The Nature of Men and Women, The X and Y Factor, or I Didn’t Say it was your Fault, I Said I was Going to Blame You
by
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This book hopes to offer a plethora of information about the nature of men and women. It is written in a humorous and semi-scientific way so anyone can both learn and laugh at the same time.
On January 27, one billion years BCE sex began. (Actually, the exact date is hard to pinpoint so give or take a few million years, January 27, one billion years BCE is close enough.) The default sex was female; that is why men have nipples. 300 million years ago (again plus or minus a few million years) the ‘Y’ chromosome appeared, thus ushering in the wonder that we call male. Not long after that, the mating dance began and males and females established their roles in nature. 35,000 years ago modern humans took the stage bringing with them those inherited roles. Today, the Bettys and Bobs, the Marios and Marias, the Lars and Hannahs of the world still embrace the mating dance with the added features of emotions like love, romance, humor, and sometimes commitment.
The behaviors of the human male and the human female are affected by millions of years of an-imal evolution. We can see common behaviors of males throughout the animal kingdom. The same is true of females. It is not a coincidence that a male lion and male human expect the females to wait on them, bring them dinner, and take care of the kids. It is not a coincidence that male peacock and hu-man males like to ‘strut their stuff’ in front of females. It is not a coincidence that human females like to ‘feather’ their nests. With thousands of common behaviors exhibited by both males and females along the ancestral tree of humans, common links must be acknowledged. Therefore, we will look at how the inherited genetic make-up of males and females affect the behavior of the Bobs and Bettys of today’s world.
There is a joke I enjoy, men enjoy, and even women nod their heads in agreement with the mes-sage. There are many versions of this joke and thus add credibility to its message. A man, while walk-ing along the beach, stubs his toe on something in the sand. He picks it up and brushes off the sand. It is a magic lamp, so upon brushing it, a genie pops out. However, it is an old genie. He has a long grey beard and is stooped over. “Wow," he says, “I have been stuck in that lamp for centuries. I am feeling very old and quite weak but if you have a moderate wish, I may be able to grant it for you”. The man says, “I am a civil engineer. I have built roads and bridges my whole life. I would like to have a mo-nument to my career. I wish I could build a road to Hawaii”. The genie drops his head, slumps his shoulders and says, “Come on man, I said a moderate wish. Give me a break, I am weak. Surely there is something else you might wish for”. “Well, there is one other thing on my mind. It is women. I say one thing and they hear something else. They say something and I always misunderstand. I do not get them. I wish I could understand women”. The genie looks at him, slumps even more and says, “So, is that a two lane or a four lane bridge?”
This mating dance is confusing, frustrating, and sometimes dangerous for men and women alike. Try as they might, the Bobs and Bettys struggle to understand the natural habits of the opposite sex.
While understanding the opposite sex does not guarantee a ‘happily ever after’ it is the first step toward successful love and mate selection. Offered in this book are guide lines, helpful quizzes, and easy to use check lists that will help you navigate the minefield of love and marriage. The ‘guy thing’ is an important aspect of males. Ladies, your happiness may depend on understanding the ‘guy thing’. The reverse is also true; men, catching a glimpse into the female mystique may relieve masculine fru-stration.
Find out what ‘love’ is in chapter 11. Visit the husband store and 17 pages of useful hints to ‘finding a mate’ in Chapter 12. See how nature and nurture play with your feelings in chapter 7. Men and wom-en are humorously defined both biologically and socially in chapters 9 and 10. Chapter 14 includes an easy, fail-safe check list to a successful marriage. You need a sense of humor or an endless sense of compassion to compete in the human mating dance. Reading this book will give valuable insights to the nature of men and women.
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About the Book
This book is a humorous, semi-scientific guide to understanding the nature of men and women. It is a helpful source for navigating the ins and outs of interactions with the opposite sex. The book starts with the beginning of sex, goes through nature and nurture to a description of men and women, and finally, to marriage and beyond. You will find checklists, quizzes, and a road map through the perils and pleasures of finding a mate. Included are interesting facts, figures, and advice from poets, writers, and romance experts. Whether you are twenty or fifty, you will find this book a wonderful resource for the affairs of the heart.
John West has hit a perfect bullseye with this book. It will have you laughing as you discover what makes relationships work or falter in the complicated dance of romance. I wish I had read it before stepping into various relationships. West thoughtfully describes the inner workings of our brains, the hormonal and cultural influences that make us who we are, and how all that plays a major role when we try to engage with others. If you think it isn't possible to find the perfect mate, read this book, it makes you realize the type of person you are best suited for and helps you understand the changes you need to make to be a perfect partner.
Cynthia L. Griswold, RN, MSN, FNP
This book should be on all book shelves. It is scientific, it is insightful, and it is hilarious. John West captures the essence of being male and female in this modern world. He explains our habits and idiosyncratic behavior in easy to understand chapters but brings you to tears with his insightfulness. I cannot recommend this tome highly enough, an excellent read. Best book on the sexes I have encountered. You are learning as well as being entertained. A must read, helpful for all marriages. Superb understanding of science and human nature. You will never view the opposite sex the same after reading this book. A bloody good read.
John Brownsberger
Academic Advisor and professor
Charles Stuart University
New South Wales
Australia
About the Author
John West grew up in Santa Monica, California. He graduated from California State University in Long Beach, California, with a major in biology, a major in physical education, a minor in physical science, and a lifetime standard-teaching credential. He taught science for thirty-three years and retired in 2001. Keeping current in biology and advances in science has enabled John to give a semiscientific bent to his humor. He has also written a child's book titled Being Three and recorded a CD of original cowboy poetry.
John lived six months on Bainbridge Island, Washington, and six months in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is married to Valerie and has two children and five grandsons.