The Male Brain: What Men May Not Understand: Part Two

 "Someone who unironically uses the term "patriarchy" to describe western culture doesn't really care or cannot really comprehend/help with male problems, they at best victim blame." Colin Jasper Facebook

'The men who devised this system all those years ago are the blame and have left a useless legacy for the modern man. I know exactly how and why it was started, but it is no longer useful and definitely harmful to relationships between men and women who are both victims." My reply to Mr. Jasper Facebook

Mr. Colin Jasper is an INCEL. A young man who believes women have all the power and that men are victims. They blame women for their inability to relate to women and believe only a certain type of male is attractive women. As a matter of fact patriarchy's origins began in Mesopotamia 6000-10,000 years ago. It's worth mentioning the tenets of patriarchy again just so the reader fully understands the importance of the use of the word.

Agricultural Revolution: Due to societies moving toward farming, owning land became important. Men took the lead of agricultural production and owning property, which led to control of inheritance and subsequently led to dominance of women's sexuality and fertility.

Private Property & Inheritance: Men sought to accumulate wealth so they could buy property to leave to their offspring which meant they had to control the women in the family.

Rise of the State & War: In 4000 BCE, Mesopotamia made patriarchy a formal structure. Women became subjugated as militarism and warfare started by men became more frequent.

Institutionalization: Code of Hammurabi insured an imbalance of power between the sexes by prohibiting women from education, professions, and public life. 

Historian Gerda Lerner has argued because patriarchy has a historical beginning. It is a social construct that can be dismantled. Wikipedia

It is a construct that is dismantling due to economics and the growth of women and their understanding of their capabilities as human beings.

The more I have researched patriarchy and the workings of the male and female brains I have found my belief that the reason men and women have such a problem communicating is we do not understand our differences were created to make us stronger; not weaken our relationships. 

Have you ever noticed that males are more often diagnosed with Autism than females? The reason is because males are systemizers and Autism is an extreme expression of the systemizing brain. Although females are subject to being on the Autism spectrum, their natural instinctive way of expressing empathy masks some of the symptoms. 

Autism--is a lifelong developmental condition affecting how people perceive, interact, and communicate with the world. It is characterized by differences in social interaction, communication, sensory procession, and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors. It is a spectrum, meaning experiences vary widely from needing significant support to living independently.

Symptoms

Lack of discerning nonverbal cues, maintaining eye contact, or an ability to participate in back-and-forth conversation.

Behavioral Patterns

Movements such as hand flapping, rocking, or repeating phrases.

Sensory Sensitivities

Heightened or reduced sensitivity to noise, light, smell or touch.

Development

Signs appear by age 2 or 3. Sometimes earlier.

Autism is a lifelong neurodivergence (brains that function, learn, and process information differently from the societal typical standard) and not a mental health condition or illness. Support, not seeking a cure helps individuals lead fulfilling lives.      

The reason I supplied information about autism is as I mentioned in the previous blog, many men have been labeled "slow, easy to get over on, avoidant, displaying learned helplessness, not listening, unaffectionate, not interested in the opinions of others and the list goes on. These complaints are about "typical" men or as some would like to say, "normal," men. 

Males who have an extreme male brain meaning extreme systemizing way of approaching the world have underdeveloped empathy skills. Systemizing is normal to them and may be hyper-developed whereas empathizing is hypo-developed (under developed). Simon Barron-Cohen the author of The Essential Difference: The Truth about the Male and Female Brain is the theorist behind the psychological term mindblindness which he attributes to those who are extreme systemizers.

Mindblindness--suggests that individuals on the autism spectrum have a diminished ability to understand or predict the mental states, intentions, emotions, and beliefs of others. Also known as a deficit in "theory of mind," it causes difficulty in interpreting social cues, facial expressions, and non-verbal communication. 

Aspects of Mindblindness

Being blind to the thoughts of others, often resulting in challenges with cognitive and affective empathy. 

Theory of Mind Deficit

The inability to intuitively grasp that others have perspective, motivations, and knowledge different from one's own. 

Social & Emotional Impact

Individuals may misinterpret neutral situations as threatening, leading to defensive reactions.

Mindblindness is not a lack of intelligence, but rather a distinct cognitive difference in processing social information.

I have been accused of giving men too much credit because I have had empathy for them since I was 15. It was then I began to understand the fallacy they have been forced to live under. I also began to read books written by men about men. The Essential Difference is the first book I have read that has really helped me fully understand what I came to believe, men are not like women for a reason and both men and women need to accept this is not a bad thing. The true problem is most folk are looking for themselves in others.  

To be continued.....