I wouldn't know. The one time I was asked by a stranger and said no, he just went away.

Online dating can be TOUGH. Women get floods of messages and many of them are from douchebags with no knowledge of social skills. Men rarely get replies and when we do, they are more often than not rejections. This, in no way, makes the kinds or responses you describe excusable in ANY setting.

Those assholes and their pervasiveness make me ashamed of my gender. The answer to why they are that way is rooted in insecurity. It is easier for the simple-minded to resort to profanity and name calling than it is to lament how you verbally damaged their precious fragile little ego, especially if they are hiding behind a keyboard.

I am sorry that anyone has to endure that kind of abuse at the hands (fingertips?) of a boor.

A gentleman who is secure in himself will answer appreciatively. Something honest, along the lines of "While I am disappointed that I am not your cup of tea, I appreciate that you took the time to reply with kindness. I wish you well, and if you change your mind, feel free to message me." On more than a few occaasions, something like that has made me a new friend, even if only a virtual one, and it just feels better.

Gentlemen? Are you listening?

Some men. Just some.

It's basic. You hurt his self image, he freaks out. Not your fault, he's super insecure and a dick. There is no mystery here. You did well to say no thank you.

Imagine if every single person you ask out rejects you. Every. Single. Person. Imagine that you've tried every single thing you can do to win someone's affection but it never works. Imagine living until you're old and gray and you still haven't found anyone. It's no excuse to lash out (and I don't when I'm rejected. I'm always nice about it personally) but the frustration is a million percent real. When you feel like folks are playing hot potato with you, like the object is to not get stuck with you, it can be humiliating and rage inducing.

For the life of me I can't understand how such men think that conversation is going to go. In their fantasies, do they think it'll be something like...

He: "Would you like to go out with me?"
She: "No thanks."
He: [Abuse]
She: [Swoons] "Oh, I've changed my mind, let's go out! No, better yet, let me do you right here and now!"

Part of being a guy is offering yourself as a potential mate repeatedly, but only being taken up on your offer occasionally. That's just part of the experience.

Before I became secure in who I am and what I want out of life, I also would get mad when I was rejected. I imagine it comes from the pain of feeling inadequate. It’s not just men that get mad in these scenarios, though. I think most people feel hurt or insecure when they risk their ego and get shot down.

I'm a writer. Rejection is just a part of life.

Well if you're ugly and fat... what da ya expect. Whuuut... you just hurt my ego !
Damn, I've been rejected more times than I can count... my favorite expression goes like this... "I couldn't get lucky in a womans prison with a handful of pardons."
Shoot, rejection is difficult to accept when your young, really at any age, especially "in affairs of the heart"... believe it or not some guys are just assholes... believe it or not some girls (ladies, women) are just... similar.
I don't ever recall being "mad"... dissapointed, embarassed, yes... feeling REJECTED, is not easily absorbed... but anger, being rude... nah, those guys are asshole.
Know somethin... it's the easiest thing in the world to be a gentleman... if we all know the rules.

Because they think there superier it does happen the other way around bot no way near the same and woman have the thing men want ie a vagina.

I think it would be ignorant to look at history and say that men have always treated women with respect. They've been perpetually taught en masse that certain behaviors are acceptable. You're probably not going to find a logical reason.

The can't handle the idea that someone doesn't want them.

It’s because we have a genetic disposition to procreat the species. We believe that our sperm is the shit to do it with! Because primitive man would’ve tried it anyway possible, and that is frowned upon, he now becomes frustrated. I’m primitive times he would’ve yelled and thrown shit at you. Now he will call you names go to bed and cry. Think of it as progress! Or the truth is they are insecure and the rejection adds to it. Since he can’t blame himself it has to be someone else’s fault. But the first story is more fun.

LMAO?

If a woman rejects a man, he sooths his ego by convincing himself that she wasn't much of a prize to be coveted in the first place. Then he tells her that she is lacking to satisfy his ego..

If a man reacts like that, it's time to instantly bock/delete/hang up/leave. Someone like that is dangerous, and the woman who rejected him dodged a likely jealous control freak future abuser.

Most cis, hetero men hide their disappoint, however, realizing an ugly response will not only get him cut off from the woman, but she will spread his infamy on social media.
Many men heavy in female traits, however, can be passive aggressive and revengeful, but again, these are men to avoid.

For the men saying “not all men,” or “women too.” OF COURSE not all men. OF COURSE women sometimes get nasty about rejection too. The thing is that it is SCARY as a woman. it represents a danger to our physical safety when a man gets angry in a situation that, by the way, we probably didn’t invite. not because ALL men will escalate to physical violence but because it only takes one.

I think they are insecure and often times have an underlying hatred for women. Definitely not all men by any means, but ones who go from “hey baby” to “FUCKING WHORE” like 0-60. I think mean like that have mommy issues...

I don’t like that rejected feeling, so I just don’t really talk to people. I’m assuming others who do that are trying to protect their ego. They build the female up in their minds and then the rejection shatters their perception of themselves, so in order to preserve the ego, they react as you stated. Maybe, anyway. But what do I know? I don’t really talk to people.

Men are told that they are the heroes, women are the prizes, and that they deserve to be with whomever they want. Not directly, of course. In the movies, the man does some man things and the woman falls in love. Or the man doesn't take no for an answer and the woman falls in love. Or the woman was secretly in love the whole time.
Feed enough of these stories to men who are taught not to have emotions (and therefore can't deal with their emotions), and you have a recipe for misunderstood emotions to bubble up. When they do, many men only know how to express anger, rather than disappointment, so that is what happens.
Basically, we have created a lot of entitled men who can only express negative emotions as rage.

Let us not rule out the fact that it could be that occasionally the rejection isn't as polite as you may think. Even the most simple comment can be mistaken. I'd never get hostile over being rejected but I definitely would if I thought it was done in a rude way.

Also, I am definitely not saying that this doesn't happen and far too often. Just throwing a different POV in about it all. No one likes rejection and both sexes can handle it poorly. Men moreso. But it is certainly not gender specific.

Some men act that way some women act that way. If you spend enough time as a single male rejection is part of the game. You get used to it, you expect it. Since most women are not doing the approaching it doesn't happen as often to them. I doubt that a lot of women could handle the amount of rejection men receive. Some folks handle rejection better than others. Most men and women don't behave that way.

I assume that the men that engage in such a behavior just accept the rejection as an insult on themselves and act accordingly. Behavior that may look stupid to the woman and accidental onlookers yet looks completely justified in the eyes of tha man in question.
Some guys have to understand that rejection is not mandatorily an insult.
Yet there are also these women... who really know how to make a rejection hurt... a lot. And I suspect some even feel some twisted pleasure exercising this skill of theirs...

Not something I can explain beyond "they're entitled douchebags". As in, entitled to your attention and to consider you obligated to be attracted to them. Consider yourself lucky that they show their true nature so clearly and so early in a relationship.

I definitely agree it's not just men, I suppose that has just been the majority I've seen. It's happened to me and it's probably happened to every other woman. Men too. It's frustrating. Thank you for the comments!!