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.