There often seems to be an insurmountable chasm between the emotional understandings of a man and woman. But it is my belief that the distance between men and women’s emotional understandings of each other is far from cursed, though many of us have become jaded and feel that to be the case. In my experience, the biggest problems arises primarily because of a failure to listen; not just hear some words yapping about, but to listen, take-in and understand someone else’s perspective. My experience, or either that, dictates that unnecessary controversy based on either of those things creates a failure to accept that there is a difference between acting in self-interest and being selfish. Since I’m a man, keep in mind that I think from a man’s perspective. Also, rather than getting annoyed at something I write and thinking to yourself: “that’s not true…this guy is an idiot,” remember a couple of things:

1) Everyone is an individual, and I’ll be speaking in broad generalizations, so I would like to point out that I am aware that there are people who can prove each and every stereotype and generalization wrong. Lets be adults and look at the broad trends. Many of the things I write will appear adamant, but realize I understand that people aren’t so easily classified. But also realize it has been my experience that people aren’t so different, and it’s possible that the majority of people are relatively easy to classify.

2) I’ve never been married and have no children. So my perspective will not contain first-hand knowledge of the intricacies of either of those parts of life. If or when I speak of marriage and children, it comes from the experience of being raised by parents who have been married over 30 years (fortunately they are still living and together), and at one time being a child (pretty good childhood too). There’s no need to point out that I don’t know what it’s like to be in married life.

3) I’m going to assume everyone who reads this is capable of sophisticated thought. Although I hate it when people beat you over the head with their education, I also hate it when people dumb things down just for the sake of speaking to a broader audience. I think it often dilutes the message and it’s a subtle insult to people’s ability to think for themselves. I’m going off the assumption that everyone who reads this is intelligent. So for God’s sake, don’t put me in a box because something I said has a less than pleasing logical conclusion way down the line. I understand that I don’t “know everything.”

4) Although there are political, social, religious and other factors influencing love and relationships, REMEMBER: the issue here is men and women’s misunderstandings of each other. All my writings will be grounded in that issue, so ascribing all kinds of periphery issues to what I’m writing and getting lost in those issues will make reading any of this pointless. I’m only speaking of men and women in general, don’t get lost in peripheral issues.

5) MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: obviously this is “just my opinion.” Please be intelligent. I’m aware that there will be logical conclusions incompatible with some of my views and there may be possible hypocrisies, that’s life. I’m not going to preface everything I write with: “this is just my opinion…but…” That’s just plain retarded. See remember a couple of things #3 to understand why.

6) FINALLY: enjoy and have fun with some of these things. You or I might learn something from it. Probably me.