11 Signs That A Guy You Know Is Actually A Man-Child, According To Social Media
When a grown man can't handle normal adult responsibilities, it shows a lack of maturity.
garetsworkshop | Shutterstock Social media platforms are filled with discussions and memes all about men who are incredibly immature. These men, often called a man-child, tend to shirk adult responsibilities to avoid accountability and growth. This can create challenges in relationships, friendships, and even in the workplace, as their actions are often a result of their emotional maturity.
The signs that a guy you know is actually a man-child, according to social media, become apparent when he reveals his behavior, which usually includes going to great lengths to hide his insecurities and emotional disconnect. But recognizing these traits early on can help you set boundaries and avoid frustration. There might be some men in your life that fit this mold and, if so, they have a lot of growing up to do.
Here are 11 signs that a guy you know is actually a man-child, according to social media
1. He reads too many self-help books
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When a guy constantly reads self-help books but rarely applies what he learns, it could indicate that he's immature. While self-help books are good, they can often become a crutch to people who would rather use it as a tool to escape accountability instead of making any real changes.
No amount of motivational quotes a person posts online can change someone who isn't willing to do the actual work. And if you need that many books to tell you how you should be behaving, there's something wrong internally.
The real test is how someone integrates what they learn into their life and work on making themselves better. If that's missing, it's a clue that this guy might be more of a man-child than a mature adult.
2. He puts his hobbies before everything else
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One of the most obvious signs that a guy you know is actually a man-child, according to social media, is if he chooses to prioritize his hobbies instead of being present during important events and taking care of responsibilities. There have been horror stories of women in labor whose male partners chose to play video games instead, and research has shown that around 8.5% of gamers show signs of dependency.
But playing video games isn't the only hobby men who are actually a man-child will prioritize. Perhaps it's putting up videos on TikTok or making his social media presence his entire identity. Whatever it is, they risk their relationships in exchange for instant gratification.
While having hobbies isn't a bad thing, it's putting them above more important responsibilities that causes issues. Adult life requires compromise, and a man-child simply isn't ready to meet those expectations.
3. He lacks basic life skills
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Whether it's his inability to cook or clean, or just tidy his living space, these are all indicators of a man-child, especially when he puts it all online for others to see. These tasks, while not easy, are a part of being a functioning adult, but for an immature man like this, he doesn't see it that way.
Often, men who have these characteristics rely heavily on their partners to handle basic household chores and responsibilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 19% of men do housework on a given day compared to 49% of women.This can be exhausting for their loved ones to deal with, especially if they had been the ones doing everything from the start.
4. His mom still does everything for him
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He may put his mom on his livestreams, post photos of her on his Instagram, or even make videos with her on TikTok. And while this is all fun, it may be covering up for the fact that his mother still does everything for him.
Many patriarchal households have gendered stereotypes of men being the providers and women being the caretakers. But social media is full of stories from frustrated partners describing boyfriends and husbands who can't function without a parent's guidance.
What's worse is that many men don't realize that this is even a problem. They may see their mom doing everything for them as normal or even charming, but in reality it shows a lack of maturity and inconsideration.
Being an adult means learning to stand on your own. By making your mother do everything, you're never asking yourself what you could be doing for her.
5. He throws tantrums when he doesn't get his way
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One of the glaring signs that a guy you know is actually a man-child, according to social media, is when he throws temper tantrums. It might mean getting into a screaming match with someone in his comments or posting a series of tweets on his X account.
But adult temper tantrums can be detrimental to personal relationships. According to psychoanalyst Roberta Satow, PhD, such outbursts can escalate into dangerous situations. What makes this especially difficult is that tantrum-throwing masks deeper issues like insecurity and entitlement.
While everyone is allowed to feel disappointed or upset, a man-child lacks the self-awareness to handle it constructively. This will make communication with him nearly impossible. Rather than taking accountability, he expects the people around him to accommodate his moods, lacing emotional strain on others.
6. He's afraid to commit
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When a conversation starts leaning toward serious plans or long-term goals, a man-child will try evading the question or changing the subject entirely. The word "commitment" drives him up a wall and triggers instant panic. Immature men want to put in the minimal effort into the relationship while expecting you to give it your all.
Social media often highlights how these guys avoid deeper emotional connections because they're scared of losing their freedom or being tied down. Around 72% of commitment-phobic men believe that being in a relationship will interfere with their goals and ambitions. Instead of facing the realities of being a mature individual, they prefer to keep things simple even if that means letting opportunities slip on by.
7. He's not good with money
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When a guy is actually a man-child, he's unable to manage money responsibly. He will consistently find himself broke, even if he has a decent income because he spends his money so frivolously. He might post photos or videos of himself on social media, detailing his expensive vacations or splurges.
This kind of financial instability often comes from a lack of long-term planning. Instead of setting goals like building savings or investing in his future, he tends to live like something will magically fix his money problems. While it might seem like a small issue at first, being bad with money can cause conflict in relationships. It's an unhealthy pattern that shows he hasn't quite grown into the mindset of financial responsibility.
8. He treats his partner like a parent
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When a man-child has had his mother cater to his every whim, he may treat his romantic partner the same way. These men often expect their significant other to take on that role for them when they leave the nest. Instead of it being a healthy and equal relationship, it turns into a dynamic where one person is parenting the other.
At its core, treating a partner like a parent is a refusal to take full accountability for one's own life. When things go wrong, he will blame it all on his partner because he has placed all of the planning on her. These types of relationships breed resentment and can make a romantic relationship feel more like caretaking.
9. He lacks ambition
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A lack of ambition is one of the huge signs that a guy you know is actually a man-child, according to social media. While everyone moves at their own pace in life, there's a difference between taking time to figure things out and not caring at all. Men are significantly worse at honing their goal-setting skills compared to their female peers. His dreams, if he has any, often sound more like excuses to avoid responsibility than actual goals.
On social media, stories often pop up of women dating guys who are stuck on the fantasies of making it big rather than choosing a more practical career. What makes it even more frustrating is how content he seems to be. His lack of ambition is easily showcased in his behavior. There is no passion or fire in his eyes, not even a little curiosity in bettering himself.
10. He lives in the past
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A man-child will always bring up stories from his glory days, as if those years defined him, but instead of learning from those mistakes, he just repeats them over and over again. He clings to them and becomes unwilling to move forward. This nostalgia isn't sentimental, it's a red flag for emotional stagnation.
Thinking about the past keeps you stuck there, instead of thinking about the future. In relationships, a man who constantly brings up his exes and everything they did wrong is a man-child who isn't willing to accept his part in the relationship's downfall. He might go on tirades on his social media, or put all the blame on someone else.
In his mind, the past was safer, and so long as he stays there mentally, he doesn't have to face the uncertainty that is coming his way in the future.
11. He avoids difficult conversations
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When a guy consistently avoids difficult talks, he hasn't developed the emotional bandwidth that comes with being an adult. Avoiding difficult conversations is a classic sign of emotional immaturity. A man-child will shut down the moment things become serious and his comfort is threatened.
Researchers from Queendom revealed that around 31% of men under 40 struggle to identify their feelings, and 31% find it hard to express them. Ironically, by shutting down the conversation, this behavior leaves the other person carrying the emotional weight of the relationship or conversation.
Mature relationships require open and honest communication, which is something that a man-child who has yet to mature knows how to do. And to top it all off, he likely talks about not wanting to have these conversations with friends or even strangers online.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author with a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
