Why is flinching a sign of weakness?

41 Comments

Sometimes, as a joke, your friend might pretend to punch you just to see if you flinch. My question is, why do people think you're a pussy if you flinch? Doesn't that just mean you have a normal reaction to things or you have good reflexes? If you just stand there like a statue, aren't you about to get hit in the face?

Also, I know that flinching doesn't necessarily mean you're going to dodge the punch, but it's better than just standing there like a blind person about to take one to the jaw just to make yourself look cool.

And just because it's your friend, you shouldn't assume he won't punch you, maybe he has a reason to, like you slept with his gf or something...idk.

Flinching is good, it means you are aware of your surroundings. 548
Flinching is normal, just don't do it in front of your gf.. 74
I'd rather get punched in the face than look like a pussy. 22
Flinching is bad, you should have more confidence. 62
Other (Add a comment) 16
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Comments ( 41 )
  • Ozzy
    12 years ago | pl

    "I'd rather get punched in the face than look like a pussy."

    Whoever that voted for that is stupid <.<

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  • abominus566
    12 years ago

    well, i dont think it is weak, i think that if you react then the faster and better you reflexes are so, when someone acually tries to punch you you can know it away or just dodge it. I have pretty quick reflex

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  • [Old Memory]
    12 years ago

    Yeah...my friend used to act like she was going to poke me in the eyes all the time and I always flinch at this because I hate anything near my eyes. But this is what got her and a few others to stop doing that game:

    When your friend is walking towards you or when their hands are high in the air, make it look like you're going to punch them in the stomach or the groin. The people I do that to always make a funny, odd, moaning noise and it looks like they've gotten mini heart attacks. Its even better when their stomach is full. It's not guaranteed but it seemed to work for me somehow...

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  • Angel_in_a_Glass_Dress
    12 years ago

    Other....

    It's not a sign of weakness.

    It's just a sign that he or she needs to terrorize someone else in order to feel strong or good about themselves.

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  • FocoUS
    12 years ago

    There's nothing wrong with flinching, but if you jerk out of the way and freak out...

    Yeah, overacting is uncool. Flinching is normal.

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  • codell
    12 years ago

    Eschew such immature people who desire to punch you of out jest then mock your avoidance of their fist: it is an action most malicious hereditary of brutes and not of gentlemen or good company.

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    • ifonlyuknew247
      10 years ago

      So glad you said this. Hope a certain someone who recently did this to me sees this and takes note as to why my behavior has changed to "so bitchy" lately.

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    • JustDave
      12 years ago

      Indeed!

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  • Mersaphe
    10 years ago

    I agree that flinching is a normal autonomous reaction but stupid people will tend to think otherwise. If they happened to be on the receiving end it might change their opinion.

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  • Teh4HorsMen
    10 years ago

    They punch me in the face, I smash their face into the ground. This is why they don't do it to me anymore.

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  • [Old Memory]
    12 years ago

    this is what i always try to tell people! Think of it this way: in a real situation if u didnt flinch when some1 was going to say , idk, hit u in the face, you'd look like a dumbass- and get hit. Now flinching too much is probably not a good thing but it watever...
    by all means, flich your heart out, my good man...

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  • Salvation
    12 years ago

    Flinching's just a normal reflex your body pulls. It means you're alert and that's a good thing.

    I guess people think flinching makes you look scared?

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  • [Old Memory]
    12 years ago

    My friends don't do that to me unless they WANT to be in pain in a few seconds. I scratch their arms or whatever I can get ahold of and it leaves a red streak that burns after a while and sometimes I manage to get skin off.

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  • HecateAlVanne
    12 years ago

    I don't flinch. I'd just simply move my head to the side so they would miss.

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    • JakePlaid
      6 years ago

      Which is flinching.

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  • kittenlittle
    12 years ago

    flinching is the same as if you close your eyes or blink if someone puts their finger near it

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  • kittenlittle
    12 years ago

    flinching is a reflex for protection. if you dont flinch it means something might be wrong with you. your friend are dumb and probably would get their ass kicked in a real fight if they dont flinch

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  • Dozis
    12 years ago

    They used to do that to me as well.
    They stopped when I started hitting them each time just a split second before they did cause I memorized the conditions in which they used to do it.Sort of a preventive intimidating attack strategy. It is particularly creepy because the guy knows he was about to hit you and he sort of thinks:
    The fuck? How he did he figure out?
    So it has an added creeping out value.
    Sometimes I even did it without looking at the guy.Then I figured it was about me.They catched signals,whenever I shown s a certain "look" they did it.So I basically started tricking him by faking the look or purposely getting in it.
    Just so I could hit them and freak them out cause they didn't expect it.
    So flinching is good,one time,two times,three times.But then I FUCK YOU UP! If they said: I wasn't gonna hit you,I just FUCKED THEM UP even more and had half an hour of kung fu fighting,kicking their ankles until they begged me to stop and admitted it.I even stabbed a guy with a ninja pin for doing that and not admitting it.On the back.Then went:
    I didn't do anything.
    Good times.

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    • joybird
      12 years ago

      What on earth are you rambling about?
      Do you have tourettes?

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    • [Old Memory]
      12 years ago

      Every comment you have made is very long and very stupid.

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      • flutterhigh
        12 years ago

        For the first time in the history of everything, I agree with both joybird and ItDuz.

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        • [Old Memory]
          12 years ago

          I almost always agree with Itduz, probably because I tend to think logically like he does. Joybird has a lifetime of experience to pull on, which is needed more on this site, but she's super preachy with it, so it's a little obnoxious at times.

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  • 41ph4m413
    12 years ago

    lol flinching is for wusses real men block

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    • JakePlaid
      6 years ago

      Real men also learn proper grammar and how to be a real man.

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  • Laurent
    12 years ago

    Because it means you were afraid. Fear = weakness.

    Captain obvious to the rescue.

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    • [Old Memory]
      12 years ago

      Fear is a survival instict and without it we would be at our weakest and probably wouldn' of survived aslong as we have, Fear is a survival instinct, Survival instict = strength.

      It's funny how captain obvious can't understand the obvious things.

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      • Laurent
        12 years ago

        .....

        I never said fear wasn't a survival instinct but that fear is -perceived- as weakness. In other words, if you were standing there cowering in front of a lion, no one would think: "boy, what great survival instincts he has. He's so strong".

        No, everyone would think: "What a pansy-waist".

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        • [Old Memory]
          12 years ago

          I never said you didn't say it was a survival instinct, I said you said it's weakness and that's what you did say.
          The difference is that this is about flinching, not a lion. You really are idiotic, how many people do you know that would just cry in a corner while a lion is coming towards them? I'll answer that for you...none. If someone seen a lion infront of them they would run away in fear.

          If someone was standing still infront of a lion (which would never happen) then others would tell them to run.

          You really are an idiot.

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          • Laurent
            12 years ago

            I know. It's an example. What is your whole point anyway?

            That fear makes us strong? Are you strong when you brown nose your boss out of -fear- you may lose your job? Are you strong when you're afraid of talking to women? How are these "survival instincts" and how do they make us strong?

            How does living by fear make us any different than animals? They too live by instinct alone and we treat them as non-entities meant to further our own existence.

            Overall my whole point was to say when you flinch it's perceived as fear and fear is perceived as weakness. No one ever looks at a fearful person and says, "You rule".

            "You're an idiot"

            No u!

            A stupid statement breeds a stupid answer. What did you expect me to say to this? =\

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            • [Old Memory]
              12 years ago

              Why does someone "brown-nose" their boss out of fear? So they don't loose their job and their job is what keeps food on their table and without food they wouldn't survive.
              (easy point to counter)

              If someone is scared to ask someone out on a date it is because they are afraid if the other person says no and they get embarressed or denied by the person they like so that is how they survive in the social norm and emotionally, they also fear doing it so they don't look foolish or get shut down.
              (Second easy point to counter)

              I am not going to explain to you the differences between humans and animals because if you don't already know that then you never will.

              Your points are pointless, I can counter every pointless point you make with ease.

              You try to twist words to go in your way but you are terrible at doing so.

              To be honest I didn't expect anything smart to come from you so what you replied back to me with was pretty much expected.

              If you wish to carry this on then carry it on but every point you make I will easily counter.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          12 years ago

          So am I right in assuming that you'd just stand in front of someone ready to punch you in the face just so you wouldn't look "weak"?

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          • Laurent
            12 years ago

            No

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            • Anonymous Post Author
              12 years ago

              So your first comment of "Fear = weakness." is wrong.

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    • flutterhigh
      12 years ago

      Stupid recklessness =/= bravery

      Self-preservation =/= cowardice

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      • disthing
        9 years ago

        flutterhigh, gone but not forgotten

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        • flutterhigh
          9 years ago

          I think it's the opposite, really.

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          • disthing
            9 years ago

            Is this your miraculous return?!

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            • flutterhigh
              9 years ago

              ;)

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