Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Off to the bathroom I go, with forty of my closest friends...

Why do girl’s travel in packs everywhere and why guys can go to the bathroom alone. Those are the topics of tonight.

I don’t really know what I can add to April’s post. I would assume the fact that many girls do things in packs is because of self esteem issues, or not wanting to be vulnerable or the kind of things April talked about. Maybe it’s because a lot of girls always need someone to talk to, even when they go to the bathroom, and so they go in packs and instead of using the bathroom as a bathroom they go in there and talk and gossip and do their makeup and stuff. But of course if this functionality of a bathroom is going to be used then you can’t be going alone. And that could help explain somewhat of what this phenomenon is caused by. But, I’m no expert on this, so please, if you think you know (or actually do know, because you’re a girl, please explain).

Onto something I do know more about though. Why guys don’t need to be so dependent. The way April talked in her post seemed to make guys out to be only for doing things alone, or that they never need someone else. But, I think both guys and girls can both be intimidated by something or just want someone to talk to, or to be part of a crowd and not stand out and be seen. These thoughts and emotions at times can play on both sexes and both therefore will sometimes need the pack mentality. But, what about the general stereotype, that guys do things alone and don’t need anyone. As I just said, that isn’t really true, but it does happen a lot. I don’t ever need four of my guy friends to go to the bathroom with me when I go to the bathroom; I don’t have a problem going to something by myself even if I don’t know anyone is going that I know if I’m interested enough in the topic; I don’t have a problem walking across a crowded room by myself if I need to get somewhere else.

Maybe this has something to do with a sense of self worth, or pride, or on the opposite end, shame, or guilt. But these emotions should in theory affect both sexes equally. Why then do men not care so much about exposing themselves to being alone whereas girls have to be with other people or they feel exposed? I don’t know if I can really answer that question. Sure, I guess I’m sort of sneaking out of answering a question, but I don’t know why that is. I can give possible reasons why, but all of them in my mind seem too stereotypical or only applicable to select groups of girls or guys that they don’t make sense in a broader context.

So, I have to leave it up to the experience of our readers, because I can’t speak for everyone and so I need some outside input to verify or deny April and my ideas.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

1 sentence w/ 2 semicolons!
that's hot

Anonymous said...

So, you guys stopped posting on this blog forever ago, but I really like it, and I've spent the past hour reading these instead of doing my final projects, and it's so weird seeing the dates on which you posted them because a year ago feels like forever ago, and I really want to contribute something and I think I will soon AND NOW IM GETTING OFF TOPIC....

My original point: I died laughing at the title of this entry. That's all. :]

Laura