Bad Temper Isn’t Synonymous with Character

In this article, we’ll try to debunk the deeply-rooted myth that a bad temper is synonymous with character. Below, discover the differences between bad temper and character to understand why they aren’t the same.

Written and verified by the pedagogue and trainer María Matilde.

Last update: 27 December, 2022

How many times, when a child has a tantrum or responds badly, have you heard their parents or relatives say: “They have a lot of character!” But you must begin to understand that bad temper isn’t synonymous with character. In fact, nobody should be proud of being bad-tempered.

The definitions of character and bad temper

Character refers to the set of traits, qualities, or circumstances that indicate a person’s nature and sets them apart from others. Character shapes a person’s personality. It’s also how they react to situations and relate to others.

In contrast, bad temper is related to attitudes or a predisposition to be or get angry quickly and without any apparent reasons. It’s related to a negative and even aggressive state at times by people who say they have a bad temper or are bad-tempered.

In addition, we can associate it with uncompromising or inflexible people who don’t listen, don’t accept other people’s advice, and who lose their patience quickly.

On the contrary, everyone has character. In other words, all people have character and, more specifically, a type of character, but not all people have a bad temper. Thus, bad temper isn’t synonymous with having character or a lot of character. Simply, it’s one more trait, a characteristic of a person’s character and personality.

Don’t confuse these terms

People who brag about their bad ways and responses believe that everyone should put up with their outbursts and have little tact and no empathy for others.

They should know that being bad-tempered isn’t justified by having a strong character. In fact, it shouldn’t make them feel strong and powerful. They should know that they’re simply bad-tempered and that there’s nothing good or special about that.

Moreover, if we were to ask some psychologists to talk about it, perhaps they’d say that a person who doesn’t know how to control themselves not only doesn’t have a lot of character but probably has problems with their character.

On the contrary, a person who has a strong character is able to control themselves so they don’t lose their temper without justified reasons. And even more so, they know how to be and behave with others, talking to and addressing them with good manners, respect, and affection.

Bad temper isn’t synonymous with character

Not only do we agree that being bad-tempered isn’t synonymous with character or being a person with a lot of character, but we’d dare to say that being bad-tempered and having a lot of character are antonyms. Here’s why:

• A person with a lot of character controls themselves in extreme situations. A bad-tempered person loses their temper immediately, yelling at, threatening, and insulting anyone, without reason and without meaning.
• Unlike a person with a predisposition of: “I insult whoever messes with me, without giving it a second thought,” a person with a lot of character is predisposed to observing and analyzing everything around them before saying anything or acting.
• Whoever has a lot of character, will look for solid arguments to respond to someone or put them in their place if they need to. A bad-tempered person only screams at and insults others.
• Being negative, rash, or brash isn’t the same as being positive, pleasant, and calm. Letting anger get the best of you isn’t the same as knowing how to control yourself by thinking things through first. It’s better to be and spend time with calm people than with people who lose their temper over anything and in bad ways.
• A lot of character means knowing how to listen and receive criticism and knowing how to modify behaviors to become a better person. In addition, a lot of character involves increasingly learning more knowledge and attitudes. On the contrary, a person with a bad temper only adds more insults to their list so they can use them in any given situation. A bad-tempered person ignores criticism and boasts of their negative behaviors that lead to nothing.

Feed your child’s character

Today, people tend to want to attract attention and, sometimes, at any cost or price. Thus, some parents are proud of their children when they display their bad temper because they believe that this denotes a lot of character. And when it comes to their upbringing, they aren’t precisely doing them a favor.

Feeding children’s bad temper can have negative effects on their development and on the formation of their personality. And, on the contrary, it’s very positive to nurture good character in children and young people so that they develop a lot of character.

It’s better to encourage having an upright, critical, and rational character, with a capacity for emotional self-control, and characterized by objectivity, tolerance, and empathy. This type of character will make them stand out from the rest and allow them to perform a lot better in different present and future spheres and achieve their goals.

In conclusion

Being bad-tempered isn’t synonymous with having a lot of character. If a person has a bad temper, maybe they also have a bad character. However, in most cases, being bad-tempered doesn’t even indicate a bad character, but, on the contrary, denotes not having a lot of character at all. Although these statements may anger those who pride themselves on their bad temper…

People with a lot of character don’t lose their temper as easily and have many resources that allow them to endure many different situations and interact with people. Cultivating a lot of character isn’t an easy task, since anyone can shout or respond badly.