This question appears illogical, irrational, and simply messed right up. No way could men and women want the same things, let alone the same things in a relationship! Well, I’m going to clue you into some research I conducted over 5 years and 30 college classes, in total. Okay, this was not scientifically conducted research, though nonetheless is quite relevant. I also spoke about this on The Art of Relationships Show. Open your eyes, push away those distractions and get ready to be educated on the foundations that healthy relationships are forged!
Class Experiment
Here we go! During these college classes, I would instruct each gender group to collectively list traits that their ideal mate would have. The catch was they could not list any physical characteristics. Yes, I know both genders desire certain physical elements to bring out sexual desire and attraction. Though this was getting at the core issues that tend to keep the gender battles fueled.
So, I would separate the genders and give them a set time allotment to collect their lists. It never failed that the women would have approximately 10-15 more items on their list than the men. Does this mean women are fussier than men? LOL No, perhaps women are just more descriptive and fluent with words.
The Results
I would then ask each group to read off their lists while I compile them on the board. Traits in the realm of nice, kind, and ambitious would ring off. Good sexually, loves sex, enjoys oral sex, along with considerate would also be thrown onto the board. Other terms such as having good manners, being a good parent, being intelligent, and having a great sense of humor soon followed the list. Each group took their turn and even more, descriptors were delivered: passionate, trustworthy, fun, not lazy, and compassionate rang through the classrooms.
I have heard many of the same terms and traits used over and over in each class as the semesters passed. There were no surprises as I kept my unofficial research project going. Women would always have more traits on their list, and the men would throw some funny requests on their list. By and large, each gender group would deliver the same descriptive traits, the same desires, and requests in an ideal partner. Men would have theirs, just as the women would embrace their list over the years.
It never failed, as I wrote the traits on the board under each gender heading “Women” and “Men,” each class looked puzzled and amazed. What my research did was spark both groups to look at reality; after all, they were the ones devising this reality. Both genders’ lists were basically mirrored images of the other. Yes! Women and Men wanted the very same things. The descriptions I listed above were actually from both groups!
Conclusion
After each class’ amazement wore off a bit, the usual question would be asked: “Greg, then how come so many couples fight and there are so many divorces?” This, I remarked, is a great question and there are many facets to this question, such as personality differences, ways of handling situations, or perhaps value discrepancies.
However, perhaps the first step in reducing the arguing and reducing divorce rates is to have each individual realize they want the same fundamental things, not different! Realizing these elements can help couples become aware that their partners want to feel the same as them in the relationship, thus catapulting calmer, more empathetic resolves and less battling.