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Relationships

Men and emotions.

8 replies

poshsinglemum · 17/07/2010 21:51

Are men less likely to express/feel their emotions than us girls and if so, why?
Why are they discouraged to show their emotions? Are they indeed discouraged or is it a biological thing rather than an emotional thing?

OP posts:
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seeyoukay · 17/07/2010 22:30

You could make an entire career of answering that question!

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LimaCharlie · 18/07/2010 08:56

From DHs pov his parents are very old fashioned so minimal affection shown - he was sent to boarding school from young age where crying was very much frowned upon so he doesn't show much emotion at all unless drunk

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ItsGraceActually · 18/07/2010 16:16

I'm happy to note you don't hear that "boys don't cry" shit so often these days.

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ItsGraceActually · 18/07/2010 16:18

I don't believe it's biological at all. The first time I went to Brazil, I was stunned to sit in a bar, listening to the conversations around me: groups of men discussing football, women, money, politics ... and their feelings!

It's 100% cultural.

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BeenBeta · 18/07/2010 18:31

Men are capable of showing great emotion but the circumstances and mode are different to women.

Watch men at a football game, sadness, passion, excitement and anger are all on show.

Problem is that women often want men to 'say' what they are feeling while men tend to think that what they 'do' is enough.

Its a joke, but a woman might ask "Do you love me?" and he will say "I'm here aren't I?"

She wants him to say "I love you" but he just thinks that being with her and not with someone else is what matters. She thinks he does not show emotion even while he feels in love.

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Sammyuni · 18/07/2010 19:05

Men feel all emotions just fine it's just that their tendency to show certain types of emotions differs and is really dependent on the situation they are in.

You will see grown men cry at a football game yet those same men would never cry in any other situation.

To be honest its most likely a mixture of reasons why they don't feel the need to express their emotions as much it's not a bad thing it's just different.

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ItsGraceActually · 18/07/2010 19:57

"She wants him to say "I love you" but he just thinks that being with her and not with someone else is what matters. She thinks he does not show emotion even while he feels in love."

Thing is, feeling love is not enough. Love is a verb (and a noun). "Being there" isn't an expression of love. You can feel love till it spills out of your ears but, if you're not expressing it by your words & actions, it's just something you feel ... all by yourself.

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SolidGoldBrass · 18/07/2010 20:54

Many women are as bored with conversations made up entirely of emotional slop as men are. ANd plenty of men are very keen indeed on discussing their feelings even though Ithe woman they are discussing the feelings with is only managing not to kick them in the nuts and yell 'Shut UP!' by mentally itemizing her record collection or something.

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