COMMUNICATION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
There are times when I listen to my sister speak and the experience is often amazing; I can sometimes barely believe it.
Once my sister spoke so much until time literally froze; I thought I was watching a movie. It was like coming out of my body and watching as a bystander as she mumbled words and I kept asking myself ”Does she really believe I am listening to her right now?”
There are many differences in how men and women express themselves. I observe and conclude we share the same universe but we often don’t speak the same language. I’ll use today’s edition to delve into verbal and non-verbal cues and how differently they are perceived.
Primarily men don’t like it when women take their items and gift it to themselves as souvenirs unless of course, the man as serious intentions of marriage, for example. It doesn’t matter whether you are a friend or the girlfriend’s best friend, stay away from it ladies. Don’t do it. That is not your place.
Most of the problems we have in our relations are due to the differences in how we perceive words and actions across the gender divide. For example, men will meet after not having seen each other for 5 years and quickly rub shoulders, exchange a fist bump, contacts if need be and then it’s game over. In fact some men will simply wink the eye and nod the head to a peer and that’s it. You feel you have connected.
Women on the other hand, it is something else; a lot of screaming and jumping around, very long hugs and unnecessary yet lengthy conversations till you wonder; “What was the Creator thinking when he made us this different?” That said, I guess it’s our differences that spice up our lives and help us get along.
Then we get to the question of driving. Oh dear. Ask any man what it feels like to drive and have your wife as co-driver especially if she is full of ideas on how to manouvre traffic and perhaps for good measure, even suggesting that perhaps her husband is inexperienced on the road. For us me, we only keep quiet because we love our women but if it were possible to read a man’s thoughts then, most ladies would think thrice before ever becoming a driving instructor.
Then there is the question of women expecting you to be able to read their thoughts like a magician. You know when you’ve had a good day (or so you think), but are then greeted by the cold silence. When you question them, this simply adds fuel to the fire as she retorts “How can you know not know why I am angry?” For us men, you’re angry, you just put everything on the table and speak with the perpetrator. That said, we also have a childish weakness which is about giving them the silent treatment. For some reason, we think it gives us power.
All in all though we love our women, though sometimes we starve them by perhaps, not complimenting them enough but we love them nonetheless. So, until we meet again. Welcome to a man’s world. From Mitchell Odhiambo. To get a female perspective on this topic, please click link to read my colleague Marilynne Kiptoo’s views – http://goo.gl/TgAIZl
