Thanks for a great article. It reminds me a bit of the findings of the social linguist Deborah Tannen, who went on to get a PhD and the difference between the way men and women talk and communicate from Kindergarten, after going through a painful divorce that she herself suggested may have been preventable if she had known what she knows now. One of her main points is that women generally function with community and the rapport sharing -- exclusion/inclusion is the dominating organizational structure. Men function by hierarchy. 5 year olds are already working on this. Had me thinking that a lot of things that have changed in our society in recent years is a shift from male-dominated social mores to female dominated social mores (especially in the public policing of speech) and how there are ways that this is not sustainable.
As someone who grew up with older male cousins who were a mystery, a dad who was involved in Boy Scouts (that seemed way more fun than Girl Scouts), and local girls who were always a bit scary because of their willingness to be mean…this was great. I have only four boys and am frequently satisfied with that. Perhaps i should have wanted a daughter more (and that may intensify as my sons move into their own queendoms), but boys make more sense to me. I can never quite tell what the motivation is of the women around me and being a nurse makes it worse. All the bosses are female and will smile and smile at you and then write a bad evaluation. It’s weird. But thanks for this article. My current 15 year old fits the “male respect” mode to a T. Sharing with my boys.
To your point about Christ embodying both aspects: The reality of Christ demonstrates that the inclinations of men and women are, alone, incomplete. The Mathematician and the Rhetorician need each other to reach for more complete understanding of reality, just as men and women need each other.
This was a lovely little article; thank you for writing it.
One of, if not the most insighful essay on the topic in recent times. Thank you
I'm honored, Patrick! Thank you!
Thanks for a great article. It reminds me a bit of the findings of the social linguist Deborah Tannen, who went on to get a PhD and the difference between the way men and women talk and communicate from Kindergarten, after going through a painful divorce that she herself suggested may have been preventable if she had known what she knows now. One of her main points is that women generally function with community and the rapport sharing -- exclusion/inclusion is the dominating organizational structure. Men function by hierarchy. 5 year olds are already working on this. Had me thinking that a lot of things that have changed in our society in recent years is a shift from male-dominated social mores to female dominated social mores (especially in the public policing of speech) and how there are ways that this is not sustainable.
This was eye opening to me and logical , thank you
Beautifully articulated.
As someone who grew up with older male cousins who were a mystery, a dad who was involved in Boy Scouts (that seemed way more fun than Girl Scouts), and local girls who were always a bit scary because of their willingness to be mean…this was great. I have only four boys and am frequently satisfied with that. Perhaps i should have wanted a daughter more (and that may intensify as my sons move into their own queendoms), but boys make more sense to me. I can never quite tell what the motivation is of the women around me and being a nurse makes it worse. All the bosses are female and will smile and smile at you and then write a bad evaluation. It’s weird. But thanks for this article. My current 15 year old fits the “male respect” mode to a T. Sharing with my boys.
To your point about Christ embodying both aspects: The reality of Christ demonstrates that the inclinations of men and women are, alone, incomplete. The Mathematician and the Rhetorician need each other to reach for more complete understanding of reality, just as men and women need each other.
This was a lovely little article; thank you for writing it.