Besides the obvious, what are some of the social differences
Besides the obvious, what are some of the social differences between men and women?
Over a decade ago, the book, ‘Men are from Mars & Women are from Venus’ was tremendously popular and with good reason. Both men and women often seem befuddled by the behaviors of the opposite gender. This book was equally attractive to men and women … we all want to understand, Why is he like that? or Why does she always have to do that? While there may now be a few enlightened individuals, for the majority of us, the differences between men and women remain, for the most part, a mystery that can’t be solved, sort of like the ultimate Rubic’s cube. Here we take a more lighthearted look at these enigmatic, but almost universal differences between men and women. Chances are, you’ll recognize your mate somewhere here.
First on the list has to be that men are notorious for never asking directions. They always know where they are, even when they miss the turnoff for Manhattan and end up on the turnpike to Jersey a somewhat irreversible wrong turn, at least for a couple of hours. Now, why are they so stubborn about this issue? Maybe that’s why men love GPS gadgetry!
How about the differences between men and women when it comes to the distribution of household tasks? Ah yes, unless your mate is thoroughly immersed in the 21st century, he’s the guy who’s saddled with the dirtier, messier tasks of life, such as carrying out the trash and working on cars. True, these are some of the less attractive aspects of housekeeping. However, women do get to do the oven cleaning, bathroom cleaning, pet messes and other ‘light’ cleaning activities.
Fashion awareness is another of the typical differences between men and women. Men are far more practical and generally less fussy about their clothing than the average woman. This is why men so often gloat when you’re packing for a trip. They can handily pack all they need in a carry-on, with room left over. There you are, struggling to jam that third pair of shoes into some crevice, in between all the clothes you might need for two weeks. On the other hand, where do most men find their wardrobe essentials? In a shopping bag that comes home with the woman. Men usually hate shopping of any kind.
One of the nicest differences between men and women is that practice of men discerning when flowers and candy are in order. This strategy may be employed to make up for a spat or other ‘in-the-doghouse’ situation. However, sometimes men will come home bearing these delightful gifts for no reason at all. They know this gesture melts a woman’s heart.
Now, what about manipulation and mind game-playing? Ah, here the lines of differences between men and women tend to blur. Men tend to manipulate women as a short term solution to a short term goal. For many women, manipulating a man is almost like an ongoing, even unconscious, ‘hobby’. This is one thing that drives men crazy, because most of the time, they don’t even see it coming probably because they’re subjected to this game day in and day out. Poor guys!
Manipulation of men by women always includes the ‘meow’ factor. That is, women like to diss other women, sometimes just for the fun of it, but also to elicit some praise for themselves. When was the last time you heard a guy make a deprecating comment on another guy’s shoes? He doesn’t see the profit in it.
As for neatness and efficiency, the differences between men and women are negligible. Either one spouse is a neat freak and efficiency expert, while the other is the opposite, or both contend for the neatness and efficiency award, coming from different planets, so to speak. Men who are neat and efficient may have a military background, taking pride in bouncing that quarter off the bed. Neat and efficient women are usually the ‘Super Mom’ type, every paper in its place, sparkling clean homes and smooth sailing always. This brand of neatness and efficiency doesn’t dovetail well with the neat and efficient man. They’re both looking for perfection, but of differing manifestations.
When it comes to remembering important dates, women beat the pants off the men. Men forget birthdays and anniversaries, unless they take the trouble to keep a calendar to remind them. But, hey, that’s where we come full circle. A man with a box of candy or a lovely bouquet of flowers can win the day.
In the end, the differences between men and women are really negligible. When you weigh the trade-offs, men and women are probably equal to the task of getting along together. It’s all part of the joy of life. Enjoy!
