Poll: Friendship between Men and Women or The Ladder Theory

[Smooth Operator]

Hmm, the ladder theory is half correct, but the final assumption is not, you can always be friends with girls who rank low on your wanted ladder and not all will move up.

I can't be friends with girls I find attractive, many many times I tried, but there will always be a failing point.
However if I don't find her attractive we can be best buds forever, but then it's usually an issue of non-interest for that friendship, because girls will rarely have the same hobbies.

 

[Rakkana]

No...

Everyone's different. While it may be true to some people, personally knowing how complicated relationships can get makes generalizing it on everyone to be plain silly.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

No. Just no.

 

[Kakashi on crack]

I'm a heterosexual male, I have plenty of friends who are female, and I only see one or two of them as possible relations.


Theory disproven. There.

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

I'm inclined to believe that theory is a load of bullshit, especially when you consider that there is in fact no evidence at all supporting it - it's a purely 'social' ideology, not a scientific hypothesis, no one has done any genuine scientific research on the subject. And the conclusion that men can't be friends with women because they only ever want to have sex with them is frankly rather insulting.

 

[garjian]

Does this mean bisexuals have no friends?

i have friends.

 

[Danny Ocean]

...
This was most likely thought up by some woman who sincerely believes that all men think with their dick.

Actually, wasn't it made by a guy?...

Was it? Huh.

In that case, you'd think they'd have a better grasp on how their own mind works. Unless they actually think like that. Which would be... pretty weird.

I think you'll find that people work surprisingly hard to fulfil the stereotypes wider society places upon them. Especially men, I think.

 

[Harrowdown]

I don't know that this is sexist, to be honest. Men are biologically hardwired to have as many partners as they can to increase procreation. That said, I don't agree. I'm friends with plenty of girls. Doesn't mean I don't ever have sexual feelings about them. I'm male.

 

[Altorin]

I'm pretty sure it's a joke.

 

[Dragoonit]

I don't know that this is sexist, to be honest. Men are biologically hardwired to have as many partners as they can to increase procreation. That said, I don't agree. I'm friends with plenty of girls. Doesn't mean I don't ever have sexual feelings about them. I'm male.

I knew there was going to be one honest person in this bunch

 

[Dragoonit]

I'm pretty sure it's a joke.

it is, but still fun to think about

 

[hyzaku]

That's bullshit.
I have tons of female friends whom I would not like to have sex with.

Just curious, but does that mean those females fall down further on your "ladder" ?

There is no ladder.
They're just people who I don't want to have sex with.

I respect that, but you seem quick to reject the theory. In order to see if a theory truly works you have to test the theory with an experiment, not just hypothesize. Give it a try!

Technically, if this actually was a theory it would already have been tested and be backed up by all available evidence. Without testing an idea can never be more than a hypothesis according to science. The fact that the general public seem to think the word theory means what hypothesis actually means is a massive irritation for me.

Actually, due to the wording of this hypothesis wouldn't it be untrue on a large scale because of homosexuality and asexuality? Neither of those groups would be "ranking" the opposite sex in a sexual manner at all. Then of course there are people who, despite liking/wanting sex, simply do not ever prioritize sex as either a thought or an activity. I personally am that type of person and so are some of my friends. I am certain there are other groups that could be found and described that would not follow this hypothesis. Honestly, I cannot see how this idea is correct.

In fact the article you link even states that there is no scientific evidence backing this idea. Though the article does misuse both theory and hypothesis (*silently raging*). Even a false hypothesis is still a hypothesis.

 

[Flutterbrave]

There is no clinical or scientific evidence to support Ladder Theory. Lynn claims that the theory is "based upon many years of sociological field testing." Without data, however, this claim most likely refers to personal and anecdotal experience. Ladder Theory, therefore, is largely a social ideology, rather than a scientific hypothesis.

I think that kind of says everything that needs to be said.

It's also amusing how it offends men by saying that we rank women 60% by physical attraction and have only one ladder, but then goes on to ALSO offend women by saying that 50% of their rankings is money and power. Like, did the creator of this theory even THINK before they published it?

 

[bobknowsall]

It's a bit risky to base your views on relationships on a simple social-psych theory.

I mean, the fact that I know a woman doesn't mean I want to screw her. I mean, let's face it, some people are actually quite repugnant due to, say, the way they act. Appearance also plays a part, along with social status.

Sometimes they're not repugnant, but they're still not sexually attractive. Where does that fit, now?

 

[Dragoonit]

That's bullshit.
I have tons of female friends whom I would not like to have sex with.

Just curious, but does that mean those females fall down further on your "ladder" ?

There is no ladder.
They're just people who I don't want to have sex with.

I respect that, but you seem quick to reject the theory. In order to see if a theory truly works you have to test the theory with an experiment, not just hypothesize. Give it a try!

Technically, if this actually was a theory it would already have been tested and be backed up by all available evidence. Without testing an idea can never be more than a hypothesis according to science. The fact that the general public seem to think the word theory means what hypothesis actually means is a massive irritation for me.

Actually, due to the wording of this hypothesis wouldn't it be untrue on a large scale because of homosexuality and asexuality? Neither of those groups would be "ranking" the opposite sex in a sexual manner at all. Then of course there are people who, despite liking/wanting sex, simply do not ever prioritize sex as either a thought or an activity. I personally am that type of person and so are some of my friends. I am certain there are other groups that could be found and described that would not follow this hypothesis. Honestly, I cannot see how this idea is correct.

In fact the article you link even states that there is no scientific evidence backing this idea. Though the article does misuse both theory and hypothesis (*silently raging*). Even a false hypothesis is still a hypothesis.

a theory is a unproven concept, therefore has to be tested

 

[Gunner_Guardian]

That theory is broken for one reason. Everyone uses a different mating strategy both instinctively and consciously. It isn't divided by gender.

Everything can range from the dark Tryiad's strategy of screw everyone and damn the consequences to the simple find someone loyal and be with them for life.

True that theory does outline the most power strategy for both genders but due to the fact that only a few males and females can be at the top, that's hardly the most prominent.

 

[keideki]

Yes and No.

I do think it is possible to have friends from the opposite sex. I will maintain however that no matter what both parties say, they have thought about each other like that. I can't speak for females, but most males I know have admitted that they have on occasion wondered what it would be like to have sex with a female friend. Usually it leads nowhere.

 

[NezumiiroKitsune]

I have attractive female friends that I don't want to engage in a romantic relationship with and those that I have and remained friends with afterwards without any damage to our platonic relationship. So I'd have to say this hasn't been my experience.

Theory and Hypothesis do have different meanings by the way, the theory of evolution is still a theory since it can still be amended and altered given new evidence. An hypothesis is an unproven theory.

 

[DuctTapeJedi]

Dude, I have tons of male friends.

Granted, I'm also very unattractive, but still...

 

[Mckeown]

this theory is complete and total bull, most of my friends are girls, and i don't really feel any sexual tension between myself and... any of them, really. there are a lot of girls i don't talk to, who my friends think are attractive and i don't, or who i've just seen at a distance from time-to-time, and i don't feel any attraction towards them either.
and i know, for a fact, that a lot of my female friends don't even have ladders, one of tem has a boyfriend and feels awkward just hugging him. when me and my current girlfriend started, it took her a few weeks before she could come to terms with kissing me, and i was fine with that, i'm going out with her because i feel a real, personal connection to her, there isn't really any sexual tension there, and there never was.

bottom line: this theory is total bullcrap and needs to go. fast.