Understanding Each Other: A Timeless Question for Man and Woman

[Grimstone]

Homosapiens have been on the planet for at least if not more than five thousand years. so why in present time does a man look at a woman and a woman look at a man and they both say "huh?" science has shown the wiring of the male/female brain as not the same. "man and woman just do not think the same way" so here is the question. Do you think we will ever understand each other?

 

[1MileCrash]

I don't know if this is within the realm of physics, more of a psychology question.

 

[Danger]

I agree that it isn't a physics problem; it's a sociological one. In my (lengthy) experience, women understand men too well, and men will never understand women.

 

[Drakkith]

I agree that it isn't a physics problem; it's a sociological one. In my (lengthy) experience, women understand men too well, and men will never understand women.

Hrmm...I don't think anyone really understands anyone else.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I don't know if this is within the realm of physics, more of a psychology question.

Moved to social sciences.

 

[Evo]

Five thousand years? Modern humans - Homo sapiens sapiens, have been around ~200,000 years.

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

Either way, I think that whether an ancient Greek understood the opposite sex or not has no bearing on whether we do. It all starts over for each new teenager (or for each new brain, if you want to try to be scientific about it.).

 

[WhoWee]

Five thousand years? Modern humans - Homo sapiens sapiens, have been around ~200,000 years.

Maybe the women clubbed their men while they slept (for not understanding them) the first 195,000 years? Give us another 1,200 years - we'll change - you'll see..

 

[KingNothing]

The way humans mate does not promote greater uniformity in people. Men are generally not more attracted to more "masculine-minded" women, and women are generally not more attracted to "feminine-minded" men. This in turn means that our evolutionary patterns will not close the gap in the different ways of thinking.

 

[WhoWee]

The way humans mate does not promote greater uniformity in people. Men are generally not more attracted to more "masculine-minded" women, and women are generally not more attracted to "feminine-minded" men. This in turn means that our evolutionary patterns will not close the gap in the different ways of thinking.

Are you certain? It seems that a "masculine-minded" women might be a sports fan, or someone who likes to hike, or boat, or ski, or paint kitchens - all positive aspects in the minds of a more than a few men. A case for the sensitive, gentle, well read, family oriented male can also be made.

It sounds as though you are specifying the exact opposite of my (personal) observations - do you have a study to cite?

 

[universe11]

Modern humans - Homo sapiens sapiens, have been around ~200,000 years.
I do not think you will like to interact with those people.

I think people evolved in the last 10000 years more than in 190000 years.

 

[Phrak]

OK, I'll bite. What's too complicated to understand about these simple critters, male or female?

 

[KingNothing]

Are you certain? It seems that a "masculine-minded" women might be a sports fan, or someone who likes to hike, or boat, or ski, or paint kitchens - all positive aspects in the minds of a more than a few men. A case for the sensitive, gentle, well read, family oriented male can also be made.

It sounds as though you are specifying the exact opposite of my (personal) observations - do you have a study to cite?

No, I don't. Just my observations from being in the dating world for a while. The majority of girls I've talked with have really just wanted a 'manly man'. Might be a geographical thing too, I live in the midwest.

I'd be interested in seeing any study about it, though I can imagine it might be fairly difficult to measure.

 

[WhoWee]

No, I don't. Just my observations from being in the dating world for a while. The majority of girls I've talked with have really just wanted a 'manly man'. Might be a geographical thing too, I live in the midwest.

I'd be interested in seeing any study about it, though I can imagine it might be fairly difficult to measure.

It sounds as though I misunderstood. When you said "masculine-minded" women, you meant women that wanted a "manly man"?

 

[anuse10]

It does not simply go down to reproduce next generation. Having a spouse would, hopefully, share some financial burden and provide you with moral support. Psychology plays a part in it.

 

[SpeedOfDark]

Actually, I don't believe men will understand women at least not on a communication level with speech and language. I guess we never will then my girlfriend likes psychology and she was reading me one of her books specifically why they wont.

When kids are young boys hang with boys and girls hang with girls, and men group up in ways where there is always a struggle to be the "alpha" male let's say even though that's not what it is. Girls live in a way where all girls are equal, if jenny tells missy a secret and missy tells caitlyn jenny will be mad at missy because she told a secret REGARDLESS of what the secret was.

In other words the way may convey ideas is with their words, they generally mean what they say and don't have "meta-meanings" while women on the other end listen less to words and more about the underlying message. This is why men and women have seemingly endless arguments possibly when they both agree.

Which is why I always tell people if you're angry at the person you're with or love, just leave or stop talking to them and if they won't let you leave when you tell them I just want to stop talking for a little bit then don't be with them cause they'll never escape the problem.

Men and women will always have communication problems so when you argue you will solve nothing. Which gets men into more deeper issues but we'll save that for another time.

 

[bobze]

Homosapiens have been on the planet for at least if not more than five thousand years. so why in present time does a man look at a woman and a woman look at a man and they both say "huh?" science has shown the wiring of the male/female brain as not the same. "man and woman just do not think the same way" so here is the question. Do you think we will ever understand each other?

Humans evolved sexual dimorphism. Which includes the hormones which help develop and influence our brain. From a strict biological standpoint, our brains "work" differently in terms of thoughts and pattern of thinking. There's lots of literature on this.

Probably a large part of it is also cultural and how culture affects gender roles.

 

[Radrook]

OK, I'll bite. What's too complicated to understand about these simple critters, male or female?

Understanding them from a distance isn't hard. It's when both sexes try to understand one another within a close social relationships that sparks of incomprehension begin to fly. Let me provide a personal example that still perplexes me. I once had a girlfriend which I always greeted with effusive kisses. She began complaining that all I wanted to do was kiss. So I stopped that modus operandi and began putting more into conversing. Whereupon she protested that I no longer greeted her like before. Obviously there is something going on in the female mind which very often escapes the male mentality. Of course I was probably going to extremes and needed to strike a balance. But the point is that such a balance isn't typically that high on the male priority list and that's where the crux of the problem lies-in that different priority list.

 

[JaredJames]

When kids are young boys hang with boys and girls hang with girls, and men group up in ways where there is always a struggle to be the "alpha" male let's say even though that's not what it is. Girls live in a way where all girls are equal, if jenny tells missy a secret and missy tells caitlyn jenny will be mad at missy because she told a secret REGARDLESS of what the secret was.

Where I grew up, it was fairly even with numbers of girls/boys in friendship groups. There wasn't a clear divide in any way. It wasn't until later on in teenage years that divides formed where you had groups of male friends and groups of female friends, clearly defined.

I agree, boys do like to look the alpha, although I'd also say that girls do too. Being "queen bee" if you will. Not sure if it's a struggle though. I don't see girls viewing each other as equals any more than men though.