Why are the men (most) so afraid to open up?
Just an observation....seems to be this way whether you are a ex-JW or worldly man. Why can't you share your feelings?
Can you tell by the lack of response to your question that you were on the right track? :)
I think Billygoat (who is just such a sweetie. I'm still waiting for her to accept my proposal) made some great points about how growing up in a certain environment affects you throughout your life. Growing up in a JW household can retard your social development. Growing up in an abusive environment can cause you to be paranoid and timid (or overly aggressive).
Well, growing up a male in Western society impacts us. Even after the "get in touch with your feminine side" 80s, males are still bombarded with pressure to stifle 'girlie' feelings.
One of the newsmagazine shows did a story on this recently. They observed a group of 5-year-olds playing. The boys gravitated toward competitive/violent toys and games, while the girls played cooperative/peaceful toys and games. When one boy picked up a Barbie doll, he was immediately told "that's for girls" by one of the other little boys, who undoubtedly had been told that by an older male in his life.
If we leave the JW or abusive environment, we have a chance of seeing that our environment was not normal. We can re-learn how to interact with people in more socially and emotionally mature ways.
But where do men re-learn how to express their feelings? How do they leave that environment and realize that it's not normal, when it is normal in Western society? The male stiff upper lip is so normal that men pay money to go out in the woods to cry and hug other men.
On the other hand, I don't think it's that big a deal, if it's not taken to the vulcan extreme. Then again, I'm a guy.
Hmmm
(Satisfying my quota with one non-fluff post per week)