Mars & Venus in Hawaii

Local "followers" of celebrity relationship guru John Gray's "Mars & Venus" philosophy are meeting Saturday. Does this guy's advice bother anyone else?

Critics have maintained since his first (of many books) that his great plan is basically "a sexist, patronizing, male-centered invective [that] perpetuates long-held negative gender stereotypes." So I find it ironic the Hawaii gathering is taking place at the Kapi'olani Women's Center.

Of course, I haven't read a single Gray title. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Comments

My mom - who, as far as I can tell, has never missed a single episode of Oprah unless she's travelling - has no love lost for John Gray. She calls him "that really smug, stuck-up guy who never, ever smiles" whenever he's on the show. She doesn't care much for his advice, either - then again, this is coming from the same woman who got me started on Dr. Phil.

I never really liked the whole "Mars and Venus" idea to begin with, but I have met more than a few men who can say that the books have given them a better understanding of their relationships with women. Interestingly, none of the people I know of who have taken John Gray's advice to heart are women - maybe there's something to those accusations of chauvinism?

He has a few good communication tips about accepting and respecting differences in perception but Braddah just talks way too slow. :-) (There! I've said it.)

I don't know that I buy the whole we're from different planets thing. I'd prefer to focus on what the sexes have in common and then work towards the common earthly type goals.

Was it him or his ex-wife (the other relationship guru) that said Men should spend time in their caves for a couple of hours a day? We Martians like to tinker away and be alone to do stuff, which is surprisingly accurate and many women can't seem to understand that. Men aren't social beings like women. We don't get together like the girls and talk. Men get together and chill and don't have to say anything.

Post a Comment