The Three Beer Advantage

I barely have a buzz

My college instructor in Organizational Behavior would give me a C- for sexism, but this observation I have to share. In making this gender-based distinction, I'll predicate it on the fact it's also not a strict association -- there are exceptions to the rule. What I notice is that men have such an exuberance, such joi de vivre and self-confidence, it is a level of mental high that women can only achieve after drinking 3 beers. I call it the "three beer advantage". For men, it is such a high forward gear, you might even say it's sometimes irrational (like somebody being drunk on beer).

Men are more likely to:
- Take on bold new projects
- Take thrill-seeking risks
- Gamble, spend large amounts of money on something speculative
- Over-estimate their abilities at anything be it kick boxing, driving fast or talking a business deal
- Break thru legal and social barriers to find a way to proceed with something fun or exciting

Women are more likely to be cautious, reticent, by-the-book, one step at a time. Women are more likely to pose these questions:
- Is it legal?
- Do we have to do it right now?
- Someone will see.
- I don't have a good feeling about this.
- Is it worth it for a 5 minute thrill ride?

In college calculus, I had a dorm pal and my high school's valedictorian, a red-headed girl named Paula, in the same class. We had a test -- Paula had actually marked it wrong on her calendar and hadn't studied for it. My friend Kevin had prepared by playing Spades the night before. Walking out of the exam, Kevin was chortling over how easy it was, he aced it. Paula was sick at her stomach because she hadn't specifically prepared and knew she missed some questions. Paula got back a 92 and Kevin got back a 72. (I, who had studied, only did about a point better than Paula). In another case, two couples were walking to their cars in Uptown after a night out. A robber approached them and demanded their money. One of the men tried to approach the robber, to reason with him -- and was fatally shot.

So, what we have is a glass half empty (girl's point of view) and glass overflowing with frothy beer (man's point of view). Both behavioral extremes have their value in certain situations. You need the moxy to carry thru in a challenge, but not the lack of judgment to be a foolhardy fool. There needs to be hard-nosed realism mixed in equal part with derring-do. Do men have on a permanent pair of rose colored glasses? Perhaps. The great bartender in the sky probably needs to equalize the situation, maybe by cutting men back to two beers. Women on the other hand, need to lighten up -- maybe give them an Amstel Light. We should all be on a natural, realistic high. We don't want to erase the difference between the sexes, but maybe just cut back a little on that 3 beer advantage.