Women and Men

[fuzzyoctopus]

So I've been wanting to create this thread for a while, and finally have a good topic to start with.   Keep in mind that this is a gross generalization by its very nature, and so obviously I'm stereotyping.  But just play along, 'cause it's fun.

My theory is that men (in general) are physically masochistic- enjoying rough dangerous sports and activities like football, rugby, rodeos, etc; and women are emotionally masochistic- enjoying sad movies, songs, books, things that make them cry.

Opinions?

(also, yes, Gemm, feel free to post some lyrics from the TMBG song if you want to get it out of your system.  Since I named the thread after the song on purpose, it's only fair.)

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Well, I wasn't going to, but since you asked.

I like watching the sports, not so much playing them. I'd have to say I'm more masochistically emotion than I am phsyical. So I have returned the enter key to under the desk of your topic.  

[fuzzyoctopus]

Yes, perhaps.  But it's not the same thing.  I can't stand watching people be blown up or ripped to shreds even on TV.  I don't see that as emotional involvement on the part of you.

There's a difference between watching someone be blown up, and between watching a movie where someone's spouse/child is slowing dying and the movie is about the emotional pain the person suffers.

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Oh, sissy movies. I got ya. That's right.

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Bringing with them messages of love
And every where they go love will grow
When you see the faces of the women
And the men, you too will know

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

I disagree, sport is not inherently masochistic... I like to hike and camp more than I like to play contact sports (with the exception of a good soccer match) and I dont think they are masochistic at all, ... laid back would be the best explanation, at the same time I get really into music especially Jazz these days and find music to be very emotionaly moving, in a way I might describe as masochistic.

Plenty of men dont like sport, (as can be evidenced by the hordes of fat men around this country) while plenty of women obsess about their appearence so much that abusing themselves at the gym and on diets is common.

Plenty of men go to chick flicks (or rent them, or watch them secretly on cable) Saint owns a copy of Steel Magnolias that he watches every time he feels the need to weep like a school girl.
I think the thing that women dont see about men is that they are very emotional. At the same time I think women are very physical.
Men make a point of not letting many people see their emotions while women hide their physical side a lot.

[Spriggan]

Plenty of men dont like sport, (as can be evidenced by the hordes of fat men around this country) .

 Umm Jeffe most men enjoy sports, some enjoy playing them others enjoy watching them.  Which is what I think Fuzzy is getting at.  Men like watching and/or playing sports.  While women don't.  

But I know just as many women that love watching football or some other sport.  And while they may not play football (at least it's not common for one reason or another), a lot of women enjoy basketball, basball, socer, volleyball ect.

I usealy find these arguments stupid becasue they're so sterotypical that they rely on men/women acted like 20 years ago and not today.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

I didn't say anything about watching, just playing
I guess I took Fuzzys statement as men being drawn to play masochistic sports rather than engage in emotional games.

[fuzzyoctopus]

I just want to hear opinions.

And Sprig you're probably right:  so the question then becomes WHY is the sterotype (whether it's 20 years old or not) that men enjoy things that can bring them physical pain and women enjoy things that bring emotional pain?

[Spriggan]

I know you didn't say anthing about watching sports, that's why I mentioned it.  I think you left out a very big part of what sports are now days.

[Spriggan]

I don;t know why it's that way fuzzy, except that it's just a cultural thing thats been passed down from gerneration to generation.  It is changeing though.  In that more women are willing to admit they like guy things.  Some men like watching chick flicks, but it's not growing as fast as women and sports/games ect.

[42]

Saying that men and women are different today than they were twenty years ago or even a thousand years ago is a bunch of bull.

Guess what, in the thousands of years of human history, the personalities and attittudes of men and women have really changed very little. Enviroments have changed but people haven't. If they did then almost book/story out there would be irrelavant.

I've always wanted to study the psychology of gender. It was thought that gender roles were taught. However, more recent studies in genders roles suggest that some aspects are inherent.

My favorite theory, is that women think along lines of caring, while men think along lines of justice. In other words, women (and girls) tend to lean towards thinking about individuals need and want, whereas men tend to think along lines of what the group or society wants or needs.

Now one thing to support your theory, Fuzzy, is that statisticly women tend to commit suicide by method of overdose or poison. Men tend to commit suicide through brutal violence like guns, knives or blunt objects.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Ok, now I will give an example of something I've had trouble understanding when it comes to men.  

The apartment complex I lived in 2.5  years ago was right next to a guys' apartment complex and there was a basketball court inbetween the two buildings.  One January, on a Thursday night we heard I went out to go do my laundry and saw that something was going on at the b-ball court.  What was happening was this.  

It was 15 degrees outside. There were 7 guys on the court, one of them wearing only a wrestling unitard.  He was bending over and the other guys were taking turns throwing tennis balls at his butt as hard as they could.  They did this for over half an hour.  When asked by the girls why they would do this, they said they were bored.

This is under the assumption that none of you would do/have done this, but that you might have an inkling as to why anyone would.  Girls would never do this.  Ever.  So, my question is, why would guys?

[42]

Men also tend to hold to gender roles a lot more fiercely than women do. In fact, women are given a lot more freedom in what they may participate than men. Course, biologically, women face some restrictions that men don't and vice versa.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Now one thing to support your theory, Fuzzy, is that statisticly women tend to commit suicide by method of overdose or poison. Men tend to commit suicide through brutal violence like guns, knives or blunt objects.

That is interesting.  I will remember that for future reference.