Thursday, August 12, 2010

wherein i theorize

I confess...I have a lot of theories. Many of these are based on generalizations and this requires a chat with the PC side of my brain. I think that generalizations can be quite useful, as long as they are confined to the right use. Men are, in general, taller than women. That doesn't mean that Sally can't be taller than Bobby. Generalizations are about groups, not individuals. Okay, now that I'm through with that...

Among my many theories are some about men, women and evolution. One that I'll frequently call up is the generalization that women are better multi-taskers while men tend to sharply focus on one task. This seems a well-developed response to evolutionary roles. Women tended the home fires, raised the kids, grew the garden, etc. Being able to multi-task was a necessity. On the other hand, men were the hunters. It helped to focus on one goal, one beast to slay, and not get distracted by the sidelines. It also helped for men to have a keen sense of direction so they could get home after following said beast.

Another generalization has women bonding over emotions and men over sports. It probably helped women to be able to share tips on child-rearing, gardening, and keeping the hearth. Likewise, it helped men to have a companion to help in the hunt....a team is better equipped to capture that buffalo...and the physicality and goal-focused nature of hunting closely mirrors sport.

Evolutionary impulses also make sense in the world of attraction. It isn't to my own benefit, but it makes sense that men are attracted to curves. Breasts and the curve of a hip help distinguish women from girls, fertility from childhood. Hence even skinny models tend to be well-endowed. Maybe they also require less food...though I think skinny-as-attractive (skinny beyond healthy) is societally taught, not evolutionary. There are studies on women's preferences changing throughout their cycles and I believe these often find that more masculine/testosterone-driven features are favored by fertile women. It also makes sense that women would be attracted to strength...a sign the man can defend the home from bad beasts and slay tasty ones.

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