That's all well and good, but what are the practical implications of it? Your truck may be bigger than my car, with more capabilities, but it doesn't get you any more to a destination than mine will. Furthermore, why should I concede any superiority to your greater capacity on those occasions when you're not hauling anything, and you're using twice the fuel to get to the same place?
Men are more frightened of emotions than anything because one can't slice, dice, examine emotions anywhere near how one can examine, slice, measure, construct with a piece of wood, for example.
I think "frightened" is an inappropriate term. As you said, men are also emotional, so it's not as if they are ignorant of emotion. Men do mistrust emotional rationality, particularly when it's used to justify, for example, disdain of a hundred dollar gift for lack of two dollars worth of gift-wrapping. Much of the emotional rationality confronting men does bear a striking resemblance to looking the proverbial gift horse in the mouth, or making major issues from esoteric distinctions... particularly when those distinctions would be ignored under different circumstances.
They are exceedingly tender and vulnerable in terms of their egos--especially in terms of their masculinity, potency, virility etc. They can hide it--some very well--under tons of bluster, bravado, toughness etc.
This may or may not be. The question is how would you know? You've structured the dynamic in such a way as to presume the thing you're claiming.
If a man stoicly receives criticism, is it because he's hiding his true feelings, or because he just doesn't believe the criticism has merit? Indeed, may it even have been proffered for the express purpose of causing distress? Any criticism has only so much impact as the recipient has regard for the opinion of the critic.
Women's hyper sensitivities in terms of emotional etc. communications and perceptiveness can work against them when they are whiny, bitchy, insecure, demanding, perfectionistic etc. out of poor childhood attachment.
Some men need to realize women's hyper level of skills or focus in such areas and work more to at least be aware of that and maybe to meet it more half way. Women need to be aware of their preponderance in such areas and work more to translate into men's terms and priorities, values.
IMHO.
------------------------
. . . frightened . . . an inappropraite word
I appreciate your point but still believe mine has much validity. I've seen it too many times. Many men (not all) are uncomfortable with anything they can't manipulate easily with their hands or at least their minds. Emotions tend to fall OUTSIDE of those categories for most men. They feel like fish out of water in those areas--especially along side a very verbal, very emotionally skilled wife--and all the worse if such a wife is the least bit manipulative with same.
. . . looking gift horse in the mouth . . .
YES, THAT'S A HORRID PROBLEM in any relationship and too chronic and common in male/female relationships--again--especially if the spouse--often the wife--has not had good attachment bonding the first years of life.
They are exceedingly tender and vulnerable in terms of their egos--especially in terms of their masculinity, potency, virility etc. They can hide it--some very well--under tons of bluster, bravado, toughness etc.
This may or may not be. The question is how would you know?
It has been my experience and observations with 100's of husbands in hundreds of marriage and family counseling contexts. And similarly, 100's more observations of the same sort amongst my relatives, friends and other associates. Yes, your example may explain some. Certainly far from all.
Even in your last example, a wise man will communicate effectively in response. Gundecking, slipping and sliding; running and hiding; shucking and jiving; pretending and denying--will all degrade a relationship vs enhance it--regardless of what the spouse is doing or not doing.