Why women really are better at almost everything: Q&A with author Dan Abrams

I admit it – I’m torn about Dan Abrams new book coming out, which is subtlety titled, Man Down: Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt That Women Are Better Cops, Drivers, Gamblers, Spies, World Leaders, Beer Tasters, Hedge Fund Managers, and Just About Everything Else.

On the one hand, I applaud Abrams for debunking of some really pernicious stereotypes about women.  And the fact that this isn’t an “opinion” book, but rather an evidence-based approach to evaluating myths about women makes his findings all the more reputable.  I mean, so far, 2011 hasn’t been a great year for woman, and its nice to be reminded that we are, in fact, extremely good at many things.  (For instance, did you know we are less corruptible as cops??).
 
And although I’ve heard the sentiment before, overall, I found this quote by Abrams powerful:

Overall I found that men’s biggest problem is that they’re too confident and women’s biggest problem is that they’re not confident enough.

Amen.

What I’m less comfortable with, however, is the understandable, but ultimately unhelpful pitting of women AGAINST men.   This “battle of the sexes” frame which has  been a staple of many recent popular articles on gender (“The End of Men” being the most notable) is catchy, but I think it makes for the kind of conversation that often doesn’t benefit men or woman.

I know a lot of well-intentioned folks (many men, even feminist men!) who  joke about how women are superior to men.  But I don’t think that to be pro-woman you should have to be anti-male. And I worry that books like this sometimes blur that line.

Read the article here.

-Nicole