Guys vs Men
Dave Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist whose syndicated column appears in more than 500 newspapers. Barry’s published works, totaling more than 25, include ‘Stay Fit and Healthy until You’re Dead’ (1985), ‘Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway’ (2001), and ‘Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys: A Fairly Short Book’ (1995). The preface to Barry’s book ‘Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys: A Fairly Short Book’, ‘Guys vs. Men’, is his perspective on the difference between “Guys” and “Men.” While both words no doubt bring to mind an image of a human male, they are very different in there description of that male. First, guys like to buy “neat” things that they don’t really need. Also, guys like a really pointless challenge. Last, but not least, guys are not very good at communicating their intimate feelings. What does Barry mean when he says “neat” things? Well here is an example. Guys will go to the store with the intention of buying a plain old spatula. They will return with an electric spatula that doubles as a potato peeler, and can also mix drinks. Barry explains that, while the products have no practical use, guys will buy them because they seem cool and exciting. Some examples Barry uses include “Star Wars, the recreational boating industry, monorails, nuclear weapons, and wristwatches that indicate the phase of the moon.” Barry infers that, while a guy may only need a basic item, he will buy the top of the line one just because it makes him feel more like a guy. And in the presence of other guys, a simple conversation can lead to a challenge. Simply saying that guys enjoy a really pointless challenge does not fully cover this part of “Guyness.” Barry discusses an incident that occurred while he was working for the Miami Herald. He explains that one of his guy coworkers was writing an article about a star high school football player who could run the forty-yard dash in 4.38 seconds. That article lead his coworkers to begin discussing how fast each guy