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Men, Women, and Courage

I caught the second half of this program on ABC:

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/Health/story?id=1150515&page=1

ABC set up hidden cameras and hired actors to perform several scenarios. One in which a nanny was being verbally abusive to a child under her care, one in which a man was being both verbally and physically abusive to his girlfriend, one in which a random person would be able to see a shoplifter, and one in which a woman was being verbally and physically abusive to her boyfriend. Long story short, the women were more likely to get involved. Apparently women are braver.

The study itself was interesting, but the conclusion is poor, or rather, the notion that men are any less brave. The question of why the men generally didn’t act wasn’t explored enough. A few weeks ago, I was in the car with a female friend of mine. We were at a 4 way stop and someone decided to take right of way, causing me to have to put on the brakes. It wasn’t a near accident. I had control over the car and stopped in plenty of time. My female companion decided she was less than happy and she gave the guy the finger.

Guys generally have to think more carefully in these sorts of situations. Why? Because we know that situations like this always have the potential for violence. Flipping someone off is the best way to incite road rage, and I can guarantee that I would have been the one dealing with the consequences of her actions. This isn’t to say that men are less violent, or prone to anger. Men are actually more violent, and easier to incite. The difference is in how men and women learn to deal with potentially violent situations.

Men are generally thinking something along the lines of “this could get physical. Do I really want to get into a fight with this person?” The pressures for men to avoid fights are even greater when guys are in groups because your friends are obligated to help you, no matter what. Guys who don’t learn to avoid fights are the ones that go to jail and the ones who may be getting their asses kicked a lot. I’m sure women don’t consider this as much, as I see them doing things that fewer men would do.

Anyway, I told the women in my car that the behavior was unacceptable, and I mentioned the guy on my favorite web community who was a victim of road rage. They shot at his van, and I believe the woman he was with lost part of her finger.

posted by SumThing @ 10:53 PM