Any form of behaviour which increases the amount of sociable communication between members of the pub-tribe, or strengthens the social bonds that link them together, is encouraged. Male and female bonding rituals have a number of obvious elements in common. These are all in line with the pursuit of intimacy principle of pub etiquette. Women participate in pub-arguments, of course, but with considerably less fervour and enthusiasm than their male companions. Among male pubgoers, the need to argue is such that almost any subject, however innocuous, can become a controversial issue.
Many male natives seem able to generate a dispute out of thin air.
Like desperate auctioneers taking bids from imaginary buyers, they will vehemently object to a statement that nobody has made, or tell a silent companion to shut up. They get away with this because other males are also looking for an excuse to argue. I m not you started it. The answer is that arguing, for the British male, is a critical element of the pursuit of intimacy . Native males have no less need for intimacy than their female counterparts, but they are also frightened of it.