While you may have heard numerous definitions of what a man-child is (aka: an adult man who does not behave in the calm, serious, or sensible way), sometimes it's helpful to hear examples of this personality type. So when Reddit user u/Sad-Cunt-420asked: "What screams 'I'm a man-child' but nobody realizes it?" close to 9,000 people responded. Here's what they had to say below:
1."Feeling the need to 'out-man' the other men you are around."
2."Everybody but the man-child in question will notice this: They never own up to their mistakes and constantly blame someone/something else for them."
3."They talk at people without listening or a sense of empathy — and get quick to anger when called out."
4."They're usually the type of person 'who just tells it like it is' or is 'brutally honest.' Bonus points if they claim to be a 'logical thinker' while being the most emotional person in the room."
5."They have extremely strict morals and principles when citing them will get them out of doing something. They will drop all morals and principles when ignoring them will get them out of doing something."
6."Not taking out your garbage for weeks on end when you live in an apartment building, even when the weather gets REALLY hot and your trash stinks so badly that simply walking into the building is like being hit in the face with a decomposing corpse."
7."When he refers to watching his own kids as babysitting or acts like it’s a favor."
8."He breaks stuff and punches holes in walls over things, doesn’t even matter how big or small the trigger. The immediate signal he’s a man-child and incapable of regulating himself and his emotions. If a man is constantly showing aggressive behavior to the point of breaking things, or is someone who defends this behavior, yeah, I’d say both are massive red flags."
9."Not learning how to perform basic domestic tasks like laundry, dishes, etc. If they make an active decision not to learn those things, it just tells me they want a mommy and not a partner."
10."Currently moving out of the apartment I share with my boyfriend because he is jealous of my dog (the one I had for years before we started dating). It started off with little things and has escalated to the dog needing to be in a cage 24/7 or I get the silent treatment. Good riddance, fucker."
11."Lack of respect for people doing things for them, even when paid. Being short or rude to servers/staff, not saying thank you and please, etc. Thankfully, this is usually easy to spot on first dates."
12."Their explosive emotions are valid (even when exaggerated) but yours are never and you're just dramatic."
13."Putting other men down for liking books or video games while they obsess over sports, Fast and the Furious, and cars. Everyone has a hobby and we all have things we enjoy. Liking video games or books doesn’t make you any less of a man. Acting like watching sports makes you manly always seems like a projection to me. How is a guy sitting on his fat ass watching football games all weekend any better than another guy sitting on his ass reading books or playing video games all weekend? It’s the same damn thing."
14."Weaponized incompetence. Intentionally doing a piss poor job at whatever you’re asked to do just to ensure that you’re never asked to do it again."
15."Constantly seeking the validation of multiple people that are the gender they're attracted to. Nothing screams insecurity like needing a bunch of people to fawn over you."
Is there a particular thing that screams someone is a "man-child" that wasn't mentioned above? If so, tell us what it is in the comments below:
