My dear friend ... those diagrams are for fun, and speak to ways in which we might stereotype gender. Interesting thing is ... I draw a blank diagram of a male and female brain on the board for my students, who range in age from 18 and into the 60's, and have the girls go first and give me some stereotypical thinking about men, and then have the men go next.
I find ... that what they throw out there is absolutely not far from what you see in those diagrams I posted, and many exactly what you see, but ... what I find
more interesting is the perspective of the different age groups and how we perpetuate certain aspects of male/female socializing from one generation to the next.
I do agree though ... that some research can be faulty based on the criteria used, however, the brains of men and women are absolutely physiologically different, and plays very much into our biological behavior. There's an evolutionary process in play here as well that lends credence to certain and specific gender behaviors. Our collective unconscious houses evolutionary imprints that speak to us as inheritors of our prehistoric legacy, and as such, a predisposition to behave in ways that promote survival and reproduction. I don't think that's what we
think about when we're getting it on though.
However, we
still have expectations with regard to how men and women behave, and it's not as antiquated or outdated as you think it is.
Thing is (and according to research) ... it seems that women have a more
relational approach to sex, while men have a more
recreational approach. However ... the principle seems to be that the natural selection process incorporates behaviors that increase the likelihood of extending our genes into the future, and that we (both males and females) are similarly predisposed to act in ways of our ancestors in order to carry on the legacy. Again, I'm sure it's not what we think of when we're getting it on.
Back on-topic ... I don't think EU needs to go the way of full-on family, but perhaps something that might speak to couples and their growth together within our universe, don't know. I doubt MA would consider creating baby avatars, it just doesn't fit as far as I'm concerned. This is an adult colony (role-playing here) ... select people from Earth chosen to develop a planet ... it's an adult playground, and I would venture to think that
perhaps most would like it that way better. It's anyone's guess, but I think you have something to work with here, including the many additional suggestions that people have posted. It might bring a nice addition to game-play for couples.
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