People With Zero Integrity Usually Have 10 Counterproductive Habits That Eventually Ruin Things
dabyki.nadya / Shutterstock When someone lives with integrity, other people know they can trust them to stay true to their stated values and commitments.
Unfortunately, integrity is a trait that’s hard to find these days. Many people aren’t as committed to doing the right thing as they once were. When someone has a complete lack of concern for moral and ethical principles, it's easy to spot in the habits that actually end up ruining just about everything for them down the road, even if they expected their willingness to compromise themselves to benefit them.
People who have zero integrity almost always have these counterproductive habits that eventually wind up ruining things for them
1. They use people to make things easier for themselves
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People with no integrity have no problem resorting to manipulation to get what they want. When they know someone can help them, they’ll take advantage of them to make them do what’s best for them without even realizing it.
This usually looks like them only caring about other people when they’re trying to convince them to do something. They never offer support in return, and they act like the other person doesn't exist when the relationship no longer benefits them somehow.
2. They disappear when someone needs to talk to them
You can’t rely on someone without integrity, especially when you need to discuss something serious. If they don’t want to have a conversation, they’ll find a way to avoid it.
To do this, they may turn to deflection or even just disappear. Depending on their relationship with the other person involved, this ghosting can feel really painful. They won’t worry about that at the time, but it could cause problems for them later when they’re the one who needs something.
3. They rationalize their bad behavior
Rationalization is a defense mechanism that can be defined as a way "in which people justify difficult or unacceptable feelings with seemingly logical reasons and explanations." Everyone does this pretty often without even being aware of it, regardless of their level of integrity. What matters is the way they use it.
Someone who uses rationalization to convince themselves that a rejection was actually a good thing isn’t really hurting anyone, but the same can’t be said for someone who justifies being a bad person by telling themselves that they didn’t have a choice. A person who lacks integrity will weaponize what other people do to them to soothe their own hurt feelings and excuse doing things that they know are wrong. It’s easy to see how that could fall apart for them pretty quickly.
4. They cover their mistakes up instead of taking responsibility
There’s something really powerful about anyone who is willing to acknowledge that they messed up. As scholar Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, EdD, said, “The reality is, we know when we’re holding ourselves accountable, and we know when we’re making excuses.”
People who don’t have any integrity are perfectly capable of this just like everyone else, but the difference is they don’t care. They would rather do whatever it takes to cover up their mistakes so others don’t notice them, even if it makes them look like they have no honor when the truth inevitably comes out.
5. They make promises but don’t follow through
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Integrity is closely linked to trust, which is another thing these people struggle with. They consider themselves their top priority, so they don’t feel a whole lot of guilt when they promise to do something they know is never going to happen as long as it gets them closer to what they want.
There’s really no way for any kind of relationship to survive without trust, so people without integrity will come to regret the choices that make others doubt them eventually. They’ll probably do a lot of damage before they reach that point, though.
6. They live according to different principles around different people
People with integrity know who they are and what they believe in. That won’t always align with what’s popular, but they choose to stay true to themselves instead of changing to fit in with whatever crowd they’re in.
A lack of integrity doesn’t necessarily mean someone doesn’t have values, but someone like this doesn't feel like they always need to stick to them and act completely authentic. If their values make it hard for them to blend in or get what they want, they’ll abandon them without a second thought.
Some people aren’t authentic because they’re actually afraid of being themselves. It's more common for people with no integrity to just try to seem more likable without a good reason.
7. They prioritize instant gratification
Instant gratification isn’t hard to come by when people don’t even have to wait for new episodes of their favorite shows anymore. But the people who give into instant gratification usually get a smaller reward than they would have if they waited.
When someone has integrity, they have an easier time choosing delayed gratification instead. They don’t mind working harder or waiting longer for something that’s better. Other people just go after whatever reward seems closest instead, and they don’t worry about how it could damage their reputation.
8. They lie when it’s easier than telling the truth
A person’s intentions are a very important part of the lies they tell. Technically, someone who says their friend’s bad haircut looks great is lying so they don’t have to create a really awkward moment with the truth. Whether you think it’s acceptable or not, they did it to help someone else.
The lies people tell when they don’t have integrity are completely selfish. They know that changing their story a little could benefit them in some way. There’s really no way to avoid the long-term consequences that come from trying to keep up with multiple versions of reality, though.
9. They share people’s secrets on purpose
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Even people who don’t have integrity will probably have friends and family who love them and feel comfortable confiding in them. They just shouldn’t count on that information staying private.
Anyone could let something slip accidentally, but these people will use secrets like currency. They’ll intentionally betray the people who made the mistake of trusting them by turning them into the subject of gossip when it works well for them. Obviously no one will make that mistake a second time.
10. They take credit for other people’s work
Whether it’s in a professional situation or not, people who don't have integrity have no problem taking credit for what someone else did. Colleges use the phrase academic integrity for a reason, after all.
This could make them look good at first, but it won’t last. Even if what they did never comes to light, they’ll have a target on their back and everyone who knows what happened will do whatever it takes to avoid them.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
