Why don't men listen?

VILEPLUME

Well-Known Member
True story, I got married this year and my wife keeps saying "You don't listen", is this a common problem most men face in a serious relationship?

Women on RIU, is it true? Are most men bad at listening?
 

budlover13

King Tut
True story, I got married this year and my wife keeps saying "You don't listen", is this a common problem most men face in a serious relationship?

Women on RIU, is it true? Are most men bad at listening?
MOST people, male and female, listen with the intent to reply, not with the intent to understand.

Given that men are natural problem solvers, it seems likely that they are trying to find a solution to the problem that a female comes to them with.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
MOST people, male and female, listen with the intent to reply, not with the intent to understand.

Given that men are natural problem solvers, it seems likely that they are trying to find a solution to the problem that a female comes to them with.
And yet it would seem that "understand, then reply" would be a recommended procedure. cn
 

budlover13

King Tut
And yet it would seem that "understand, then reply" would be a recommended procedure. cn
Riiight????

i do my best to fully understand it but then quite often, when i confirm the situation and then give a possible solution she says "i wasn't looking for you to DO anything about it. Just LISTEN!"

Inaction is tough for me.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Riiight????

i do my best to fully understand it but then quite often, when i confirm the situation and then give a possible solution she says "i wasn't looking for you to DO anything about it. Just LISTEN!"

Inaction is tough for me.
Most women do not get that most men have "Do not frustrate me with an insoluble scenario." hardwired. cn
 

sunni

Administrator
Staff member
i think its like most men dont get the point, they will focus on something else in the paragraph instead of whats important to her?...maybe idk
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
i think its like most men dont get the point, they will focus on something else in the paragraph instead of whats important to her?...maybe idk
I disagree. Many men want the woman to care enough to prescreen what she's saying ... present a problem with a path toward solution. Otherwise it's indistinguishable from emotionalized gossip. "You told me all of that, Dear, and there's nothing to DO?" cn
 

VILEPLUME

Well-Known Member
i think its like most men dont get the point, they will focus on something else in the paragraph instead of whats important to her?...maybe idk
I sorta understand what you are saying. I hear, "don't listen to my words, but listen to what I am feeling"
 

sunni

Administrator
Staff member
I disagree. Many men want the woman to care enough to prescreen what she's saying ... present a problem with a path toward solution. Otherwise it's indistinguishable from emotionalized gossip. "You told me all of that, Dear, and there's nothing to DO?" cn
depends on the situation really i guess everyone situation is different. From my womanly point of view most of the time its the person not getting my point , and usually continuing you argue

I sorta understand what you are saying. I hear, "don't listen to my words, but listen to what I am feeling"
kinda im having a hard time writing what i mean
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
depends on the situation really i guess everyone situation is different. From my womanly point of view most of the time its the person not getting my point , and usually continuing you argue



kinda im having a hard time writing what i mean
Let's pretend that you and I are the principals. How would you feel if my attitude was "I will gladly listen to whatever you say, so long as it meets the criterion of internal consistency?" Basically, i should have the right to say "that does not make sense. Please either fix it or abandon it, without prejudice or consequence". i am quite verbal and literal-minded, and would feel offended to simply be "talked at". I would want to know that you'd get better results talking with me than simply at me ... than talking to something congenial yet passive, like a pillow. That when you present me a situation, it is understood that you are soliciting, at the least, my opinion, and as a rule, my advice. cn
 

sunni

Administrator
Staff member
Let's pretend that you and I are the principals. How would you feel if my attitude was "I will gladly listen to whatever you say, so long as it meets the criterion of internal consistency?" Basically, i should have the right to say "that does not make sense. Please either fix it or abandon it, without prejudice or consequence". i am quite verbal and literal-minded, and would feel offended to simply be "talked at". I would want to know that you'd get better results talking with me than simply at me ... than talking to something congenial yet passive, like a pillow. That when you present me a situation, it is understood that you are soliciting, at the least, my opinion, and as a rule, my advice. cn
i was talking mor eof a relationship standpoint like , but i guess im not writing what really makes sense, like im having a hard time putting what i mean into words
 

VILEPLUME

Well-Known Member
depends on the situation really i guess everyone situation is different. From my womanly point of view most of the time its the person not getting my point , and usually continuing you argue



kinda im having a hard time writing what i mean
Its ok, I confuse myself when I write sometimes too lol.
 

guy incognito

Well-Known Member
Maybe the women just need a filter to block the nonsense so it's not a 24 hour barrage of needless information. I get desensitized to it pretty fast. I still hear it, but not really consciously, just like I don't really notice that loud fan running 24/7. After awhile it just gets tuned out.
 

VILEPLUME

Well-Known Member
Maybe the women just need a filter to block the nonsense so it's not a 24 hour barrage of needless information. I get desensitized to it pretty fast. I still hear it, but not really consciously, just like I don't really notice that loud fan running 24/7. After awhile it just gets tuned out.
Did u just compare a woman to a loud fan? ;)
 

SirGreenThumb

Well-Known Member
Maybe I have something wrong with me, cause I always seem to listen when my fiancee is talking. But, there are plenty of times when she is talking and I can't seem to make out what she is really trying to say. So I take it upon myself to break down different scenarios to try and figure out what she is truly meaning to say. There are times when she says things that sound completely foreign to me, so I take what I know and put it into layman's terms "so to speak" to help her spit out what she is really wanting to ask or tell me.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Maybe I have something wrong with me, cause I always seem to listen when my fiancee is talking. But, there are plenty of times when she is talking and I can't seem to make out what she is really trying to say. So I take it upon myself to break down different scenarios to try and figure out what she is truly meaning to say. There are times when she says things that sound completely foreign to me, so I take what I know and put it into layman's terms "so to speak" to help her spit out what she is really wanting to ask or tell me.
If she works with you on that, you two have a good thing going. cn
 
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