What Do You Think is the Most Important Quality In A Person?

Phoenix I totally understand your position on this. I do my best to accept people who have a characteristic lack of integrity. Sometimes it really pisses me off to be honest and I over react. But I also know there are things I don't see, know, or understand about them. I spent a lot of my life being misunderstood because people couldn't see beyond what I was on the outside. It hurt. It angered me. No, it enraged me and only put me in a worse position than I already was. I can't justify doing that to anyone. And when I do it hurts me because I remember how that felt.

Phoenix, it is difficult to single out one characteristic, but right now I would say the ability to be honest without being brutal.

Yeah, I don't think I can do just one, either.

Like, intelligence, that sounds good, but there are plenty of MEAN people who are plenty intelligent (and plenty of wonderful people who aren't that intelligent).

Integrity, sure, but if someone was chock-full of integrity but a boring pedant, I'd not want to be around them much.

So sense of humor, that's good, but someone can be mean and horrible and also have a great sense of humor.

So mean is coming up a lot, would nice/considerate be it? No, because if the WHOLE world was like that, it'd be one thing, but that's not what we're talking about here. And I have far more respect for someone who is willing to fight for what they think is right than someone who lets wrong-doing occur 'cause they don't want to offend the wrong-doer. Some things don't deserve consideration or niceness.

I thought of "balanced" as an answer, but that's too vague.

So, don't think I can come up with a single trait for an answer, but will keep thinking.

I just don't get along with people who exaggerate everything, and aren't very perceptive & bright. If you're clueless, I'll just keep pushing your buttons until you can't stand me anyway.

Oooh, "thoughtful."

That covers a lot of bases. (Could still be boring, though.)

Thoughtful and funny?

I knew I liked you, dys. You too, heph.

Thanks J_B the feeling is mutual.

Accountable in the "Responsible" sense of the word.


2. Involving personal accountability or ability to act without guidance or superior authority.
4. Able to make moral or rational decisions on one's own and therefore answerable for one's behavior.
5. Able to be trusted or depended upon; reliable.
6. Based on or characterized by good judgment or sound thinking.

2PacksAday- Welcome to A2K!
Great answer!



That definition would certainly include honesty and integrity.

Obviously, you can't avoid some people at work. The idea is to always be true to yourself, even though you are in the midst of people who are dishonest.

Before I returned to college, I had this real crappy job, where the people were a bunch of thieves. After a few weeks, when I realized what was going on, I quit. I simply could not work in that kind of environment.

I don't know where you work, but when you talk about "kids",
I am thinking that it might be a school or similar situation. In that case, it seems to me that if you modeled honesty and integrity, it might be very helpful to them.

I work in a group home for girls. I work with all women. Some who have an agenda of their own and it has nothing to do with the kids... sad to say. I stay because I'm there for the kids, not for my co-workers. Everything has a way of coming back around. If you lie... well you'll keep digging the hole deeper to try and cover each new lie, or you'll admit you were wrong and go on. I don't hate the women I work with, every once in awhile they step on my last nerve though! grrrr... LOL

hep- Those people don't have to matter. The only thing that matters is the satisfaction that you get from working with the girls, and the good that will come from them interacting with you.

I have to give you credit. A group home is not an easy work milieu.

It's rewarding and challenging all at the same time. Some days I leave happy. Some days I leave crying. Some of their stories are so sad. Sometimes I wish I could do more. I have found my nitch in life though. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's caused me to grow as a person. To understand people better. I've been studying Adler and Maslow lately. It's given me some good insight into different things. Not only with the kids I work with, but myself as well. LOL Can't beat that!

Humility - not in any groveling sort of way.

Not so much thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

Personal strength. By that I mean someone who is independent, honest inside and out, and self loving. I like people with that quality more than anything. The person can be funny or serious, smart or not so smart, sweet or bitter.....
so long as they are what they are and do not apologize for it!

The one thing I have a lot of trouble dealing with in people is snivelling and false humility. Overly sensitive people get on my nerves.
Perhaps because I have not yet mastered the quality Letty most looks for -honesty without brutality.

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especially in sandwiches




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There is no one quality in a person that is the most important, personal dynamics are too complex. What I want in my lawyer, I do not want in my mistress.

I'm a loner.

If they make no attempts to pay me back, I lose a little respect for them.

I can understand your attitude. I have found, in general, that overly sensitive people are often very manipulative. They use their perceived "hurt" as a means of controlling people. IMO, it is a very passive aggressive way of relating to people.

I think that Letty is "right on the money". It is so important to be totally honest, but in a way that does not run roughshod over people.

I like that, snood.