Novelist's Empathy

[LadyVer]

He caught me off-guard, I guess, with the "typical females". That and his (earlier in the same thread) "all women like being pregnant" or similar line. That's a new one to me: try asking women if they like being pregnant in the 8th or 9th month and see what answers you get. Mine would be, "get this little parasite outta here NOW! yesterday would be even better!" If he'd said that all women like getting pregnant, that might be closer to the truth.

I never liked being pregnant. It felt like having radiation for 9 long, tortuous months. I don't think all women like getting pregnant either as birth control is not full-proof. Just sayin.

I think JBJ and I are mutually ignoring one another now. It makes things easier.

___________________
Interesting comments on an interesting thread.

 

[sr71plt]

He caught me off-guard, I guess, with the "typical females". That and his (earlier in the same thread) "all women like being pregnant" or similar line. That's a new one to me: try asking women if they like being pregnant in the 8th or 9th month and see what answers you get. Mine would be, "get this little parasite outta here NOW! yesterday would be even better!" If he'd said that all women like getting pregnant, that might be closer to the truth.

Most the time he just wants to get a rise out of folks.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

He caught me off-guard, I guess, with the "typical females". That and his (earlier in the same thread) "all women like being pregnant" or similar line. That's a new one to me: try asking women if they like being pregnant in the 8th or 9th month and see what answers you get. Mine would be, "get this little parasite outta here NOW! yesterday would be even better!" If he'd said that all women like getting pregnant, that might be closer to the truth.

Youre another poster who asserts the exception as the rule.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I never liked being pregnant. It felt like having radiation for 9 long, tortuous months. I don't think all women like getting pregnant either as birth control is not full-proof. Just sayin.

I think JBJ and I are mutually ignoring one another now. It makes things easier.

___________________
Interesting comments on an interesting thread.

You pretty much never pop-up in my brain, is how I experience you.

 

[LadyVer]

You pretty much never pop-up in my brain, is how I experience you.

Am I supposed to care? Now roll back to your cave like a good boy.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Don't you dare stop now - I'm waiting to see which one of you turns out to be the Alpha, side with him but fuck the betas behind his back
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BjgenX5Nf9c/UnZzb-Q5z2I/AAAAAAAAiO4/P_58JOupn0Y/s1600/boy+peeing.jpg

I love that "sneaky fucker strategy" is a recognised biological term.

One variation is the boy squid who pretend to be ladies to get past the big male squid and mate with the ladies... who turn out to prefer them to the big butch dudes.

But I think Oglaf sums it up pretty well: "Don't treat actual animal behaviour like a fable. Animals have no interest in teaching you anything."

 

[oggbashan]

I don't know if this question has been asked before, so forgive me if I'm out of step, but why do women in novels occasionally feel "a rush of tenderness toward [ their man ], seeing his failings and weakness in place of his overbearing nature; seeing the frightened little boy…"
I don't remember having read about a man expressing the same about a woman and that struck me as being odd. If my observation is broadly correct, what does that say about perceptions / preconceptions people have about such empathy between the sexes? Do men ever see 'the small girl' or are we to suppose that only novelists imagine it is women who are inclined to look for that?
I'm currently reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham and he seems to be full of dark forebodings, overbearing men and weepy women ready to top themselves at any moment. Fucking depressing actually - glad I haven't seen the film.

Look at Shakespeare again.

The interactions between his characters cover most of the possibilities of relationships between men and women.

Miranda from The Tempest; Perdita from The Winter's Tale - are the small girls, the innocents who are the foils for other characters.

Women seeing the weakness in the man: Lady Macbeth, of course. Paulina in The Winter's Tale. All three sisters in King Lear, even Cordelia who sees Lear's fragility and madness.

Few other authors show such a wide variety of interactions between men and women - but Shakespeare was writing women's parts to be played by boys.

 

[DesEsseintes]

Good points, sir - but also the mad (Ophelia), the shortly to be tamed male fantasy (Katherina) and the strong, independent woman (Portia). As well as the combination of the last two (Cleopatra).

Good old Will.

Age cannot wither him, nor custom stale
His infinite variety.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Most the time he just wants to get a rise out of folks.

^^^^^^The Al Sharpton of AH.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

as i said, the iggy is your friend.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

as i said, the iggy is your friend.

^^^^^what you get when you douche.

 

[TxRad]

^^^^^what you get when you douche.

^^^^^ what you get when you don't use ignore.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

^^^^^ what you get when you don't use ignore.

^^^^^what you get when you're a better writer than I.

 

[sheablue]

I'm sure this is too obvious, but have you heard of people called 'lesbians'?

This is a very interesting conversation, but I'm still taken aback by this idea that lesbians aren't maternal and don't want to make babies?

I know plenty of lesbians who are and who did. Talk about a stereotype!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Research reveals that there's no biological explanation for lesbians therefore lesbian is an adaptive (life style choice) sex orientation. So, of course they desire pregnancy and babies.

 

[AMoveableBeast]

Research reveals that there's no biological explanation for lesbians therefore lesbian is an adaptive (life style choice) sex orientation. So, of course they desire pregnancy and babies.

There's no biological explanation for that mustache of yours. Does it desire pregnancy and babies?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

There's no biological explanation for that mustache of yours. Does it desire pregnancy and babies?

Of course, and produced 4 of each....it knows of.

 

[sheablue]

There's no biological explanation for that mustache of yours. Does it desire pregnancy and babies?

Ha! I just choked from laughter.


Though I have to admit I like JBJ's mustache.

 

[sheablue]

Of course, and produced 4 of each....it knows of.

This may be my favorite quote from you .... like, ever.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

This may be my favorite quote from you .... like, ever.

Its hard to keep a good moustache, cuz they wear out fast on thighs. Cant keep a beard, neither.

 

[TxRad]

^^^^^what you get when you're a better writer than I.

Well damn! Uh... thank you

 

[geronimo_appleby]

^^^^^ what you get when you don't use ignore.

aw, don't quote the thundercunt. i can see its posts then.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

aw, don't quote the thundercunt. i can see its posts then.

^^^^^Lady Pilot has arrived