Sunday 16 June 2019

Men and women have different operational definitions of reality - more on the dyadic relationship

For men, reality is loyalty; it is that to which we are loyal; and men's loyalty goes to that which they can depend-upon - to that which is solid. And solidity is seen in terms of ability to dominate - to dominate others, to dominate the situation - to impose-itself upon things. So - for men, truth is that which dominates.

For women, reality is derived from interaction with others (especially other women, but people generally). Reality comes, therefore, from that in the woman that is reflected by others - that from other women that is reflected in herself. The validation is in emotional support - that which sustains her. So - for women, truth is that which sustains.

Both dominating truth and sustaining truth capture an important 'half' of reality. Both are partial, both are prone to error, manipulation and abuse. The two together, not fused but separate and complementary, are a microcosm of reality in its wholeness. And that is not one-sided but rather a simplified (because finite) completeness. So the dyad is stronger than either alone; the dyad of a man and a woman is, potentially, the complete Man.