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Why do men future fake?

170 replies

Changedusernameforthis2 · 12/05/2025 06:36

This happened to me 5 years ago. I wasted 7 years with a man who kept saying we would marry but then would always find a reason not to. Looking back now, I think he knew for the last 3 years of our relationship that he didn't ever want to be with me. My lovely goddaughter has just had it happen to her. Why do men do this?
I know there can't be a definitive answer, just interested to discuss it

OP posts:
Sassybooklover · 12/05/2025 08:22

At that moment in time the man is happy with what he has - a girlfriend. There's no marriage or kids, so no real commitment. If they live together, then there's someone to help with the chores, pay the bills and on tap sex. The reality is, there's no reason for him to get married. Sadly, I do feel that the man in these situations, doesn't actually think enough of the person they're with, to marry them. If a man genuinely loves a woman, he will propose in a timely way, not string her along for years. A man that keeps putting off getting engaged, setting a wedding date etc, is one who isn't fully committed to his partner.

Nsky62 · 12/05/2025 08:19

Surely it’s simple set a time limit, and be realistic

MyOliveHelper · 12/05/2025 08:19

Wasywasydoodah · 12/05/2025 08:15

I also agree either way this. To the poster who said you get stuck in an unhappy marriage as a result - sometimes you would be unhappy but there’s always divorce for this. But this approach does protect against the commitment-phobe. And deciding to be with each other throughout the varying and fickle feelings that are normal for any couple can be a beautiful thing.

I think it guarantees you the type of guy who wants you to be stuck with him

GlutesthatSalute · 12/05/2025 08:19

Relationships are all 99% fantasy anyway.

Why do men future fake? Why do they pretend they want kids with you for 15 long years then dump you for a 25 year old and immediately have kids with her? Why don't men with vasectomies mention them to women on the first date? Why do men remember your birthday the first year, when they're trying to impress you, but forget it when you're knee-deep in nappies and babyhood and stress two kids later? Why does a woman who comes into an inheritance suddenly get attractive to her work crush who hitherto ignored her?

This thread could be, why do women future fake? Why do women use lip filler and all kinds of makeup trickery to attact a mate? Why do women let themselves go after they have snagged a man and gain lots of weight? Why do women act sex mad the first few years and then lose interest? Why do women agree they want kids but when it comes to it don't want to put their career on hold for that?

A lot of people are straightforward and do none of these, but online forums are full of men and women bitter about such shit. Seems to me that most of us are faking it because being in a relationship is still regarded as SUCCESS and being an honest, authentic but single person makes you a LOSER.

TheSquashyHatofMrGnosspelius · 12/05/2025 08:17

You don't buy a cow just to get a pint of milk every other day.

Wasywasydoodah · 12/05/2025 08:15

TheaBrandt1 · 12/05/2025 07:05

A university friend wouldn’t live with a man less she was engaged with church booked. How we laughed! She said her parents were old fashioned and she didnt want to upset them. Think she was pretty smart actually. If more of us did this it would deal with the issue. Some of the old ways protected women.

I also agree either way this. To the poster who said you get stuck in an unhappy marriage as a result - sometimes you would be unhappy but there’s always divorce for this. But this approach does protect against the commitment-phobe. And deciding to be with each other throughout the varying and fickle feelings that are normal for any couple can be a beautiful thing.

Dreammhaus · 12/05/2025 08:12

Katemax82 · 12/05/2025 08:07

My brother had a girlfriend ultimatum him at 23, she wanted marriage and kids, he didn't. They split up. I was sad cos she was such a nice girl but she deserved better and I sincerely hope she found it. My brother had several monogamous relationships but is still not married or has kids. His current girlfriend has kids of her own

If he's honest with women I don't see the problem really, some people never want those things imo it's only bad when they don't say so the woman can't make an informed decision about whether they want to invest in the relationship or move on.

Snapncrackle · 12/05/2025 08:09

My nephew asked his girlfriend to marry him
she said no she wanted the big 30k insta white church wedding
that her parents wouldn’t forgive her if she didn’t have a church style wedding ( not that they were paying ) and she wanted her big day
Nephews didn’t want to put his savings into a big wedding one day and wanted to buy a house

So they bought a house & had a baby

she now wants to get married and said she would do a simple registry office like what my nephew originally wanted to do

nephew said no - he’s got everything he wants so sees no need to

He wasn’t future faking her
He genuinely wanted to marry her
but no need now as he’s got what he wants

Dreammhaus · 12/05/2025 08:09

I think a lot get comfortable and enjoy the relationship enough but want to keep their options open should something they deem better come along. Others don't want marriage because they have assets or whatever but aren't decent enough to be open and honest about that so keep making promises they know they won't keep.

Katemax82 · 12/05/2025 08:07

My brother had a girlfriend ultimatum him at 23, she wanted marriage and kids, he didn't. They split up. I was sad cos she was such a nice girl but she deserved better and I sincerely hope she found it. My brother had several monogamous relationships but is still not married or has kids. His current girlfriend has kids of her own

Init4thecatz · 12/05/2025 08:06

I heard a quote that women control men via the promise of sex, ehole men control women via the promise of relationships.

I think it's pretty accurate given what is often said about what each sex is usually said to strive for.

gannett · 12/05/2025 08:03

ChocolateCinderToffee · 12/05/2025 07:53

Sex and someone to take on all the drudgery in their lives.

Once again I am asking who are these women willingly to take on the drudgery?! And again I am pointing out that a partner who wants sex is a positive (and surely the point).

I don't know a single woman who did any sort of domestic drudgery for a man when they were just living together. Surely if a man expects that, then whatever he says about the future is irrelevant, because he's not someone you want a future with.

Ratisshortforratthew · 12/05/2025 07:57

BlondiePortz · 12/05/2025 07:51

Maybe some have and the other person choses not to listen?

Well, in that case, more fool the person who didn’t listen. If a relationship isn’t meeting someone’s needs they need to say so and leave, not passively sit around hoping the other person will change.

MyOliveHelper · 12/05/2025 07:56

TheaBrandt1 · 12/05/2025 07:05

A university friend wouldn’t live with a man less she was engaged with church booked. How we laughed! She said her parents were old fashioned and she didnt want to upset them. Think she was pretty smart actually. If more of us did this it would deal with the issue. Some of the old ways protected women.

This means that you don't find out that you're incompatible until you're trapped in the marriage. Recipe for misery. Yes you'll have a long marriage, but not a happy one.

SwanOfThoseThings · 12/05/2025 07:55

The simple answer is they are waiting for something better.

This. Men who future-fake want the convenience of a relationship, the readily available sex and companionship, the general support in life that having a partner offers, but they believe that someone 'better' is out there waiting for them, most likely someone younger and, in their eyes, more attractive, so they don't want to tie themselves into anything they can't get out of more or less instantly should fantasy woman materialise in their lives.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 12/05/2025 07:53

Sex and someone to take on all the drudgery in their lives.

faerietales · 12/05/2025 07:51

Sex and company.

BlondiePortz · 12/05/2025 07:51

Ratisshortforratthew · 12/05/2025 07:50

Agree with every word of this. The only thing I would say is that if someone, man or woman, knows for certain they don’t want marriage or children, they should make that clear early on rather than saying “maybe” or they’re not sure, if it’s clear the other person does want those things. If someone is genuinely unsure though, it’s not future faking to say so!

also, growing up is not synonymous with getting married and having children. There’s no requirement for adults to do either if they don’t want to.

Maybe some have and the other person choses not to listen?

Ratisshortforratthew · 12/05/2025 07:50

gannett · 12/05/2025 07:04

Do women really cook and clean for their new boyfriends? They're the mugs then. I don't cook and am not especially domesticated; I like sex so a boyfriend who also wants sex sounds ideal to me.

I don't think "future-faking" is a thing. Not in a malicious, devious way, anyway. Most people don't know how they'll feel about anything in 2 or 3 or 4 years' time, not with certainty. I never have, myself (and I've surprised myself in some of the ways I've changed my mind, and also not changed my mind).

But if you say you don't know what the future holds you get accused of being a commitment-phobe (which I was throughout my 20s). Commitment is a huge, scary thing - even committing to DP in my own head was terrifying and I was 35 when I did that. And even now, even after 12 years and even when both of us are now assuming we're in it for life - even now I know either of us might change our mind in 10 years' time because it's inherent to humans. And that wouldn't be future-faking. It's just that you can never, ever guarantee your future mindset.

Agree with every word of this. The only thing I would say is that if someone, man or woman, knows for certain they don’t want marriage or children, they should make that clear early on rather than saying “maybe” or they’re not sure, if it’s clear the other person does want those things. If someone is genuinely unsure though, it’s not future faking to say so!

also, growing up is not synonymous with getting married and having children. There’s no requirement for adults to do either if they don’t want to.

MushMonster · 12/05/2025 07:48

TheaBrandt1 · 12/05/2025 07:05

A university friend wouldn’t live with a man less she was engaged with church booked. How we laughed! She said her parents were old fashioned and she didnt want to upset them. Think she was pretty smart actually. If more of us did this it would deal with the issue. Some of the old ways protected women.

That is quite it indeed.
They see they can have you for now. So they do.
For some people is because feelings and life changes. But... the question is that that is the nature of life, whether you are married or not. Marriage is precisely the commitment to be with that person, in the highs and lows. When you are madly in love, in love, have children with them, parent with them, are mad at them, then love them and appreciate them. All the stages of it. That is what you sign for. I think men take even longer to mature these days. They want the fun, but do not want the ties. And if they can have it, they take it.
It is not fair. Nobody should lie to their partner or strain them along when their heart and soul is not in it.

TakeMyLifeAndLetItBe · 12/05/2025 07:42

TheaBrandt1 · 12/05/2025 07:05

A university friend wouldn’t live with a man less she was engaged with church booked. How we laughed! She said her parents were old fashioned and she didnt want to upset them. Think she was pretty smart actually. If more of us did this it would deal with the issue. Some of the old ways protected women.

Yes, I agree with you.

RhaenysRocks · 12/05/2025 07:41

BlondiePortz · 12/05/2025 07:16

she could have cut ties sooner though and not sat around waiting, why is it always on the men? why cant women think more and if it is not working act and stop being so passive and leaving decisons up to others

Oh I don't disagree and we were all infuriated with her but I think we'd be lying to ourselves if we didn't admit that it's very easy to believe what you want to hear and the sink costs fallacy comes into play here..more and more as time goes on. If, by mid to late thirties you suspect it's not working, it feels "late" to start again looking for someone new so you hang on. And these men are not honest enough to be kind enough to say "look I'm having fun but this won't be long term" because they know damn well must women wouldn't be ok with that.

hummousnothamas · 12/05/2025 07:37

Isn’t it obvious. It’s to trick you into thinking they are more committed than they really are. Future faking allows them to fast track a relationship/ situation so they get what they want sooner

I agree with this. Most men like having a relationship. It’s not just the sex they want, they want the whole relationship.

Underlying it is a deeply rooted and misogynistic belief that women are here for their benefit and they are entitled to manipulate women to keep them where they want. If they told women the truth, the woman might make her own choice, and that might be a choice they don’t want her to make. So they lie.

I know a man who spent a decade with a live in partner, who he moved in within months of meeting her, but always had a reason why they could not buy a house together just yet. It eventually came out that he had spent those ten years serially cheating on her with multiple women, simultaneously. His refusal to buy a house was so that if his cheating ever came to light and she left him, she lost the home, not him. It’s the same thing. An belief in their entitlement to keep women where they want through lies. It’s a control thing.

Crackerjacked · 12/05/2025 07:37

In fairness biology screwed women over in this. Women have a body clock that is not comparable to men. So we’re on a different timetable. It’s like preparing for an exam that I have to do in June and my partner has to do sometime when the time is right. It’s not fair on anyone really.

HunnyPot · 12/05/2025 07:30

They do it because women believe them and will put up with ‘promises’ of a future.

My advice is he puts a ring on it or he can fuck off. I’m not going to end up with half based on a promise.