Maturity, age, and gender dynamics

Women often complain that men that are about the same age as them are immature, and thus they prefer dating older men. I would like to offer another angle to this. Its not that men that are of the same age range as their female counterparts are immature. It just takes a very mature man to tolerate the childish whims and fancies of said woman.

A mature man would know when to back off, and be "the girl friend". i.e.: Tell them what they want to hear. Listen but don't speak. Just agree. Make them feel good. Let them win. No simple task for a man of younger age, who is genetically programmed to assert their authority and ego. With age comes tolerance and also the willingness to loosen up his principles and what he believes in for the one he loves. Because, age does this. Everyone is looking for the perfect mate to carry on their legacy. When you are younger, you tend to look for the perfect mate. The person who is your intellectual equal. The person with the good looks. The person who is gifted. As you grow older, reality hits you. Your standards drop. You settle for someone less than ideal. And thus, you become "mature".

My conclusion is, maturity is about tolerance and acceptance. With today's breakdown of social acceptance where people are less tolerant of each other's shortcomings, there's a growing trend of young men who date women of more mature age, who would appear to be easier to reason with and less whimsical in nature. That way there is less for the man to compromise with his principles and ego if they ever decide to date. It would seem that now the tables are turned for the women as men can no longer wait to "grow up" with the women of their same age range, and hence have resorted to looking for older women.

At the end of the day, neither gender nor age should be in the equation for maturity. Ideally both parties are equally matured. A relationship is about giving and taking after all.  Alternatively, someone has to be the more matured person and has to be the one that "gives in" often and NOT mind giving in. If none of the above can be attained, that's why break ups happen.