11 Phrases Only Low Status Men Use When They’re Trying To Impress People
GaudiLab / Shutterstock Many people live their lives constantly affected by others — debating what they think, how they’re living their own lives, and how they compare in favor of wealth, work, or identity. Instead of focusing on authenticity and fulfillment in their own routines, they are constantly pursuing acceptance and approval, even at the expense of truly meaningful relationships with themselves and others. Unsurprisingly, this desire to impress people and seek their approval is rooted in low self-esteem and insecurity.
As moral psychology expert Iskra Fileva suggests, we all yearn to belong. So when we don't develop feelings of self-assuredness that push us toward deep connections, we look for them in misguided moments and interactions. On the other hand, certain “low-status” people try to impress people to boost their social standing in our prestige-driven society. Many of the phrases that only low-status men use when they’re trying to impress people offer comfort for the internal insecurity they feel.
Here are 11 phrases only low status men use when they’re trying to impress people
1. ‘I could do that if I wanted to’
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Much of trying to impress people is also trying to outperform them. The insecurity they’re dealing with inside may stem from a lack of true belonging, but habits like saying, “I could do that if I wanted to,” and one-upping others only sabotage their ability to form it.
No matter the situation or conversation topic, low-status people are constantly trying to claw themselves up the social ladder. They one-up other people’s accomplishments, name-drop to associate themselves with a higher caliber of person, and place so much emphasis on other people’s acceptance that they lose sight of the authenticity that’s truly important.
2. ‘I’m actually friends with them’
Even if it sometimes offers a bit of complimentary energy and status-driven movement, experts agree that name-dropping almost always backfires. Some people name-drop because they’re narcissistic, but most do it to try to feel like they belong in the “in groups” they’re surrounded by. They want to feel important and feel like they need to rely on another person’s accomplishments to convey that worth.
However, when the acquaintances these people misguidedly lie about or lean on for attention are taken the wrong way or proved wrong, they sabotage the trust of relationships and the authenticity of our own identities.
3. ‘I’m just so busy’
People who want to feel important, whether it’s in work settings or social interactions, often rely on the ruse of busy-ness. They want other people to believe that their time and energy are in high demand, so if they do show up, they should be cherished and valued to a higher degree than anyone else.
Sometimes rooted in entitlement and other times in insecurity, these higher levels of “deservingness” alter the way low-status men interact with other people, often sabotaging the ability to create deeper connections and relationships.
According to a study published in the Personality and Individual Differences journal, protecting personal time to this degree and believing they’re “deserving” of other people’s attention at higher rates can also be a sign of narcissism. While narcissistic traits aren’t always technically “low status,” they may actively hurt and dismiss others in ways that align with less favorable traits.
4. ‘Trust me, I’ve got this’
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While confidence is often integral to our connections and success in places like the workplace, being overconfident about our abilities is more misguided than we may realize. According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, overconfident people aren’t just less likely to deliver on their promises — they’re more likely to be perceived as less competent in comparison to intellectually humble individuals.
Saying, “Trust me, I’ve got this,” in environments where they don’t have all the knowledge or skills to thrive is simply a means of trying to impress others, but in the end, it sabotages their trust. Even if they don’t realize it, it’s actually asking for help from others that impresses and bonds them together the most.
5. ‘I’m picky about my social circle’
“I’m picky with my social circle” is one of the phrases low-status men use when they’re trying to impress people, largely because they feel entitled to everyone else’s time and space. They want people to feel impressed by their presence and drop everything to value their time, even if they’re not reciprocating it in any sense.
For people who place their self-worth alongside their social standing, it’s these moments that make them feel secure for a few fleeting moments. It’s their social security and standing, no matter how performative or misguided it may be, that makes them feel like they’re worthy.
6. ‘It’s really nothing’
Even if it’s really putting them in a financially precarious position, many people who are constantly seeking status will offer to pay for things and loan money as though they have more than enough. In our society, status is often intrinsically tied to wealth, even though true connection and class come from within, rooted in emotional intelligence.
That’s why phrases like “It’s really nothing” or “I make more than enough” are often phrases only low-status men use when trying to impress people. They place so much emphasis on their money that they often sabotage their own personal sense of stability.
7. ‘I did that a while ago’
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While a low-status man may use a phrase like “I did that a while ago” to feel worthy in a group of people they admire, all it really does is dismiss and invalidate the excitement of someone sharing about their lives. Whether it’s getting into a relationship, achieving something at work, or trying a new hobby, this phrase only one-ups others and makes them feel disconnected.
Of course, relating to someone is okay, but as the findings of a study from the University of Michigan suggest, one-upping others only steals the spotlight from others and pushes them away.
8. ‘I’m not bragging, but…’
While it might seem like a perfectly acceptable way to boost personal status and assert a sense of social superiority over others, experts suggest that a misguided “humble brag” is actually more unlikeable in social situations than we realize.
Whether it’s “I don’t deserve this” or “I’m not bragging, but,” these phrases are motivated by a desire to impress others. Unsuspectingly, these kinds of subtle phrases actually harm both social connections and personal self-worth. If your confidence and belonging are only intertwined with success and accomplishment, in important times of idleness or rest, you’re more insecure than ever.
9. ‘That’s nothing, I once…’
According to psychologist Jett Stone, bragging can sometimes transform into a playful spar between men and their platonic friends, building trust and deepening connections. However, when this desire to one-up others and boost personal status follows them into other aspects of their lives, it can have consequences.
It urges people to feel insecure and disconnected. It dismissed their emotions and invalidated their success. It makes them feel disconnected and urges them to avoid sharing vulnerability around them.
10. ‘You wouldn’t understand’
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Trying to set themselves apart on another intellectual level, a low-status man typically uses phrases like “You wouldn’t understand” to seem more knowledgeable and important. By trying to impress people and feel like a part of their desired communities, they actually isolate themselves from true connections and push themselves into a more entitled, disengaged identity.
These kinds of men take a “us” and “them” mentality into every aspect of their lives. They don’t believe that there’s enough wealth, success, or accomplishment to go around, so they try desperately to gate-keep the things they find most important, even if it’s a misguided sense of intelligence.
11. ‘Most people don’t get it’
Whether it’s a brag about “how hard they work” or an overconfidence about their skills and responsibilities, these are some of the habits a low-status man indulges in when trying to impress people.
They want people to envy them, which is ironic, considering they are driven by feelings of insecurity and a deep yearning to belong to high-status groups.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
