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A woman need know but one man well, in order to understand all men
Mar 16, 2008 03:37
  • SUMMERSNOW
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A woman need know but one man well, in order to understand all men; whereas a man may know all women and understand not one of them. -------Helena Rubinstein

I have just read this line, and it makes me headache. Does the line have some more profound cultural connotation? According to the line, women seem to be smarter and more complicated than men. A man may know all women and understand not one of them. ( The line reads awkwardly, any native speakers can explain the grammar?)

Is a woman need to know only one man well in order to understand all men? Are all men the same in the world? Can men never understand women?
Mar 16, 2008 04:38
#1  
  • APAULT
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No, not all men are the same, I can assure you! However, there are certainly definitely common personalily traits in men, and a separate set in women. Thousands of years of evolution (apologies to the 40% of Americans who refuse to accept that word) women have thought patterns concerned with the minutae of family and society, whereas men have thought patterns related to animal capture, fighting, and competeing with other males. (Acknowledgement to John Gray: Men are from mars, Women from Venus)
Mar 16, 2008 06:25
#2  
  • WCTMAN
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Translation: If youve seen ( or heard, met, talked to etc. ) one man, you've seen ( or heard, met, talked to etc. ) all of them, which means all men are alike; if you've seen ( or heard, met, talked to etc. ) all woman, you don't understand any of them, meaning nobody completely understands women.
Mar 16, 2008 17:55
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  • GRIZ326
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Her comment was a low class blow at the integrity of men. Her implication was that men are easily manipulated by a woman's wiles. Consider the source.

Helena Rubinstein was a Polish gal, born as Chaja Rubinstein, who changed her name and made "snake oil" back in a time when there was no government to stop you. From the Wiki:

"She mixed so-called medical formulas and ointments that she claimed were imported from the Carpathian Mountains. They were, in truth, concocted from sheep oil whose odor was disguised with scents of lavender, pine bark and water lilies."

She was successful.

"In 1928, she sold the American business to Lehman Brothers for $7.3 million, an enormous sum at the time when income taxes were nonexistent. After the arrival of the Great Depression, she bought back the nearly worthless stock for less than $1 million and eventually turned the shares into values of multimillion dollars, establishing salons and outlets in almost a dozen U.S. cities. "

Do the musings of a snake-oil salesperson merit your consideration.

Mar 17, 2008 20:18
#4  
  • SHESGOTTOBE
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Not all men are the same. Judging every man based on one man she knows is very dangerous. Does Helena Rubinstein know any men outside her family? *snicker*
Mar 18, 2008 20:24
#5  
  • SUNNYDREAM
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"A woman need know but one man well, in order to understand all men"

Can things become that easy?If all the men are the same, life would be boring. Imagine, everyday, you meet the guys who have the same characteristics, wouldn't you feel bored?
Mar 19, 2008 13:34
#6  
  • CARLOS
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What´s the problem? Ladies, try it. Get to know one man and then try Your knowledge to another. You will find out men are individuals like any other animal.

Carlos
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