I was watching a Friends rerun, and WOW, Joey's character from Friends REALLY piss me off. I can't believe growing up we're expected to love his character!

He's a serial womanizer who flat out lies to and manipulates women for sex, only to discard them immediately. He was an idiot who couldn't support himself without Chandler's help, and who fails a lot of basic adulting skills. But we see him from the Friends' perspective, so we see him as a good person b/c he treated his friends well. If we view him from those other women's eyes, he immediately (and obviously) becomes a sketchy, terrible man who treats women like disposable crap and doesn't hesitate to use them selfishly. He hurt a ton of women throughout the show, leaving a trail of destruction that the audience is invited to laugh off.

Unfortunately, all his misogynistic flaws are low-key forgiven b/c he's a "good friend." The thing is, I also don't think he's a particularly good friend!!! Ross and Chandler were as good of guy friends as him, if not better!!! Esp Chandler, look at the way he supported Joey financially, and even plans for Joey's old age with the room over the garage. There's just an ILLUSION that Joey's a good friend b/c that's his ONLY redeeming trait, so it gets blown up. And the audience is expected to give his misogyny a free pass b/c he's "hilariously" childlike and loyal to his friends!? And the scariest part is, he's portrayed as the most desirable of the 3 men D:

Speaking of what's supposed to be "endearing childlike sweetness," this trait of his is actually terrible and a product of enabling. When Chandler moved out, he had to teach Joey how to pay the bills, and Joy didn't even know how to read it, confusing their phone number with the bill amount. Like, what!?!