Choose Your Fighter: Bad Boy vs Nice Guy

Many questions have been raised since time immemorial:

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Where does one go after death? Who can win over women better, the bad boy or the nice guy? Okay, that last one isn't quite as contentious as the first two. The tale of the tape concerning bad boy vs nice guy comes with pretty strong opinions from most.

Still, that doesn't mean that it's not a topic worth exploring. There are definitely arguments for both, just as there are arguments against them. For the sake of discussion, let's revisit this riveting rivalry one more time and see who's got who on the ropes.

In This Corner . . . The Bad Boy

Despite the name this fighter goes by, he's more or less the crowd favorite. After all, who doesn't love a bad boy? We all know a few and we'd like to get to know them even more, if they'd only let us in.

So, what makes the quintessential bad boy such a catch in the eyes of many women? First things first, anyone with a remotely discerning eye can spot the bad boy's assertiveness and dominance a mile away. That by itself can create instant attraction.

There's an authenticity that comes with that assertiveness that might as well be a one-two combo to the nice guy's glass jaw. The bad boy knows what he wants and takes what he wants without a care in the world. Nobody does that with confidence, passion, and more than a dash of devil-may-care attitude than the bad boy.

In This Corner . . . The Nice Guy

Here he is: the perennial underdog. The guy fighting from underneath. The one whose critics say will never win. Whether that's true or not is subject to debate, which is exactly why we're having another round of this classic bout. So, without further ado, let's get right into it.

There's a generosity to the nice guy that seems almost too good to be true. In fact, it reaches practically self-sacrificial levels, with his seeming denouncement of his own needs and feelings. He wants to do right and be right about what he does. Sounds slick and smooth so far, doesn't it?

If it seems a little too slick, then your gut is right on the money. Nice guys avoid conflict and problems with expert weaving skills, dodging blows left and right. Behind his good deeds is a simmering need for approval and even a sense of entitlement that shines as bright as brass knuckles tossed into the ring when the ref isn't looking.

Who's Going the Distance?

The bad boy often goes into relationships without enough thought or consideration for their partners. With their authenticity and passion comes a selfishness that few can abide. The unpredictability that attracts so many others can also turn downright ugly if left unchecked.

Conversely, the nice guy hides his flaws with too much thought and consideration that few can see the inevitable meltdown coming. Even when they seem safe and predictable, they only have those traits for so long. The constant self-denial is, in truth, a ticking time bomb that can turn even uglier than anything a bad boy does at times.

Until a new challenger steps up, this two-man bout will continue to go round after round indefinitely. Both fighters have their tricks well-honed, so it's as close a fight as any. In the end, it may be up to the judges the women to decide who truly wins the bad boy vs nice guy match up.