I was thinking about the case for women! I think it *is* similar, but somehow less focused on, maybe because in the past a woman's One True Purpose was go get married, so discarded friends had to see it as inevitable. It's *almost* inevitable for men, but not quite in the same way? Like maybe they're going to have to go get hitched and procreate, but their true purpose can still be researching fossils or decoding Mayan manuscripts or defeating the Russians or whatever. For men, marriage is a side hustle, which is why one can understand their buddies' being aggrieved when it takes up a lot of their time. Whereas, Alas, Poor Woman. You Must Put Aside Fossils and Mayan Manuscripts and defeating the Russians AND your friends, and devote yourself entirely to your husband's whims and comforts. Delightful!