I’m happy to inform you that you no longer need to go your entire life without knowing where “bro” comes from — Joe Longo’s got the deets on the complex history of “bro” and more of our favorite guy nicknames right here.
For those of you who’ve anointed your best dude-bro “slick,” “fella” or “pal,” sorry, but you’ll have to wait for Volume II.
Must Read
“The Problem Isn’t Video Games — It’s Gamification”
Over the last several days, politicians hoping to obfuscate an actual path forward on what to do about this country’s domestic terrorism problem have pointed to video games as Public Enemy #1, despite all evidence to the contrary. Naturally, anyone that isn’t a Boomer has called them out on their easily debunked bullshit, but the Olds aren’t necessarily wrong, they just can’t find the nuance when linking violence to digital culture. Because it’s not gaming that’s leading to mass shootings in this country — it’s the gamification of so much of our daily lives that has rippled into darker, violent waters, and in the process, reduced human casualties to gamer stats. READ MORE
Lone Wolves
You don’t need to be a sociologist to see that the killers committing this country’s most violent acts of domestic terror are almost exclusively troubled, lonely young men. And while it’s important to talk about tangible ways to fix mass shootings through policy, it’s also important that we consider our epidemic of loneliness — and the story of young men who kill in order to feel seen.
‘Send Guys’ Have Got a Lot to Say
Why do some men find it necessary to send women unsolicited, overwrought, 10,000-word emails and DMs about interpersonal issues? Madeleine Holden spoke with the coiner of the term “Send Guys,” as well as Send Guys themselves, to find out whether it’s just garden-variety narcissism, or something else.
Look How Strong I Am
Considering the fact that you can just as soon lift giant stones and push Wheels of Pain, how has the ability to open a jar remained as one of the ultimate feats of manliness? Chalk it up to grip being one of the purest ways to measure strength, and a test that cuts to the heart of men’s core insecurities.
Oh So Sore
One of the worst parts of getting back into shape is the soreness that occurs in the hours and days after those initial workouts. To make matters worse, a bad case of DOMS, or Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness, can be a total motivation killer. So how do you avoid it, or at the very least, prevent it from keeping you from the gym permanently? There is a way, but sorry, you’re not going to like it.
What’s Good Here?
Do restaurant staff actually give honest food recommendations when you ask what you should order, or is something more sinister afoot? Three servers (one of whom works at a Michelin star restaurant) and a sommelier weigh in.
Reminder: Delete Facebook
In a recent TV spot, Facebook featured a group called “Dads With Daughters” in a well-meaning effort to promote its Groups feature. Inexplicably, though, Facebook never thought to get the creator of the group’s blessing, which, it turns out, was a big mistake. Because almost immediately upon the spot airing, a mob of men’s rights activists descended on “Dads With Daughters” and turned the once happy, supportive community into a toxic hellhole.
‘Dude.’ ‘Bro.’ ‘Chief.’ ‘Bud.’
Where do all of our best (read: most cliché) guy nicknames come from, anyway? What you may not realize is that some of our favorite male sobriquets actually have quite complex histories. With the help of an etymologist, Joe Longo breaks them all down.
Jeff Gross
Jeff Gross is MEL’s senior editor for social media and content marketing. His daily ICYMI column, which chronicles all things meta on the site, is the quickest way to catch up on MEL, and the funniest thing you’ll read all day. Follow him on Twitter.
