Evolution in Everyday Events

I've noticed a curious phenomenon in places when men and women interact socially.

At a holiday party at my home, a mixed group of guys and gals were standing around in the kitchen, holding their drinks, and telling outrageous stories about their kids to peals of laughter. Then one of the women mentioned that there was a serious Black Friday sale this weekend at Penney's. Immediately the men's eyes glazed over and they began to migrate into the living room to talk about football.

I have seen this drama staged time and again. What may be occurring is our evolutionary histories playing out. Women were food-gatherers for eons before we moved into houses with electricity. We shared stories about where the best fruits, nuts, and berries were located. Today that translates into, "Honey, Penney's is all right, but you should see what they have at Dillard's!"

Men were once hunters. They talked about strategies for getting the mammoth to fall into the trap they had set. Football may be wildly popular with the guys because it mimics the kind of skills needed to snare a 9,000 pound hunk of live meat for the family barbecue. "Zog, you fake left. Mog, you run right. Zug and Boog, you go for the blitz..."

Some may call me sexist, but I can't help thinking there is something to that theory. Of course, thoughts like this prevent me from getting any real work done.