I think our personal stereotypes are more like our own "scientific investigations" of life and the mean or average we come to as conclusions. If I meet 10 Catholics, and they are all good people. I assume most Catholics are good people. Do you follow me?
I understand your frustrations King. I have had them too with men. But I think it does come down to a compromise and respectful tiredness about having to have things a certain way. I have given up some of my expectations about what a man can do for me. What I expect from him. Now if I meet a man I am not in a relationship with I tend to treat him the same as I do my husband. I flirt and joke, and they like that. I get along with men probably better than women. But I have to say that I wasn't always this way. My ex and I used to fight all the time. So part of it has to do with how each sex looks at each other. You aren't going to get respect from a woman that you do not treat with respect.

See Lord, this is where she is trying to pick it apart at. By making every post count as a specific incident and specific event, everything is a debate. This is the root of what I was saying.

This is also what seagrass is simliarly hinting to.

The frustration is correct Seagrass, it's all in perception. However your perception is that of your experiences and if you do not change your perception of what you as an individual expect from someone, then their ability to please you will not change either.

Men have testosterone. Women only have it when we are ovulating. We only get your uncomplicated bliss for a short time during the month. If we had more we would be hairy-er. I would take the hair if I had the choice. I envy your testosterone greatly.

Originally posted by seagrass
I would take the hair if I had the choice. I envy your testosterone greatly.

Yes, but would we? ..........but............ would............. we?

Originally posted by rapinbatsisaltherage
Not everyone is simple minded, many can handle in-depth debates.

He made a point in his post that I countered. There is nothing complicated about that.

Now you are making assumptions. Who is simple minded and stereotyping now?

I am posting an intellectual argument, not trying to offend you, seagrass, or any other women that frequent ATS. But it is increasingly evident that you are trying to "break it down" from the point I was making.

It doesn't matter whether you are right, or I am right, or whether the whole topic goes in circle for the next millenia. Seagrass, LordBaskettIV and myself all seem to agree that it is our perception of each other that divides us. It is our understanding of this division and the actions we take that bring us together, am I wrong on this?

Not talking biology, hormones, periods, or any other immaterial point to that matter, only that which we should understand.

Get along=be happy

/end

King

I think what Rap is trying to convey to you, if I may, is that not all women and not all men fall into certain categories. Each having the full spectrum of degrees and differences. That there are complicated men, and uncomplicated women and everything in between. Which is most likely true. But Women and Men are different in some cultural ways, and getting to the point of understanding each other takes time and experience, tolerance and compromise on both parts.

You have yet to name one thing male related that happens to all men. Women have periods, all women. The only thing all men get and have in common is an errection, or possibly wet dreams. Like the other poster said, i'll take the hair/testosterone/errections anyday over menstruation, why, it's less complicated.

EDIT TO ADD:

Things get bad when you expect the other to do "such and such", then all the sterotyping begins when they don't meet your hopes/expectations. And furthermore, you should already know someone quite well before getting into a serious relationship in the first place. How can someone let you down when you know how they will react due to time spent with them. I belive thats why courting worked so well, both parties got to know one another(past all the original physical attraction).

[edit on 17-7-2008 by LordBaskettIV]

Originally posted by Kingalbrect79

Originally posted by seagrass
I would take the hair if I had the choice. I envy your testosterone greatly.

Yes, but would we? ..........but............ would............. we?

If you can't handle the hair then when we are crabby and can't even explain why, (yet we are sure there is a good reason at the time) don't pick on us and understand that we can't help it.

Don't forget hair in our ears when we're older.

What kind of ****ing purpose is that supposed to serve can anyone tell me?

Lucky I'm still about 30 years off from it. I hope.

Originally posted by Kingalbrect79
Don't forget hair in our ears when we're older.

What kind of ****ing purpose is that supposed to serve can anyone tell me?

Lucky I'm still about 30 years off from it. I hope.

maybe when you are older, your senses become number, and you are less likely to feel the bugs go in your ears, and so the hair protects it? lmao. I dunno. It is kinda gross.

Personally, if anyone's opinion counts in this thread, it should be the starter, which has been conspicuously absent.

And yes Seagrass it's gross.

See? we have tradeoffs too.

Originally posted by Kingalbrect79

Originally posted by sc2099
No one is going to like it but I'm going to say it anyway. Stereotypes exist for a reason. People didn't pull the ideas for stereotypes out of thin air. Enough people in one group acted in such a way that eventually people thought everyone in that group acts that way.

Enough people in one group act.............Everyone in that group acts.
Um basically this makes you a product of your environment doesn't it?

No, if everyone in a particular group actually did behave in a certain fashion according to stereotypes, then we would be products of our environments.

Lots of people in a particular group act a certain way which is then observed and then replicated by more members of said group, which lead to stereotyping.

It is important to note that stereotypes are just as often self-applied as they are projected by people outside the group being identified.

double post

[edit on 7/17/2008 by sc2099]