Living in Guyland
In his new book Michael Kimmel questions why young men are delaying adulthood to continue to party with their friends. While the book mainly focuses on a group of douchebag fraternity-types who are out to get drunk, sleep with as many women as possible, and delay entering the workforce I can still find myself relating to these guys.
While I don’t consider myself a “bro” and my life isn’t filled with Jaeger Bombs and promiscuous sex (although I’ve had my moments) I have to disagree with Kimmel’s assertion that these guys are Peter Pans who are delaying becoming “real men.” I’m 26 and while I do have a real job I have no desire to be married and have children at this point in my life. Does that men I’m not a real man? No. I’d rather spend time with my friends, travel, and focus on myself for awhile. There’s not rush for a family and a house in the suburbs. I should be shooting loads for 50+ more years so I don’t really see the point of having kids while you’re in your 20’s. But that doesn’t mean I’m trapped in adolescence. I think Kimmel is writing from the perspective of a baby boomer who comes from a time when men were expected to have a wife and 2 kids by the time they were 28. Times have changed.
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While I was reading about Guyland I came across another awesome/obnoxious book titled Brocabulary: The New Man-i-festo of Dude Talk. In it Daniel Maurer coins some new terms men should be using while they are around one another. It’s mostly stupid but a few made me laugh:
- Cupgrade – to upgrade to a girl with a bigger bra size.
- Trojan whores — hot chicks that you hide amidst in order to get into a club.
While I’m not proud of it I had my own set of ridiculous Dude Talk when I was in college. Some of the ones I can remember:
- The D.U.F.F. – Designated Ugly Fat Friend. You have to get in good with her before you upgrade to her hotter friend.
- Parking Lot Pimping – After last call and while everyone is all boozed up you search the parking lot of the club for your conquest.
Still I promise I’m not a “bro”.
10 comments September 10th, 2008