When shopping in the company of females, both men and boys almost always reach a point of total frustration. As noted in a previous article, females are going to carefully inspect things which they may choose to become a part of their world. This is a behavior built solidly upon a basis of reasoned thought. It is by no means a matter of indecisiveness or slow mental processes. It does have a lot to do with female hormones, and what sets women and men apart as distinct sexes. There is no need for male defense mechanisms to kick in at this juncture. I am not going to allow this to become a diatribe directed at males. I will not even want to suggest that females make better shoppers. I only wish to elucidate a number of important points.

As children enter into puberty a number of changes take place that affects their bodies and minds. While physical change may at first be most evident, changes in the thought process are taking place as well. These changes generally occur earlier in girls, and therefore, most frequently girls reach different levels of maturity before their male counterparts. I think that in most large families with teenagers of both sexes, the girls are more apt to become reliable baby-sitters before their brothers, even if they are two or three years younger. This would be because, in general, the girls will be expected to be better decision makers overall and also better suited to mind small children.  

Let’s return now to shopping. Enter a shopping mall or large department store and you will be confronted with choices of many kinds. Food, apparel and all other trinkets of many sorts are offered for sale. If you take this matter seriously, perhaps there is a limited family budget or some other constraint, you must choose wisely and be able to deal with the fact that your purchases have consequences, such as decreasing the cash in your wallet/pocketbook. Two items may appear nearly identical, but one needs to be sure which is actually going to be bought and which left behind. This is where males are more apt to make snap decisions. Their inherited survival techniques will reinforce a perceived need to act decisively. An internalized pressure will begin to build as somewhere a threat must be lurking, like some well disguised predator ready to snatch the prize. If there is only one prize to be had then there will be haves and have-nots. I suggest that after a prehistory of countless generations men are focused on the act of acquisition. Whether he is providing himself with the necessities of life, or providing for a family, the male will use his talents to safely secure the prize. Hunting and fishing trips are judged unsuccessful if he returns empty handed. In many pre-industrial societies such a man will be shunned by his wife, both emotionally and physically. (Now there’s a place where creating boundaries can really hurt.)