That wouldn’t be totally out of line if we were still living in the 50’s, but we’re not. Most women today work outside of the home and then come home to cook, clean, do laundry, etc. I would rather take a beating than go shopping, so my husband does the majority of our grocery shopping and Christmas shopping. He enjoys picking things up and looking at them and strolling through the mall. I enjoy taking care of the yard, so I prefer to do the mowing … I’m picky about how it’s done, just as I’m picky about how the dishwasher is loaded. We all have our idiosyncrasies.</p>
<p>I am quite certain that the dating scene at Duke (where my son goes) is similar to the dating scene on college campuses across the country. Nevertheless, my son has never, would never, and had BETTER never express a sentiment which resembles in any way the ones you’ve expressed. Frankly, he’s been raised better than that. Having a daughter run across a guy like you is every mother’s nightmare, though my three wouldn’t cast you a first glance, much less a second one.</p>
<p>Yeah, the comment that women don’t have prostrate exams made me smile given that we have gynecological exams yearly that involve probing the vagina and rectum and also many of us have mammograms that well, put our bodily parts in a vice!</p>
<p>Edad, I can relate to much of your post about the woman doing the bigger share around the home and with the kids and also finding men’s stuff. As well, my husband has not shaved since our wedding 29 years ago. My husband, however, does not mow the lawn…we have a big amount to be mowed and we have hired mowers who come in with their equipment. Same with plowers (same guy). As far as the clothes go, it is far simpler for men when it comes to shopping (well, my hubby doesn’t even do that) but just they need less variety of clothing and also the styles do not change much year to year. </p>
<p>On the getting lost part…whether men think they are lost or not, it seems that they will not ask for help or directions no matter what.</p>
<p>firewalker, I don’t know what the dating scene is like at your college or in the circles you run with, but that is a gross generalization. One of my daughters has a boyfriend in college and it is not like you describe at all. I also see some of their friends’ relationships that are not like you describe either.</p>
<p>Oh well, I guess I’m in the minority here. I just can’t wait for the flood of responses for my comments. Here are some more reasons:</p>
<p>Women almost never go bald while plenty of men do.</p>
<p>Women have the ability to watch a soap opera with interest. I don’t know how they do it.</p>
<p>Women have a better sense of smell than men.</p>
<p>When women try do do masculine things, such as playing football, they are admired. However, when men do feminie things, they are dismissed as freaks and “fags.” There was this male student in my school who danced really well in the school play. However, some students didn’t care because they saw it as being “gay.”</p>
<p>Breast Cancer gets more attention and research $ than Prostate Cancer. October is Breast cancer Awareness month and there are always befefits such as cancer walks and concerts for it. Prostate Cancer dosn’t get this attention despite the fact that slightly more people get diagnosed with it each year. The U.S. invests $21,800 for each life lost for breast cancer, but $16,700 for each life lost for prostate cancer. I bet many of you don’t know that September is Prostate Cancer awareness month.</p>
<p>Women have the power to make men feel gulity.</p>
<p>Hepstar, my comments aren’t to make anyone feel guilty. I’m merely giving my point of view. I actually agree with you about the following:
-Women almost never go bald while plenty of men do.
-Women have a better sense of smell than men.
-Breast Cancer gets more attention and research $ than Prostate Cancer.
I do agree that prostate cancer research deserves more attention. Any cancer is horrible and deserves as much research as possible. </p>
<p>As for the soap opera thing, I would rather drive dull pencils through both of my eyes than watch a soap opera today. I was hooked in college (24+ years ago), but you couldn’t pay me to watch one today.</p>
<p>This is pretty much true. Baldness runs in my family. My grandfather, dad, and brothers are bald. However, the women got very thin hair and so I suffer from that :). It’s not so great either. </p>
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<p>This is just a matter of preferences. A woman could say she doesn’t know how certain men can watch certain sporting events with interest on the tube. In either case, it is a generalization as certain men and certain women like certain types of activities, interests, TV shows that others would be bored to death with.</p>
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<p>Perhaps this is true for some. However, my husband is very sensitive to smells to an extreme and gets sick and very bothered by smells. I cannot use perfume or any scented products (basically almost all cosmetics and lotions that woman use!) as he reacts to these poorly.</p>
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<p>I get your point about this and it is too bad. However, some of this is just the circles you run in. For instance, I have a kid in the arts and she and her friends greatly admire the guys who perform in theater and dance. </p>
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<p>Well, I don’t know that we have the “power” to do that…but in many cases, the men ARE guilty. :D</p>
<p>it is too bad about the guys and the arts in many cases…I have nothing but admiration for the guys I know who can perform, and I am a real sucker for a guy who can sing and isn’t afraid to do so
it’s a pity about the double standard, too…my parents are separated, but I live on a farm, and my mother and sisters and are handier than most guys or men I know, yet no one has ever accused us of being “gay”, unless by that they meant happy!! :D</p>
<p>Expressing such sentiments != holding them. Noones going to say things like that in fear of jeopardizing a potential mate. Secondly…guys look for one thing, punani. Period. Maybe not the ones you know…but the ones I know, yes.</p>
<p>firewalker…You can get “punani” without having a relationship. Some do do that, yes. But some actually choose boy/girlfriends over common interests and personality, etc. As part of that relationship, there may be sex. But it is not all about the sex. </p>
<p>And yikes, I just noticed you go to one of my daughter’s schools. Well, she has a boyfriend there and they have a lot in common. You don’t need a relationship to have sex. But you need lots of other things to have a relationship.</p>
<p>The women make men feel guilty comment was more of a joke to lighten things up after the somber nature of the cancer topic. The soap opera comment was of the same nature, a joke. I have to say though, I know women who watch sports enthuiastically, but I have yet to meet a guy who has this same attitude towards soap operas. </p>
<p>As for the breast cancer attention, I have no big problem with it. I’m glad that it gets the attention that it does because it is a big problem. However, prostate cancer is just as big a problem for men, but gets none of this attention. One in 6 men gets it at some point in their lives, compared to One in 8 women with breast cancer, yet you never see any wristbands or bumperstickers for it.</p>
<p>firewalker…as you generalize women, be aware that we generalize men, too, especially the college-age ones:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>the scum bags who have no idea that women and men are on, and should have always been on, equal footing…deep down, these men are never happy (if we women give men their dues, we expect ours in return, thank you kindly :))</p></li>
<li><p>the guys who had truly good relationships with their mothers and the ones we women would take home to meet Dad…these are the happy guys who have only to worry about the things listed previously they are also the ones who recognize that girls with a bad self-image need to be nurtured, not treated like garbage</p></li>
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<p>Yup, men are just happier by nature. Here, we try to celebrate some of the attributes which make us happy and just look at the negative responses from the women. Pretty soon all we here about are baldness, cancers and nature’s unpleasant side. Not only do they appear unhappy, but they can’t stand it if a few men at least pretend for a few minutes.</p>
<p>Amounts don’t matter when you consider that there is about $4,000 more per person given to breast cancer research than prostate cancer research. Men can get breast cancer, but it is very very rare (obviously).</p>
<p>To generalize- I think men are more likely to see things in black and white- rather than the complexities and nuances of a situation or decision.
This can contribute to being more satisfied with a course of action, because they aren’t angsting over conflicting repercussions.
I actually envy this, because it makes decision making much easier if you aren’t worried about the path not taken.</p>
<p>It also seems that as well as being able to decide on a course of action and not be torn by conflicting information, men often are able to seperate themselves easier from negative results.
Women may be more likely to feel that unfavorable results are their fault somehow, regardless of previous preperation, which can be healthier or not, depending on ability to learn from what is perceived as a mistake, if you never feel you make any mistakes, you aren’t likely to change your decision making process,
I don’t necessarily feel these are genetic differences, but old style american parenting that favored males, accentuated predispostion to black and white thinking.
I think that as parents have evolved their roles, and allow girls to make more decisions and boys to follow as well as lead, that personality is more of a force rather than just if they have xy or X chromosomes</p>
<p>I think that we can both learn a great deal from each other, but on the other hand, where men used to be teh only ones who could flaunt their bellies and not feel embarrassed, the fact that women are now accentuating their belly rolls with low riding jeans, isn’t something to get excited about</p>
<p>re medical research $$- Historically heart research was all about men, only recently are women’s heart issues being addressed. We learned in medical school that 90+% of men will develop prostate cancer eventually, if they live long enough (the findings were based on autopsy exams and most had no clinical significance and/or were only microscopically present). Brain research is finding some anatomical and physiological differences between the genders, but it seems to me that there is enough overlap in skills that all males/females will never be better in blank than all females/males. There’s always going to be a most popular disease that seems to get all the attention/funding, sometimes it’s the one we seem to be able to find out more about or do more about at the time; currently it’s breast cancer’s turn.</p>
<p>On a much lighter note- I enjoyed the original posting, it seemed to be in good fun. Some (one?) of the later posters hopefully will learn when to enjoy having fun with the silly differences attributed to either gender that most did, even while also pointing out some significant issues and/or adding serious comments. A final thought- to continue the gender wars- “ignorance is bliss”, is that the source of happiness???</p>
they are also the ones who recognize that girls with a bad self-image need to be nurtured, not treated like garbage</p></li>