The word “misanthrope” comes from the Greek word meaning “to hate people.” Misanthropes are known for avoiding human interaction whenever possible. This doesn’t necessarily mean making a person mean or hateful in general, but they definitely avoid people whenever possible. There are a number of different signs that you may be a misanthrope, and you must know what they are before making a final determination of yourself.
1. You tend to be more sensible than the people who surround you
One surefire sign that you are a misanthrope is that you tend to be more sensible than other people around you. If you hate people because you just think most of them are idiots, this term most likely applies to you. Misanthropes tend to dislike people in general not because they are intellectual snobs, but rather because they simply don’t want to deal with people’s nonsense in general.
2. You hate a deep-seated hatred for Drama
If you simply cannot stand drama and the people who cause it, you are most likely a misanthrope. These people do everything in their power to avoid those who cause problems and dramatic situations wherever they go. While many people claim to hate drama, many of them are actually responsible for causing it themselves. True misanthropes despise drama in all forms and do whatever they have to when it comes to staying away from it altogether.
3. You Prefer to spend time by yourself
While it’s true that not all people who prefer to spend time by themselves are misanthropes, it is one of the signs to look out for. If you would much rather stay at home and read a book or do something else by yourself than go to a party or engage in any other social activity, misanthropy is definitely a possibility. These people almost always prefer to spend time by themselves as opposed to hanging out with other people, no matter who it is.
4. You Never Really Use Social Media
A lot of people-hating misanthropes avoid social media websites like Facebook and Twitter like the plague. Because these are outlets for people to talk and communicate with each other, your average misanthrope will have no interest in them whatsoever. Do you find that you are the only person in your group who doesn’t have a social media or social networking account of some kind? If so, you might just be a misanthrope in the classic sense.
5. You cannot Stand Children
Some people cannot stand being around kids, and some of them are classic misanthropes. If you don’t find kids cute in the slightest, this term might very well apply to you. These people typically have no patience for kids, especially young ones who scream, cry and throw temper tantrums. While young children can get on any person’s nerves at times, misanthropes tend to hate being around kids no matter how they are acting.
6. You have a bad case of Road Rage
Not all misanthropes are angry drivers, but many of them cannot stand sharing the road with their fellow humans. If you find yourself screaming at every other vehicle on the road when driving, you could be a misanthrope. These people find it very difficult to get in their cars without cursing out slow drivers, people who cut them off and everyone in between. Chances are you have no patience for impaired drivers, and what’s more, you allow your rage to get the best of you in a number of different ways while driving.
7. You are always a little bit too blunt when speaking with others
One sign that you very well might be a people-hating misanthrope is that you are a little bit too blunt and assertive with your opinions. Most people have at least some kind of social filter that prevents them from saying the things they want to, but not these people. You have probably found yourself in more than one situation where you’ve been accused of being mean or even heartless because of your direct and perhaps inappropriate comments directed at another person.
8. You have a difficult time making new friends
Although a lot of misanthropes don’t really have a powerful desire to make new friends in the first place, they have a tough time doing so when the mood strikes them. If you find it hard to make friends, you could by a misanthrope. You just tend to rub people the wrong way, and because of that, it can be hard to connect with people.
9. You’d rather not have a significant other
Sometimes you feel lonely, but overall, you just don’t want to bother with such a deep and personal relationship. True misanthropes usually don’t actively seek out romantic relationships because they know what a successful one requires on their part. It’s a lot of work physically and emotionally, and that’s just not something that most misanthropes are interested in.
10. You think you are better than most people
You could be a misanthrope if you often think that you are better than most of the people around you. Misanthropes often think that they are smarter and more sensible than other people, and sometimes it’s actually true.
11. You have some sort of anxiety disorder
Studies have shown that misanthropes tend to have some sort of anxiety disorder. If you sometimes get panic attacks when you are in large groups of people, misanthropy is at least somewhat likely. Not all misanthropes have an anxiety disorder, but many of them do.
12. You really enjoy people watching
If people-watching is one of your favourite activities, there is a big chance that you could be a misanthrope through to the bone. These people usually strongly prefer watching people over actually interacting with them. It is important to consider this before labelling yourself as a people-hating misanthrope or anything else for that matter.
65 Comments
9 outta 12…I hate you. 😉
Great article. We don’t all or always think we’re better. What’s clear is we, misanthropes, understand how most people seem to crave company and like to be part of what’s popular or be seen to be doing things that will earn them brownie points with the crowd. Yet the majority, the masses don’t seem to get that there’s a small number that don’t want all the things they want. All we want is to be left alone and not interfered with. Our refusal to interact with the community is sometimes regarded, particularly post 911, as something to be suspicious and wary of. What this tells me is that the masses is made up mostly of shallow people. They will support causes like Black Lives Matter because it’s the thing to do, it’ll show they are accepting of difference and ‘nice’. If it happened that they chanced upon a person being picked on by a group they might just walk away becuase there’s no witnesses around to glorify their deeds. The human race is a lost cause. There’s no need to philosophise further. It’s a fact. Look around us.
Misanthropes are usually fat, unattractive and have poor personal hygiene.
I think that’s just somebody with no self worth
I think Tracy’s just projecting on us a tad.
Yet another person causing misanthropy….
And can YOU not feed into his negative bullshit I’m really tired of people like you, you people think you’re so above everyone else and you think you have everyone’s life figured out when guess what bitch? You barley have your life figured out you don’t know shit about people and you shouldn’t feed into his negative bullshit I hope both of you choke on a dick
That’s not true I’m a misanthrope and I exercise to an extreme amount I shower three times a day I brush my teeth 6 times a day I’m handsome and athletic
Based on what, exactly. I shower daily, eat healthy food and just hate people for being stupid and following the crowd instead of their own mind. As for “ugly”… Who decides?
People are arrogant, ignorant and selfish. They don’t seem to care for their natural surroundings or other animals on this small planet. Humans breed constantly and then complain about lack of space, food etc. It’s all about money which a lot of humans will not share with others… Greed is ugly.
Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. You could be an entitled parasite. Get off your (average American woman) 170 pound arse and get to work.
Have fun being a slave your entire life Will the lemming. You are an idiot. Go work your moron ass into the ground and be proud of it, like every other human in a cage of their own shit proudly claiming they are better than others. Say what you will, you are still a nothing living a nothing life. Even if you think and pretend to be a better person than others. Delusions of grandeur is a sign of mental illness, you should get that checked out.
I agree 100%
I genuinely think that this is a won’t generalization. People with specific opinions, regarding humanity or anything/anyone else do not have the same or a similar appearance necessarily. Classifying all misanthropes as “fat, unattractive, and having poor hygiene” is like using stereotypes, which are practically out of proportion generalizations, to define people who think or act differently than you do. You might think that using the word “usually” makes it less offensive, but all it does is verify that it’s a genuine generalization because you imply that misanthropes are “UNusually” thin and have well hygiene and are attractive. Not all misanthropes make their opinions well known. So you’ll never truly know who falls in the category and who doesn’t. So let’s assume another stereotype, which is essentially a generalization, and apply it to this situation.
There’s many stereotypes— men are stronger and more built for work than women; Arabs and Muslims are terrorists, and all white Americans are fat, lazy, and obese. Similar to the generalization you decided to note down, these are all offensive stereotypes/generalizations that are also greatly not true. There is no scientific evidence or even plain evidence the general public can understand to suggest that these are true. They’re not true for the entire population under these cultures or races or genders. The same principle applies to what you claimed and to these stereotypes/generalizations— you cannot simply bunch an entire population together and assume who they are, what they do, and how they look like. That’s where you mess up.
Liz, males ARE stronger than females.
Females ARE stronger than males! Women DO NOT need men. There are wven studies that show how single women in old age are happier and healthier while old single men are misarable
Dude have you ever actually met a misanthrope? I bet you haven’t what the fuck is your issue? THIS THIS is why I fucking hate you people all you ever do is bad mouth people to make yourself feel special well guess what buddy you’re not shit and you’re never gonna be shit….sorry you think so lowly of yourself, sorry you’re a dirty prick that’s self reflecting get a fucking life, stop generalizing people like the dumb ass retard you are, fucking leave.
And what do trolls generally look like, Traxy? God I hate people. Coming out Misanthropic and proud, I am not one of these shallow failures. Misanthropists, unite! Just also leave me alone.
True Misanthropes never try to explain themselves to morons.It would be the same like arguing with the fish.
Sorry guys all of you just lost one misanthropy point 😉
Amen, for those who hold people in low regard there’s a lot of reaction to opinion. And so much for despising social media
And it is people like Tracy S. Thompson that makes people like me a Misanthrope. BTW, I am very attractive FYI.
Unfortunately, we live in Machiavellian world often cynical about others. And it’s this compulsion that leads us to conflict with others. But truth be told we’re no better than each other and it’s that that makes me most suspicious of people I don’t know. And its because of these traits, I am at my most misanthropic when it comes to society. Is it a psychological disorder.
Yes, the human race in general IS the socio-phsycological disorder to be highly suspicious of especially those with psychology degrees.
Cynicism is a human trait that leads to corruption because of the conflicts it causes.
Says the deluded hypocrite who doesn’t appreciate cynicism ‘cuz he misunderstands it. And so, you’re not my kind o’ misanthrope.
Hey, don’t go around thinking all misanthropes are the same as you are Tracy.
>usually
low IQ take and generalization. I suppose this is also how you describe minorities and people of overt religious faith as well.
get shot, raped, and videotaped, you disgusting normie.
really what stupid person you are to think this you really know nothing you stupid person
Is that descriptive of you Tracy? You sound absolutely mean-spirited.
Yes lady, and what research did you conduct on the subject? ”The my opinion is better than yours” kind?
Unless you are looking in the mirror thinking this I disagree.
I know many misanthropes, most are very kind, smart people that dont suffer fools. Most are in great shape and dont judge people by their looks,
They just generally hate humanity for its ignorance and general cruelty to animals and other humans.
You would want a misanthrope as a friend, because if your were their friend that means you dont fit into the PAS (People Are Scum) category.
What a beautiful last statement.
Humanity is on its last legs. We either need to buck up and work together or wipe each other out and be done with it.
10 out of 12 according to your personal list / observations.
Number 10 You think you are better than most people that is someone with a Narcissists personality disorder.
11. You have some sort of anxiety disorder
I had a friend who was diagnosed by a psychiatrist with anxiety they trusted the wrong people and kept doing things they didn’t want to just to make people happy.
They would cry when ever someone didn’t like them.
You also left out the actual meaning of misanthrope
Misanthropes have trouble trusting humans.
Wow! This is great. I may just be a misanthrope! Can I also hand a deep longing to have connection and want to be part of a group? I try, but I end up getting cantankerous and leave early. Every time. I don’t connect with people and I’m starting to feel like I’d rather be alone with my old dog.
You have hit the nail squarely on its head.
This is a strange one for me, as a lot of those things ring true but aren’t so black and white… I don’t tend to get mad at other drivers unless its something I’ve deemed they have done on purpose.. i’m cool with human error if it hasn’t caused any serious issue.
I have no problems making friends im very chatty and open and people tend to like me but I then at some point tend to begin to dislike them if they are living up to how I expect them to be… whether they say or do something I don’t feel is right.. bigotry etc or if they aren’t showing me the same love im showing them.
I will stop and help any stranger in need… so my dislike for people isn’t based on them being a person but more on what kind of person they turn out to be.
I’m very compassionate,empathetic etc but I will not sugar coat an opinion if I believe it is for that persons best even if its not what they want to hear… I usually end up apologizing if I feel ive hurt their feelings but I still make it clear I believe in everything I said I just didn’t mean for it to hurt.
6. Don’t have road rage, just dislike bad road manners. In fact dislike bad manners in general.
10. Not better than other people, just different.
11. No anxiety, just don’t like people.
Otherwise from my people watching table for one … Good descriptions.
I joined a misanthrope support group once but quit when I realized all the other members were morons and I couldn’t stand them.
#2 is wrong, It should say “You have (not hate) a deep-seated hatred for Drama”.
Re Number 1, misanthropes only believe they are more sensible than other people. They are just as nonsensical.
I am all of those things. I however love children and am sad that they are going to grow up to be fakes, because of other humans they want to be accepted by. Children are the only pure thing about humans. Even if they lie it is not in most cases with malice. They can be very hurtful to one another, but in most instances its because they want to be accepted as all humans do and I believe this is where misanthropy originates. We are not accepted for what we are.
Blacks want to be accepted and gays, but I really think that the misanthrope is one of the most misunderstood classes that has ever been put on this earth. Of course we want a relationship, but because we expect our counterpart to just love us without reserve, we in most cases lose out, because they just can’t handle our blunt honesty, but our honesty is not just put on them it is also put on ourselves.
We know what we are. We are human and we hate that we have all of this crap floating around in our heads and deal with it head on whereas most people lie to themselves and to each other and leave all the crap splattered on whoever they destroy with their lying. I gave up years ago on trying to find the right person and hoped my children would at least understand me a little and even they don’t want to have anything to do with me anymore.
Misanthropy is a lonely life and not because we want it that way, but because other humans have shunned us for who we are. I don’t hate other people I hate the selfishness that inhabits their minds and the inability to be honest about who they really are. I hate the hatefulness and arrogance that most allow themselves. If humans were like any other animal I couldn’t hate them, but we are the only creature who premeditates. Animals kill and hurt out of necessity and humans kill and hurt out of selfishness and greed.
All I ever wanted was a person to be completely honest with me, no matter how much it may have hurt me and all they ever wanted was for me to lie to them, so they could feel better about the hurtful things they allow themselves. That is the sum of misanthropy.
5. I don’t hate children. I hate heathens who act terribly in public. And I hate their parents for not teaching them the difference.
6. Not road rage, per se. I just hate people who don’t know how to drive. I hate people who don’t use the turn signal. I hate people who drive like morons. And I hate people who drive 10 in the 30.
9. Just because I domt like people doesn’t mean I domt want love. I just don’t want to be hurt.
10. Not really “better”, exactly. Just different.
12. I know how an event will unfold before most “normal” people. As well as how to solve an issue quickly. It amuses me to see humans squirm under pressure. To see a situation blow up when the answer is so painfully obvious. Especially when it’s their fault.
I’ll defend someone if they’re being treated wrongfully. But I don’t see the need to go out of my way to help random people. Nine times out of ten, it’s met with disgust. So why bother?
I think and alwAys have that this was me now if I could just meet someone else’s just like this week probably get along just great
Nothing wrong with being a “misanthrope. I learned the hard way not to trust people. Vietnam, the Press, the
Government and most of all my own fellow citizens. Spitting at and on us. Throwing dog crap in paper bags at us. Waving North Vietnamese flags on military installations with no repercussions. Shouting how we should have died in Vietnam. Yes, absolutely and proudly MISANTHROPIC.
Still affected then.
9 out of 12
I’m hating mankind in general more than ever before. The whole species has been bamboozled by virologists on their media. Wow!
I don’t actually hate children, really feel bad about what their future is going to be like and part of what fuels my displeasure with the hairless apes and their FEAR cult
Road rage. I don’t know, might just be atl traffuck…??? Nah who am I kidding I hate everyone else on the road!!!
I remember being described growing up as being really intelligent, but honestly I don’t think I am all that smart. Just everyone around is retarded.
After forty years of this stupid shit all I’ve learned is mankind is worthless and a barrier to my will. I call out to my ancestors damning their names for bringing me to this ball of fucks away from the darkness and warmth of disincarnation
You put that perfectly.
Did you mean humankind or do you just hate men?
I’m most certainly a misanthrope and the fact I am has very little to do with me, unlike what this article suggests. If one can manage to purely objectively and rationally observe the humanity as a whole, there isn’t much to love or be proud of. We are self serving, selfish and destructive creatures who would sacrifize anything for our own comfort. We destroy the nature, we have the nerve to own land which we didn’t create, we kill other species and each other, we hate each other based on our differences, we are greedy, vain, power hungry and suffer from severe god complexes. And we are also self-adoring and delusional enough to be blind for all of these flaws and find a perfect excuse to believe we are entitled to everything. Humans only care about humans. And sadly for humans, we are stupid enough to believe that we know best. But we don’t. Every generation leaves an uglier, less safe and dirtier planet to the next. We will destroy ourselves just we did the rest of this world. And when we do, the world will be a better place.
interesting. i am andy the gardener, one of the best known ‘eco nazi’ misanthropes on youtube. i dont just hate humans, i believe, with total justification, that humans, or at least industrial civilization, which is the main problem, and the humans composing it, should be eradicated to save whats left of the priceless biosphere from its deprivations. my reasoning is the humans will die off when the oil runs out anyway so we might as well kill them all off with emps before that, so as to limit the damage they do. we would of course need to deactivate the 450 nuclear power stations and other lethal infrastructure that humans wisely built. the least humans could do right now, after destroying the great barrier reef, the arctic, most of the tropical forests, etc, is to kill themselves off in shame. humans are really not special. just hideous irrational predatory monkeys. a failed evolutionary experiment. in spite of having knowledge and ability, they have done nothing about anything of importance. their answer to global warming is lies; lets build millions of windmills, solar panals and ecars and just carry on as normal. not end capitalism , stop converting everywhere to food factory and reduce the human population to a few million as any decent species would. you mention driving without irony, seemingly unaware it is one of the most despicable and damning things about humans; other than having kids, taking holidays to benidorm on the easyjets and all the other endlessly shitty things they do. its very difficult to like humans if you have an iota of situational awarness about the increasingly dire state of the planet (so that excludes about 99.99% of the humans), and that the biosphere is now pretty much fucked (id call a mass extinction event ‘fucked’); and all because of a plague of 8 billion unrepentant useless breeding and consuming retards. liking humans would seem completely insane under the circumstances. much like defending jimmy saville after the truth came out. or cancer. humans are beneath contempt. they are the worse thing in the world. they have failed on every level that matters. i dont actually dislike children more than adults although they are annoying like you say. the most despicable thing about them is they shouldnt really exist anymore because there are nearly 8 billion humans already, which is about 100x over true carrying capacity. the comically insane size of the human population is why humans have replaced 99% of terrestrial vertebrates and are working on replacing the whole biosphere with the technosphere (lets hope some well meaning boffin doesnt invent nuclear fusion so as to allow 100 billion more humans to survive and presumably spew upwards into space or something). human babies are the ultimate cause of all the worlds problems. nobody should have been allowed to have any babies since about 1970 when the limits to growth came out. anyway, i hope i have explained why misanthropism the only reasonable intellectual position. the only ones to disagree would be humans i guess, as they fuck and eat to oblivion. at least there is one good thing about humans. in embracing and cheering on all their despicable and unquestioned wormy instinctual mandates and behaviours, they are self terminating, like all cancers.
I would have some respect for your article if you at least TRIED to use punctuation and proper grammar throughout; But you don’t even try in places, which proves, right off the bat, that I am better than you. I hope you didn’t have kids; I hate ankle-biters, and, after reading the article, above, that you so hatefully wrote, I would probably be apt to drop-kick one of them if I met them. And don’t EVEN START with the gender identification BS; I only referred to those rugrats as “them” because it was grammatically necessary to do so in that sentence, not because I give 2 scheißes about their pronoun preference… yet another item that, in and of itself, is reason enough to have a heart full of hate for all of humanity. Eat scheiße!
A misanthrope, to put it simply, is someone who is too naive to have come to the realization: “I am an asshole too.” 🙂 Once they learn that, and come to understand their own failures, weaknesses and biases, then they will be more patient with others, and cease to be a misanthrope.
I understand my own failures and weaknesses I don’t want them to get in the way of other people so I tend to stay alone
Lol I’d say it’s the exact opposite usually what I’ve come to realize is that of course I’m a person I make mistakes I have weaknesses I have biases and I fail but the difference is I’m always trying to be a better person I’m always trying to help people and I’m always trying to care the average person doesn’t care about anyone, but themselves. If they did we wouldn’t have homeless people but we do and it’s because we aren’t good people. Our mistakes and failures have a price and we don’t seem to understand what that price is maybe Misanthropes just understand the price.
Not true. Many misanthropes, myself included, are more sensible, intelligent, and intellectually honest than most everyone else, and, fully accounting for the fact that they, themselves, are unfortunate enough to be human, include themselves in their judgments & critiques of the human animal. I, for example, am totally aware of the fact that I am an asshole, cockroach-like, scheiße-piece of human scum. That fact has actually aided in my assessment of humanity as God’s only true mistake. So I take issue with your self-assured understanding of just what a misanthrope is, when you – likely pontificating from your office chair – clearly don’t even fit the misanthropy bill. So go pretend somewhere else. You’re not good enough to be wishing complete catastrophe on humanity; At least not at this point.
If there is any solid truth in this article, then, I finally get to see why I wanna be away from the Naked Apes…I scored a solid unapologetic 12. A solitary bird in the woods.
well, the signs of being misanthrophic can be endless and can differ person to person, due to personal experience what i can tell, one thing that can lead any of us to misanthrophy is sensibility indeed, when u focus in every detail of humanity in general,u can meet not few things to get hurt and not to get involved in wrong situations u prefer avoiding humans
I have no patience with ignorant people, and there’s no common courtesy left in the world today. Treat people the way you would like to be treated.
Omg. I’m really just learning about this. I always wondered what was wrong with me. So many of these apply to me, really hate#7, I do it without realizing and people get bent out of shape.
Sadly all this signs are me I enjoy observing people and when they break up i watch it I also cant stand children or even interact with them and etc.
Anna, why didn’t you let my comments appear here?! That’s unfair of you to allow trolls on here but not other misanthropes!
You are WRONG about “people watching.” Misanthropes despise the human species; Why would they enjoy watching their vile, disgusting, pathetic ways? It’s disgusting watching humans “be.” People watching is pretty much 100% in conflict with misanthropy. I can’t believe how stupid you are, to say that. Yet another stupid person I have to deal with reading bullscheiße from. Learn to write a factual article, woman! I bet you drive like scheiße too! I HATE YOU!!!
Well I check off all the boxes so it is what it is.
I don’t think I’m better than everyone else. I’ve got the exact same flaws that plague the rest of humanity. Thinking you’re better than others doesn’t make you a misanthrope. It makes you a narcissist.
I have all 12. Great. I love myself.
I hate people, Am I a misanthrope?
10 out of 12, not bad. : )
I disagree with the people watching though, tedious, annoying, and boring.
And I also disagree with avoiding romantic relationships, because there is nothing better than finding your equally misanthropic other half.
The majority of you should be ashamed of your damn selfs. like a bunch of fucking rabid dogs just biting every thing you see without thinking. good luck with that