There’s more to it than just girls (but it’s mostly about girls)
The only thing that governs the unruly mob that is men – is the Bro Code (according to public opinion). The Code unites all men despite vast differences in language, culture, or political identification. The “Golden Rule” is often sufficient to bring even the most disagreeable Bros back to reason. Of which there are many variations, however the main one is “Don’t let a girl get between you and a Bro”.
Shows like The Office have shortened this to “Bro’s before Hoes ”. It’s a shame that this version has become the most widely accepted in popular culture because of a rhyme and a cheap joke towards women. The BB4H version fails to capture the ethos behind the Bro Code – Bro’s are all on the same team and if something feels wrong, check in with your Bro.
The Rest is Still Unwritten…
Although the Bro Code has been codified before – most notably by Barney Stinson of “How I Met Your Mother” fame – writing it down is almost sacrilegious.The Code should be intrinsic to the heart of every Bro. It’s more of a feeling than a reading. Writing it down would be like writing down instructions on how to walk or how to breathe.
Not to mention, getting a Bro to pick up a book is an exercise in futility. Reese Witherspoon has a book club. Joe Rogan does not. Asking men to organize themselves to get consensus on a foundational rule of interpersonal interaction is like asking a team of Golden Retrievers to prepare a meal at a fine dining restaurant. Not only is it unreasonable to ask such a thing, but it raises questions as to why you would want whatever Fido and his friends manage to whip up, in the first place. This is simply too big a task for men.
Simple Yet, Elegant (Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself)
Any group of people that interact have to establish some baseline rules of interaction, otherwise it’s chaos. Especially for a group of men. A group not known to be receptive to challenge. The basis of the Bro Code is to respect a fellow guy. I can speak from experience coming from an all boys high school. The only time guys had a real problem with each other, was when a girl got involved.
Human interaction has increased in complexity from the days of crawling out of the ocean on all fours. But this one rule has endured buried in our subconscious. It creeps in a feeling of skepticism in the pit of a guy’s stomach when he and his mate have eyes for the same girl.
The Bro Code: In a Nutshell
Simply put, the Bro Code is “Don’t fight over a girl” and the subtext of that is “Respect your fellow Bro and check in on him”. Have you ever had to refer to the Bro Code? What do you think? Are we off the mark entirely? Or are we onto something?
Let us know in the comments down below! And make sure you subscribe to the newsletter for more.
