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There is no doubt that since the modern day millennium has merged upon us, there has been no shortage of op-eds, podcasts, lengthy articles in upscale magazines, self-help books, documentaries and other forums discussing and detailing both the positive and negative aspect of men and manhood in general. Yes, indeed, the 21st Century man has been the target and focus of considerable scrutiny. Supporters have seen such attention and critique as a welcomed and long overdue development. Critics argue that a significant portion of the coverage regarding manhood has been retrograde and disproportionately negative.
I would make the case that much of the commentary has been a combination of compliments and condemnation. To be sure, there are many men who are first-rate in their relationships with others and deserve to be saluted for their behavior. On the contrary, there is a segment of men who are belligerent, brash, bedeviled and live up to the most negative stereotypes associated with the male gender. Most, if not all of us, have encountered these men. They can be obnoxious, annoying, and often dampen any workplace setting they are a part of or any social setting they insert themselves into.
Some of these types of men are:
No Way Nate
You are the guy that can never agree to do anything to help anyone else. You always have an excuse. You are always too busy, too tied up, too tired, too overwhelmed, too preoccupied, or too something to be of use to anyone. Extending a helping hand is like a foreign concept. Assisting or coming to the aid of someone else is always seen as a burden or inconvenience. Thus, you reject any request to come to the aid of your fellow man (or woman). In essence, it’s all about you.
Pete The Pig
You are the guy who is sloppy. You seldom, if ever, clean up after yourself. You leave your clothes all over the place. You drink and eat other people’s food without permission and often feign ignorance when confronted. You leave the dishes and glasses piled high in the sink or in other places around the house or apartment. In some case, you do not put a high emphasis on personal hygiene. In general, your behavior and attitude are primitive on a number of levels.
Self-Absorbed Steve
You are the guy who can’t wait to brag about your latest accomplishment or conquest, (including sexual conquests). You frequently interrupt other people in an effort to show others how important you are. You usually, if not always, dismiss other people’s experiences as being less important than yours. You cut off others who are discussing issues or topics that you do not want to hear about or feel uncomfortable participating in. You are the guy who loves to be the center of attention. Thus, everything is all about you.
Gossipy Gary
You are the guy who can’t wait to hear about the new employee(s) or recent hire. In fact, you frequently take it upon yourself to take him or her out to lunch, dinner, for coffee etc… in an effort to learn more about them or to potentially use such information against them. You do not hesitate to divulge salacious or secret information (sometimes discreet, other times shameless) about other “friends” or colleagues. You relish in discussing what you see as the shortcomings of others in an effort to belittle or diminish them in the eyes of others. More often than not, you have no problem spreading rumors whether they may be true or not. Veracity means little, if anything, to you. You simply do not care. Basically, you are shameless.
Misfit Mike
You are the guy who is noticeably awkward. You are often clumsy if not outright rude in your effort to communicate with others. Like your self-absorbed counterpart, you frequently neglect your personal hygiene. You frequently make fractured or inappropriate comments in meetings and in public. You talk too loud. You often leave before matters are fully discussed or resolved. You often respond to certain situations inappropriately. You ask other people very personal questions. You have little, if any, idea how your awkwardness irritates others or makes them extremely uncomfortable around you. The fact is that you are clueless.
Miserly Mark
You are the guy who is always counting his change in his mind. You always promise to buy a round of drinks for everyone but never end up doing so. You have no problem with allowing other people to foot the bill on your behalf, but never ever reciprocate. When other people donate twenty, thirty, or forty dollars, you donate five or maybe ten dollars at the most, even though you could afford to give more. You are always watching your wallet, yet have no problem choosing super upscale places when it is your turn to be treated or celebrated. You detest donating to humanitarian or charitable causes seeing them as burdensome. You view other people who are generous as naive or suckers. You are pretty much a cold and aloof person.
There are others.
These are the type of men that are often annoying as Herod in Hades. They are often nerve-wracking, insensitive, irresponsible, arrogant, troublemakers, nuisances, and problematic on a number of levels. They are a toxic combination of crudeness, rudeness, indifference, and, particularly in the case of the gossipers, grossly malicious. More often than not, they are of no use to anyone not even themselves. The best thing to do is AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS! There may be times when you are unable to do so. That being said, in such circumstances, you should make every effort to minimize the time you are in their presence. Keep your encounters professional, brief, to the point, and conclude business ASAP! There is nothing to be gained in dealing with or spending considerable time with such male misfits. While none of us are perfect, most of us do not suffer from such a high level of social dysfunction.
If you are a guy who falls into one of the aforementioned categories, you are indeed, mal-adjusted. You need to do some serious soul searching and make a valiant effort to redefine and readjust your personal value system as it relates to others. By doing so, you and others, both in your universe and around you, will benefit greatly.
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This was great! You very distinctly described each type of male! Thanks for the recap!
Thank you Karen!
Elwood Watson, Ph.D.
GMP Contributor
Author of Article