Bro?

[blake 3:17]

What`s up with this?

Why do Leftists identify as `bro`- whatever.

It just sounds hyper macho .

[9]

Why do Leftists identify as `bro`- whatever.


:confused: do they?

[Jimmie Higgins]

I don't use the word, I thought it was an internet thing.

[9]

Wait, is he asking why people use the word bro? Its not an internet thing, at least where I live people say it a lot, but I'm not really getting how leftists figure into it....

[NoOneIsIllegal]

The only people I've encountered who use "bro" are A) party guys, and B) gamers.

I just spent 3 days and nights with 40+ Wobblies and I didn't hear a single "bro"

[TheGodlessUtopian]

I think it might be more of a relaxed statement used by aforementioned groups (parties,gamers,sports jockeys,etc) when they are being less than serious.

Still,it is macho and I don't like the term.

[Luc]

Are you talking about Broshevik and Brospierre?

I think it's just a joke not serious "Bro"

[znk666]

Leftists usually refer to each other as ''comrade'',comrade.

[Oswy]

I've always assumed that it has its roots in African-American culture but has seen expanded use among white people who are, consciously or unconsciously, conveying some vague sense of respect or enlightenment relating to African-American culture. My observation is that sometimes racists use it in an overemphasised way as if to be ironic "hey, B-R-O", so maybe it's complicated.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, I do that sometimes. Dunno about it being macho. I find myself using 'Dude' sometimes, maybe I should stop :blushing:

[Os Cangaceiros]

I've always assumed that it has its roots in African-American culture but has seen expanded use among white people who are, consciously or unconsciously, conveying some vague sense of respect or enlightenment relating to African-American culture. My observation is that sometimes racists use it in an overemphasised way as if to be ironic "hey, B-R-O", so maybe it's complicated.

I think it started with surfers.

[Oswy]

I think it started with surfers.

I think that's 'Brah' (a Surfer variation) with 'Bro' being a longer established shortening of 'Brother' in Afro-American language use.

[Goblin]

Bro is what they call each other in New Jersey:lol:

[Jimmie Higgins]

Are you talking about Broshevik and Brospierre?


Or Broseph Stalin?:lol:

I think do it's macho though. Also a little asshole-y because the only people who used the word when I was a teenager were old surfers or frat-boys.

I'd prefer if people said "man" and "dude" like a normal person or "comrade" like an abnormal person.


I think that's 'Brah' (a Surfer variation) with 'Bro' being a longer established shortening of 'Brother' in Afro-American language use.Young black guys say "brah" around here when they don't want to use the n-word but want the same effect of a word that's kinda supportive and kinda shaming at the same time. As in, "You say you support the black community, then why do you side with the cops, brah?"

White frat boys just seem to use it in place of "dude". Hope it never catches on in unions as a replacement for "brother/sister".

[Oswy]

...

Young black guys say "brah" around here when they don't want to use the n-word but want the same effect of a word that's kinda supportive and kinda shaming at the same time. As in, "You say you support the black community, then why do you side with the cops, brah?"

White frat boys just seem to use it in place of "dude". Hope it never catches on in unions as a replacement for "brother/sister".

Do black people use 'brah' where you are - as opposed to 'bro' - because 'brah' is a 'west coast' version of 'bro'? I've got an image in my head of Keanu Reeves saying 'brah' in the film Point Break as a reference to surfer culture. Certainly black people in the UK might use 'bro' but are unlikely, from my experience, to say 'brah'. I tend to use 'bro' if someone uses it with me, as I do with 'dude' (the latter is also creeping into UK English).

[Jimmie Higgins]

Do black people use 'brah' where you are - as opposed to 'bro' - because 'brah' is a 'west coast' version of 'bro'? I've got an image in my head of Keanu Reeves saying 'brah' in the film Point Break as a reference to surfer culture. Certainly black people in the UK might use 'bro' but are unlikely, from my experience, to say 'brah'. I tend to use 'bro' if someone uses it with me, as I do with 'dude' (the latter is also creeping into UK English).

Older folks say "bro" sometimes, "brother" more often, but it is much more a word of support although it can be used to back-handedly question someone's sense of solidarity sometimes to. Young people say "brah" and it has more edge to it the way it's used it's much more like dude or the n-word in its connotations like someone's "my dude" (hey brah), or "what's your problem, dude" (why are you like that, brah?).

0Tt4cYaFafs

Apparently the word originated in Hawaii in the 1960s which is why it was popularized by surfers.

[Oswy]

Older folks say "bro" sometimes, "brother" more often, but it is much more a word of support although it can be used to back-handedly question someone's sense of solidarity sometimes to. Young people say "brah" and it has more edge to it the way it's used it's much more like dude or the n-word in its connotations like someone's "my dude" (hey brah), or "what's your problem, dude" (why are you like that, brah?).

0Tt4cYaFafs

Apparently the word originated in Hawaii in the 1960s which is why it was popularized by surfers.

Thanks.

I've just noticed you're from Oakland, California; is that the same place the rapper J. Stalin is from ('West Oakland' I think he says). Just asking because I can't stop listening to his Gas Nation album.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I've just noticed you're from Oakland, California; is that the same place the rapper J. Stalin is from ('West Oakland' I think he says). Just asking because I can't stop listening to his Gas Nation album.

Probably. There are other towns called Oakland in the US, but Oakland Ca is the most well known and is sort of a hub of hip hop in Northern California... from MC Hammer, Digital Underground, Tu Pac, Mac Dre, The Coup, and the Hyphy movement.

Oakland is divided economically into hills and the flats and along the coast of the bay are industrial warehouse and shipping areas, then moving inland are the flats where most of the poor and working class communities are and then the hills are for rich people because you can't hear the trains or smell the sewage treatment and dock smells in the summer. There's a white hipster are in North Oakland, East Oakland is generally considered to be where more Latinos live and West Oakland is the considered the working poor black and poor black community. Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the US but also a very segregated city in a general way.[/end unsolicited political-geography lesson]:lol:

Anyway, I've never had the chance to go to the UK, but I'd imagine it's similar to northern shipping towns.

[GallowsBird]

I am not complaining but I have noticed using "brah" is common with people who have Karl Marx avatars or user pics on this site. I always chuckle a bit when someone is called "brah" by the elderly white bearded Karl Marx. :laugh:

Keep up the good work comrades! ;)

[KR]

What do you mean with it sounds macho?

[Jimmie Higgins]

What do you mean with it sounds macho?Well I have previously associated it with US frat-boys.

[Franz Fanonipants]

carnale is too long to type bro

[Leftsolidarity]

I say bro....

[blake 3:17]

I don't have a problem with people using the word in and of itself.

There's been a re-emergence of a masculinist culture for quite a while now with things like Maxim magazine which is incredibly depressing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_(magazine)#High_profile_events_and_controver sies

There's related stuff like The Game http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game:_Penetrating_the_Secret_Society_of_Pickup _Artists

Haven't seen it but this film The Bro Code sounds of some interest http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=246 "The message he uncovers in virtually every corner of our entertainment culture is clear: It's not only normal -- but cool -- for boys and men to control and humiliate women." It might also be painfully pedantic.

Edited to add: I started the thread because I just don't really understand bro-culture. Some of this is generational -- I'm older than most people on this board -- and all of my close friends are queer, female, or pro-feminist pro-queer heterosexual men.

[ColonelCossack]

feels good, sayin' bro to ya bredas.



I've never noticed it among leftists more than the average level present on the internet.



I do call people "man", though, as well as "fam". Is the latter word used in the states much?

[blake 3:17]

I've never noticed it among leftists more than the average level present on the internet.

It's not common here. I'm not trying to pick on RevLeft or the Left in general. I just don't understand the phenomenon amongst White men.

Before posting, I searched the site for "bro" and came up empty. There have been a few people on the board with Bro as part of their handle. I found one thread about bro-core punk/metal : http://www.revleft.com/vb/bro-core-tough-t144361/index.html?t=144361

[GPDP]

Is thread for reals?

EVERYONE says bro, at least where I live. Men, women, whites, and Hispanics all say it.

It just means someone who's a really close friend to us here. You've got friends, and then you got bros who got your back. Hell, even girls often earn the title. No one takes offense to it, and I don't see how anyone could.

You talk about the frat boys and such, but the problem with them is their entire macho attitude rather than the words they specifically use.

[Misanthrope]

bro in my mind is one of the biggest terms of endearment

[NewLeft]

who gives a fuck bro! lol EVERYONE says bro here. Not sure if it's a "macho" word anymore.

[Leftsolidarity]

Yeah, the word bro is not macho where I'm from. Some of the girls I know say bro and get called bro more than "manly" men.

[o well this is ok I guess]

It's just a thing, bro.

[Ostrinski]

Tbh I think it's been almost completely extracted from its macho context. I've been saying bro for years and I'm certainly not macho.

[black magick hustla]

whats wrong with being "masculine". nobody makes a shitstorm for girls using lipstick and wearing dresses/tight pants/ whatever. i like leather jackets, violent music, and rugged anti heroes. i have pretty broad shoulders and try to lift heavy weights. sexism is about power differentials, not necessarily gendered society.

[9]

I mean, you have to admit that bro culture is pretty gross tho..

[black magick hustla]

I mean, you have to admit that bro culture is pretty gross tho..

yea but i think some people are arguing that "bro" is wrong because its associated with dudes. its a bit silly. its the whole fake feminist sensitive male bros again...

[9]

Well yeah, plus the fact that the use of the word bro is hardly limited to bros, or to men in general for that matter.

[balls deep in revolution]

I mean, you have to admit that bro culture is pretty gross tho..people haven't even been really criticizing the term for being associated with bro culture, they've been saying it's "macho". As if there's something wrong with being masculine.

[KR]

I don't have a problem with people using the word in and of itself.

There's been a re-emergence of a masculinist culture for quite a while now with things like Maxim magazine which is incredibly depressing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_(magazine)#High_profile_events_and_controver sies

There's related stuff like The Game http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game:_Penetrating_the_Secret_Society_of_Pickup _Artists

Haven't seen it but this film The Bro Code sounds of some interest http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=246 "The message he uncovers in virtually every corner of our entertainment culture is clear: It's not only normal -- but cool -- for boys and men to control and humiliate women." It might also be painfully pedantic.

Edited to add: I started the thread because I just don't really understand bro-culture. Some of this is generational -- I'm older than most people on this board -- and all of my close friends are queer, female, or pro-feminist pro-queer heterosexual men.
What is masculinist culture?

[9]

people haven't even been really criticizing the term for being associated with bro culture, they've been saying it's "macho". As if there's something wrong with being masculine.

I dont think that macho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machismo) is just a synonym for "masculine", tbh. At any rate, obviously the original post was pretty dumb, but getting offended because someone thinks people who act macho are tools is even dumber IMO.

[blake 3:17]

Thanks all for the posts. I'm trying to figure it out. When I ask mt friends what a "bro" is, the usual response is total asshole or idiot, so hearing something different is good.

Masculinist: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masculinist The discussion at the bottom of the page is kind of interesting.

The wikipedia page on homosociality is quite good: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosociality

Edited to add:
At any rate, obviously the original post was pretty dumb Thanks!

[A Revolutionary Tool]

I say "breh" or "bruh" more than I say bro. I don't see a lot of other white guys saying it that much though mainly hear it from blacks or Latinos. Although, as Jimmie Higgins said, a lot of frat boys do say it.

[Rusty Shackleford]

personally i hate it. but, i tolerate it. I refuse to identify people as 'bro' though.

[Firebrand]

Most people I know say mate, although I do hear bruv a fair bit too, and dude has been gradually creeping over from the states.