Yeah, Duh

That's how every page of my new book will end. "Yeah, Duh." It's going to be about the "differences" between men and women. There seems to be some discussion and a great deal of money to be made around this notion.
Men and women are different. In a world where we spend a lot of energy to be politically correct and sensitive about pointing out the things that make us unique and special, there seems to be a vast industry connected to the division between the sexes.
Well slap me and call me Doctor Phil - who would have guessed?
While I was in the shower today, my wife read to me from Oprah's magazine. She told me that men seek intimacy from their wives. Women have a large group of friends who help them process their worries and concerns, she went on, and men tend to seek their wive's approval in the absence of this close circle of friends. There was a lot of other details that I missed through the running water, but I was struck by this: She was reading an article to me about something I ought to be an expert about. I've been a man for a while now, and some of these insights seemed to have missed the mark by just a little bit.
It filled my wife with glee to hear that I was willing to be a "contestant" on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." I think her notion was that my wardrobe and personal grooming would receive the Fab Five makeover. I had noticed at the end of just about every show (after the kvetching about "shaving against the grain") each lucky straight guy had his living room remodeled - and the centerpiece was a big screen TV. I'll shave with a Hello Kitty razor if someone gives me a 60 inch plasma screen.
Men and women are both from Earth. We like to revel in our differences because it adds an element of danger to the whole dating process. Women love to shop. Men only like to buy. Women like to talk about their feelings. Men head off to their caves to contemplate. Or not. We get ourselves in trouble by expecting a division between us. I wouldn't diminish gender differences as a reality, but as a cottage industry I would remain skeptical. I don't understand the men around me any better than the women, even though we're supposedly on the same team. Maybe it's just because I was sick the day they showed "that movie" in seventh grade. Yeah, Duh.