Boys and Their Toys: Understanding Men by Understanding Their Relationship with Gadgets

177 Pages·2006·3.02 MB·English

by  Bill Adler Jr.

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Boys and Their Toys
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Boys and Their Toys
Understanding Men by Understanding
Their Relationship with Gadgets
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BILLADLER,JR.
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Adler,Bill,1957–
Boysandtheirtoys:understandingmenbyunderstanding
theirrelationshipwithgadgets/BillAdler,Jr.
p. cm.
Includesindex.
ISBN-13:978-0-8144-7344-3
ISBN-10:0-8144-7344-X
1. Men—Psychology. 2. Men—Effectoftechnological
innovationson. 3. Men—Recreation—Psychologicalaspects.
4. Recreation—Equipmentandsupplies—Psychologicalaspects.
5. Householdelectronics—Psychologicalaspects.
6. Technology—Psychologicalaspects. I. Title.
HQ1090.A35 2007
155.3(cid:2)32—dc22 2006024192
(cid:2)2007BillAdler,Jr.
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ToRichardRobin,LarryKahaner,EliotApplestein,
MarkLewyn,andPeterHirshberg
becausetheyunderstand,eveniftheirwivesandgirlfriendsdon’t.
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Contents
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Acknowledgments,ix
Introduction,1
HowtoPick(orAdaptto)YourMan
BasedonWhatKindofToyHeWants,9
ToysLureinWomen,JustLikeGoodWormsLureinFish,31
ToysPreventBoredomandThusPreventInsanity(onthePartof
EveryoneThatBoredGuysComeintoContactWith),37
MenNeedtoBeSpontaneous,andToysOfferaSafeWay
toMaintainTheirYouthfulSpontaneity,54
GadgetsPreventInfidelity,67
MenHateAmbiguity,75
ProtectorToys:HowGuysExposeTheirNurturingSide
ThroughTechnology,EvenifTheyDon’tKnowIt,80
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viii Contents
ToysHelpRelieveStressinMen—TheyReallyDo,96
TheWholeMidlifeCrisisThingandGadgets,105
GirlsandTheirCurls:WomenLikeStuff,Too,
andWhatThisMeansforMen,121
TheDarkSide:MenUseGadgetstoFendOffMeaningfulConversations
andEmotionalEntanglements,127
ForSomeMen,GadgetsAreaSubstituteforWatchingSports24/7:
ThereReallyIsNoSuchThingasaNon-GadgetGuy(andYouShould
BeSoLuckytoBeMarriedtoThisKindofMan),134
TheMeaningofBlackBerry,143
TheWileE.CoyotePhenomenon:
WhyAreMenUndeterredbyGadgetFailure?,153
Postscript,155
Index,159
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Acknowledgments
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IwanttothankLafayetteRadioElectronics,astoreinthe’40s
in Manhattan where I spent a lot of my childhood. For a boy
wholikedtoys,LafayetteRadioElectronicswastheplacetobe.
I could get stuff there, every now and then, allowance permit-
ting. But it was also a place of dreams: From barometers to
walkie-talkies, Lafayette Radio Electronics was a wonderful
land.Alas, thestore isnomore, replacednot asmuch bygiant
consumer electronic companies as by the rapid pace of tech-
nology.
AsIwritethesewords,cellphones,MP3musicplayerslike
theiPod,anddigitalcamerasarebeginningtobecomeone.You
canbuyadevicethatletsyoutalktoanyoneontheplanet,lets
you send that person a picture or short video of what you’re
describingonthephone,andthenletsyoulistentoyourfavor-
ite tunes when you’re done. But while such a device is an ade-
quatecellphone,itisonlyaso-sodigital camera,anditisalso
limited in the number of songs it can hold. My brother-in-law,
Richard, says it will take six years until there’s a single device
thatdoesitall,butitmaybesooner.
Meanwhile, between now and when all we’ll need is one
gadget to do everything, there will be lots of new gadgets to
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