Are macho type men/tough guys deeply sensitive?

[ManOnFire]

And is the macho/tough persona a cover for this fact? Even when I've worked with these types on the job they always get in their feelings when you show them that you don't like or won't take their shit. They like trying to be the loudest voice in the room or the one to push others around or even be insulting, but when you give it back to them they can't handle it and get in their feelings about it for days.

Why do these guys become such big babies when they are shown that they have to respect people? Is their machismo a cover for the fact that they are actually deeply sensitive or emotionally vulnerable?

[Datboi65]

I have known a couple of these dudes before in high school. One guy in particular used to try and act tough. Always was nice to me, but would turn into the biggest asshole when the girls showed up. I read straight through his bullshit.

I am not particularly one to like conflict, but I will absolutely go through confrontations if I have to. Anyway, one time homie was on his usual bullshit and dropped his pencil case and asked me to pick it up. That was the first time he did that, since he usually would just say petty comments here and there. I had to shut that shit down, so I told him to pick it up himself, and his response was "I will remember that". I walked up to his face, looked him dead in the eye and told him if he ever played that bs with me again, I would humiliate him in front of everyone, gave him a pat on the shoulder and then left. He never tried it again.

Moral of the story? Tough people don't act tough. Only people who have something to prove. I wouldn't call these dudes "macho" but rather "wannabes" since part of being masculine is being nonchalant and not trying too hard to impress people.

[ManOnFire]

I love you, bro😂

[Lionman95]

I´d say yes my theory is that they are afraid of the reaction if they showed their soft sides and therefore try to cover it up or they´ve been a humble and polite guy before they didn´t get the acknowledgement they wanted so they worked out and strengthed their body to get their recognition and acknowledgement they felt they deserve.
So they play with others like they think others played with them earlier.
I really think it´s mechanism many guys use (an me too though I´m definetely not the strongest guy) to cover up what we/they feel is the weakest spot in our lifes: our feelings and insecurities.
Being the loudest in the room and taking control in arguments always gives that person the whole attention of the room, that way he (and sometimes also she) has it an easier way of controlling a conversation goes.
Because if you want to prevent that a topic comes up you have to control the direction a conversation takes.

[Pooppoobi]

Yeah but if they secretly have a soft side that they are hiding they're not really tough are they? There's some guys that actually don't have a soft side. People like Jeffrey Dahmer or Richard rimariez

[Lionman95]

@Pooppoobi Dahmer and Ramirez are extreme cases, especially the last one could have had a weak spot though because in Wikipedia article about Ramirez it´s said that has been abused in his school time plus he had epilepsy that´s something I´d consider a weakness that´s worth hidding.
Dahmer is said to be psychiatrically ill, that´s not the case for most machos.
But you´re right in that my theory doesn´t work for all cases.

[Pooppoobi]

Lolol

[Gwenhwyfar]

Some are but a lot are just as insensitive as they appear to be

[Pooppoobi]

I dunno. It depends what you call macho. The tough guys who are putting on an act and acting tough or guys that are unemotional and don't care about anything like myself. So there's never a need to cry about anything. Like myself. That's what I call tough. Emotionally tough. Or emotionally numb. But still the most macho type there is

[Pooppoobi]

I'm the sort of person you would see being killed in a cartel video and jus take it like a champ. No sound or reaction at all. Jus taking his fate

[ManOnFire]

Not really the kind of macho I mean. I'm talking more in terms of alpha assholes.

[Hellraiser1984]

It's a cover. Most guys are weak and the skinny ones are always like that. The buff ones are hard guys. But the chubby ones like me are very hard due to years of bullying and torment from others plus getting our hearts broken too many times.

[ManOnFire]

The buff ones are actually the weakest ones.

[TheBigGuy9]

It’s along the same lines as bullies in high school. Of course. It’s very easy to see.

[DGravez6]

50/50. I mean would you call Henry Rollins sensitive?

[ManOnFire]

Google him. Ashamed to say I've never heard of the guy.