Well I'm gonna start this with an introduction to the blog. The idea for this blog came when my friends and I was sitting around watching Guycode, a show on MTV2 about what guys should and shouldn't do. The show presents different topics and then takes the opinion of different comedians and other personalities on what a "real man" should or shouldn't do in that situation. Well as we watched I became increasingly annoyed at how most of the answers were stereotypical, and I had never done some of the things that they said. I thought maybe perhaps it was because I wasn't "manly" enough, but as I began to talk with my bros we realized we don't do half of the stuff we're told we should in the show. Someone said that one of us should make a real Guycode, one where we tell the truth about how a normal guy should act, and not the drummed up Hollywood rules. Well I was given the task of writing this blog in class so I thought I might as well be the one to take on the task. Every week I'm going to write about a new topic. I'm going to give my opinion, as well as those of my friends. Along with our opinions, I'll use the trusty knowledge of my anthropology major to maybe give you some actual scientific reasoning for why we do what we do.
So I'll start the first post on a topic both near and dear to the heart of any man: His bros. Every guy has them and every guy needs them. A man's closest guy friends are a very important part of his life. They pick him up when he's down, and humble him out when he has a swollen head. They are his teachers, brothers, and most importantly the wisest people he will ever meet. Granted this last one is subject to one's own opinion and is usually the furthest thing from the truth. Bro wisdom is a topic we will approach a little later on in the semester.
I know about bros. As my best friends here at Penn State know well, I went to an all boys military catholic high school. The only girls we had contact with were each other's sisters, which as all guys know is a big no-no (There are exceptions. If there weren't I would be with my girlfriend who I have been with for almost a year). So most of our time in and out of school were with each other. My friends from back home and I are closer than most girls who I know. So needless to say I have experience in the field of bros.
Every man needs a little brotime. While we all love our women, sometimes we just need to be around people who understand exactly what we need to say. Someone who speaks our language. Usually all this means is sitting around playing a video game or watching football. But what you women don't realize is that through all this tomfoolery there are actually deep rooted psychological problems being solved. When we're together my friends can help alleviate each others deepest anxieties, such as women and parental issues, even serious issues like depression or suicidal tendencies.
We as humans are a very interesting creature. We are the only living being where the males of our species are not only social with each other, but rely on each other for aid. The common man in ancient times, would fight with his bros, die with his bros and essentially create a bond stronger than any other, than perhaps that of a female partner. From a very young age most boys tend to befriend other boys as opposed to girls. We are put into different categories as to what a boy should enjoy doing and what a girl should enjoy. They are often at odds if not completely different all together. For example boys aren't supposed to like pink which is a girl color. There is no biological basis other than the fact that someone, somewhere, way back in history decided it was that way. So it stands to reason that when we are taught to think a different way, or to be interested in the same things we would gravitate toward each other. As time goes on men and women develop differently based on these societal norms instilled in us at young age. That is why bros tend to be men... they understand men better than a normal women would. Not to say that women can't be bros but they are usually more masculine in their thought process and often were raised in a male dominated household.
The other important reason why a man needs his bros is to get out the intense competitive nature built into our personalities. We will go into more depth about this topic next week but we all have a pathological urge to fight and compete. I goes back to the days before culture when we relied on instinct not on what our society teaches us. When Bros hang out it is usually in an atmosphere that has less sexual competition and more light-hearted competition. When guys hang out with girls, especially those they are attracted to, we tend to get viciously competitive, often resorting to physical violence. When we hang out with just guys this sexual tension is gone and we are able to compete in an arena where loss is acceptable, at least biologically.
Well I hope I was able to shed some light on bro-ology. The bro-relationship is a very strong one in our society. Your bros will always be there for you no matter what sticky situation you get yourself into. However, before I go I want to break one last myth: There is no such thing as "bros before hoes." If your bro gets himself a girl, he has every right to spend as much time as he needs with her. It is perfectly fine for him to drop by only when he wants. You aren't offering him anything! So until next time, enjoy you brofests but remember: once a woman enters the picture she comes before your bros every time.
Next week....
Competition
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