Do men want to settle for a dumber girl?

[Kimi]

I want to bring a sort of anachronistic discussion, just because I found an article below.

I don't believe that every man is looking for a submissive wife w/ less brain today, as I see many couples, in which the wife is equally or even more successful in career. Yet, I still see many reasonable male friends of mine tying a knot w/ a rather boring, much less educated or even plain air-headed, "why her?" type of girl.

I also see many Westerners deliberately choosing a Japanese girl when I was living in Japan, who would turn out to be a happy housewife for them.

I don't consider myself belonging to the elitist group anyway. Yet, I'm curious to know the latest male-view trend in today's society.
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Brainy women face handicap in marriage stakes: British survey

Sun Jan 2, 3:43 PM ET


LONDON (AFP) - A high IQ is a hindrance for women wanting to get married while it is an asset for men, according to a study by four British universities published in The Sunday Times newspaper.

The study found the likelihood of marriage increased by 35 percent for boys for each 16-point increase in IQ.

But for girls, there is a 40-percent drop for each 16-point rise, according to the survey by the universities of Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The study is based on the IQs of 900 men and women between their 10th and 40th birthdays.

"Women in their late 30s who have gone for careers after the first flush of university and who are among the brightest of their generation are finding that men are just not interesting enough," said psychologist and professor at Nottingham University Paul Brown in The Sunday Times.

Claire Rayner, writer and broadcaster, said in the article that intelligent men often prefered a less brainy partner.

"A chap with a high IQ is going to get a demanding job that is going to take up a lot of his energy and time. In many ways he wants a woman who is an old-fashioned wife and looks after the home, a copy of his mum in a way."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u ... 0102204340[/quote]

[Scorpion]

The most important factor in finding such a mate!!!! isn't brains by itself.

In fact, the article may be right where the wide inconsistency is the intelligence between partners that can be a complication or barrier in starting or maintaining a bond between the two.

[Casper_the_friendly_AngMo]

"I want to bring a sort of anachronistic discussion....."

Uh, I don't necessarily want a dumb girl, but I haven't a clue what "anachronistic" means....and I was a champion at my spelling B in the 3rd grade. With men, it's usually best to limit your words to max of 2 syllables, that way we won't be so intimidated.

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

"I want to bring a sort of anachronistic discussion....."

Uh, I don't necessarily want a dumb girl, but I haven't a clue what "anachronistic" means....and I was a champion at my spelling B in the 3rd grade. With men, it's usually best to limit your words to max of 2 syllables, that way we won't be so intimidated.

Hmmm...

If there was only a reference device, like with bound pages that listed the meanings of words and their spellings... And what if they put it in alphabetical order to make it easier to use? Wow! That would be something. Or better still, what if the entire thing was on-line so that you could check there while you were actually using your computer for other worthwhile endeavors? Suppose it was in the most unlikely place, like dictionary.com...

Your 2 -syllable rule (there are three in syllable by the way) is interesting, women have been using it for years to rule out less than stellar candidates...

[Casper_the_friendly_AngMo]

"I want to bring a sort of anachronistic discussion....."

Uh, I don't necessarily want a dumb girl, but I haven't a clue what "anachronistic" means....and I was a champion at my spelling B in the 3rd grade. With men, it's usually best to limit your words to max of 2 syllables, that way we won't be so intimidated.

Hmmm...

If there was only a reference device, like with bound pages that listed the meanings of words and their spellings... And what if they put it in alphabetical order to make it easier to use? Wow! That would be something. Or better still, what if the entire thing was on-line so that you could check there while you were actually using your computer for other worthwhile endeavors? Suppose it was in the most unlikely place, like dictionary.com...

Your 2 -syllable rule (there are three in syllable by the way) is interesting, women have been using it for years to rule out less than stellar candidates...

Uh, well, there are only two syllables when I pronounce it. In fact, there are only two syllables in "anachronistic" when I pronounce it. Hmmm...now that I think of it, there are only two syllables in ANY word when I pronounce it.... does this mean I will not be allowed to breed?

Anyway, I am not sure when they invented them thar fancy devices with word definitions, but I'll be sure to git me one right quick.

Back to the topic at hand, I don't think men necessarily prefer dumb women, it's just that some of us like to rest our brains after an exhausting night of intellectual banter at the local watering hole...

[Wind In My Hair]

MHB, you are a scream.

(did the men catch that? i kept it to one sound per word just for them)

"Women in their late 30s who have gone for careers after the first flush of university and who are among the brightest of their generation are finding that men are just not interesting enough," said psychologist and professor at Nottingham University Paul Brown.

but i find men very interesting...

... for a while.

for girls, there is a 40-percent drop for each 16-point rise, according to the survey by the universities of Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

so if i am 100% not married, how smart does that make me?

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

Apparently too damn smart for your own good. WIMH, you apprear to be burning the candle at both ends -- both an early and late poster. What are you not sleeping??

[Wind In My Hair]

not very much, mary. maybe i'm too damn hyper for my own good too!

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

not very much, mary. maybe i'm too damn hyper for my own good too!

A dangerous combination.

[dot dot dot]

One thing in getting a partner: don't overanalyze the 'whole thing'. And surely not focus on what is so different, but look what you have in common and what you share?

Eric

[locallass]

Oh no, this again. Somehow this topic crops up again and again and again. I'm sick of it. Who cares- let people date/marry who they want to. If a guy wants a dumb girl, he isn't the sort I would consider dating anyway.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The way I see it most men always end up marrying a women who 'thinks' she knows it all. It's got to be even worse when she 'actually' does!

[Wham]

SMS, you hit the nail on the head.

[locallass]

Yet, I'm curious to know the latest male-view trend in today's society.

Ok, since you asked, let me cut and paste from another forum:

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men want total acceptance - something they don't always get from smart, educated women. ALL men want this, whether they’re smart, dumb, old, young, educated, ignorant...you name it.

yeah, congratulations, you're a smart, educated, strong, opinionated, articulate, beautiful woman...good for you...but sometimes, men just don't want to exert the effort to constantly prove themselves to you, or that they're worthy of your precious company. as a older wiser girlfriend once told me, “sometimes they just don’t want to hear your brilliant sh*t.”

[Wham]

ok, well what is missing from this discussion so far is that many men also consider what kind of Mom a women will be for their potential children. And while men don't always think "hmmm, will she be a good mom?" - the subconscious drives us to seek women that will have all the many qualities that will make them successful mothers at some point down the road - and among the qualities are youth, resiliance, strength, warmth and sensitivity - and while intelligence is certainly a big asset - i don't know that i would put it at the top of the list.

I know i should end up in hot furnace for saying this, but while my Dad has a PhD and graduated Phi Betta Kappa, my Mom was never really all that sharp... But she WAS a wonderful Mom when i was growing up - and she still is a wonderful Mom and Grandmother.