Hotelambush Questionnaire (Karatos)

[Desert Financial]

Tell me about yourself.
This question's pretty open ended. I'm a guy. I tend to rebel against expectations placed on me, but I've been more restrained about that as I've gotten older. I come from a fairly well off background. I'm in my late 20s.
What do you study or do for a living? How did you come to do that? What do you like or dislike about it?
I study cybersecurity and make some money writing and doing random jobs on the side. I like cybersecurity because it involves breaking systems, developing solutions, and ensuring privacy for end-users. I like to think strategically about it from both offensive and defensive points of view. For example, it's fun to map out different vulnerabilities in computer systems and demonstrate how they can be exploited. Furthermore, I like formulating the most effective solutions to prevent attacks. What I dislike about it is that it requires an extensive breadth of knowledge and it evolves at a pace that's hard for even experts to keep up with. Fortunately, the pros outweigh the cons for me.
What are your values, and why?
I value justice, liberty, persistence, and ingenuity. I think people should have a fair shot at life and they should look after their own. Grit helps people overcome challenges and ingenuity grants them efficiency when solving problems. I also have a slight feeling that information should be free and I love exposing falsehoods and duplicity.
What else do you do on a daily basis? What are your interests and hobbies? Why do you do them?
I learn about computer systems and play cards. I like honing my skills, developing mastery, competing with others, and thinking systematically about the best way to accomplish my goals. Additionally, I like to exercise, listen to podcasts, and watch a few shows. I spend more time relaxing than I should, but it's a work in progress.
Describe your relations with family and friends. What do you like and dislike about them?
My relations with my family are kind of strained because we have different views on life, but it's friendly. In my friendships, I try to be someone people can depend on. I like playing with people and pursuing my hobbies with them. I dislike that expending too much energy on them leaves me drained. My family can be too overbearing as well. Since I'm an only child, my folks have always tried to maintain a disproportionate amount of control over me since I'm all they have. So one of my challenges in life has been to set reasonable, healthy boundaries with them.
What do you look for in friends? In romantic relationships?
In friends, I enjoy intelligence, playfulness, and compassion. At a bare minimum, I like having shared interests with my friends. In romantic relationships, I look for likemindedness and attractiveness. I like having a more extroverted partner who enjoys dealing with people more than I do. I also enjoy having a partner with a decent amount of openness and a "woman's intuition."
What conflicts have you encountered recently with other people? Why did they happen? Which kinds seem to happen on a regular basis?
I tend to conflict with people when they're being abusive or bullying. I want the offense to stop. I also tend to conflict with people when they violate my boundaries. Most of my conflicts happen when someone tries to exercise some entitled sense of authority over me or when someone tries to push a story that doesn't add up.
How would your friends describe you?
Smart, messy, introverted, goofy, abrasive, complex.
What do people generally see as your strengths? What do you like about yourself?
People have called me intelligent, analytical, knowledgeable, creative, and kind. They have also said I have integrity and that I speak up when nobody else does.
What are your weaknesses? What criticism do you often face from others? What do you dislike about yourself?
I think I'm too sensitive, but it's debatable whether I really am or not. I've also been told that I don't work hard enough and that I'm not empathetic enough. Sometimes I take things too much at face value and fail to recognize whether someone's being serious or not.
In what areas of life can you manage well on your own? In what areas of your life would you like help?
I pursue my own interests pretty well. I investigate what I need to know to gain competence. I think would like help in long term planning and social competence. Dealing with people isn't my strong suit. For example, school comes easily and I always find a way to make the grades I need, but when it comes to job interviews and unstable people, I often fail to "make the right moves."
What things do you find to be a chore? What things do you enjoy more than others?
Dealing with people is a chore. They're unpredictable. I've had social anxiety as far back as I can tell. Some basic shit like making sure everything is spick and span is a chore both literally and figuratively. But I would say that employing the correct social graces takes the cake.
What goals, aspirations, or plans do you have for the future? How did you come to have them?
I plan to become an expert in my field, become a security architect, have a family, travel abroad, and retire. I always wanted to have a family and retire, but I developed a taste for traveling after doing so in my country. I also developed a plan for becoming an expert in my field after realizing my passion for it.
If you had enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life without working, what would you do with your time?
Study, travel, try to make a positive impact on the world. Become Batman. I think I would like to work anyway because it gives you a decent reason to get up in the morning.
What traits do you find endearing that others might dislike? What traits are considered positive/neutral by others but tend to annoy you?
I like goofiness and some anger. Strangeness. Traits that annoy me but don't annoy others include naivety, carelessness, inconsiderate behavior, and stupidity.
What kinds of things do you do to manage and/or beautify your environment (your room, your house, etc.)? What do you think of daily chores?
I have posters and hobby-related things on my walls. I like to collect things to show where I've been and what I've done. Daily chores are annoying but necessary.
How do you behave around strangers?
I'm polite but I'm not talkative whatsoever. I tend to be kind of roundabout in how I get what I want in foreign environments, and I like to put a smile on peoples' faces if I can.
How do you react to conflict? What do you do if somebody insults or attacks you?
It depends. If I'm focused on something else, I'll ignore it. But sometimes I get in the mode of "evening the scoreboard." So, for instance, on a good day, if someone is being a sarcastic asshole, I'll be sarcastic back. With strangers, I'm more prone to just being shocked by dickish behavior. But with people I know, I will throw my own insults back or make a twisted variation of what they said to make an insulting implication.
What is one common misconception that people have? Explain why it is wrong.
Life isn't fair. There is no overarching force that balances out injustices and gives you everything you want. You have to work for what you want, and even then, there are no guarantees.
What did you do last Friday?
I played cards with my friends.
If you are doing a video you can stop here or choose from the rest of the questions as you like.
If you are answering in writing, please answer ALL questions.

What is your biggest accomplishment?
I recently gained a certificate in cybersecurity without really having knowing much about it prior to entering the program.
What is something you regret?
Having lied to people who are important to me.
Who do you admire, and why?
I tend to admire people who have vision. Like Abraham Lincoln or Steve Jobs.
What's been on your mind? Has anything been worrying or concerning you? What problems have you encountered lately?
My relationships and ambitions. I'm trying to maintain focus and avoid letting life's challenges throw me into a slump.
What are your religious or spiritual beliefs and why do you hold them?
I'm an atheist. I'm spiritual in a way that overlaps with Buddhism in some sense, but I'm by no means religions or theist. I generally don't believe in things that aren't logical or that can't be observed.
What are your political beliefs, and why? To what extent do you care about politics?
I sometimes think to myself that I have the head of a libertarian and the heart of a liberal. So I'm on the left. I care about politics deeply. They often run in circles, but it's important to pay attention to the directions nations go. Pet issues include separation of church and state along with climate change.
Would you ever be interested in starting a business? Why or why not? What role would you play in it? What kind of business would it be?
Yes. I would be a business owner or manager. It would be fun to have a project like this and rake in revenue. It would be a restaurant, a cloud provider, or a cybersecurity firm.
What kind of work environment do you prefer? What do you look for in a job?
I prefer a work environment with a logical, responsible mission statement. I like to have the freedom and flexibility to do my own thing, so long as I fulfil service level agreements and contracts.
What is or was your favorite school subject and why?
I like learning about computers. Complex systems give me quite a bit to think about and I enjoy applying their principles to other aspects of my life. I also like English for the creative aspects.
How do you approach responsibility? What do you tend to expect of others?
I think people should pay their debts and exercise self accountability. I don't really care much for enforcing that with people, but I just won't deal with people who lack self awareness or a personal sense of accountability.
Where did you go on your most recent vacation? What did you do there? How did you like it and why?
My most recent vacation was in Las Vegas. I saw some sights like the hotels, casinos, and a few attractions. I ate good food. I enjoyed it and thought it was a city for me because people there have a great deal of freedom to enjoy.
What were you like as a kid? How have you changed since you were a child?
Kind of introverted, lost in thought, but mischievous. My beliefs have changed and I've grown, but core traits have largely remained. I've learned to be more understanding of people that aren't like me. I've become more open to new experiences and I've developed a higher level of empathy. In young adulthood, I started to really recognize the consequences of my actions and I gained skills to help regulate negative emotions.
What was your high school experience like?
It was kind of a nightmare but I did what I could to make the most of it. Unusual because I had health problems, but making friends made the process better. I found ways to fit in with people but I also felt like an outsider somehow.
Talk about a significant event from your life.
A few years ago, an ex of mine sat me down and really told me what I needed to do to be successful in life. She encouraged me to own up to who I really was. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I'm grateful it happened. It led to how I cultivated my passion for cybersecurity.
Do you like kids? Why or why not?
They're ok. They tend to be surprisingly smart and honest. They can be a handful, but I think they're usually amusing.
If you were to raise a child, what would be your main concerns, what measures would you take, and why?
My main concerns would be that this world is too harsh for them. I wouldn't want them to hate me, either. I would lead them by example and give them the tools necessary to achieve their goals. I would teach fiscal responsibility and simulate an environment like they would experience in the real world. Give them choices and room to develop their own belief systems.
Ever feel stuck in a rut? If yes, describe the causes and your reaction to it.
Yes. I get stuck in a rut when there are too many potential outcomes and I fail to synthesize the information. For instance, it was immobilizing when I was trying to figure out where to go to college because there were so many possibilities but I had little hands on information to go off of. Sometimes when people try to exert too much control over my decisions, I slow down as well. I just start to drift and fuck around.
How do you see other people as a whole? What do you consider a prevalent social problem? Name one.
Kind of an emotional, irrational mass. A hive that follows its random whims. Social problem: ignorance.
What do you do if you're not getting what you want? What approach do you use?
I retreat in my mind and think of different tactics I could use. Take a deep breath, relax, and observe possible opportunities I could use to get where I'm going. In situations where I understand the processes that yield the results I want, I'll be patient and wait it out. So, let's say I'm not getting the grade I want in a class... I'll discuss the possibility of extra credit with my instructor. If that doesn't fly, I'll allocate more time to studying and do the rough math for what grades I need to make to raise the overall average. Rearrange my schedule. But if I want something from someone in particular in the context of a relationship, I find that patience has a greater chance of working because it gives the person room to make their own decision.
Are you comfortable taking leadership roles? In what areas? Why or why not?
Sure. I like leading from the front lines. I don't have much experience with leadership, but I often feel that if I don't act first then nobody will.
How often do you get angry? What kinds of things make you angry?
I feel anger almost daily but I do my best to process it in a healthy way. Things that anger me: Contradictions. Injustice.
What is the best thing that happened to you during the past week?
I got a couple of girls' phone numbers.
What is the worst thing that happened to you during the past week?
I lost someone special to me and now I'm getting back on track.
What is the purpose of life? What do you find personally meaningful in life?
There is no universal purpose. However, I think it's important to overcome your limitations, grow, and give the middle finger to the relentless hostility of the world.
What is the most interesting place you have been, and why?
New York. People there have learned to function as an efficient machine.
How do you dress or manage your appearance?
I'm pretty casual. I dress for the occasion. I have kind of a geeky/edgy appearance. I wear nerdy t shirts and jeans most of the time, reverting to leather jackets in the winter.
Do you like surprises?
Yes.
Is there anything else important about you that we should know?
I prefer my eggs fried and my steak cooked medium rare. My favorite color is blue-green.