men vs women part two

[lauralh]

So I don't actually believe the stereotypes about men and women - I indulge in them on occasion, while driving, for example, but in general I don't really think men and women are all that different, aside from testosterone levels. Granted I base this on purely anecdotal evidence, but on the other hand, it's not like I can do an experiment with raising children without any predefined gender roles.

So I use anecdotal evidence. The people I know who were raised in an "untraditional" manner tend to not have any "traditional" female or male characteristics. Whereas those who were, do. In my own case, my brothers and I are all exactly alike, except that they started shaving their faces at age 20. And really in my own case, whether as a result of having 3 brothers or whatever, I've been able to relate to men better than women. That's not true really - I just relate to people who are "untraditional," and it really seems that there are more men than women who've broken out of the traditional roles. I can't relate to macho guys who talk about cars and video games, for example, any better than I can relate to women who talk about kids or makeup.

There's a lot of talk nowadays about how men are now "too sensitive" or something. I think that's bullshit - that you can be too sensitive, I mean, not that men today are more sensitive than their forefathers. I mean I don't know if they are or not, but if it's true, then it seems pretty clear that no matter where you start out, you can be socialized into being too macho or too sensitive or whatever. And the same with women, except that it's more of a "Girls can be police officers too!" kind of thing, which is a little harder to break out of. Which is to say, it's easy for even traditional women to raise boys to be more "feminine", but it's harder for them to raise girls to be more "masculine."

(Hey Clark, aren't female chimps in the wild even more sexually aggressive than the male ones? Some ape anyway. I dunno.)

Comments

[hotcrab.livejournal.com]

ahh yes, the emasculation of the modern american male
we need to start a fight club

[jumper42.livejournal.com]

how do you deal with guys who talk about their wangs?

i have no problem with it

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

Provided I can talk about other guys' wangs. Somehow that condition shuts most men up about their cocks.

chimps and shit

[ravenword.livejournal.com]

I'm not Clark, but there is a species of ape in which the female is the sexual aggressor -- they're called bonobos. What I think is cooler is that unlike chimps (their closest relations), bonobos avoid violence within their social groups. Instead, when a conflict breaks out, they have sex and everyone feels better.

We can all take a lesson from bonobos.

Re: i have no problem with it

[jumper42.livejournal.com]

i think if you saw my wang it would be the only thing on your lips! ;)

Re: chimps and shit

[vileinfestation.livejournal.com]

I, however, AM Clark. I think Bonobo is cool, too -- I like the way he can go around the world and talk to the Pope and presidents and stuff. Joshua Tree was pretty good, too (along with most things he did after he ditched Cher).

And so, I agree with you -- we all can take a lesson from Bonobo.

[eyelid.livejournal.com]

I agree-- with the stipulation that I believe that parental involvement can only do so much. There's also society to contend with-- TV and peers and the like.

Oh yeah.

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

...I had no friends or cable growing up, so I forget that other people did.

Re: Oh yeah.

[vileinfestation.livejournal.com]

Other people listened to Michael Jackson, played with Transformers, and hit me on the head with toy light-sabres in the playground. No wonder other people are strange.