Bro-code Vs Man-code

'You get two Irish fellah's talking in a pub. One says to the other "What do you think about sex before marriage?" The other says "I don't think about it." The first continues saying "I know I never had sex with MY wife before marriage, did you?" He replies "I've no idea, what's her name?"
- Dave Allen

• 51. I have WAY too much time on my hands. Hopefully that will change when I become rich, respected, admired, and employed.

Well, bored, and feeling no need to vanish off to sleep despite it being past midnight. Thus I will put in my 'tomorrow' (today) post early. I understand this isn't a nerd topic, but it's one I hold very near and dear to my heart.

Put your hands up if you've heard of the Bro-code?
Put your hands up if you've heard of the Man-code?

Put your hands up if you think they're the same thing?

You, in the back, who kept his hand up, you're fired. Leave the building now, don't come back until you've learnt the sound of one hand clapping.

At it's most basic level, the two cross paths, but their eventual destinations are highly different.

The Man-Code: A set of criteria upon which a man is judged as being 'manly' in the stereotypical, twenty-years-in-the-past manner. To succeed in the Man-Code you must be tough, avoid any contact with men that isn't about drinking or playing sports, and avoid any contact with women that isn't in an indirect manner (not TOO indirect, not like Freud's stuff, otherwise you could do anything with them) sexually orientated in nature. I.E. Having sex, leading up to sex, or trying to convince them you're worth having sex with.

Needless to say, I don't agree with alot of the Man-code. Some of it I don't mind (such as the requirement of standing as far away as humanly possible from people at a urinal. It's a public comfort issue), but most of it is dodgy.

The Bro-Code: While having some overlap, the Bro-Code is a set of guidelines on how to treat your bro's. While at first some of it may seem ridiculous, it is designed quite cleverly in many ways. The Bro-code exists primarily to prevent internal struggle and conflict between the bro's. It covers things like when it is allowed to date the friend's ex-girlfriend (depends on the severity of the breakup. In most cases 'never'), which relatives of the friend are off limits (here's a hint, NEARLY ALL OF THEM), and eating ettiquette ("You gonna have that last slice of pizza?" "Nahh mate, go for it.")

This is not the exaggerated bro-code spread about by idiots who know not of what they speak, or mistake the Bro- and Man- codes for one another.

If you want to know the main difference between the Bro-code and the Man-code, you need only look at the name.

The MAN code is singular, dealing with the individual and his actions. It is insular and lonely, and concerned only with the self.

The BRO code deals with the man and his brothers (by other mothers). It is communal, a code of conduct agreed upon by genuine bros before their eyes open in the morning.

We are Bro's! And we shall not sleep with our friend's sisters!