I've never been much of a dude's dude, but I did spend 4 years in a college fraternity so dude culture is not alien to me. Even leaving aside the specific issue of formal or semi-formal hazing practices between old-timers and newbies, dudes can be fucking cruel to each other. While it might not make all that much sense, the flip side is that dude culture includes loyalty and support. You can be cruel to each other because the loyalty is understood. It's like family. You might harass the crap out of someone, but you come to his defense when he needs it. There are boundaries which shouldn't be crossed. There's a difference between messing with
someone and bullying them.