If A Man Laughs At These 11 Topics, He's Hiding Some Serious Insecurities
When a man tries laughing off these topics, he's likely hiding some major insecurities.
Ground Picture | Shutterstock Laughter is a normal response when certain topics are brought up that a person feels insecure about. A man will use laughter as a defense mechanism to protect his ego and move on from the topic without having to uncover the insecurities that he is hiding.
These insecurities can stem from societal expectations or even childhood trauma. While occasionally using laughter to avoid a topic can actually be perceived as arrogance, it is important to consider what may be going on beneath the surface.
If a man laughs at these 11 topics, he’s hiding some serious insecurities
1. His career or job performance
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When a man laughs off his career or job performance when it is brought up in conversation, he is likely hiding a deeper insecurity. Professional success can often become what a person identifies with, making it difficult for them to face any failures within their occupation.
A man who finds this topic laughable is hiding his deep-rooted sense of self-worth that he finds within what he does for a living, and most likely dislikes or is embarrassed by his current job situation. He doesn’t feel proud of what he does and ultimately has low self-esteem because of it. Laughing at the topics acts as a coping mechanism.
2. His financial stability
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If mentioning financial stability to a man causes him to laugh the topic off, he could be hiding a serious insecurity. If he feels as though he is in the midst of instability with his finances, he is most likely feeling vulnerable and anxious.
Most men have an instinct within that makes them want to be the primary provider. If they are unable to do so, they will probably be hiding insecurities with their self-worth, fears of rejection, and feeling like they may not be as valuable as they would like to be.
3. His romantic relationship
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A man constantly laughing off his romantic relationships could be a sign that he’s hiding his struggles with fears of commitment, is afraid of rejection, or has trouble communicating his feelings. Having these insecurities could be due to past relationships he has been involved in that have left him in pain.
Instead of seriously pursuing romantic relationships, he will avoid them and try to make it seem like he doesn’t actually care about them, hence why he responds to the topic by laughing. This response acts as his way of trying to protect these insecurities.
4. His family dynamics
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When a man laughs about his family dynamics during conversation, there is a good chance that he is insecure about his upbringing. In an attempt not to be judged or feel embarrassed about the way he was raised, laughing off the topic helps him to keep his upbringing hidden and ultimately protects his self-esteem.
Family dynamics can also be uncomfortable for some men to talk about if they have some unresolved trauma associated with their upbringing. Something triggering for him could be his constant feeling of never living up to his family’s expectations. The insecurities that arise from never feeling like he is enough would cause him to respond with laughter to the topic and want to change the subject.
5. His body
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If a man resorts to nervous laughter when his body image is in question, he may be secretly insecure about his body. He laughs to defend himself, and if he makes jokes regarding his overall appearance, it could be to hide how much he actually cares about his image.
If he is constantly comparing himself to the people he is around, his self-esteem just gets lower and lower. While he may not feel the most confident in his body, that is not something most men want broadcast due to societal expectations that make it seem as though a man is weak if he shows his struggle. Therefore, his laughter acts as his method of covering up his true insecurities.
6. His social life
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A man laughing when the topic of his social life is mentioned could be a sign that he is aiming to mask his anxiety or discomfort around it. If he feels like his social life is not living up to societal expectations, he may want to hide it because he has a fear of being judged for it or being embarrassed.
Laughter, like most defense mechanisms, is meant to help protect someone’s ego when it feels threatened. Bringing up his social life makes his ego feel threatened, and to hide his low self-esteem that stems from this aspect of his life, laughing it off will become his technique.
7. Emotional vulnerability
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Most men have grown up being taught that they should never let their emotions show and should remain strong through every painful situation. This causes them to then feel insecure about potentially being viewed as weak or less of a man.
If his emotional vulnerability is brought up, he will most likely laugh it off as a defense mechanism. Not only will laughing off the topic help him in an uncomfortable moment, but he will use it to protect himself from the potential judgment and loss of control he would experience if his true emotions were to show.
8. His future plans
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Our society aims to set certain timelines we all feel like we have to abide by, which can be a huge stressor when considering the future. Men have to deal with the pressures of being expected to be financially successful. If he is in a relationship, he feels the pressure of needing to be an adequate partner, and he has to let go of his need for control.
If a man uses laughter to avoid this topic, he could be hiding insecurities and fears of fulfilling these things. Suppose he constantly feels like he is struggling to live up to the expectations of society and struggles to meet the timelines it sets for us. In that case, there is a good chance that thoughts and talk of the future cause him to defend himself by using laughter and avoiding the topic.
9. His mistakes
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If a man laughs off certain mistakes, he may be hiding his fear of failure. Fear of failure can be the result of many things, but especially if he struggled with never being recognized for his accomplishments as a child.
The events that happen throughout our childhood shape us into who we become. His self-worth will lean too heavily on the validation he gets from success, and when he fails to succeed and makes a mistake, his self-worth starts to crumble. Laughing off mistakes is his way of protecting his fragile sense of self.
10. His intelligence
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If the topic of intelligence and education causes a man to be avoidant and laugh the topic away, there is a possibility that he is hiding feelings of inadequacy. If he doubts his intellect, he may aim to seem overly confident, but in reality, he doesn’t actually feel confident at all.
Society influences men to hide any signs of insecurity and unintelligence to continue seeming like they are strong and immune to being inadequate. Truthfully, no one, not even men, is immune to insecurity. Yet still, a man will try his hardest to cover up these insecurities.
11. His confidence
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Most men feel like they must compel every room they walk into. They must exude confidence and have no trouble carrying on a conversation with even strangers. However, not all men feel comfortable with having to always portray a confident and outgoing persona.
If he tries to laughingly beat around the topic of being very confident around others, he may be hiding insecurities about being social. He could mentally be struggling with social anxiety, but not want to come across as weak and antisocial, so instead he would rather avoid the topic and cover up how he is truly feeling.
It is important to remember not to be too quick to judge a man’s first response to certain topics. If he is struggling with serious insecurities, there may be more hiding behind his response than you know.
Kamryn Idol is a writer with a bachelor's degree in media and journalism who covers lifestyle, relationship, family, and wellness topics.
