The Oath of Women's School - "Let Men Think That . . . ."

[Silverbirch]

Has anyone heard of this? It's mentioned in a book I'm reading atm (written by a man).

[lanaa]

no never,what is that about?

[Silverbirch]

It's a pretty funny book Lanaa, supposedly written for men, called "Everything I Know About Women I Learned From My Tractor." It's written by a guy from Nebraska who supposedly restores vintage tractors, but when I read parts of the book, I ascertained that he actually studied anthropology at university. It's probably more informative for women about men than it is for men about women although some of the stuff, little things really do seem to hit the nail on the head. He's (Roger Welsch) is very politically incorrect, stereotyped and old-school, but to me at least, very likeable and funny. He claims that all women go to Secret Women's School to learn to become women - some meetings are held in Ladies Rooms. He claims that when he was holding a conversation with a woman, one of them let the cat out of the bag with the statement that "Women let men think that . . . . " I can just imagine him and her. He was likely being very patronising and arrogant in a teasing way. I think it means that most women who are smart in a particular type of way, let men think that certain ideas, (things that the women wants them to do) are the idea of the man. Basically, a woman can do pretty much what she really wants if she encourages the man to think whatever he needs to think to not make waves. Not to be taken too seriously. Still, I think I know women who do that - not just to men or by men. It happens in workplace but I heard it said as "You can achieve whatever you want as long as you let the other person believe it was their idea."

[agent1607307371]

I've heard of "Let men think that" but I've never heard of Women's School.

 

It's just another form of interpersonal politics. When you want to do something but someone is in your way so you manipulate them into having the idea to do something...

[Silverbirch]

Yes Agent, he says all women are like that though I think he means some women do and he enjoys having women bite back at him over his comments. The book was first written 10 years ago, but still popular - he has a whole heap of books which are basically social commentary,and commentary on sexual politics where he presents himself as a simple country old guy.

[Batya33]

Yes - he found a niche for himself to make money by recasting tired old generalizations and stereotypes in a new format. Talk about manipulative ;-). Just going by your description. My mother said some of the same things to me -tongue in cheek - probably 25 years ago -she probably heard it from her mother!

[Seraphim]

The thing is men and women do not use the same thought processes in a lot of ways. What is scary is people insisting we are the "same" when it is plainly obvious we are completely different genders and different hormones affect the brain differently and it is well documented and yet people still try to insist we are the "same." I am not getting that.

[Silverbirch]

Well, I think he does hit the nail on the head with a lot of his observations on the differences in styles of communication and interpretations of men and women. Yep, a lot of it is sexist stereotype, but for a lot of people still true. He's sure to offend some people, but he does make me laugh.

 

Yes Victoria, he does write a LOT about the differences in thoughts too.

 

LOL Bataya, yes I think you are right too.

[Seraphim]

Well, I think he does hit the nail on the head with a lot of his observations on the differences in styles of communication and interpretations of men and women. Yep, a lot of it is sexist stereotype, but for a lot of people still true. He's sure to offend some people, but he does make me laugh.

 

Yes Victoria, he does write a LOT about the differences in thoughts too.

 

LOL Bataya, yes I think you are right too.

 

But it is true. Our thought processes ARE different. I am not sure what is sexist about that. It just IS. I mean we are equal in that we are all human beings and we SHOULD be equal in opportunity but women are NEVER going to be a MAN and why would they want to be???? What is wrong with being different genders???

[agent1607307371]

The problem for me is that he thinks all women think the same too. I accept gender differences, the problem is when people don't allow for difference within the genders.

 

All women don't think alike, all men don't think alike.

[Silverbirch]

Here's one excerpt. I swear I have never done anything like this, but would know a heap of women who would.

 

"Because the male auditory system is not at all the same as the female's, a woman may say something you may not hear or immediately detect the importance of. For example, when she asks you, "Are you going to wear those shoes to the party?", she is not really asking you if those are the shoes you are going to wear to the party. Believe me, that's not what she's saying."

 

I had never even thought about this sort of thing, and co-incidentally, current man said to me a few weeks ago, that he thought it was pathetic that most of the men where he used to work were "dressed by their wives". He saw that as "mothering" and I guess it is. He said you can tell most married men right off by the way they are dressed because their wives buy their clothes.

[Seraphim]

I dunno, my husband defers to me when it comes to clothes of any style because he knows his sense of style extends to a T shirt a pair of shorts and a baseball cap. He was raised by a dad who had the same brown suit for 30 years if not longer. So he knows he was raised with no sense of style and he knows I was so he would rather not look like a fool.......lol.

[Silverbirch]

The problem for me is that he thinks all women think the same too. I accept gender differences, the problem is when people don't allow for difference within the genders.

 

All women don't think alike, all men don't think alike.

 

Hi Agent,

I actually suspect his a REALLY smart guy who knows that not all women are the same, but it's his way of writing about the things that a lot of women do which can irk men, and he makes a lot of his points in a sort of manipulative way. I'm wondering if some of the books are covertly written more for women. I bought this book as a joke present for my current man for his upcoming birthday because I thought it had some info in it about tractors, but it hasn't got much tractor info in it at all.

[Seraphim]

Hi Agent,

I actually suspect his a REALLY smart guy who knows that not all women are the same, but it's his way of writing about the things that a lot of women do which can irk men, and he makes a lot of his points in a sort of manipulative way. I'm wondering if some of the books are covertly written more for women. I bought this book as a joke present for my current man for his upcoming birthday because I thought it had some info in it about tractors, but it hasn't got much tractor info in it at all.

 

I think the way the two sexes communicate DOES irk the other at times and this is just life and we work around it.

[Silverbirch]

LOL, I'm sitting up in bed in tears of laughter. I'll tell you why in a min. Flicking through this, I gotta find out who this guy really is. He's some sort of university lecturer. Anyway, one of the last chapters touches on something I had been a bit disappointed about with current man - not a big deal really - but what Roger Welsch writes about it now,it makes better sense to me, and I'm not a bit worried. The chapter is called: "A Friendly Guide for Women Trying to Get a Man To Go To A Movie". (Current man has no interest in movies whatsoever - except for the occasional James Bond, Clint Eastwood and his favourite movie is "Terminator") Now, I get it. I'm going to start up movie nights with my girlfriends.

 

Anyway, one of his chapters is advice to men on selecting women for marriage, and I admit that I would score VERY poorly in this test by Rog.

[Seraphim]

Hahahahaha my husband watches two classes of genre, War and Comedy, if it is not those two he is whining like a little girl because he does not want to watch it.

[Silverbirch]

"About the most you can say about a woman's hair is that it is pretty and smells good. . . Open the medicine cabinet only if you are a strong man and are really, seriously considering this woman for a mate. If the mediations and ministrations for her hair weren't complicated and disturbing enough, wait until you open up that medicine chest! There are cures there for medical problems you had no idea existed, . . . .If there was ever a case for don't ask. don't tell, this is it. Thing is, if you team up with this woman, that stuff is going to be in your bathroom medicine chest - or more precisely, what used to be your bathroom medicine chest. My advice is get yourself an outhouse, a tin basin, and a bucket. Put a shelf in the privy to hold your deodorant, razor and toothbrush and a curry comb. Abandon what was once yours. Declare it a male-free zone. Believe me, my friend, you don't want to go back in there again."

 

YES, I HAVE TAKEN OVER BATHROOMS IN THE PAST. CURRENT MAN HAS TOLD ME THAT IF WANT TO LIVE IN HIS HOME WITH HIM, I CAN CLAIM WHICHEVER OF THE TWO BATHROOMS I WOULD LIKE.

[Silverbirch]

Victoria, or anyone who has been to either Men's or Women's School - wonder what you think. He's asked me to shop for some clothes for him. He's paying and told me specifically what he wants. I did make a suggestion, but said "Of course, your choice, just a suggestion." He said to get both items. Then last night, he rang and asked me if I would help him select a new refrigerator. I just burst out laughing and told him I thought he'd know more about fridges than I would. He said he thought input from a woman might be a good idea. ***. They say women are always changing their minds about things. Anyway, I told him I was very happy with my own refrigerator which is a one person fridge. He immediately said that he plans on getting a much larger one. I agreed that is a good idea on account of him eating more than I do.