Considered Opinions

WAGing, SWAGing & MANsplaining

For those unfamiliar with WAGs and SWAGs, the Glossary provides a brief introduction. I included those two words here only because they are often used when the word “MANsplaining” ^[i]mansplaining /ˈmanˌsplāniNG/ noun: mansplaining
The explanation of something by a man, typically to a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing.
“your response is classic mansplaining”might be more appropriate. Much has been written about MANsplaining in recent years, 100% of which had escaped my attention until recently, so I offer these three observations and the two examples that follow to others who might have been equally unobservant.

1. In a social setting, an unsuspecting gentleman wishing to impress the damsel of his eye by explaining worldly things can be misunderstood as belittling or talking down to said damsel.
2. In everyday life, not all who ask for help are seeking understanding – some just want the job done for them.
3. In business, basic problem-solving can be mistaken for personal criticism, instead of professional training, particularly when the subordinate is unaware of his or her need for training.

A Sign On The Fence

The fence was 5 feet tall and vertical. An added upper section was angled outward at 45 degrees to deter deer from jumping over. The question was how to attach a plywood sign to it. My immediate response would have been to explain that the lateral force vector could be reduced by 1/1.414 (inverse of the square root of 2) by moving the sign slightly or virtually eliminated by moving it to the vertical part of the fence. That would have been MANsplaining.

She did not give a rat’s ass about the Newtonian Physics here on Earth. She just didn’t want the sign to fall off or the fence to collapse, and have to call someone to fix it. A more fitting approach was to smile knowingly and say, “Let me do it for you”.

The Redwood Deck

This text dialog demonstrates a somewhat different, but perhaps even more typical example of the MANsplaining phenomenon.

In the example, the lady texter (the green “ D “ dots) unknowingly incites a MANsplain event. I, of course, play my characteristic role – wishing to provide a helpful response to her direct solicitation.

But, in this case, I saw the problem coming and attempted to avoid it by inquiring as to what kind of answer was needed – short, paragraph, or comprehensive.

As the dialogue evolved, it became clear that she was not seeking an answer. She just wanted to talk with someone about it, because she already knew what material she was going to use. My role was to validate her decision.

It occurred to me at the time that I really should advise her that a better choice would have been to wait a year before using any type of sealer. She had just finished installing the deck, using very “green” ^[ii]Freshly milled redwood should be cured before use., “decking grade” ^[iii]Redwood that is not entirely red in color, but instead has white “sapwood” or xylem showing on one side, contains much water and volatile oils. redwood. It is common to “sticker” such lumber in a shady place for six months, letting it stabilize before use. Using any kind of sealer on lumber in a green condition would be counterproductive.

That would have been classic MANsplaining, and fortunately, I was able to resist my inherent instinct.

By: Jim
Written: August 2024
Published: 
Revised: 
Reader feedback always appreciated^[vi]. . thoughtful commentary perhaps more so than shallow thoughts