Deborah Tannen's essay is really good, but some parts of it are kind of hard for me to imagine, like where she states that in somebody's observation of a class, that NO girls EVER challenged the author, that they mainly asked questions or talked about an issue in the paper. I do not think that is true for all classes.

It seem's to me that girls speak out more than boys these days, just from evidence from our first period. Sometimes I think boys are embarrassed to or think tht if they share there feeling about something, that other guys might think they are lame. But literally that is not the case at all, and that is not all boys of course.

Also, even though I do not fully agree with Tannen about how Boy's are the only one's to speak up and defend their personal views, in a sence I see her point. I do think that girls talk more, but when boys state their opinions it seems like they are more controversial. And also that plays into what I said about the guys feeling that if they state their feelings they may be made fun of, maybe they go for the more argumentive statement about the author rather than what they feel about the article becasue they think like they have to be manly. And maybe some girls feel the same way, that they have to play the part and go more with their own feelings than be "adversarial".

I personally was not raised by a family who confronts others when they totally dissagree, and I really do not like getting critisism from people I do not respect, so when I read about the lady that dropped out of her Graduate program after a year, it made me think of me. But honestly I think that my lack of confidence when it comes to confronting people is just an imaturity, so unlike the lady who left becaue she hated it so much I at least see me growing and getting used to it, or well getting better at it, and getting over my defense when it comes to critisism I don't want to hear. Because that is how you gain wisdom is by seeing others points of view and by learning to judge what you agree with ad what you don't without getting offended.

Tannen jumps from the differences of boys and girls, to the way the human race thinks that opposing others opinions is more important than making you own point. I really gained insight about arguments, and am going to put into practice how you should not only cosider what is wrong with a point, but what is right with it also. But i think that plays a part only in some circumstances. And I know I am switching back and forth from side to side, becasue i just sai i mself will start to try to see others views adn ask myself about the pros and cons, but I do not see the point to over thinking subjects that you are morally against, like abortion for me, or same sex couples.. there is nothing anybody can say that will make me view those things as ok, or as the right of the person.

All in all I loved this reading.