
Whose dating life is harder, men’s or women’s? The answer is
nuanced… because there are different groups within both sexes.
Several weeks back, I wrote “Urbanization, Romantic Anonymity, and the
Birth of Game.” This piece of writing was about how ‘game’
(conversational and logistical aptitude aimed at meeting, bedding, and
dating women) is an organic outgrowth of complex, fast-paced urban
societies.
The reason we fingered for the emergence of game was that urban
societies present new opportunities for men (i.e., the ability to have
sexual intercourse with lots of women), yet also new challenges
(i.e., women are much more experienced with men, have many more
options, and cut a lot less slack).
One of the things I mentioned in this article was that while men
have it harder in urban environments, fear not – women have it harder
too. Yet several commenters wanted to clarify: women may have it
harder, but men have it far harder
still.
Well, do men have it
harder?
The answer is yes. And no.
I’m going to both agree and disagree with this “men have it harder”
sentiment today. Don’t worry, if you’re currently feeling like it is
far harder for you than it is for many women, I won’t be telling you
you’re wrong. But I am going
to show you why it is this way for you... but not for every guy in the
city. Some guys have it the opposite way (i.e., it’s easier for them
than it is for women).
We’re going to focus on three (3) elements of urban dating that make
things harder or easier for various groups of men, as these men’s
dating success compares with women’s. Those three elements are:
- That men and women want different
things
- That men occupy the extremes
- And that what men go for in cities vs. what they go for elsewhere
are different
In the end, I expect you will have a far more nuanced view of dating
and mating in large urban environments, the plusses and minuses
therein, and who you have to be to become one of the men who has it
easier than girls do, instead of being stuck being one of the men who
has it harder than girls do.