You Can Almost Always Tell Someone Has Zero Personality By These 11 Habits That Are Obvious Once You See Them
ArkHawt | Shutterstock At one point or another, we've come across someone whose personality seems perfectly curated. There's nothing wrong with them in specific, yet when you engage in conversation with them, it might end up falling flat, and you walk away realizing that nothing about them was committed to memory. In fact, no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to form a worthwhile connection with them because they aren't bringing anything of themselves into the interaction. Personality doesn't mean that you need to be the most interesting person.
Having substance comes from sharing your opinions, whether or not it's an opinion that other people will immediately agree with. It's about being able to show up as your most authentic self, flaws and all, rather than trying to maintain this image that you're either extremely perfect or just always neutral. When that is missing, conversations and other kinds of social interactions with them can just feel incredibly hollow. Once you're able to spot the patterns of someone who has zero personality, it becomes easy to put your finger on why you're not able to connect with them in the way that you might be able to do with other people in your life.
You can almost always tell someone has zero personality by these 11 habits that are obvious once you see them:
1. They only repeat what is trending online
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Every opinion that these individuals share feels like it was received straight from an Instagram post or TikTok. They've scoured the comments section of the latest podcast they listened to to gather "facts" about a particular topic, but they haven't actually gone out and done the research on their own.
There's no original thought attached to their opinions, and because of that, they can never go deeper than the buzzwords they've learned from social media. According to the Pew Research Center, about half of U.S. adults (53%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media. While there's nothing wrong with using social media to stay informed, it's equally important that it's not your initial source.
2. They agree with whoever spoke last
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Their stance is only dependent on who's in the room. It can come across as a bit performative when they choose to just switch their opinion or thought to match what the last person who spoke said. These individuals eventually end up coming across as not being open-minded, just unwilling or even unable to form something real of their own.
"There’s no doubt that we need opinions to live a healthy life, and at the same time, they help us to make sense of the world, to feel safe and secure, certain and sure. They take the edge off the inherent vulnerability of life," explained mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe.
They're never up for any kind of friendly debate or disagreement because they simply want to keep the conversation moving without creating any kind of tension. But after a while, it just becomes clear that they're not really bringing any new ideas to the table; they're just choosing to remain neutral even for things that require them to pick a side.
3. They have no stories, only reactions
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When conversations eventually become personal, with people sharing stories from their childhoods or anecdotes from work, these individuals with zero personality suddenly have nothing to contribute. Instead, they just react to what everyone else is saying. The absence of their own experiences shows that they're not really living their own lives or curating memories for themselves to look back on. In fact, research has shown that individuals who share their personal and positive experiences in life report more trait positive affect and trait resilient cognitions.
Sure, not everyone feels comfortable jumping in to be vulnerable, especially around people they may not know well. But when time has continued to go by, and they've kept showing up with nothing to say or a follow-up with a story of their own, it can start to feel one-sided. The thing is, stories just reveal a lot about what's shaped a person and the kind of life they've been living. Without it, you remain a stranger to others.
4. They don't have a favorite anything
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When conversations turn to listing off your favorite movies, TV shows, songs, or even artists, these individuals suddenly don't have a favorite anything. They can't list anything that seemingly brings them joy and happiness. It's easy to just brush it off as maybe they have a lot of favorite things, so it's hard for them to narrow it down.
But after enough of these interactions, it starts to feel like they've just never sat with someone long enough to form any kind of attachment to them. But it's hard to build a conversation with someone who isn't giving glimpses of the things they love. There's nothing to remember about them if they can't talk passionately about something to others.
5. They talk about being busy but never fulfilled
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Their schedule is always full, and they're constantly talking about how they have a plethora of things that need to get done. However, there seems to be no mention of actually being interested in the things they're doing. Instead, busyness just becomes something that fills their days rather than something that gives them any sense of purpose.
How they actually feel about the things they're doing ends up missing completely, but they have no problem talking about what they're doing and even where they're going throughout their busy schedule. But it just seems as if they're going through the motions rather than finding any joy.
6. They respond quickly but say very little
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These individuals with zero personality don't really make sure to pause and think before responding. Instead, they'll just make sure they've acknowledged you and what you've said, so the interaction can continue, but they don't have to add any substance. However, this habit just ends up keeping things surface-level rather than actually being able to make any kind of connection with others.
When this just keeps happening, you start to realize that you might be the one doing all of the heavy lifting in your interactions with people like this. Even if you try asking follow-up questions, their answers are still quite minimal. It's not that they're trying to be rude or dismissive, but they're simply keeping all their cards close to their chest.
7. They don't reflect after arguments
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While most people tend to spend some time replaying arguments that have happened in their heads, these individuals don't tend to do that. They're not thinking about what was said and what could've been said differently. The moment the argument ends, it's as if it never happened at all. While it can be good to not ruminate on past arguments, sometimes not doing so means you haven't learned anything from it either.
So now something that should have been addressed a long time ago suddenly ends up popping up again. When that happens, these individuals are usually genuinely surprised or even confused about why it's an issue again. But there probably wouldn't have been an issue happening again if some reflection had transpired.
8. They never appreciate small moments
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These individuals never seem to take a few moments to pause and appreciate the small moments. Whether it's a pretty sunset happening, a walk through their neighborhood during the fall time when the trees are colorful, or even just sitting around and laughing with their friends. They don't bask in these memories being made.
For them, these things just pass by without notice as if it's just a regular day in their lives. Not everyone needs to savor every moment, but it can bring more enjoyment to the mundane when you're romanticizing these ordinary experiences. It can just be a bit boring when you're moving through life with a frankness to everything rather than pretending you're the main character in a movie, even for just a little bit.
9. They fear silence and rush to fill it
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Rather than being able to sit in a moment and not feel the need to constantly chatter, they rush to fill the silence. They just can't fathom sitting in complete silence, even though it's not always awkward to do so. Those with zero personality are usually uncomfortable when there's a lull in conversation. Even a few seconds of quiet can be unbearable to them. Suddenly, they feel the need to start talking about absolutely nothing or making these random observations so they don't have to be subjected to the quiet.
"Silence provides an opportunity for introspection, allowing us to process our thoughts and feelings without judgment. This practice can lead to better emotional control, reduced anxiety, and a more balanced mental state," pointed out psychologist Samantha Stein.
Even when they have nothing of value to say, they will quickly jump in with some kind of commentary or even a question just to get the room talking once again. This usually comes from a fear of being alone with one's thoughts. Those who get scared by silence don't like that, with it comes time for self-reflection,d usually. It's learning to be fine with being privy to your own thoughts.
10. They never ask thoughtful questions
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They don't seem to show any curiosity to people or their own experiences beyond what they choose to talk about. Because of that, conversations tend to stay quite shallow because they just refuse to probe. Instead, they'll listen and respond politely, but they won't actually take the extra step to genuinely understand you or the topic at hand.
"Whether we’re trying to improve communication, lead a team, or simply figure out what to do next, the questions we ask shape what we see, what we find, and ultimately, what we create," said conflict resolution expert Lindsey Godwin. "If we ask small, limiting questions, we get small, limiting answers. If we ask expansive, curious questions, we create the conditions for growth."
They never want to challenge people or even playfully argue with them. Keeping things at a surface-level just feels a lot safer and even stress-free. But after a while, it can become uncomfortable when you find yourself always sharing personal or interesting facts, and then they don't really have any questions about what you've just shared.
11. They rely on sarcasm instead of honesty
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Every comment they make is usually wrapped in some kind of irony or mockery. At first, they can come across as being an extremely witty person, but that quickly grows shallow as they choose to hide behind their sarcasm rather than being real for one moment. It's protecting them from having to reveal any of their genuine thoughts.
"Sarcasm can be playful in small doses. But when it becomes the primary language between you, especially if it’s directed at you more than shared with you, it often signals deeper resentment or frustration," pointed out psychologist Mark Travers.
Usually, people who hide behind their sarcasm have an intense fear of being judged or misunderstood. Sarcasm is the best way to combat this fear, at least for them, because it means no one will ever have anything to judge them for in their minds. But it prevents people from being able to see the real them.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
