I should probably keep my nose out of this, but...

Man of the year

[Linked Image]

Suppose we were to line up all the men of the world on one side, and all the women of the world on the other side, and then we asked the men and the women to fight each other. Which side would win?

Stupid question. We all know the answer. If the men just stick together, if they stay loyal to each other, they are going to beat the "women's team" every time. Because no matter how much the women are willing to support each other and sacrifice for each other, their collective strength isn't going to be enough to defeat all the men in the world.

Conclusion? Men have something to gain from sticking up for each other. By doing so, men as a group can "defeat" women as a group and force the women to service them. This doesn't mean that each and every man will force his wife, daughters etcetera to service him - but it does mean that men as a group can decree that it's natural that women should support men, and men can pass laws that declare that it is right and natural for women to attend to the needs of men.

So whether or not we are aware of it, our own society as well as all other societies all over the world teach boys to stick up for other boys and men and to side with other men against women. (Not evey individual boy is taught this, and not evey individual boy and man will do this, but most probably will, perhaps without even being fully aware of it.)

Women have so much less to gain from supporting the members of their own gender. Instead, women learn to seek protection from the dangerous world they live in by trying to gain favors from one individual man, the man they fall in love with, the man whose love they try to win for themselves, the man they want to marry, the man they ask to be their protector. This means that women often see other women as rivals. Women know that other women also fight for the love of the limited number of strong men whose ability to protect "their own woman" is so desirable. So, while men tend to stick up for other men in the battle of the sexes, women often side with men in the hopes of gaining the approval of the individual man whose favors they seek.

Conclusion? Well, when it comes to Lois and Clark, it could mean that at least some men identify with Clark's needs because they subconsciously know that a man's needs are more important than a woman's. It could also mean that some women disapprove of Lois because she seems insuffciently grateful for the attentions and favours that Clark Kent, the best potential protector in the world - not to mention the most good-looking one - so graciously bestows on her.

And that could indeed create a situation where both men and women are critical of Lois and supportive of Clark. This could make it tempting to write stories where Lois is punished for dismissing Clark, while Clark is allowed to move on and find happiness with another woman who appreciates him more than Lois did.

Ann