I would not be terribly surprised to learn that some people are not familiar with the expression red flag, aside from its literal, physical meaning. When people use this term, they’re not referring to an actual flag that is red in colour; rather, they’re referring to something or someone that has done something they don’t like or agree with, and it is often used to describe poor personality characteristics in people.
As an example, say you’re chatting with a friend and they’re telling you about a date they recently went on. Perhaps your friend says that the person they met has an unhealthy attachment to their mother – you might respond by saying that’s a red flag because it is an indication, or a potential warning, of problems that could spawn from that occurrence.
People are subjective in terms of likes and dislikes, so what you may consider a red flag may not warrant any concern from someone else, and vice versa. Discussions pertaining to what constitutes a red flag can get pretty heated, but that is not to say your own opinion of something is correct or incorrect; it’s simply your opinion.
Some things I consider to be red flags, specifically in people, include:
- Frequent lying, as it indicates mistrust
- People who have a high opinion of themselves
- Individuals who are under the impression they know everything there is to know about everything
- People who do not allow you to voice your own opinions and constantly interrupt you
- The mistreatment of animals
- Narcissistic traits and tendencies of any sort
- Two-faced individuals
- People who disrespect their families and loved ones
- Entitlement
These are a few examples I came up with on the spot, but I imagine if I were to take some time to carefully orchestrate a proper list, it would be a bit longer.
Photo by Paolo Bendandi on Unsplash
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