WHICH IS THE SELFISH SEX?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23109, 6 August 1938, Page 5 (Supplement)

WHICH IS THE SELFISH SEX?

By F.W,

WOMAN friend of mine always argues most heatedly that, as a sex, men are a self-centred, ungenerous lot; that for anything in the form of unselfishness one has to look to the opposite sex, woman alone appearing to -possess the key of this particular jewel-box of virtues. Wateh the average small girl and boy, even at a children's party, runs tho argument.- Shyly the little girl takes from a plate of eatables the piece nearest to her. The small boy, on tho other hand, probably long before tho plate reaches him has made up his mind as to the particular delicacy that he means to get—that is, of course, if Bob Jones two seats nearer tho plate doesn't "get in first." Bob Jones, having an equal eye for values in such casus, usually does! Later in life the same little girl, now a voting woman, is depicted as having cooked dinner for two persons. When it is about to bo served an unexpected visitor is either brought home or just "turns up." Willi a sudden increa.se representing a third extra in consuming power, someone has to go short; but, it is impressed upon me, it will not be the visitor and rarely the husband, though, of course, he may just be warned be-

forehand not to look for second helpings and, above all, not to comment on his wife's portion. All this I listen to in deferential silence; but my mind registers a protest as 1 am asked to gaze in imagination on the silhouette forms of a young martyr wife, who, obscured by a strategically-placed bowl of flowers, is content to dine on potatoes and gravy whilo the two men between them gobblo up tho remainder of a twocourse meal. In spite of an uncomfortable recollection of having been tho odd man guest on various occasions and now beginning to feel a perfect beast about it, I suggest that the use of the two illustrations given by way of sole proof appear to savour somewhat of a hit below the belt. The shortest known route to the male heart may, or may not, bo via the stomach. It may be on record, too, that rotund cooks, fishing for eligible policemen, have found tliis a profitable vantage point for centuries. But history has other unassailable records, one being that a box of those "perfectly lovely" chocolates has been used to pave tho way to a lady's affections on occasions no less numerous, and with a degree of success so marked that popularity has never waned! With true feminine inconsistency, tho objection is at once raised, "Oh, that's

A Mere Man's Comments on a Vexed Question

quite different. Besides, there are so many other things to prove my point." Boys of marriageable age, it appears, are extremely selfish. No sooner have their earnings become large enough to be of help to parents than they are off to make a home for someone else. Girls, on the other hand, .show a much more clinging nature. Do they,_ indeed? It certainly is on record that, following on 0110 of the not-unknown newlywed tiffs, the young wife often declares through her tears that, she "will go homo to mother," while her husband in brutal male fashion retorts, "That's better than your mother coming here." Hub in spite of all this, evidence appears lacking that, provided a suitable offer of matrimony conies along, the average clinging young thing is any more reluctant to let the offer go by than the boy to pop the question! If the real fact is that there are not enough boys to go round, well, why not l)o honest and say so ? " Road-Hogs " of Both Genders Then there is the case of the woman ■motorist. When meeting a car on a road none too wide, the woman driver, one is assured, may be always counted on to keep to her side in a much more liberal manner than does a man. See how generously she pulls over, giving plenty of room to the other driver; to which statement, with a fine little show of logic, it is added that one hears only of road "hogs," never of road "sows," simply because there are none! Nevertheless, though desiring to be scrupulously fair to the woman motorist, who 50 generously keeps to her side in this anti-hog manner, I find myself asking, "But is it pure generosity? Are men never gallant?" Most cheerfully 1 admit passing women drivers who do pull to their side ever so generously—some of them ! —though eyes cannot be quite closed to the fact that any No. 1 driver giving ample passing room to driver Xo. 2 is also providing an extra safety margin for No. 1. Men, too, occasionally do the same, though admitting no higher principle than that of one for you and two for mo! But then, of course, men are always so ungenerous. "Well, they are never willing to give a woman credit for anything; even her motives are discredited!" says mv opponent crossly. "If only the day would come when women motorists have a road to themselves! What emancipation !" "Well, one never knows; it may come yet," I return encouragingly.

Illogical Women! At tliis stage in the argument tilings are commencing to look rather black. L have a nightman; of an idea that tears are not far distant. I know, too, that if they fall I shall be a "done" man, believe that in the whole of creation man is the most selfish brute of all and J. the-j:>rinee among them. The value of tlij/se tears —from the enemy inestimable. How marvellously successful to drop as a smoke-screen just at that psychological moment when retreat would otherwise be cut olf!

It is I who begin to look about for a way of retreat, and noting the waver- | ing lines, the enemy renews attack. Why, only recently, I am made to understand, she was forced into a muddy ditch by a corner-cutting motorist, rescue being effected only through the aid of a passing friend, but for whoso help she would never have got out. Really, it did seem a mean thing to leave a girl stranded in this way; perhaps men are road hogs; there may bo something in it after all. 1 begin to feel truly insignificant. Not until later in the conversation is it disclosed, and let it be added, quite inadvertently, that the offending corner-cutter was none other than a woman; the rescuer-friend, a man. To the list of numerous feminine virtues, 111 my friend's cnSe at least, one more must be added —the grace to blush! I make my escape.