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| Lifestyle |
 Are
Women Really Superiorto Men? By Salma Ajani of Ajani Research At a hospital, relatives gathered in the waiting room where a family member lay gravely ill. Finally, the doctor came in. Looking tired and serious, he said, “I’m afraid I’m the bearer of bad news. The only hope left for your loved one at this time is a brain transplant. It’s an experimental procedure. You will have to pay for the brain yourselves.” The family members sat silent until someone finally asked, “How much does a brain cost?” The doctor quickly responded, “$5000 for a male brain, and $200 for a female brain.” The moment turned awkward as the men in the room tried not to smile. One man, unable to control his curiosity, blurted out the question everyone wanted to ask, “Why is the male brain so much more expensive?” The doctor smiled and said, “It’s just standard pricing procedure. We have to mark down the price of the female brains because they’ve been used.” All kidding aside, let’s answer this age old question by evaluating what we know up to this point, scientifically as well as culturally. Are women really superior to men? Research confirms that the brains of men and women are somewhat different. Studies show that human male brains are, on average, approximately 10% larger than female brains. Certain brain areas in women, however, contain more nerve cells. Paying special attention to the amount of ‘grey matter’ (the part of the brain that allows us to think), researchers wanted to know if women have as much grey matter as men, or more, to makeup for the smaller brains. It was proven that women have 55.4% grey matter verses 50.8% in men. Men listen with only one side of their brain, while women use both, according to information on brain imaging presented at the 86th Scientific Assembly and the AGM of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Other research suggests that, on average, the female brain performs some skills better, while the male brain executes other tasks at a higher level. It makes sense that brains vary between the sexes. Each sex had a very defined role in ancient times, which helped ensure the survival of the human race. Cave men hunted. Cave women gathered food near the home and cared for the children. This does not show superiority, but does show that we are made differently, with different needs and ideas. Why do we then compete for superiority, or even expect the other to be just like us? It is important to realize that men and women are made differently for a reason. In ancient times, women had many disadvantages. Male emperors would marry many women, and society did not provide women with many rights. However, despite these disadvantages, there were some women who accessed their ‘woman wisdom’ or ‘woman power’. What was the difference between those women who found their power and those who did not? The answer is synergy. These powerful women were each other’s support. With no jealousies, they nurtured each other to the best of their ability. When the emperor would mate with one of his wives, other wives would take care of her ahead of time, give her massages, feed her, talk to her, and provide her with all the emotional support that was needed. Today, women have more rights, more freedom, and better living conditions. They are a lot more aggressive, but they still do not feel empowered, peaceful and in control. The concept of women bonding is pretty much lost. Even when a woman joins a feminine organization, her goal is networking, improving her business, and benefiting anything and everything except her. One day I heard a priest giving a sermon. He asked his congregation, “What is the best thing a father can do for his children?” The answer was, “Love their mother.” This is something I have learned all through my life in my family as to how powerful a woman can be, but I do not mean physically or even mentally. In fact, I grew up learning that my brothers were much smarter and stronger then I was. But there was always this context of ‘woman power’ or ‘woman wisdom’, which was talked about, but never clarified. Many women do not realize that their strength comes from bonding with other women; men can’t fulfill all their needs and desires. Men and woman need to be supportive and a source of strength for each other, but when it comes to emotional bonding, female friends are the key. Women who have other women to bond with, to share with, to educate and grow with, have more peaceful marriages. More then half of marriages end up in divorce. More and more women find themselves helpless, in one form or the other. It all boils down to the power and freedom did not come with the wisdom it required. Woman before us got us the power to move forward. Now it is our responsibility to add wisdom to this power before passing it on to our next generation. In order for our children to survive and humankind to flourish, our children must evolve beyond us. To grow beyond us, they need to understand life from all points of view, both male and female. That is why we are here; to teach, to guide, and to help the universe expand and evolve with our differences. The difference between men and women is logical, and it makes sense that the brain varies between the sexes. Men tend to be more natural born protectors, while women are natural born nurturers. When women use these natural abilities to form, cultivate, and foster relationships, they can be incredibly strong. The answer to the question “Are women superior to men?” is that it does not really matter if we choose not to use that power and wisdom already given to us. Since the beginning of the time, only a handful of women have used their full power and wisdom. They understood, chose to learn, and chose to use their strengths. Whether you are an at-home mom or a working woman, understanding and connecting with other women, educating ourselves and truly supporting each other, will help us be who we naturally are: phenomenal women. Salma Ajani is a professional speaker, trainer, & author specializing in the concept of “Women & Accelerating Change.” She is a managing director of Ajani Research. Visit her at www.ajani.com |