Much thanks to Slate for taking a hard look at claims in two recent books that "studies have proven that women are naturally more empathetic than men."
This hasn't been proven, actually. Hey, maybe someday--Borat's brother
has done some interesting research-- but it hasn't happened yet. I will
happily read any number of studies on gender differences in behavior
and attitudes and brain function and muffin consumption, whatever--it's
a fascinating and worthy area of inquiry! But please don't take a big
leap over the scientific method in order to make grand statements (I'm
looking at you, Louann Brizendine. I bought your book and you owe me
$$). So what's your favorite fake gender differences "fact"?
My favorite Fourth happened when I was a kid, and we decorated our bikes with streamers for a neighborhood bike parade. I worked so hard to cover every lovin' inch of that bike with red, white, and blue. I had cards in the spokes, braided the tassles on the handlebars, and I would have woven sparklers in the basket if only my Mom had said "yes". I remember feeling so proud of being part of something big, like a parade. I think we made a double lap around the parking lot of our town-house complex. What was your favorite Fourth?
As you've probably read, Leona Helmsley left $8 billion for the "welfare of dogs." The NY Times had some funny interviews today with dogs, soliciting their opinions on what to do with the money. My own rescue mutt was mum on the subject, but did wag his tail when I scratched his ears and told him I was glad he'd been taken to a "no-kill" shelter.
The NY Times Magazine reported this weekend on the struggles of European countries experiencing declining birthrates. To maintain a steady population, a country needs the average woman to bear 2.1 children. But lots of ladies, having delayed motherhood to spend a decade or so working, are not going ahead and having that second child. From an experts cited in the piece: "You might say that in order to promote fertility, your society needs to be generous or flexible. The U.S. isn’t very generous, but it is flexible." So unlike Italy or Greece, we don't have a low birthrate problem, because women can re-enter the job market after taking a few years off to stay home with young 'uns. Does this ring true to your own experience? How did you decide to go for baby #2? Or if you only have one, what could persuade you to do it again?
I figure that I have one wedding left to attend for my friends. Mainly because I have one, spectacular, single friend left. And I truly thought that this wedding would happen in the near future, because she's been with a guy that seemed to fit like peanut butter to our group's jelly. I even told my hair stylist about it, so that we might be able to plan a color/cut accordingly.
But the wedding which was never even on, is off. They broke up.
