I'm sure Janice didn't mean it by her harmless comment too. I have heard that many times and laughed about it. It was when there was a sweeping generalization about girls and boys where I went "whoa! That kinda scares me!"

I stand by the fact that many of the things we attribute as "instinctive" are, in fact, learned and there's a pre-disposition to think that boys are just happy with everything and girls are "difficult" and so if a girl raises a fuss about anything, it's just seen as stereotypical behavior. Maybe if the girl was taught some of the things the boys are, there wouldn't be any "stomping away".

Parents teach their boys to be "little men" and girls to be "little ladies". If a little boy cries, he's pretty much told by the parents this is unacceptable, and if a little girl cries, well, she's just being a difficult little girl and you just deal with the "difficult" little girl.

Isn't it the stereotype that the guy needs more "alone time" and the woman is always "needy"? If anyone takes the time to actually sit and talk for a while to these "happy" little boys, they may be surprised to find they have learned to suppress any unhappiness they may feel.

I"m not saying men and women aren't different. I understand about the hormones. I'm just saying I've talked to a lot of gay men and they all say that anything even vaguely un-manly was perceived as bad and the parents tried to stomp it out of them. Same with gay women exhibiting male characteristics. Much like on AI, they're told to get back in their box and stop scaring mom and dad.

Um, I'm talking about little boys who are 2 and 3. I don't think I am going to sit down and discuss with them about the reason they "seem" happy and what they are surpressing Lord this got out of hand.

I took Janice's quote to mean the opposite of what FC is saying, as in girls are smart and capable of complex thought and guys are just mindless and shallow.

You think doggies are mindless and shallow??!!

Aww come on! How many dogs have you had a good conversation about Proust or Wittgenstein with???

I mean Proustian thoughts, and Wittgensteinian ideas are at the core of what we discuss here.

[[see? my new avatar looks like somebody who would talk like that. The image is already rubbing off on my current self]]

Whoa! When I read what GE wrote I thought it was really funny and it brought to mind what my friend said. We laughed about it when she said it, as did the males who were there and heard it. No one was offended, read anything into it or took exception to it. It was simply an amusing comment. IMO there is some truth to it in that generally speaking, guys don't spend time analyzing and agonizing over things to death or looking for hidden meanings or exceptions nearly as much as females. I think there have been a few studies on that and it seems to be a popular subject in women's magazines, where it is discussed ad nauseum.

Oh Janice, it's totally not your fault. I've heard that too. Probably even said it myself, but meant it more in the way frazz said (men = mmmm sex good, food good, BOOBIES! and women are like ""I need to impress him with my knowledge of Proust and Wittgenstein", not in the "women are difficult and guys are easy-going" way. I got my hackles up and, well, we all know what happens when them hackles get up. My mouth (or, you know, my keyboard) shoots off in a million different directions. I'm a master debater! No worries, chica!

OK, now for something to LAUGH AT in the MAKE ME LAUGH thread! I didn't put this here at first because I didn't want to offend anyone, then I realized that I do that anyway just being me, so what the hell! An awesome MADTV sketch. I had to put it here because of the discussion about weight in the other thread and my own battle with my mid-section.

Eat Less, Move More

Hi Janice, I enjoyed your post!

I believe that it really is true that more women than men think about things (for instance, consequences of doing things like cheating on a spouse, or general injustices of everyday life) and more men than women just do what they feel like because it feels good, and expect to be allowed to do wehatever they want because they are so loveable.

Your post was not offesive to me, at all.

The interpretation that is often put forth in the world (mostly America) that women more than men, and girls more than boys, are complainers, backstabbers and unpleasant offends me somewhat, but I do view it as a challenge to contribute to breaking that stereotype.

FC is my target. I am gonna hammer that cutie pie until she gets it that girls are really cool.

No girl-bashing implication was in your post.