The Bro's Before Ho's Principle

With few exceptions, all of the truly great stories that you have likely involve 3 key elements. Alcohol, doing something stupid, and most importantly the other guy that supplied either the alcohol, the idea, or the motivation that made it happen. Your friends provide the framework of your entire social structure, and they do this by being there for everything, both stellar and stupid.

As a general rule, guys will have a few select friends throughout his life rather than many lesser acquaintances, and they will be fiercely loyal to these chosen few. These are the guys that will drop everything to take you out to drink away a bad relationship, give up their couch when your girlfriend kicks you out, and defend you regardless of how very wrong you may be. They will be there supporting every decision you make, and they will also be there when those decision go directly to shit. These are the kind of actions that form absolute loyalty, and the importance of them cannot be overstated.

Women however, do not understand this. Their world tends to revolve around their current relationship, and they will likely expect the same from you. That is not to say they can’t dislike your friends, because they most certainly will. Most women you date will have a problem of some sort with one or more of your friends. See, in order for your girlfriend to view you as being date-able, she has to find some way to explain all your bad traits. Since most of your bad traits are probably related to the fact that you’re a guy, the natural response is for her to see your male friends as the embodiment (and therefore the cause) of everything negative she finds in you. That is to be expected. Your girlfriend doesn't have to become best buds with all your friends, but it's not too much to ask for her to at least tolerate them and play nice. Any woman, regardless of how hot she may be, who asks or even expects you to choose her over your friends is simply not worth your time. This critical element of guydom is known simply as “Bro’s Before Ho’s”

Unfortunately, while this principle is recognized and accepted by men everywhere as one of the simplest and most crucial that all guys live by, it is frequently violated. It is far too easy for many guys to get themselves wrapped up in the latest woman in their life and forget all about their friends. The excuses begin, ("I would come to trivia night, but…”), traditions are put on hold ("I know we go to Jacksonville for the Florida game every year, but...") and all the buddies get brushed off until the next time they're needed. Don’t be that guy, nobody likes him. While it is reasonable to expect that you will have less available time for drinking with the boys, don’t make the mistake of forgetting them entirely. If you do however, there is hope. These friends, being guys themselves, have probably made that same mistake, and will still be there for that night of drinking and debauchery when that latest, greatest woman drops you straight on your ass, regardless of how easy it was for you to blow them off. And they will still be there for the vicious cycle to start all over. Now ask yourself one question: How many women in your life are that reliable? That's what I thought.