From a man's point of view.

I agree, @T.Trian . Guys do size each other up a lot, especially when it comes to girls. More on a contest-level "What does he have that I don't have, and can I top him?"

We don't really size each other up like women do, we size each other up based on what we think will make a woman want us by competing with each other. We want to dominate each other for the woman.

Women are a little more subtle about it, from what little I understand of all this. They take it internally while the men take it externally and spend hours in the gym, altering their hair, that sort of thing. They want to be the guy that women will flock to. According to society's most basic, carnal rule of relationships, the women chooses the men, so they'll make themselves pretty so the men can compete between each other for her. That's how it works in the animal kingdom as well. The ones mauling each other to submission are the males. Granted in our society, we really don't take to kindly to two men slugging each other out on the streets anymore, so we compete in other ways such as sports. Don't even get me started on that, people.

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Please note that everything I'm posting about this is from a single dude with no interest in relationships, so I may be getting all this wholly wrong. If I offend, I apologize.

 

It's not even all that uncommon for guys to actually fight over a girl. And I've encountered girls who get off on pitting guys against each other, to fight over her. Sometimes it's actual fist fights, sometimes it's dumb tests of "manhood" like games of Mercy, arm wrestling, actual wrestling, and other such pissing contests.

Granted, often men challenge each other proactively if two alphas happen to be after the same girl or even if they aren't; sometimes they're just competing for the status of the alpha at that particular party / school / work place etc, and there the goal is not only to win, but to humiliate your opponent and make him look undesirable in the eyes of the ladies.

All's fair in love and all that.

 

I remember a skit on TV. Two Victorian men fight over a woman. A duel is arranged. Pistols at dawn. They face each other, pistols ready, the woman cheering them on from the side. The men look at each other, then at the woman. They both shoot the woman and go off arm in arm for a beer.

 

I remember that sketch, or something very like it but I remember the guys just skipping off arm and arm, no mention of the pub. A hint that a 'woman' is too much trouble, if you know what I mean.

 

Was this women having it easier to get a man not true in high school and college? Because I don't remember the boys beating down doors to get to me.