File photo used only for illustrative purpose
Ladies
love the guys who can be addressed as 'gentlemen', and for guys this
can be such a big deal. Listed are certain things you should avoid
saying, so as to earn you that gentlemanly status.
Many of us have been there. One minute you’re having a
conversation, maybe a minor argument, but that’s OK; it’s all under
control. Then you say something — a word or passing comment, something
relatively harmless, or so you think — and it sets her off. As soon as
it leaves your lips, the air changes, and there’s no easy way back.
There are some things men should never say to their women —
conversational land mines that appear insignificant on the face of it,
but are anything but. The good news is that we know, for the most part,
what they are. Many men have suffered before you. It would be wise to
heed their counsel.
1. “Are you really going to eat all that?”
Your girlfriend is, by definition, as light as a feather and nimble
as a ballerina. To so much as whisper a hint of the notion that she
might be, you know, otherwise, is to risk paying a price as heavy as you
suspect her to be. In fact, avoid the topic of food altogether if you
can. Eating is an emotional, often obsessive business for women, and
occasionally it’s an actual disorder. It’s tied up with their identity,
their self-image, their fantasies. So the answer is, yes, she’s really
going to eat all that. All that ballet must have given her an appetite.
2. “Bitch”
The B word is like the N word: Unless you’ve been appropriately
oppressed, you don’t get to use it. You might be able to pull off an
ironic Snoop Dogg-style “beeeyatch,” so long as you’re smiling as you
say it. But to say “b*tch” with any kind of intent is to pull the pin
out of a grenade.
3. “My ex used to … “
Anything you say with the words “my ex” in it will be held against
you in a court of law, as it should. Of course it’s natural to compare
your girlfriends, but keep it to yourself. There are inside thoughts and
outside thoughts. This belongs firmly to the former category.
4. “You always do that”
One sure way to escalate a minor tiff into a nuclear showdown is to
use words like “never” and “always.” They’re too sweeping to be true,
so you’ll not only upset her, but also give her the opportunity to prove
you wrong and seize the higher ground. And it tends to drag every other
argument you’ve had into your present one, which is like rehashing all
the worst parts of your relationship all at once.
5. “You sound just like your mother”
Don’t compare her to her mother. Or her sister, for that matter.
You don’t know those people like she does, and you don’t know the full
complexity of their relationships. And anyway, everyone wants an
independent identity, separate and distinct from their family members.
6. “Yeah, she’s hot”
Chances are she lured you in with an innocent question, like, “Do you think she’s cute?”
shrugging her shoulders like it wouldn’t matter either way. But don’t
be fooled. You must lie quickly and reflexively. Whether it’s a girl in a
magazine, a Facebook friend, a waitress — whoever — the answer is
always no. In fact, you win extra points for casually finding fault in
her the closer you look. Watch your girlfriend light up as you say, “Is
it me, or is her nose a bit weird?”
7. “What’s up with your hair?”
Her hair looks great and it suits her perfectly. She’s allowed to
have a bad hair day, but you’re not allowed to notice. For girls, hair
isn’t just hair.
8. “Relax”
The thing about “relax” is it dramatically reduces the chances of
her relaxing. The same goes for “chill” and “calm down.” Here’s an
alternative: “I can see how you would feel that way.” It takes a Zen
master to actually use it in the heat of combat, but it’s there if you
need it.
9. “Is this your time of the month?”
Even if it is, you’re not to mention it. Your role is to pretend
that her menstrual cycle has no effect on her tendency to shriek and
stamp and then burst into tears for no reason whatsoever. In this
matter, you must occupy the high ground and show pity. Indulge her
delusion that she is not in fact deranged by hormones and that she’s
making a valid point. The moment will pass.
- Credit: Men’s Life Today
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