This week's 'Alternatively' column in Day and Night magazine in today's the Irish Independent
I've been all about the man-love this week. Oh stop your sniggering down the back — I'm talking about male friendship, a topic that’s been on my mind due to my latest TV obsession, Entourage.
For all you squares out there, Entourage is an American comedy about a New York pretty boy actor who moves to LA with his brother and two of his childhood friends to indulge in a Bacchanalian lifestyle of parties, girls and assorted Hollywood adventures.
It's complete boys own entertainment and while it may be macho, priapic, and testosterone-fuelled, there is a deep, albeit, obliquely articulated affection running through all four guys’ banter and slagging.
In that regard, it’s a quite canny representation of male friendship. Men, by their nature, seem to find it difficult to express emotion, particularly when it comes to their friends. It’s complicated but, for many men, their male friendships are one of the most important things in their lives.
Of course, you’d find that hard to believe if you were to accept the findings of research published last week that found female friendships are superior to men’s and that women tend to form ‘deep and lasting’ friendships with each other, while men are calculating, fickle and only choose friendships that they can ‘get something out of’.
The findings from surveys like this seem to conform to the worst sexist stereotypes we have of both men and women. Men, for their part, yet again come out as callous, unfeeling Neanderthals, whose friendships are meaningless essentially because they’re not carbon copies of women’s.
And that’s where this survey renders itself pointless: it ignores the fundamental fact that men and women are different and so often need and seek different things from their friendships.
The Entourage boys might appear to be superficial liggers, but fans will have seen that they are extremely sensitive about one another’s feelings and fortunes and are each one’s first port of call whenever they get into trouble. Maybe us blokes are really just - horror of horrors - the more fascinating of the species? What are the chances of research ever being commissioned to back that claim up?
declan.cashin@gmail.com
For all you squares out there, Entourage is an American comedy about a New York pretty boy actor who moves to LA with his brother and two of his childhood friends to indulge in a Bacchanalian lifestyle of parties, girls and assorted Hollywood adventures.
It's complete boys own entertainment and while it may be macho, priapic, and testosterone-fuelled, there is a deep, albeit, obliquely articulated affection running through all four guys’ banter and slagging.
In that regard, it’s a quite canny representation of male friendship. Men, by their nature, seem to find it difficult to express emotion, particularly when it comes to their friends. It’s complicated but, for many men, their male friendships are one of the most important things in their lives.
Of course, you’d find that hard to believe if you were to accept the findings of research published last week that found female friendships are superior to men’s and that women tend to form ‘deep and lasting’ friendships with each other, while men are calculating, fickle and only choose friendships that they can ‘get something out of’.
The findings from surveys like this seem to conform to the worst sexist stereotypes we have of both men and women. Men, for their part, yet again come out as callous, unfeeling Neanderthals, whose friendships are meaningless essentially because they’re not carbon copies of women’s.
And that’s where this survey renders itself pointless: it ignores the fundamental fact that men and women are different and so often need and seek different things from their friendships.
The Entourage boys might appear to be superficial liggers, but fans will have seen that they are extremely sensitive about one another’s feelings and fortunes and are each one’s first port of call whenever they get into trouble. Maybe us blokes are really just - horror of horrors - the more fascinating of the species? What are the chances of research ever being commissioned to back that claim up?
declan.cashin@gmail.com
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