Lets Fight
One of the many subjects that never fails to
a) get me mad and then
b) write about it and then
c) catch shit for it on the internet followed by
d) a four year interval at the end of which I question my understanding of it and then
e) begin once again is this: the ultimate battle of humankind– it’s the epic men vs. women…well, lets call it “what do women want from men and vice versa”…war.
In the past I’ve been set off by AIM profiles, overheard conversations, magazine articles…whatever, really. I like to fight (because I’m a maN?) This time it was something I found on Digg:
Read it if you like, but it’s just like any other article that you’ve ever read about the subject. Naturally it’s the guide to men that piss me off more than the guide to women because all guides to women are 100% accurate and if they aren’t how should I know anyway.
What I do know is that while I’ve gone tearing through item by item on many lists like this one in the past the real concentrated extract of this issue that I want to focus on more than anything is the idea common to all these articles: that all men adhere to a set universal laws. Take the sports law, for example whydontcha– is there really a part of my male brain set aside for the sole purpose of sports statistics collection? That’s a pretty dubious claim if you ask me suckkkaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obviously one (i.e. I) could go on forever with examples, but I think it’s clear from the start that if we’re going to go ahead with this idea that free will exists and whatever than the only limitations we have are paradoxical: why can’t I jump fifty feet over a wall without any help, for instance. You can’t because you can’t.
Everything else is up to each of us, and while trends and patters exist, blanket statements, limited lists, and general statements aren’t any good in practical application.
But that isn’t really what guts me on the topic (oh yes, I really take it to the next level here justyouwaitandsee). The real intention for these lists, as far as I can see, is to create a set of common expectations so that we don’t have to spend time getting to know one another. With a list in mind of what women or men are suppose to be like we can be confident that few are unique and the rest are pre-understood. Furthermore, we can use our stereotypes for our own benefit– I’m messy because I’m a guy, you’re into candles because you’re a girl…or whatever it is that we do. Shut up, you totally hear me on this.
When I was in high school I had an AIM profile war with a girl over the fact (yes, fact) that men are less emotionally influenced than women. She didn’t like that, but it was just her emotions flaring up, if you think about it.
