Brainy Women Can't Find Dates?
Let's try something a bit controversial, especially after we talked about Pride & Prejudice...
Do brainy women have hard times finding dates?
Some of my thoughts on the "alpha women" -- you know, the types you see on the Apprentice:
Why would a man, after a long day at work dealing with aggravating personalities, want to come home to an alpha woman who treats him like he's beneathe her? And why would a woman, after a long day at work dealing with aggravating personalities, want to come home to be treated like a little woman by an alpha man?
It's not to say beautiful, successful women all have attitude problems. But men do get intimated, because of the perceived problems with dating a woman like that -- first, she's beautiful, so unless I'm equally gorgeous, I'm not worthy or I'm going to have a lot of competition; second, if she's also successful, then I'd feel inferior to her unless I'm also very successful.
But when a man is both handsome and successful, he probably doesn't have problem getting dates... Interesting, isn't it?
Our society seems to have a double standard. When the man is the bread-winner and he's smart and successful and the woman is just a backdrop to his glory -- the supportive wife behind a successful man -- all is well. But if the table is turned (say, Hilary Clinton or Martha Stewart), then the woman is viewed as a bitch, a siren, a man eater... etc. etc. At that level of cultural consciousness, I think it's very difficult to change people's minds.
Thus this advice from mothers, no matter how sexist and misogynist it sounds: If you want to catch a man, dumb it down. And NEVER correct his grammar.
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Do brainy women have hard times finding dates?
Some of my thoughts on the "alpha women" -- you know, the types you see on the Apprentice:
Why would a man, after a long day at work dealing with aggravating personalities, want to come home to an alpha woman who treats him like he's beneathe her? And why would a woman, after a long day at work dealing with aggravating personalities, want to come home to be treated like a little woman by an alpha man?
It's not to say beautiful, successful women all have attitude problems. But men do get intimated, because of the perceived problems with dating a woman like that -- first, she's beautiful, so unless I'm equally gorgeous, I'm not worthy or I'm going to have a lot of competition; second, if she's also successful, then I'd feel inferior to her unless I'm also very successful.
But when a man is both handsome and successful, he probably doesn't have problem getting dates... Interesting, isn't it?
Our society seems to have a double standard. When the man is the bread-winner and he's smart and successful and the woman is just a backdrop to his glory -- the supportive wife behind a successful man -- all is well. But if the table is turned (say, Hilary Clinton or Martha Stewart), then the woman is viewed as a bitch, a siren, a man eater... etc. etc. At that level of cultural consciousness, I think it's very difficult to change people's minds.
Thus this advice from mothers, no matter how sexist and misogynist it sounds: If you want to catch a man, dumb it down. And NEVER correct his grammar.
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Comments
I'd rather be alone than lie forever, I guess.
Maybe some women keep looking for the wrong kind of men and that's why they're having trouble. *shrug*
Me, my SO is 13 years younger and brilliant. My advice to these gals, find a youngster and train him. *grin*
Here it is:
My idea is that people should just be themselves. Forget about the pretense. It might work during dating but eventually, when the curtains are drawn open, someone's going to be surprised by the wizard...