10 Traits To Spot in a Shallow Person
Published May 18, 2023
In the dictionary, a shallow person is defined as one who lacks a depth of intellect or knowledge. They are those who are only concerned about superficial things. In short, a shallow person is just that – shallow.
That’s why, whether it’s a friend or a love interest, nobody wants to deal with a shallow person. There just isn’t anything interesting about them. There are no layers to peel and no depth to uncover.
Unfortunately, you can’t always spot a shallow person from five feet away. Sometimes, it takes years before you can finally see a person for who they really are. But by then, you’re already in too deep that you just choose to ignore all the red flags even if it’s glaring at you in the face.
To help you avoid such fate and save you from potential heartache, we’ve rounded up some of the most telltale traits of a shallow person.
1. They only care about outward appearance.
This is one of the most obvious traits of a shallow person. They judge people, objects, and basically every living and non-living thing based on their physical appearance.
For them, the outer shell is everything. They don’t care if someone is rotten to the core as long as they look great. They’d also rather invest in cosmetic treatments than develop their personality.
Physical attractiveness also determines how they treat people. If they find someone attractive, they’ll treat them fairly. But they won’t spare a glance at people whose looks aren’t up to their standards. This usually applies in their relationships too.
Shallow people like to surround themselves with attractive people – from friends to romantic partners. If anyone in their circle gains weight or loses their physical attractiveness, they’ll treat them differently.
2. They don’t have layers to their character.
People with complex personalities tend to have layers to their character. Some may appear happy-go-lucky on the outside but are very sensitive deep inside. While others may appear rude at first but will surprise you with their caring nature.
Shallow people, on the other hand, don’t have those layers. The longer you are with them, the more you discover that there’s no substance to their character. There are no layers to peel or mysteries to uncover. With them, what you see is what you get.
3. They avoid deep conversations.
One thing that shallow people avoid like the plague is meaningful conversations. You can’t expect them to talk about philosophical topics or those that require them to do introspective thinking.
It’s not that they don’t have opinions of their own. In fact, they tend to talk a lot. Though it’s mostly about themselves or other people’s lives.
4. They obsess over material things.
One of the easiest traits to spot in shallow people is their tendency to put a “price tag” on everything. Whether it’s their latest gadget or the person they met five minutes ago, shallow people value things based on their monetary worth or what benefits they can get from them.
If they have expensive new clothes or jewelry, they like to “announce” its price to anyone who cares to listen. They like to cozy up to rich and powerful people too.
5. They like the drama.
Yes, shallow people are superficial but they feed on drama. They like to make a big deal out of everything. Even very small disagreements can turn into full-blown fights which, sometimes, can become violent.
6. They’re busybodies.
Aside from themselves, a shallow person’s favorite topic of conversation is other people. They’d sell their soul to get in on the latest gossip. And if you have the unfortunate fate of suffering a conversation with them, you’d find yourself listening to endless tirades about other people’s lives and faults. They often get in trouble for spreading malicious rumors and comments too.
7. They aren’t interested in other people’s opinions.
Since they’re only interested in the superficial, shallow people don’t bother taking the time to really get to know other people. Naturally, that includes ignoring what they have to say. For them, the only opinions that matter are their own.
In short, they’re poor listeners. If you try to confide in them, they either make the topic about themselves or turn them into the latest piece of gossip.
8. They’re prone to lying and exaggerations.
Because they’re not after building lasting relationships, it’s not beyond a shallow person to make up lies and exaggerations to get what they want. The worse thing about it is they never take responsibility for the consequences of their lies. Somehow, they’ll find a way to make it your fault.
9. They are self-centered.
Shallow people tend to be obsessed with themselves too. Every conversation somehow ends up becoming about them. They also like to play the “main character” and want everyone else to go out of their way to accommodate their wishes.
10. Their relationships are superficial.
If you’re in a relationship with a shallow person, you’ll notice that they care more about the label than the actual connection. They like being in a relationship but they won’t make an effort to be in the relationship. For them, having a romantic partner is more of an achievement rather than an opportunity to love and be loved.
This is why being in a relationship with a shallow person can be very exhausting. They’re looking for trophies – someone that they can show off to their family and friends. So you’ll find them always trying to change you and mold you into the perfect and ideal partner they’ve always wanted.
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About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer and devoted Christian. She has a passion for writing about topics related to morality and helping the poor and homeless. She is the lead author for the Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen blog.
Correct Digital, Inc is paid by private donors to provide website digital marketing services to this non-profit organization.
