by

[wowenglish1]

I would like to know the meaning of 3 sentences.
1. by offering matching troubles.
2. she is trying to take something away from him.
3. by denying the uniqueness of his experience.


If women are often frustrated because men do not respond to their troubles by offering matching troubles, men are often frustrated because women do. Some men not only take no comfort in such a response; they take offense. For example, a woman told me that when her companion talks about a personal concern―for example, his feelings about growing older―she responds, "I know how you feel; I feel the same way." To her surprise, he gets annoyed; he feels she is trying to take something away from him by denying the uniqueness of his experience.

[Anglika]

Originally Posted by wowenglish1

I would like to know the meaning of 3 sentences.
1. by offering matching troubles.
2. she is trying to take something away from him.
3. by denying the uniqueness of his experience.


If women are often frustrated because men do not respond to their troubles by offering matching troubles, men are often frustrated because women do. Some men not only take no comfort in such a response; they take offence. For example, a woman told me that when her companion talks about a personal concern―for example, his feelings about growing older―she responds, "I know how you feel; I feel the same way." To her surprise, he gets annoyed; he feels she is trying to take something away from him by denying the uniqueness of his experience.

#1 Men do not have the same kind of problems that women have, so if a woman has a problem, she is frustrated because her man cannot empathise with her.

#2/#3 This is one of the differences between men and women. Women like to empathise, men want sympathy. In this example, he feels his "unique" experience is undervalued by her empathy.