Call me sexist, call me a misogynistic, whatever. But don’t call me wrong.

Let me drop a truth bomb on you guys. Because we’re all men here, so it’s about damn time we start teaching ourselves what that means again.

Think about Pokémon. Alright, alright alright, that’s some child shit, but we all collected the cards, right?

Trading cards was huge. And the one rule about trading cards is that you always traded for a better card. Yeah, there were always kids arguing over what the better trade was, but it was all irrelevant in the eyes of the cardholder; he fulfilled his agenda. This isn’t unlike how women do dating. Especially good-looking women or those who come from wealthier backgrounds. There is absolutely a correlation between a woman’s looks and the amount of money she’s “entitled” to in her life. That’s part of the reason why women trade up.

As men, it’s just something we have to accept. Think of it this way: as men, our chances of wealth and prosperity increase over time, or at least until about age 65. After that, it’s a crapshoot, but still very much possible. We have the odds stacked in our favor. Yeah, we age and go bald, but aging isn’t the death sentence for dating as it is for women. Women, on the other hand are, in a sense, depreciating the moment they become women.

For starters, women have a biological clock that allows them a selective window for bearing children. Science has stretched this window, but it’s still there. Women will also naturally and instinctively do whatever it takes to better the lives of their offspring. Here’s the thing: women know all of this. And no matter what women say about true love, hope and happiness, money talks and bullshit walks. As my father (whose been married 35 years and created wealth independently) says, “In any situation, there’s a bottom line dude. Money isn’t everything, but it’s always the bottom line.”

Take your grade-A feminist. Now, let’s say she’s dating a guy that she’s happy with, but he’s average as far as looks and money are concerned. Her clock is ticking, and she wants kids. Now, let’s say another guys comes along. He’s rich and attractive, with a solid career. No matter what love and happiness existed before, 9/10 times grade-A feminist is going to jump ship. And we can’t fault her for it! As men, we know damn well what we’d do faced with that situation: we’d trade up.

As men, we aren’t constricted by these same barriers. In the eyes of women, we get more attractive as we age. That’s why you see all these 20 year-old women dating guys closer to their dad’s age. They date men who’ve already established themselves and who can be solid providers. They trade up.

So, if you’re a guy in your 20’s, just remember: you haven’t “peaked” yet. And if you’re in a relationship, just keep in mind that there’s always another guy whose a trade up, and until you become that guy, your relationship isn’t as solid as you once thought. If you’re not dating, don’t worry. There’s a very good chance that in 10 years you’ll have even better luck with the ladies. You will be the trade up.