thecelebritycafe.com: Review - Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps

Original Article

Men and women, explained.

Have you ever wondered why your boyfriend doesn’t talk about his feelings or can’t seem to find anything in the fridge? Have you asked yourself more than once why your wife never shuts up and just can’t find her way on a map? Are you puzzled why you and your partner apparently approach the simplest things in a totally different way?

Happily married couple Allan and Barbara Pease try to answer those and other questions in their self help-meets-science publication “Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps”. In the same vein as “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus,” their basic assumption is that men and women are fundamentally different. They reportedly spent seven years collecting research, conducting interviews and developing their ideas. The concepts and arguments of “Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps” are based on recent findings in brain and social research.

The title already says it: The authors argue that typical “male” and “female” behaviors and skills are based on physiological differences and are therefore innate. This starts with spatial sense (men are better) and field of vision (men have tunnel vision) and ends at the basic way we hear what the other says (women see talking as a way of relating to others, while men think women are giving them a problem to solve).

The most obvious pitfall of writing a book like this is being conceived as sexist. The authors address this right at the beginning: They see science on their side. They also emphasize that they are always talking about the average man/woman and acknowledge that every individual is on a different point of a spectrum with the so-called male brain on one end, the female on the other.

“Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps” is the epitome of popular science. Whoever expects anything else obviously hasn’t really read the title of the book. Yes, it is based on scientific research, but the wording is extremely simplified and obviously aimed at everyman.

The book is total infotainment and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. But everyone who has ever had a fight with their significant other can’t help but smirk at some of the statements.