In my recent debates, concerning traits of men vs. traits of women, I've run into what I think is a misconception about what I've been arguing. It seems to me that, once I've made the claim that men (or women) generally act in a certain manner, a counter-argument is presented that so-and-so does not act in such a manner, or that certain historical figures have not acted in such a manner and, as such, my claim is thereby invalidated. Perhaps I'm oversimplifying the counter-argument, but I think the gist of what I'm stating applies.
Yet I am not stating that there are not anomalous situations or persons, nor am I stating that, if one is a male (or female), one must act, or not act, in a certain manner. I am also not stating that males (or females) cannot ascertain or express themselves in the manners typically attributed to those of the opposite sex. In fact, I would argue that each sex has the responsibility to understand how the other thinks. (side note: Bonnie, you're claim that our attitudes towards male and female roles are culturally driven could itself be attributed to culture, could it not? In other words, how is it that you are able to analyze the situation supposedly from outside the realm in which you claim it was created?)
Be that as it may (and at the risk of riling up Sara & Bonnie), what follows is my pragmatic attempt at illustrating my argument:
Pictured below are an on-off switch and a dimmer switch. The on-off switch, when connected in an electrical circuit, either turns the apparatus (in this case, a light) on or turns it off. There is no in between. The dimmer switch, however, not only has the capacity to switch the apparatus on or off, but it can regulate the amount of electricity coursing through the apparatus. Hence, for a light, you can adjust the amount of light it emits by adjusting the dimmer switch.
Here is the analog I am arguing for:
Men and women, as part of their physiological makeup, are not wired with on-off switches insomuch as they can only demonstrate one trait or the other. Such analysis does not comport with real life and, to reiterate, it is not what I am advocating (although it sometimes seems to be what I'm accused of advocating).
Men and women, while distinct in their gender, are still human beings, and our physiological makeup is akin to being wired with dimmer switches in that we have the ability to demonstrate varying degrees of what we typically describe as male or female traits. Keep in mind, however, that because we are distinct in gender, we will generally demonstrate characteristics, in varying degrees, according to said genders.
The mere fact that a woman can be pragmatic does not invalidate what I am proposing any more than the fact that a man can be understanding. I'm not stating that men or women must operate within absolutes (i.e., on-off switch), but that their tendencies demonstrate characteristics within general parameters (i.e., dimmer switch). As I've posited elsewhere, take a large sampling of males and I would bet that the overwhelming majority would tend towards the typical male characteristics (with the same result occurring on a large sampling of females).
Thus ends the Argument from Home Depot (a decidedly male bastion, btw).
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