Pedantic people are the best workers. Is pedantry good or bad? Pedants are irreplaceable workers

In the life of every person there have been cases of interaction with people who sometimes could surprise you with their, for example, devotion to checking the work done a large number of times or repeatedly checking every detail in household appliances when leaving the house. Such people have a pedantic character, but each person expresses it to varying degrees.

Let's consider the concepts of what pedantry means, what are the reasons for its occurrence and what character do pedantic individuals have.

Thus, pedantry is a person’s tendency to follow in detail and, at times, meticulously the relevant laws and rules that were independently adopted by this person for himself. For a pedant, the main thing is to remain satisfied with himself, his actions, activities, to be in harmony with his inner self, regardless of the fact that others may consider his behavior a little strange.

Pedantry with a moderate degree of manifestation is usually considered a positive quality, while its excessive manifestation is the root cause of various problems, conflict situations and misunderstandings in the environment of the pedant.

Sometimes such people try to impose their habits on others, while considering their point of view to be the only correct one. The presence of pedantry in a person’s character indicates a lack of harmony of this individual, a lack of psychological flexibility. Pedantry is the definition of the main trait of ancastic character. Basically, people with this character are found in the countries of Northern Europe, Germany, and in the states of post-Soviet society there are quite a few of them.

The appearance of pedantic people is neat, and even at home, the pedant tries to look like a brand new person. Often anancasts, individuals with pronounced pedantry, are fond of some kind of collecting. Such people are in no hurry to make hasty judgments. They weigh the pros and cons. They are indispensable in areas where precise execution of duties is necessary, which means that pedantry is not a negative character trait.

Its positive manifestations are conscientiousness, careful execution of any work, thoroughness, which does not require the control of others over the work of a pedantic person. They are not familiar with hasty performance of their work and laxity. They do not tend to change their place of work many times; they value it, respecting the team.

Diagnosis of pedantry

If you doubt whether this property is inherent in you, we offer you a small pedantry test:

You need to answer yes or no to the following questions. Don't think too long about the answers.

So, for affirmative answers to questions 1, 3-7, 9-11, 13, 14, award yourself 1 point.

For negative questions 2, 8 and 12, also give one point. Add these two numbers. The total score reflects your level of pedantry.

Level 0-4 – low. 5-9 – average. 10-14 – high degree of pedantry.

So, pedantry is not always a negative character trait. You just need to not go too far in performing any task or in your attitude towards others.

Women usually don't like pedantic men. And very much so. But not because men love precision and order, but women cannot stand it all. The reason here is completely different...

What is the meaning of the word pedantry?

Accuracy, thoroughness in carrying out the assigned task, the ability to keep one's word, commitment, responsibility, punctuality - all these are wonderful human qualities that can only be applauded while standing. Pedants have all these qualities like no other. But why does the word “pedantry” carry, if not a negative connotation, then clearly not a positive meaning?

What does pedantry mean in life?

The encyclopedists of the past, the well-known Brockhaus and Efron, gave a conclusion to pedantry as a phenomenon found in various areas of life, but most of all in scientific and pedagogical activity. Even then, the word “pedant” carried an unkind connotation. A pedant was considered a person who missed the content because of the form, or rather, because of its strict adherence. This form has become outdated, has become a drag, yesterday - it doesn’t matter. It is important to comply with it. A person who so zealously maintains the usual order, even in small things, becomes isolated on them. There is no development and cannot be. Movements too.

Very bad!

What about pedantic teachers? This is a scourge! It is because of them that aversion to learning arises. Dead formalism - what could be worse in a person? Moreover, in any case: a teacher, an official, an ordinary employee or just a husband.

Pedants are extremely petty. That's what irritates them the most. And the line between thoroughness and accuracy and PETTY (excessive) thoroughness and accuracy is extremely small and invisible. It is precisely because of this pettiness that women do not like male pedants.

Pedantry - characteristic feature quite a large number of men. Pedantry can also be found in women. If the pedant is a woman, this is, in general, a complete mess. They shy away from her like she’s the plague, but she sincerely believes that they “don’t understand” her. A pedantic man's character does not necessarily have to be bad. A pedantic woman always has a bad character...

Pedantry in its desire to maintain the established order in all details and trifles can develop into such painful behavior as litigiousness, cursing everything and everyone, which, in turn, leads to a change in emotional tone. A cheerful person becomes gloomy, an active person becomes slow, a talkative person becomes silent. It is no coincidence that many mentally abnormal people clearly exhibit many of the traits inherent in pedants.

So, it's good if every thing has its place. But if they took it, used it and then did not put it back where they took it from, this is not an event on a universal or world scale, but a small detail that can be spat on and crushed...

The term “pedant” came to us from the Latin language; in translation it means a mentor or educator. That is, a pedant is a synonym for the word “teacher”. Initially, the meaning of this term paints an image of a strict mentor who is scrupulous about his responsibilities and the behavior of others. How do we see the pedant today? What character traits predominate in pedantic individuals?

Who is a pedant

Today, a pedant is an overly neat person who demands exceptional order from himself and those around him, compliance with even the smallest formalities. The term “pedantry” today often has a negative connotation. Such people can often bring even the most basic life situations to the point of absurdity, often cause irritation among others, and their behavior often provokes conflict situations.

We can say that pedantry is a person’s tendency to meticulously and boringly follow certain laws, rules that were invented by him for himself and those around him. It is important for a pedant to be in harmony with his inner self, despite the fact that others consider his behavior somewhat strange.

Synonyms for "pedant"

Today the word “pedant” has many synonyms. Here are some of them:

teacher;
letter reader;
teacher;
formalist;
aristarch;
neat guy

But no matter what we call a person with a pedantic character, his essence does not change. Let's try to highlight the main character traits of a pedantic personality.

Negative character traits of a pedant

Pedantry, if present as a character trait, manifests itself in almost every situation. A pedant can somehow arrange things in a closet or food in the refrigerator in a special way, hang clothes to dry in a certain order, and the like. He may be irritated by improperly placed shoes or misplaced dishes. A pedant is a person who strives to make the world around him ideal and complete. And the worst thing is that such people impose their habits on others and consider only their own opinion to be correct. This becomes the cause of conflict situations, scandals in the family and at work.

Positive character traits of a pedant

Pedants also have their virtues. The pedantic type of people are usually responsible, efficient, very precise in business, and can clearly express their opinions. They cope with their official duties wonderfully. It’s very good if their work involves documents, then everything will definitely be perfect and in order. A pedant is a person who never does work hastily. It is not common for him to frequently change his place of work or rearrange his apartment; he is constant, values what he has, respects the team, and loves those around him. The pedant’s apartment always shines with neatness and cleanliness; there is not the slightest hint of disorder. The appearance of pedantic people is always particularly neat. Even at home, the pedant looks perfect; you will never catch him by surprise in worn slippers and with disheveled hair. Pedants are in no hurry to make hasty decisions. They will always weigh the pros and cons. Pedants are indispensable in areas where accuracy, punctuality, and precision in performing duties are required.

How to make friends with a pedant

How to find with a pedant mutual language? Here are some recommendations that will be useful in cooperation with a pedant and will help avoid conflict situations:

One should appreciate everything that pedants do beyond their due.
A pedant is a person who likes to perform only the work for which he receives money, what is included in his duties clearly according to the instructions. If you want to entrust him with something that is not his responsibility, then you must make it clear that you know this, but you cannot do it without his help.
You need to show your respect for the pedant, thank him for helping with something or simply meeting halfway on some issue.
Pedants often suffer from a lack of self-confidence. They are very afraid of making a mistake, so they need to be supported in every possible way, not scolded for their mistakes, and they will definitely lend a helping hand for this.

Pathological pedantry

In psychology there is such a thing as “pathological pedantry.” This term refers to a person’s excessive and scrupulous desire for accuracy and order, brought to the point of absurdity. This often takes on the appearance of some kind of ritual. Such people can even schedule their menu and wardrobe for the week. They perceive situations very painfully when something does not go according to their plan. Experts explain pathological pedantry as the lack of ability to distinguish significant details from small and insignificant ones. The pedant shows pettiness and painstakingness when performing the simplest work, insignificant and absolutely useless. In this case, pedantry is considered a serious psychological deviation.

Diagnostics

You can easily check whether pedantry is inherent in you. You must immediately, without hesitation, answer “yes” or “no” to the questions below:

I put money in my wallet in a certain order.
I enjoy doing things that require great responsibility.
It seems to me that people are not demanding enough of each other.
It’s hard for me not to pay attention to poorly folded shoes and clothes, I want to fix everything.
I do everything carefully and diligently.
I can't sleep if I've been thinking about a question all day.
I am sure that all things should have their place.
If the work is not completed, it can be postponed until the next day.
Before leaving the house, be sure to check that everything is turned off.
Any drinks must be poured to the brim of the container.
Obsessive ideas often appear.
I don't think it's necessary to make a plan for the day.
If I see that someone is not coping with something, then I want to do everything myself.
I can take my mind off the problem by doing long work.

So, for answers “no” to questions numbered 2, 8 and 12, write down 1 point. Answers “yes” to all other questions also receive one point. We count everything together.

The sum of points is the level of pedantry.

0-4 - low level pedantry.
5-9 - average level.
10-14 - high level.

So, a pedantic character can manifest itself both on the good side and on the bad side. The main thing is to feel moderation in this matter; there is a very thin line here. It is very important not to go too far, not to step over this line and not turn from a serious, responsible person into a boring pedant.

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All people are different. By character, by demeanor, as well as by order and cleanliness. A separate niche in our society is occupied by pedants - people who are fixated on idealistic concepts in everything. Such types can easily be confused with neat and clean people.

What kind of person is this

Living in cleanliness and order, following your principles and rules is good. But remember the proverb: “Too much is not healthy.”

To be a pedant is to be on the verge of manic dependence on your meticulous habits of cleanliness and scrupulousness in absolutely everything - from appearance to everyday life and attitude towards others.

Pedantry is a lifestyle. It is extremely difficult to get along with such people, and trying to change them is almost impossible.

Pedantic individuals also have the name “man of German precision,” for whom compliance with the rules comes first.

Reasons for behavior

Pedantry can be described as a painful character trait that can be laid down since childhood.

Often parents with early age They try to instill in the child neatness, accustom him to order, and at the same time they do not give him as much freedom as he needs.

The child becomes fixated on the rules, which become more and more difficult to deviate with age. Against this background, complexes develop, a person tries to find himself and do everything perfectly in order to appear better compared to others (relatives, friends), and such behavior becomes the norm of life.

Signs of a pedantic personality

Restraint in character.

A pedant always decides what is good for him and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong. Listening to others is not the lot of such types. With all this ambition, such people prefer restraint in their statements and behavior in general.

Constant search for harmony with yourself and with your ideas about the ideal.

With a certain restraint in character, a pedant can be provoked into conflict if his opinions and habits are condemned by society.

One more a clear sign A pedantic personality does not have much contact with other people.

The pedant carefully selects his social circle. And, as a rule, these are people who are also prone to idealizing everything around them.

Positive sides

Leadership.

Without the ability to build the right line in behavior with colleagues, adherence to rules and order both at work and in personal space, only a person who knows how to present himself correctly in society can acquire it. Success comes to diligent and hardworking people, which can be said about the personality type under discussion.

Flexibility and responsibility.

These character traits play an important role. A pedant can easily make important decisions and take responsibility for actions committed by others, and, moreover, find justification for others. Such neat people like to delve not only into themselves, but also into others, which is not always bad, but, on the contrary, can bring results.

Planning ahead.

“Correct individuals” (as pedants are often called) are prone to clear routines and planning. Thoughtful actions in advance always have a good effect in work situations and in personal life in general.

Flaws

Pedantry is not a personality type in itself. This is a character trait that shows people who are too picky about little things, scrupulous. Such a person quite often condemns others, calls them to consistency in their actions, and deprives them of faith in “crazy ideas.”

Why is it dangerous?

Pedantry does not pose any health risks unless it becomes an obsession and develops into. A person can withdraw into himself, remain misunderstood and unrecognized, and develop paranoid psychosis.

You need to clearly understand where the line is between adequacy and “excess”.

How not to become boring

It just so happens that most people are drawn to leaders and want to become leaders themselves. A pedant will never be in the shadow of others. This type of people tends to express their “I”. But sometimes this behavior does not have a symbiosis with simplicity (which is so necessary for a pedant), and being around such a person becomes difficult.

Surely you have come across in your life and even more than once with people who take a very responsible approach to doing their work. They surprise you with their dedication and try to double-check the work done several times, and individually one detail - whether the iron is turned off, whether the door is closed when leaving the apartment. These people are called pedantic because of their character, but in each person it is expressed and manifested differently. It is definitely worth considering several key concepts that characterize the word pedantry and find out what are the reasons for its occurrence and what character do such persons have? The term pedantry literally means a person’s tendency to follow in as much detail and sometimes even too meticulously all existing laws and rules that were adopted by this person independently.

A pedant must remain satisfied with himself - this is the main rule that guides this person. Such activities may be associated with the inner “I” with which he always wants to be in harmony, and others may evaluate his behavior as very strange. In its moderate manifestation, pedantry can be safely called a good and disciplinary quality. But if it persists excessively, it can cause numerous problems, including various conflict situations, which the pedant provokes with a number of his actions.

How to diagnose a pedant?

Sometimes such people even try to impose their habits on other people, and they believe that only their point of view is correct and should be guided by it. The character of a pedantic person lacks so-called harmony and the “golden mean”; he is not capable of demonstrating psychological flexibility. You can define pedantry as the main feature of an ancastic character. People with this character are quite common in Germany, as well as in the vastness of Northern Europe, and there are very few of them in Eastern Europe. Pedantic people are very neat, even when at home, they try to look as neat and beautiful as possible.

Quite often, anancasts are engaged in collecting something, and such people are in no particular hurry to make any important decisions. They are ready to carefully weigh the pros and cons for quite a long time. Their indispensability is noted in areas where each task should be performed as accurately and responsibly as possible. Therefore, we can safely say that pedantry is not a bad character trait. Thanks to such conscientiousness, you can entrust a pedant to do any work, forgetting about what needs to be carefully controlled. Such people do not like to do everything in a hurry; rather, on the contrary, they approach their work very scrupulously and double-check the results of their efforts.

Pedant: how to recognize him?

If you still doubt whether the person in front of you is really a pedant, ask him to answer a series of questions, only “yes” or “no”

I manage to keep the money in my wallet in perfect order.
I try to do things that require the most responsibility.
People don't make enough demands on each other.
I can’t help but pay attention to sloppy clothes, and especially to dirty shoes. I want to fix my collar or scarf as soon as possible.
I try to complete every task with maximum diligence.
I can’t sleep at night if I’ve been thinking about some problem all day.
All things should always be placed in their places.
If I can’t finish something, I allow myself to easily go home.
Before leaving the apartment, I always double-check that the lights, iron, etc. have been turned off.
I always try to fill the drink to the brim.
Obsessive ideas often appear that you want to bring to life as soon as possible.
You make a plan for every day.
If someone else fails to complete a task, you want to complete it yourself.
When you are busy with work, you are distracted from thoughts and problems.

For each answer “yes” to questions: 1,3-7,9-11, 13 and 14, you can give yourself 1 point. For “no” to question 2,8,12 – also 1 point. Add these two numbers, they will become an estimate of a person’s pedantry.

If from 0 to 4, then the level is low,

From 5 to 9, intermediate level,

From 10 to 14 – a high level of pedantry.

The concept of “pathological pedantry”

In psychology, there is such a thing as “pathological pedantry,” which means a person’s scrupulous and excessive desire to establish order, and his actions can reach the point of absurdity. From the outside it seems that in fact the person is performing some very strange, incomprehensible and slightly magical ritual. For example, he can write down his diet for a week or a month, clothes for every day, or a list of things to do. Anankast is not prone to forgetfulness, he just needs to make sure once again that the household appliance was turned off on time. Any task takes a pedant much more time than an ordinary person.

They may wash dishes and vegetables several times before preparing food. Psychologists call pathological pedantry the inability to distinguish important details from insignificant ones. The pedant is capable of performing minor work with particular pettiness and painstakingness, although in fact it is not worth it. Sometimes you can even call such manipulations completely useless. Such a manifestation is a very serious mental disorder, so it is very important to seek help from a competent specialist in a timely manner.

This is an irreplaceable employee

We can safely call pedantic people simply a valuable resource for carrying out a number of important assignments. Such people will definitely return your change and account for every penny; they will double-check the work several times before handing it over to their boss. It's all about the psychology of anankasts; they simply cannot do otherwise, they cannot cheat when performing a task. Either they do everything efficiently and well, or they don’t take on the work at all. Moderate qualities in pedants allow such thorough people to carry out any work as responsibly, efficiently and on time. Anankasts are very conscientious about their work and in particular about assignments; such qualities are primarily valued by bosses.

About the career prospects of a pedant

Despite all the positive characteristics presented, pedants are quite often real bores, sometimes even too unbearable, unless it is fashionable to tolerate them within the walls of the office. Therefore, in some professions you can do without such qualities, and therefore, without these people. Pedants often have good careers, because they become excellent leaders. And this does not always happen by their will; sometimes the director gives a new position.

Thanks to this increased level of responsibility, the pedant confidently moves up the career ladder. But there is another side of the coin, the anankast boss is very afraid to make any decision on his own and he is afraid to take responsibility for other people.

Are pedantic parents bad?

Once again it is worth emphasizing that first of all pedantic person, this is a neat neat guy who tries to keep everything perfectly clean. Clothes are always ironed, head and shoes are well polished. Pedant parents are a whole separate topic for discussion. Such people are very confident in themselves, sometimes even too self-confident. They tend to tie the child to a schedule, to the point that even going to the potty must be done strictly according to the schedule. And this is not to mention what time you need to come from school and what time you should go to bed.