link to post Share on other sites
Author jenny Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 o! i love it! and thank you so much to everyone who responded...it is such a good indication of character.... for those of you with tragic flaws, *how* do you think they might cripple you? Link to post Share on other sites
meanon Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 for those of you with tragic flaws, *how* do you think they might cripple you? Destitute as a result of losing my job (conferences are a particular risk!) Divorced Other effects of chaotic lifestyle - unhappy children etc. Link to post Share on other sites
HokeyReligions Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Originally posted by bella8464 ) and i definitely spoil my dog too much. (psssstt...also as crazy as this is, sometimes i even talk to her, my friends have even caught me doing it in public ) Nothing wrong with that! My co-workers and boss have heard me talking to my dogs over the phone! I picked up a stray once that didn't speak english. It sounds funny, but it was obvious to us that he came from a family that spoke another language. Dogs understand! Link to post Share on other sites
dyermaker Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I take on the emotions of others as my own. I have an awful memory. I'm incredibly unmotivated. Link to post Share on other sites
corythosaurus Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I like to be in control. I don't let many people get to know me closely. I've been badly burned in the past and am very critical of who I let in. I have an uncanny ability to assess people from first impressions. 90% of the time I am right on, and once I make that assessment, it's very hard for the person to change my mind. Link to post Share on other sites
zarathustra Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 An erotic restlessness, if acted upon serially, turns the middle aged male into a Hugh Heffner-like cartoon figure--lounging about in one's pajamas munching Viagra like M&Ms. A pathetic don juanism. You look ridiculous, and, if married, you cause severe spousal unhappiness. Too much rule breaking at work can get you fired. So carefully pick the rules to break, and the time to break them. The lesson as to tragic flaws is moderation. Do not indulge your character flaws to excess or else these flaws will result in tragedy or, worse, farce--divorce, unemployment, censure and ridicule. Like you jen, I much prefer charm to virtue. Nevertheless, a paper thin line separates character, tragedy and farce. Being an adult is knowing when to cross that line, and when not to. Link to post Share on other sites
Arabess Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Jenny always comes up with the most interesting thead ideas. I'm not sure if it's a fatal flaw or an inherent blessing......but I have a habit of totally manipulating guys at work to do what I need them to do....to make myself look better. I've actually ADMIITED "Hey, I'm only flirting with you because I need help.". Then I'll laugh and they still do it. I get the best equipment, inspection marks and do the least physical work of anyone. I will flirt shamelessly. I'll admit It DOES get the job done in record time. But due to my disregard of their personal feelings, I often wonder if this is why I never take a compliment or nice gesture without assuming the other person wants something in return. Therefore, I really don't build 'warmth'.....just an exchange of 'needs'. I believe this may very well be spilling over into my lovelife. Link to post Share on other sites
2SidestoStories Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 The conflict inherent in my nature to be incredibly optimistic on one hand yet so cynical as to my general sense of human beings and human nature in general is likely my most fatal flaw. On an interpersonal level, I tend to be super open and trusting from the get-go, yet when consciously observing not only other people, but my interactions with them my "Geebus, I'm disgusted!" attitude often springs up. Link to post Share on other sites
nikkilove Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I"m too sensitive and along those lines, if someone does something I consider a slight (even if I realize later it wasn't intentional), I take it very personally. Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I'm flawless Link to post Share on other sites
Author jenny Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 no offense, but i'm not surprised by that response from you. Link to post Share on other sites
brashgal Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Procrastination. I could get so much more done without the stress. It has been exacerbated by depression so happily I'm improving. Inability/difficulty taking criticism. What can I say? I'm, so often right, I don't feel I need improvement (until of course it is too late). Link to post Share on other sites
moimeme Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I hate, loathe, and despise being manipulated, especially by people who try to use guilt, shame or scorn to do so. This sort of tactic is often used by people who think someone is too clueless to spot the stratagem. That annoys me even more. They get mighty ticked when their strategies fail. Oh well. Link to post Share on other sites
Arabess Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 We'll just start having to call her 'Merry' Poppins.... Link to post Share on other sites
Author jenny Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 lol...so paranoia, then? cheers, sweeties, it was an innocent question. i sort of enjoy ponying up to my own flaws, i am curious to see who else can. Link to post Share on other sites
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