30-year-old men are an interesting group. If you randomly pick a group of 30‑year‑old men, you’ll find one who is a “never‑growing‑up frat boy” living in a shared apartment, another who has just sent his two kids off to school, several who are successful in their careers, and one or two soul‑searchers looking for a job. Some will tell you they’ve finally figured everything out, while many more will say they’re feeling despair for the first time. It’s a wildly diverse group.
But perhaps the most complex part of this group is the growing number of single 30‑year‑old men. If you want to study human nature, single men in their thirties encompass almost every possible type. Let’s look at some common types:
1) Mr. Perfect
[Mr. Perfect](total package)
Mr. Perfect is smart—he graduated from a top university. He’s an athlete, a musician, and loves to travel. He’s handsome—and you can bet he takes great care of his appearance. His career is soaring, but don’t assume he’s a workaholic—Mr. Perfect is a family‑oriented man. The only thing that trips him up is finding a great woman worthy of him. Yes, the woman right for Mr. Perfect would be the ultimate frosting on his perfect cake. He often imagines her—stunningly beautiful, turning heads wherever she goes; charismatic and full of personality, lighting up every room she enters; a rising star in her career, beloved by many friends. And that’s just her public persona—at home she’s skilled in the bedroom, a superb cook, loving, selfless, and loyal. Oh, and she speaks French, plays tennis, sings beautifully, reads widely, and is a history buff. She’s his Juliet. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Perfect is still single. He’s caught in an intense struggle between his ultra‑high standards and a fear of being single at 40—because being single at 40 should never appear in Mr. Perfect’s story.
2) The Reborn Man
[The Reborn Man](lease on life)
The Reborn Man has been dating his long‑term girlfriend ever since anyone can remember. He doesn’t seem happy in that relationship, but everyone assumes they’ll eventually get married. Now, after a long and painful breakup, The Reborn Man re‑emerges with a splash, as excited as if he’d just been selected for a “Price Is Right” style show. He’s not quite sure how to be a bachelor, but he’s certain he’s happy and is determined to go out and have fun tonight. He’s also the nemesis of the “Resigned Fiancé,” who is likewise stuck in an unhappy relationship but can’t resist the sweet inertia of staying, and absolutely does not want to hear about The Reborn Man’s latest romantic escapades.
3) The Parental Pressure Man
[The Parental Pressure Man]ethnicity
Finding a life partner is already hard enough, and this man’s parents make it even tougher. He briefly rebelled, but after his girlfriend was barred from entering his parents’ house and he saw her crying, he gave up. He sincerely hopes his mother will stop setting up blind dates for him.
4) Misogynist
[Misogynist]misogynist)
A misogynist hates women, and women hate misogynists. He doesn’t know much about the opposite sex, but he can accurately tell you how many women he’s slept with—214. He was indeed popular with girls in his early years, especially when many girls were in the “attracted to jerks” phase. Recently, only girls with extremely low self‑esteem will approach him. A misogynist’s close relative is the “Inertia Cheater.” Though they’re different, they understand each other.
2) The Reborn Man
[The Reborn Man](lease on life)
The Reborn Man has been dating his long‑term girlfriend ever since anyone can remember. He doesn’t seem happy in that relationship, but everyone assumes they’ll eventually get married. Now, after a long and painful breakup, The Reborn Man re‑emerges with a splash, as excited as if he’d just been selected for a “Price Is Right” style show. He’s not quite sure how to be a bachelor, but he’s certain he’s happy and is determined to go out and have fun tonight. He’s also the nemesis of the “Resigned Fiancé,” who is likewise stuck in an unhappy relationship but can’t resist the sweet inertia of staying, and absolutely does not want to hear about The Reborn Man’s latest romantic escapades.
3) The Parental Pressure Man
[The Parental Pressure Man]ethnicity
Finding a life partner is already hard enough, and this man’s parents make it even tougher. He briefly rebelled, but after his girlfriend was barred from entering his parents’ house and he saw her crying, he gave up. He sincerely hopes his mother will stop setting up blind dates for him.
4) Misogynist
[Misogynist]misogynist
A misogynist hates women, and women hate misogynists. He doesn’t know much about the opposite sex, but he can accurately tell you how many women he’s slept with—214. He was indeed popular with girls in his early years, especially when many girls were in the “attracted to jerks” phase. Recently, only girls with extremely low self‑esteem will approach him. A misogynist’s close relative is the “Inertia Cheater.” Though they’re different, they understand each other.
5) The Past‑Peak Man
In the past, The Past‑Peak Man had everything a 17‑year‑old girl could dream of. His absurdly high confidence helped him breeze through college, and when he landed a smart, sweet, beautiful girlfriend in his twenties, no one was surprised. But The Past‑Peak Man was just getting started. He felt there was still a vast frontier ahead to conquer, so at 24 he broke up with his girlfriend. Seven years later, his hair grew tired of him and left, and his high‑school hockey glory is no longer a topic of conversation. He noticed that girls like his ex‑girlfriend no longer seemed interested. Realizing this five years later than most, he sighed and dramatically lowered his standards for a partner.
6) Finally a Good Catch
In contrast to the previous type, the “Finally a Good Catch”—who has shed some weight, dressed decently, and achieved early career success—receives more attention each week than he did in his first 25 years combined. Girls find it endearing that such an attractive man can remain humble, but in reality he always thinks every girl is out of his league. Once he gradually adapts to his new situation, he enters an unfortunate new phase, such as winking at male friends while dancing, or bragging to his buddies about his “punches” when he spots an attractive girl on the street.
7) The Normal Guy Who Hasn’t Met the Right One
Ah, aka the “Normal Guy.” The Normal Guy enjoys his life. He likes his job, his friends, and doesn’t mind being single at all. He’s not in a hurry to enter a relationship and is confident that he’ll eventually meet the right person and get married. He also doesn’t understand why everyone who knows him tries to figure out “what’s wrong.” His parents are worried and constantly seize the chance to ask if he’s dating. His friends want to help, arranging blind dates whenever they can. He appreciates the unsolicited support but wishes everyone would stop assuming there’s something wrong with him.
8) Online Dating Addict
In contrast to the previous type, the “Online Dating Addict” can hardly believe he’s still unmarried. In high school, college, and his twenties, he was always “the guy with a girlfriend.” He spent years sympathizing with single friends, and somehow now, at 30, he’s single. He has four online dating profiles, and when people ask if he’s dating, he explains that he’s too busy with his career to have time for a relationship.
9) Closet Man
Closet Man is almost the perfect pick—handsome, well‑dressed, and has a great job. He’s witty, articulate, and charismatic. The only minor inconvenience is that he has absolutely no interest in women. His opposite is the “Normal Guy,” who is tired of hearing theories that he’s gay, because he’s completely straight, and for the hundredth time emphasizes that he just hasn’t met the right person yet and is perfectly fine being single.
10) The Complete Quitter
[The Complete Quitter]quit
The Complete Quitter never really put in much effort to begin with, though he did show a hint of trying at some point. He doesn’t like going to bars, refuses to try online dating, and his weed pipe and Xbox have returned to the living room, ending the brief “hiding” phase that started four months ago after a friend encouraged him. Deep down, The Complete Quitter is scared of many things, but his fear manifests as indifferent denial, with passivity usually prevailing. The only way to get him to change is to make him the target of a “relentless pursuer” woman. Until then, the whole problem isn’t his responsibility.
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hoping to become the sixth type 
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