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Originally Posted by missing  what I call "devolution" you seem to be calling "maturity" or "abundance". |
You've nicely identified the key difference then.
You see banter as unneccessary, weird, even violent? Others see it as a way of having fun- it keeps things fresh, unpredictable and entertaining. It's also a way of helping people get over their insecurities. Example: if an overweight guy gets called "fat boy" by his best friends as part of the banter he knows they don't care that he's fat! In effect what they are saying is "you're not perfect, but I like you for who you really are." It's a proclamation that we are imperfect humans, but we don't care, we're going to have a good time.
What do you suppose it would take to enjoy shooting the sh*t with your buddies?