When Did "Bro" Become Bad?

elebrin · 2012-12-02T19:15:45+00:00

I have been accused of this sort of behavior myself. I think the concept of a "Brotherhood of Men" is a very strong, very positive concept. As a Fraternity member I lived it. The soldiers I know have lived it too and have had very similar experiences, except their willingness to kill and die for their brothers has in many cases actually been tested.

All I really know is that the happiest time of my life, the most successful and free I have ever felt, was when I lived with my brothers in an all-male environment. It was the first and so far only time in my life where I felt I was living for myself and doing what it is that I wanted to do.

Also, Fraternity grade averages are usually higher then the All Men's averages, so saying that a "bro" is stupid is really showing your own ignorance.

To that end, I see "bro" as a complement even if that is a term we never used.

C0CKPUNCHER · 2012-12-02T19:15:48+00:00

Macho culture is already hated in society, it is a very cheap target to hate again. The apex fallacy points out the few successful macho types, but the vast majority are the lowest paid. Further women can be just as 'macho' just in a different flavor.

I'd also say it's this macho culture that hates mensrights most of all, I see a lot of it in srs, when they deem we are all 'neckbeards' or in other words disgustingly weak, when they say victimhood is only ok when it isn't your fault, when they say anger and hate are moral. Outside of srs it's the people who hate the idea of men suffering, the people who call us whiney bitches as if that means anything at all.

johnmarkley · 2012-12-04T04:01:31+00:00

Very interesting topic.

Does "Bro Culture" have an unfair reputation?

My impression is that it does. My (admittedly limited) experiences with guys like that haven't given me any reason to believe that they're more likely to be jerks than other groups.

My suspicion is that, since they tend to be loud, boisterous, etc., the ones who also happen to be jerks are especially noticeable to outsiders. I also think a lot of the sniggering about them is a combination of misandry and homophobia- guys are just sex-driven animals, so all this chest-bumping and other physical contact must have some sort of sexual undertone, and since they're both guys that makes it gross.

Is the use of "Bro" as an insult potentially misandric?

Often, yes. If people started using “sis” as a synonym for “jackass,” I wouldn't blame women for finding it bothersome.

Is the disdain for "Bro Culture" partially due to the hostility that some feminists have towards male spaces

Yes. Partly this is because of their frequently hostility to ANY male subculture that fails go out of its way to accommodate women and accept their preferences and expectations as normative. (Much like the recent feminist hostility towards geek culture, actually, despite the fact that the two groups are often regarded as polar opposites.)

And partly because “bros” are often snickered at for the supposed homoerotic undertones of their behavior- close bonds with other men, expressing affection for them more openly and with more physical contact than many guys would be comfortable with- and the number of feminists who don't think less of a man for having “unmanly” traits is considerably smaller than the number of feminists who claim they wouldn't think less of him.

I think feminist use of “bro” is also an example of their common tendency- at least on the Internet- to talk to and about men, especially those they disagree with, in terms that are belittling without being overt insults. Bro, dude, y'all, and so forth. The common factor is that they are 1. inappropriately familiar, which is insulting and condescending (think of the way words like “pal” or “buddy” - or, swapping genders, “sweetie”- are sometimes used as insults or taunts,) 2. popularly associated with groups commonly stereotyped as stupid and/or low-status. (Jocks, stoners, southerners, and so forth.) It's a way for them to insult you while maintaining a thin pretense that they're not.

actanonverba8 · 2012-12-03T04:15:35+00:00

I think "bro" got associated with masculine men. I'm not saying some of the people that go around saying it are not d-bags. What I am saying, is that most of them are not. But, many of them are the types of guys most would call masculine (not effete or mangina acting).

So, I think the term got associated with masculine (not strictly male, as we all know men that act feminine or kowtow to women are much more accepted and politically correct) and in a misandristic, feminized culture like ours masculine equals bad.

jolly_mcfats · 2012-12-02T19:13:04+00:00

"Bro Culture" - your take. Good, bad, other, what it is, are we dealing with a valid concept, etc.

I think "bro" is being used as shorthand for apexual, frathouse culture. Look at the culture of the "brogrammer" as different from the "programmer" and you will see a national lampoon movie waiting to be made.

Have you encountered a lot of sneering disdain for "Bro Culture," whatever it is?

yes

Is the use of "Bro" as an insult potentially misandric?

yes. it's a gendered insult. I think it has the potential to actually be used in such a way where it was directed at apex behavior, but I haven't really seen that happen

Is the disdain for "Bro Culture" partially due to the hostility that some feminists have towards male spaces (i.e. seeing fraternities as breeding grounds for "rape culture" etc)?

Partially, but I've definitely run into my share of privileged bullies in my life too, and "bro" makes me think of them as well. I associate "bro" with situations in which men try to humiliate other people so that they themselves can feel socially elevated.

I do think that there are some actually decent concepts in bro clothing:

Bromance: it's nice to see an idea that gives men permission to have close friendships.
"Bros before hos": while I am not wild about the implication that women are hos in this context, it is just so radically wild to suggest that men should place friendship in front of women that I kind of love that this phrase exists.

2012-12-03T08:31:08+00:00

I know, fuck this shit, girlfriend.

OThomson · 2012-12-03T00:21:39+00:00

Bro, relax we got this.

Title	When Did "Bro" Become Bad?
Author	YetAnotherCommenter
Upvotes	9
Comments	15
Date	December 2, 2012 5:21 PM UTC (13 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/145n0b/when_did_bro_become_bad/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/when-did-bro-become-bad.1007774 https://theredarchive.com/post/1007774

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