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The 6 weaknesses of the human being (list and examples)

The 6 weaknesses of the human being (list and examples)

April 11, 2024

There are psychological characteristics that although in some cases may be useful, in most cases, to practice, they cause more problems than they solve. These traits can be considered the main weaknesses of the human being , unprotected points of our personality that can become spaces through which misfortune creeps.

How to identify those moments in which our weaknesses put us in a vulnerable situation? Let's see several ideas and examples.

  • Related article: "The 5 big personality traits: sociability, responsibility, openness, kindness and neuroticism"

The main weaknesses of the human being

This is a summary list of typical weaknesses by which we lose more energy and effort than necessary. They contribute to maintaining situations that they cause us real headaches and in many cases they also make out of the nothing problems that should not exist .


Of course, as always happens in these cases, each name of the weaknesses of the human being is an abstraction, which means that when they appear in our day to day it is not evident that we are before them. Knowing them helps detect them, but this is not enough; we have to stop and think and pay attention to what we do and what we feel.

1. Impatience

Impatience is one of the main obstacles that keep us separated from our goals. The most ambitious objectives require investing many efforts, time and resources , and if impatience takes control of the situation, any plan or strategy that targets that kind of purpose will be shaken by the relative lack of short-term compensation.


For example, the decision to spend a lot of money on a trip and not a personal project that would have had many chances to prosper is a sign of how impatience can get us stuck.

2. Selfishness

Selfishness can become positive in specific situations, but in a lot of situations all it does is lead us to cut our links with society .

Thus, it makes us remain alone little by little, not only harming those around us because of the times we disappoint them, but also leading us to lose human capital around us: fewer people willing to help us and strive to give us support when we need it

3. Jealousy

Jealousy leads us to feel the need to control the lives of other people because of the fear of losing them, which is, paradoxically, a fact that significantly damages any personal bond that we could have with her by not recognizing her individuality and personal freedom.


For example, a person who sees with bad eyes that his partner is with friends alone, is falling into jealousy and tried to make the whole social life of the loved one turn around her.

4. Cowardice

Cowardice leads us not to make decisions that, Although they are uncomfortable and involve leaving the comfort zone, they are necessary so that our lives or those of our community or collective improve.

For example, not wanting to cut someone so as not to expose themselves to a situation full of crying and frustration is often an example of cowardice that harms at least two people (self included).

  • Maybe you're interested: "How to get out of your comfort zone? 7 keys to achieve it"

5. Conformism with ignorance

Conformism does not have to be bad; After all, not everyone lives in a situation where they can afford to risk constantly in order to aspire to different objectives. However, conformism applied specifically to knowledge is one of the human weaknesses. The reason is that it makes us stay blind in a world where knowledge can save us many problems .

For example, the belief that you do not need to know absolutely anything about politics to create a just and functional society tends to harm not only the person, but the entire society.

6. Resentment

Concentrating on old offenses, whether real or imagined, is another of the weaknesses of the human being facilitates the appearance of unjustified hostilities .

Sometimes, sometimes, resentment can cause the whole society in general to dislike a vague sense of offense caused by the idea that life has taken away more than what has given us. But, in practice, it only favors isolation and the difficulties to create significant sentimental bonds: few people like to deal with those who hold passive-aggressive attitudes.

Bibliographic references:

  • Ayduk, Ozlem N .; Mendoa-Denton, Rodolfo; Mischel, Walter; Downey, Geraldine; Peake, Philip K .; Rodriguez, Monica L. (2000). "Regulating the interpersonal self: Strategic self-regulation for coping with rejection sensitivity". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 79 (5): 776-792.
  • Kahneman, Daniel; Tversky, Amos (March 1979). "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk" (PDF). Econometrica 47 (2): 263-291.

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