Social:Bad boy archetype
The bad boy is a cultural archetype that is variously defined and often used synonymously with the historic terms rake or cad: a male who behaves badly, especially within societal norms.
In films and other narratives, a bad boy is a type of antihero, sometimes a trickster. Such characters reject authority and traditional moral standards, following their own unique code of ethics that can unsettle those around them.[1] Despite their often questionable or near-criminal habits, they are frequently depicted in a way that makes them relatable or even likable. "Bad boys typically bring a lot of fire, defiance and eroticism to the story, along with a sense of danger".[1]
Bad boy characters came to the fore with the Counterculture of the 1960s. An influential example is Paul Newman's character in Cool Hand Luke (1967).[1] Jim Stark, James Dean's character in Rebel Without a Cause, is also considered an example of the bad boy archetype,[2][3] although he has a strong moral compass beneath the rebellion.
An article in The Independent compared the term "bad boys" with men who had a particular combination of personality traits, sometimes referred to as the "dark triad", and reported that a study found that such men were likely to have a greater number of sexual affairs.[4]
See also
- Boy next door (stock character)
- Chad (slang)
- Dark triad
- Hybristophilia
- Nice guy
- Playboy (lifestyle)
- Tall, dark and handsome
- Toxic masculinity
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Morrell, Jessica Page (14 July 2008). Bullies, Bastards and Bitches: How to Write the Bad Guys of Fiction. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-59963-432-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=sCBjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT68.
- ↑ Jacobs, Laura (21 February 2013). "The Evolution of the Hollywood Bad Boy". Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2013/03/bad-boys-hollywood-alec-baldwin.
- ↑ Bell, Noel (18 April 2016). "Better understand your attraction to the bad boy". Counselling Directory. http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellor-articles/better-understand-your-attraction-to-the-bad-boy.
- ↑ Connor, Steve (June 19, 2008). "Why women really do love self-obsessed psychopaths". The Independent (London). https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/why-women-really-do-love-selfobsessed-psychopaths-850007.html.
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