I don’t think so!

I was going through a newspaper article by Brenda Brett on how women use 20,000 words to communicate in comparison to 7,000 by men. It didn’t state whether it was in a day or over lifetime, but on an average, women utilize (that’s a better word) 13,000 words more than our fellow men. One of the famous books written by Mr. John Gray: Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus; further points out the varying idiosyncrasies in man and woman. More about his book can be learned by following this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_Are_from_Mars,_Women_Are_from_Venus

The question that I want to pose is, Are Men and Women really from two different planets? Or are the differences between the two so much?” We have two ears but only one mouth, so that we may listen more and talk less.” My grandfather taught me this when I was a kid. According to him, I talk more and listen less. Not to mention that he said this with a “slight shake of the head” that meant I am doomed to be a chatter-box.

Certain areas that have pointed out the sleek distinction between men and women are: Obsession with shopping, Gossiping, Problem Solving and Obsession with looks. The reason I chose these four areas is because I have contrasting opinions against the already –held stereotyped beliefs.

Women are deemed as creature who love to shop, and at times land up becoming shopoholics. But not everybody loves to shop. I don’t like to shop. I dread the time I have to go shopping with my family. It’s the world’s most tiring thing. And if women don’t like to shop, they are either termed as tomboys or boring. This is not fair. Although everything in this whole wide world has exceptions. But that doesn’t mean a certain belief can be rubbed on one clan. Whereas, many of my guy friends love to shop. Now, what do we say about that? Oh yeah, they are termed as heterosexuals. Another thing that I fail to understand is the everyday invention of funny names. Like the one above. Do you think people actually remember all of it? Infact it’s a dread for people who are hypochondriac. Imagine a hypochondriac stressed out, because he thinks he is a shopoholics. I personally don’t believe that it’s just women who are crazy for shopping and not men. Well, the men might not be interested when the girls are shopping. And women aren’t the only one getting massages and pedicures done. David Beckham is as much concerned about his looks as Naomi Campbell

Women and gossiping go hand in hand. I agree with this one. Well, after all I need to justify the 20,000 word usage. Now, the reason why women talk so much is; we don’t want to leave anything, each and every minute detail counts. This might be pointless because this is deemed unnecessary by the guys. The want to come straight to the point, the scenery doesn’t matter to them. My computer broke down and I couldn’t come online for a week. The computer technician said he will come in a day or two. Typical monosyllabic-guy-conversation. He didn’t end up coming for almost another week, all because he had another important appointment. Now only if he had utilized 13,000 words more, I wouldn’t have been left seething with anger. But even with their 7,000 word limit guys can be marvelous. I was left in a company of seven guys and wow, they knew how to talk. Though everything they said sounded like rocket science. But after that experience there is no doubt in my mind that Guys Do Gossip.

In Mr. Gray’s book (Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus), he pointed out that men and women are very different when it comes to problem solving. The guys “retreat” and think the matter over and over again; until they come across a solution. Whereas, women need to talk it out to feel better. My friend Sylvia is exactly opposite. She can never talk out her problem. She has to go inside her cocoon and think of the solution inside her brain.

I attended a seminar that said that married couple after sometime start to behave similarly. That’s because they have been together for such a long time that they start to rub on each other. Now why don’t they have the differential pattern here?

Probably “Men and Women aren’t from Mars and Venus, but from earth.”