@rbie You mean to find that tiny sliver of women who would rather solve their problems than wallow in them? I would LOVE to find that woman. We ALL would. It is literally what every guy is looking for, but it has gotten to the point where the mere suggestion of trying to actually solve a problem is considered sexist. And I'm a FEMINIST!!!! I really wish it weren't this way, but alas...
@@tomhazelton3070 Funny, my late Husband Thom was also what I consider a feminist. I'll tell you like I tell all other guys who speak like this... *Stop finding women in the bar or women who ×××× on the first date AND GO TO CHURCH.* You know what helped my Husband get a good wife who hasn't slept with a man seven years after he DIED?? *He* was a very devout Orthodox Christian. You have to be deserving of what you want. All these men want Holy women, but they're *not* Holy men.
Yeah I... don't think I would love that, in practice. Then again I don't share my feelings much so the people near me don't often have these puzzles to solve, I'm sure it's useful for some
@@aaditshah4689They have been married for 36 years. They did not watch the video 36years ago, but when they did, they found the lesson applicable to their preexisting marriage.
If your partner just wants to talk about things, that's all well and fine. But I have found especially in relationships is that if they don't resolve the problem, it will eventually become your problem. Either financially, emotionally or so on. I just don't want added work or stress in my life because they cannot or refuse to fix an ongoing issue.
yeah I had to eventually end a relationship because of stuff like this. i realized my sympathy for the SAME SOLVABLE PROBLEM can only last so long, before it's actually inconsiderate of them to expect me to keep devoting emotional energy to it, when the other person has no real interest in solving the problem. sometimes people seem to get enough dopamine off the validation that they don't feel the need to actually be proactive. in a relationship the stress should come from you two facing the world together, not from the other person's poor judgment. the moment you feel like more of a parent than a partner, it's not gonna work. you also owe it to yourself to not continuously dump energy into an emotional black hole.
Yeah, same has happened to me many times. The best you can do is get away from them. It's like trying to save someone from drowning while they swim downwards and pull you with them, or like setting yourself on fire justo to keep them warm (when they are going to swim on frozen water 5 minutes later anyway, and blame everyone else but themselves.
You must be from some other place because here in the west nothing is ever a womans fault ever. We have a joke here in Iceland... "A women took responsibility for her actions and apologized."
You're missing the point. He's listening to what she's *saying*, sure, but listening goes beyond that first superficial level. You have to listen to what *the person thinks they needs*. And that "thinks" is the operative word here; you might observe what you believe the clear source of a problem, but in that moment, the issue is more emotionally charged than logically so. If he had just sat down and listened - without trying to find where he could input, because that's not really listening for listening's sake - then she would've felt heard and more comfortable. And *then*, paradoxically, she would be more open to solutions. If the wind is blowing so hard that your garden is being ripped to shreds, the solution is to build a greenhouse. But to build it in the middle of the torrent is a fool's errand; let the wind pass, then enact the solution under more peaceful and manageable conditions.
@@domojestic4155But if you come to me with an issue and ask for my input and advice, and based on my experience and skillset I feel I can genuinely help you, then you ignore any advice and experience from me... why did you even come to me? Just to vent? Fine, then say that upfront... but be prepared for me to vent in return about how frustrating it is to constantly be presented with solvable issues for which my solutions aren't desired or implemented.
She wants to be heard but doesn't want her problem fixed. This is fine for as long as she gets headaches and her sweaters get snagged being the only problem. That is her problem and she can choose to fix it or not. What about the moment when the nail poked her husband at the end though? Should he risk his eyes being poked out or should he say: "You can choose to go around with the nail in the head, but I will not come near until I feel safe"? In reality, the nail is not only her problem, but her partners' as well. Personal problems remain personal until they start affecting others. Then they become shared problems and we all have the right to tend to our own issues and fix them.
I'm a woman and I have to say you have a point in the respect that if it starts hurting others then it definitely should be helped but I think the point is, if it's not hurting others, sometimes a woman or a man, just want to be heard 🌻 I did laugh though as going through cancer now and it's difficult to talk sometimes and just be heard without fixing 🎗
Honestly, listening to someone you care about complain about an easily fixable solution is very draining. There's only so much sympathy i can offer before it becomes a me-problem too. Empathy means we feel for the other person. If we empathize with someone, and share in their pain, then we are hurting too. A quick venting session isn't a big deal, and if someone has a not-easily-fixable problem, that's understandable too; But if you're close to someone who wants to regularly talk about how a very solvable problem is negatively affecting them and wants you to empathize, i just see that as childish and selfish. "I'm in pain, and even though I could fix it, i don't want to. But i also want you to feel bad for me."
I had to tell the love of my life that I was going to step away until she came to me ready to work on her (admittedly, extremely serious) problems, because she was "dealing" with her problems by literally refusing to engage with me. We've always been long-distance, so this took the form of not answering calls, texts, emails, IMs, anything, for days or weeks; finding reasons to avoid coming to see me; and always being "busy" on those occasions when we did get to see each other, avoiding eye contact, shaming me for wanting to hold hands or rest my head on her shoulder in public. When she finally admitted to me what the problem was, she flatly refused to let me talk to her about her mental health. And I did try to abide by that, but when her behavior didn't change, she clearly wasn't getting better, and all I did was cry all the time and obsess over if I was helping or hurting her, if I was selfish or not... I had to give up, not because I was done with her but because I could see that her method of coping--ignoring what she needed to do to get better, and refusing to have even a friendship with me, let alone a romance--was not helping her get better, and that it was making me worse, or at least just swapping out one sort of misery for another. Unloading on someone who loves you and then refusing to either let them help you, or to not allow them to see that you're doing something to help yourself...it's devastating.
It's not about not wanting the problem to be fixed. Obviously any sane person wants their problems fixed. There are ways to help people without giving them the answer. And goddamn if it's that big a deal tell them to go see a therapist.
@@thatvalensteingirl sure, but I would also argue that people often times already know the answer to their problems. It's just a matter of actually realizing the solution. Sometimes people legitimately cannot do anything about their circumstances, and just want someone to listen to them.
Just so you all know, this video was used in my law enforcement training for crisis management/dealing with a “suspect” or person of interest in crisis as a means of verbal de-escalation. I have shared this same video since being shown it then, because it is real. Active listening skills are remarkably important when resolving someone’s disgruntled emotional state. Sometimes in order for someone to return to homeostasis, it requires empathy and understanding, not to attempt to solve their problem. A fragile emotional state is not the time for that. The time for logic and reason is later, once homeostasis has been achieved. You can’t efficiently fix a problem when you’re in emotional distress. You need to be calmed first before being able to apply reason. (Edit: added “verbal” to de-escalation.)
Thanks for leaving this comment! I often struggle to communicate with people who are not in homeostasis and wonder why facts and logic doesn't help them come into reason. Your comment was so helpful for me to realize that I need to help them find homeostasis before I dump a bunch of reason and logic on them.
Listen to her..... then tell her she's been working hard lately and probably could use a restful nap. Once she falls asleep, carefully strap her down to the bed and retrieve some locking pliers from your toolbox.
@@theapologist6717 Yes I think it is worth it. It has some practical advice and she really makes you think about negative emotions in a different context. Give it a try.
i'm a natural fixer. when i was 17, my first gf told me that when she'd vent, she wanted validation rather than problem-solving. it didn't make sense to me, but i still adapted to do it, and it changed our relationship for the better. i've kept that in mind since then. sometimes people need to get their emotions under control to be able to fix their problems; and then they'll usually even be able to fix it solely by themselves. it's unfortunate that so many fellow fixers in the comments are defensive about it, being a supportive listener is an invaluable relationship skill.
@@isaacruiz3991 sure! in my experience, usually the person can fix it by themselves after venting, but if they need help, they'll be more likely to accept it if they had their feelings validated first.
Jason, i just wanted you to know that this short has shaped my conversations over the MANY years since release, with people thousands of times. I find myself saying “That.. sounds…… really hard” ALL THE TIME. I have shared it (along with many of you other UA-cam vids) and i will continue to share it, cuz it is timeless and perfectly succinct. Thank you.
I've been doing it too and you know what? I actually does work. Well, it doesn't help solve their problem. It works to get people (not just women) to stop complaining so much in the moment, but the downside is that now "you're a really good listener" and now you've got to hear about all their other problems. And they all sound... really hard.
@@synthetic240 a friend is venting to you because they're frustrated and sad and overwhelmed. And you're listening because you're a good friend with a kind heart that leaves space for them to be comfortable to vent. If it actually bothers you to listen, stop being fake about it. If it only gets to you sometimes (hey, listeners need to vent too, or they need breaks), COMMUNICATE it Edit: venting is not for problem solving. It's to express pain without needing to seek a solution. Often times we have a solution in mind we can handle ourselves but things are too overwhelming in the moment
I don't think you should capitulate the stupidity. It is stupid to just want to complain and complain about a problem, and not want a solution. It's perfectly reasonable to want to vent about something, but if you only want to vent, and not solve, and you want to do it in perpetuity, especially when the solution is very obvious, that's just stupid. P. S. I'm a woman.
@@Rainlitnight isnt the point of the video making fun of the woman for preferring to complain about her problems rather than implement the simple, obvious solution? I don't think this is extolling the virtues of venting.
Chris Rock said it best... "We men are handicapped when it comes to arguing with women... "We are handicapped because we have this uncontrollable need to make sense."
If you connect this observation with what's going on with the Kavanaugh hearings, you'll see why there's a sudden interest in the "Repeal the 19th Amendment" movement.
It's not even the sympathy a woman wants. Sympathy is just the litmus test she uses that lets her know she has a workable excuse. When a woman comes to you with her problems, she's not looking for a solution, or even really for sympathy. What she wants to know is "How much of my personal responsibility does this excuse allow me to abdicate and how much can I get away with not doing or what can I be given because of it?" Men pull the nail out because the answer is "zero," so they need a solution. Men want to pull the nail out of the woman, because an upset woman makes trouble for men, and so they need a solution. If women pulled the nail out, they lose their scapegoat and have to be responsible again. So it's not about the nail, it's about testing how worthy a scapegoat the excuse of the nail is. They don't want the problem gone. They want to collect all the excuses they encounter in their entire life history in a jar like fireflies, to be held up and shaken at any time whenever someone has expectations of them. That's why she remembers that one thing you said five years ago, or the one time you told her that some idea she had was logically flawed. It's a firefly. They certainly don't want some man to come along and shatter the jar and fix all their problems. That would ruin everything. Then they'd have to get off their ass and do something. Men are trying to get the job done. Women are trying to make it not their fault that the job isn't done. Which usually involves blaming a man and making him do the job. Because everyone knows men have to be responsible. Because women can't be. And this is why when you come home from a long day of work wage slaving to provide for her, and catch her getting banged by Chad and Tyrone, it's your fault that she's cheating on you, because look at all these fireflies in my jar. And when she says it's all a man's fault, she's actually right. It is. When the dog crashes your car, it's not the dog's fault. It doesn't have the capability to take responsibility for its actions. Why did you let the dog drive your car? You knew the dog couldn't drive.
+William Barnes That's brilliant. Hence the "Happy wife, happy life" mantra. What's creepy though is that the feminist infection is inculcating men with this same ethos. I know. I was raised by one, and I'm still in recovery.
+William Barnes Sounds good to me. I love your take btw, reminds me of the moment when I realized how women 'shit test' in early relationships. How did someone so young (presumably if you're on UA-cam) get so wise?
Don't listen to what people say. Watch what they do. That's all there is to it. Stereotypes don't come from nowhere. There's no stereotype about how Turks are made of glass, or how Brazilians are shrewd gamblers. That's not an accident. Stereotypes have to convey useful information or warning to stay alive. The black stereotype about watermelon and grape drink is falling away as we speak, because it was a passing fad. The ones about stealing, contempt for education, and being fatherless, aren't going anywhere. Why not? It is the deepest of mysteries mankind was not meant to know. Lol, just kidding. It's obvious. Once upon a time, I got offended by proxy when I heard someone use stereotypes of Jews being money-grubbing loan sharks. I think it was an episode of South Park, where the little Jewish boy was playing with a dreidel at holiday time. They had a song, and that made me wonder. Because I didn't know any Jewish holiday traditions, or how to play dreidel which is apparently their big cultural game, or about the song, and I was interested in proving that the stereotype of money grubbing loanshark banker was just unfounded bigotry. I will now wait, while you look up the rules to how to play dreidel.
I laughed at this video and my wife got mad and said "A man must have made this" I think we might be fighting now but I can just never be sure anymore. Funny video, At least I think so.
Lots of comments saying men just don't understand women. But that's laughable. Women really don't understand men and it's clear in many of these comments. There are two issues: 1. Men don't immediately grasp the impulse ("need") to share your feelings and frustrations because, honestly, no one gives a shat about men and our problems, we just have to deal with them without expectation of sympathy and with little help. Wallowing in self-pity just brings contempt from men and, especially women--so experience and observation have taught us that it's a self-defeating and harmful strategy. Realizing that that is not the case for women is a leap we have to make (but most do). 2. Making that leap tends to breed resentment and/or impatience. So while we definitely hear and understand that this is something that women "need" we're caught on the horns of the belief that we're actually harming the women in our life by engaging in it (our own experience of the world) and the idea that women live under a much different and easier rule book.
I have watched this video a hundred times and shared it many more times than that. This video has single handedly helped me with so many relationships, not just romantic ones. I am a black-and-white "fixer" and to those who are storytellers I appear very cold and unemotional. Using this video has helped me be more emotionally available to everyone.
How does this video help you as a fixer? I'm 100% a fixer too. I need help. I want to understand people, but... I don't understand why they seem to prefer to hold onto their problem and keep complaining, rather than try a reasonable solution. And why is it good and helpful for me to hold my tongue and make sympathetic noises, rather than press them to solve their problem? Honest questions!
@@PerryandKim People often already have a solution in mind when complaining. It's not for problem solving it's just things are so overwhelming in the moment they need some validation and sympathy.
@@cheffromspace9771 I think the whole point of the sketch is to point out the stupidity of that. Making useless sympathetic noises but keeping actual solutions to yourself because your partner isn't interested in solving the problem is... stupid. Especially when you've heard the same vent 1000 times.
The sketch is obviously written from the perspective of making fun of the woman, but it unintentionally highlights the frustrations on both sides. The man's immediate assumption is that the nail is causing her problems (fair) and that she hasn't figured that out for herself yet (less fair). It's very reasonable to imagine that she knows about the nail, that she can't just "get it out" because it's lodged in her brain and requires complex surgery, and the fact that she's suffering because of it is upsetting her. Next time you see someone with a nail, consider that they may already have put themselves on a long waitlist for delicate nail-removal brain surgery, and in the meantime, they are expressing valid pain and frustration over something they can't do *more* about right now. It's okay to set boundaries about not listening to complaints you can't handle, but when people express frustration about others trying to "fix" their problems, it's usually not the solution that's upset them but the assumption that they don't already have a solution in mind, and the implicit devaluing of their emotions while they're struggling towards that solution. Some of us have just been told that we have to wait six months before the nail can be safely removed, and we know we're going to spend those six months in pain, and we're *upset* about it. Being listened to and having our frustrations validated helps us to endure that pain.
I think that both types of person can learn from this. Sometimes, someone just wants to be validated, to know that they aren't crazy, and that it's okay to feel the way that they do. Other times, you have to stop crying and fix the fucking problem. The key to being an adult is knowing when to take which approach.
+RxRamon, you are a wise man and will still be married after many others have been divorced and on their second and third marriage. Teach a class! Way to go!
If telling people their blind spot upsets them, take them to a mirror. It sinks deep when insight comes from ones own mind. This is a powerful message even to me.
She knows the nail is there. but she has brain damage. because there's a nail in her skull. and she gets upset when people tell her to fix the nail, because everyone assumes that her headache MUST be cause by the nail. It might not be. It might be stress. But it's very probably the nail.
@@antediluvianatheist5262 It very probably is the nail. And if it isn't the nail causing the headaches, it's obfuscating the issue. And it's the thing tearing up her sweaters too most likely. So let's at least look into the possibility of having it removed. Maybe, instead of just saying "It isn't the nail", she should say "it might be the nail, but for the moment please just commiserate with me." Or even "this is not about the nail, but how it makes me feel." Both of those let the man know that his input is heard, and understood to be not unreasonable, but also not what she is looking for at the moment.
@@trith72This is just flat-out not true lol. There's interpretations in the comments ranging from "women are so annoying and just want to complain instead of ever doing anything" to "often what the issue boils down to is not the problem at hand but their distress about it, which is getting in the way of fixing the problem".
I used to laugh at the woman in this video, thinking she was completely ridiculous. Then I realized the world is full of people just like this. The events depicted in this video are not fiction, and this is one of the most personally applicable videos on UA-cam. As a "fixer", nothing would insult me more than to finish talking about a big problem in my life and hear someone say, "That sounds really hard". To a "sharer", this is exactly what they're looking for. Just for somebody to listen and acknowledge that they're going through a very hard time in their life. Quite often, nothing else. In fact, they would be highly insulted if you did anything besides hearing them out, just as the woman in this video. I believe this video can be a lesson to both parties portrayed. To the "fixer", to just be quiet and listen when someone is venting, especially when they did not ask for feedback. To the "sharer", that they indeed can appear utterly ridiculous while enduring something easily fixed or entirely prevented in the first place. It really isn't about the nail. It never has been. It's about interacting with people very different from yourself and attempting to understand their needs. By the way, the story is not dependent on the genders as portrayed here. It very well could have been a man with a nail in his head and the lessons remain unchanged. Although the "sitcom dysfunctional couple" may have been chosen for increased comedic effect. Maybe Jason Headley can chime in on this.
How about this: If you just want to be heard, go tell your story to a sharer. If you want to fix your problem, go tell it to a fixer. Why do people force others to act to match their own selfish expectations?
@@iruns1246 Because you don’t get to choose which type the people in your life are. What if your partner, spouse, etc is a fixer and you are a sharer, and you need THAT person to acknowledge something wrong in your relationship? No one else will do, or the problem doesn’t get solved. It’s selfish to think you shouldn’t accommodate for the people you love.
@@asheking8603 well sure, if that's the specific, serious case then it has to be accomodated. I was talking more about the daily conversation. Forcing yourself to accommodate that stuff daily can really take a toll on someone, and on the relationship.
@@iruns1246 problem is when your partner finds a sharer or fixer from the opposite sex. Now she or he is getting their emotional support from someone else. Emotional cheating is just as bad if not worse than it’s sexual counterpart.
Let’s be honest, 95% of sharers are female and 95% of fixers are male. It’s how we are wired, kind of like how does a bird know how to make a nest. It’s just ingrained in us.
Sean Ferri of course he's wrong: if he's saying anything , it means he's distracted from felling that tree she so desperately needed. _( of course, when he eventually gets it dragged home, it will suddenly appear to have been a nice shrubbery that had been demanded all along... )_ _rinse._ _repeat._ _segue into monty python skit_ ...
+Sean Ferri You could know that yourself from the start, unless you are thinking out loud, which is what I do...I verbalize my thoughts and work out solutions as I hear myself articulate them. I also keep a journal to write down first impressions, go back and look at it when I can and contemplate the situations. You might examine your viewpoint and decide if you are right or wrong. I have found, earnest people, male or female, offer considered thoughts and respond in kind.
Have lived this. Formulated solution; instantly channel her focus to clarify the nature of the conversation. Dramatization rendered below: Her: "Can we talk? Me: "Do you want to talk or do you need me to listen?" Her: "Umm...." Me: "Please answer the question, hon. I need to know so I can proceed correctly. I can't 'just know;' I need for you to make it clear." Her: "Okay...I need you to hear what I have to say." Me: "Thank you for clarifying. I'm here and I'm listening." Her: Me: Okay. I've heard you and I get it. But just to be sure; was I here to be an sympathetic ear or to help you solve the problem?" (Answer #1) Her: "Thanks for listening hon...I feel better now." Me: "Love you too. It'll be okay." (Answer #2) Her: "Can you help?" Me: I'm on it. Love you. Her: "Love you too...." As long as you let them know that you still give a damn, you can easily work within this framework.
I saw this years ago and every time I'm in a "is it the nail?" situation I come back and watch..this is brilliant on so many levels and his facial expressions perfect he's my hero
+Beth Rutter Basically all friends of my sister are male for exactly this reason she has told me. They get shit done. She tells her friends and there are 5 guys willing to help her out, that's what friends do according to her. Not go "ow, that's awful for you".
Tommy "Johny" Wiseau I of course don't know but I doubt it. It's not exactly something I want to know about :p. From what I've heard and seen with a few it's more of a brotherly relationship. She once asked for the same drugs(I believe XTC) her friend got from a 3rd guy and that friend basically start saying she isn't getting this shit and that she's better than that and threatening the dealer if he gave her any. She got an hour long lecture about sticking to weed only.
***** tech support is really a pita for this very reason though. It doesn't matter if its the right way or even good, experience shows you just don't don't screw up their mess, even if its causing the problem. People always complain about change, no exceptions
Yep, spot on. My wife and I dated 4 years, and now have been married 47 years. And this is a good representation of how it's been. Only took me 7 or 8 years to learn it.
Seadog. Exactly the same way, just listen. Trust me, there's many a time I bite my tongue and let my man do things the wrong way. Aka the nail. Because to constantly just fix it for him isn't any help, sometimes it better just to ride the waves and listen, go with the flow, and let them sort it out themselves. Empowerment
I feel this so hard! People tend to not want to take responsibility to fix the problem, they want someone to support them in not fixing the problem. It's called "fighting for your limitations" and it's a problem in and of itself. As a person who people tend to come to for advice that they don't intend to listen to, I am thankful for this humor. I also have learned to ask some questions before offering the advice so we don't end up wasting each other's time, or just not being available for it at all.
Totally. But if we let people talk it out, they can feel better, and AFTER feeling better be able to see it more objectively and find some solutions/see repeating patterns.
@@saraholmes5999 Indeed. In medicine, we sedate the patient for surgery not because it causes them less pain, but because it's easier to fix stuff while it isn't crying or screaming. Doctors would do it either way, just look at surgery before anesthesia. But the pain and emotions are real and they are included in the problem by default. A patient forced to be asleep will jerk around unconsciously if you don't manage their pain. Babies and children remember this pain and it can cause bad reactions later in life. Now, if babies and children can develop neuroticism from a bad childhood experience, don't be surprised when suffering individuals accumulate increasingly larger damage. If you don't manage this pain, the person involved may become inefficient or incapable of problem solving all because of these emotions. They stick with them. Listen to sounds people make like you listen to sounds your car make.
@@saraholmes5999 Is actually supposed to be the other way around. You first the problem and then latter when it's no longer around to cause more problems, you analyze it and talk about it so you can learn from it and don't repeat it.
I remember relating to the man in this video several years ago (even though I'm a girl). Back then, my friend wouldn't stop complaining about her unrequited love and I kept offering her simple solutions. I've even showed her this video, and she took offense. We've both become more mature since then. And now I'm rewatching this and see that honestly both of them have communication problems. The nail metaphor is just a metaphor, it oversimplifies issues. Why is even this nail in her head? What if she's in denial because she's too scared of the operation it takes to get it out? Anyway I've learned since then that sometimes the best solution is just to shut up and listen, and maybe ask some questions to try and understand why is it so hard to recognize the problem. And maybe remember about the time there was an axe in your back or something like that. For me and my friend, it took a long long time to talk, listen and gain mutual trust, but it paid off in the end.
women need to express their emotions. but its unfair to ask ur partner to listen to u if u aren't willing to listen to him. our society tells men that they need to conform the way women think and communicate but doesn't tell women that they ever need to conform to the way men think and communicate. men's brains are wired around problem solving and tool use. if u want to vent, then be receptive to the advice. its a give and take, but most relationships are very one sided.
@@juanwononeyuan Very well said. The West is now "gynocentric"--woman have all the legal rights, and all the social sympathies. Whenever that's been done, it has never ended will for civilization.
For me, too, the funniest moment has to be that cut where we first see the man and the pained expression on his face. That and the snagged sweaters line.
I get that listening is important but sometimes we get so caught up in whatever is going on that we don't actually "see" the problem! I personally like it when I talk to my husband about my problems and he has suggestions that I may not have thought of! Simply telling me that I understand you are hurting, in pain, confused, etc. does NOTHING for me!
Exactly. Men offering solutions shows we care. We want the problem to go away. We want to solve the root cause. Just validating the feelings doesn't make the actual problem go away.
@@ranredd85 Exactly x 2. *Women* (like me) offering solutions shows we care. For all the same reasons you gave. It's not as "gendered" as people think. It's about personality. I'm a problem-solver, analyzer, thinker...I'm empathetic, but I'm pragmatic..."fix it and you'll feel better".
What makes you think there is a problem? It's not about the nail. That's her problem & she will deal with it when she is good & ready. She is talking about her ability to soldier in spite of the difficulties, like snagged sweaters. She's to be admired for her perseverance! (In the same way we admire Scott of the Antarctic. He never solved any of his problems either, but is greatly admired for what he endured.)
It’s not so much an issue to provide solutions, the issue is that often when we jump right into problem solving mode it can leave the other person feeling invalidated or like the other person did not hear them fully. Sometimes people talk about their problems just to feel heard and other times they do it because they want advise and help. It’s important to always empathize first and then ask do you want advise or help coming up with solutions after. At the end of the day everyone is different and it’s just best to ask what they’re looking for do they just want to vent or are they looking for advise, just asking that simple question can help with any tension that may happen if you just assume they want you to fix it.
Sometimes, a problem can't be solved, and you just need someone to listen and sympathize. For example, my father has really bad Parkinson's and the man I have always known and loved, my rock, is gone, lost in this terrible disease. My husband can't fix that. But, he did say, "That's really sad." And that helped. Just some compassion and empathy.
bronlokis Yes, but the implication is that the woman is dumb because people don't usually say those things even when a man has the same type of argument. And the arguments are not dumb, they only sound that way when taken out of context.
Best advice ive ever gotten on this is that men and women process stress in almost opposite ways. For men we process it externally. We find something external that is causing us stress and correct it to get rid of the stress. Women process stress internally. She will appreciate your help in getting rid of the extetnal stressor, but only after she had sorted through the internal feelings of stress that it is causing and gotten back to a place emotionally where she is ready to confront the actual issue. This is why in moments like these both parties feel frustrated. The woman will systematically explain every aspect of whats stressing her out while the man internally screams "JUST SOLVE THE PROBLEM" and then feels ignored or like her stress is being minimized because there is an "easy solution". Conversely, women watch men quickly correct their stressors and then struggle with the emotional aftermath for much longer than she would and wonder why he doesnt decompress the way she does when she has a problem. Its honestly pretty funny how much our programming seems to PREVENT the opposite sexes from coexisting, but love is a powerful thing 😊
And what happens if a woman is in a situation which needs urgent action and is delaying implementing a necessary and obvious solution? Too late, opportunity lost, irreversible damage done, but the woman had her feelings time.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is just get where someone is at. Don't try to fix, solve etc. just get it. Heard that in an est Training, Jack Tar Hotel, San Francisco 1978. Werner Erhard you are the BEST!
This is so well done. I mean not just the concept but the camera work and the actors (her subtle eye movements at the begging)... The whole thing is brilliantly done. I give this a 10/10
The gag is, unless she feels emotionally supported by the listening husband, she literally will not pull the metaphorical nail out herself. She’s stuck in an activated fear state and you can’t access logical reasoning in that state until you become emotionally regulated. The more the husband points out the “nail” the more resistant she gets and he’s working against himself and his desire to help her. You cannot save people from their own choices, like trauma or addictions or mental illness, but you increase their chances of them solving their own problems if you listen to them. Sometimes if you help someone calm down and sort their thoughts out and process their emotions, even if it’s extremely obvious what the problem is, you can then help them think straight.
I know this is about empathy. But isn’t it possible to say, “ I understand what you’re going thru.” Then remove the nail. Has anyone realized that ignoring the nail resulted in both of them getting hurt in the end?
It appears that removing the nail, or even mentioning the nail, is NOT part of the discussion. This video was discussed in my class today and just about every student avoided addressing the nail. Of the 1-2 (myself included) that did mention this, it was as though we just weren't "getting it." And you're right, they both, in the end, was injured by the nail.
@@msgear4607 By any chance is it a university class? This is the philosophy that grievance studies give us. When she gets angry that he wants to fix it and is ignoring her pain, she exerts power. The very fact he is trying to fix it shows he is listening, but she can use it to emotinally manipulate him. This is a relatively recent idea. Women of 50 years ago would be embarrassed by this. My grandmother used to tell me about going to work in the aircraft factories in WWII and should smack this girl and tell her to pull the nail out of her head. It's also a Western idea. Women who grew up outside the Western world would have pulled that nail out immediately and gone on with their lives.
@@RichardChappell1 yes Richard, it is a university. And I agree that women today are an altogether different breed. Also agree about this type of thinking is a western idea. This whole idea of "don't try to fix it" is a misnomer in the sense that it's being discussed in this video. When women say this, it seems that they are really saying "Don't take over", as though they are children, which is different from your mate clearly seeing a problem and wanting to help (come alongside) you to resolve it. It is an insult to a man (anyone really) to assert that he cannot even acknowledge a clear problem and offer a suggestion (remove the nail). Some women expect just what this video demonstrate in that a man is not supposed to act in a natural role of observing and entering into a problem with his mate. If, in helping to remove the nail, he don't listen to her thoughts about how best, for her, to remove the nail, then that is him taking over, i.e., not coming alongside and helping her resolve, but treating her like a child who needs a parent to take over. But to expect him (or anyone) to ignore, or not even mention a clear problem is foolishness. And, in reality, if he did ignore the nail (and the moping, complaints of headaches and snagged clothing), he would be in the wrong for that too. Some women set it up that a man cannot win with them.
I've seen this video in presentations on supporting someone with a mental illness. For some people, it can look like this. For others, it's more like: "Yes, obviously there's a nail in my head. That's why I'm paying way too much money to two different nail experts, going to weekly groups, and doing nail removal exercises. Unfortunately, it isn't working, and it's unlikely that your uninformed advice is going to be the thing that fixes it. So for now what I really need to do is acknowledge that the nail affects every goddamn part of my life, and that it sucks."
There’s a lot of talk about toxic masculinity and teaching boys to be better men, which I am totally in favour of. But we need to teach girls to be better women too. Lots of toxic femininity with manipulation, silent treatment and “mean girl” behaviours.
I'm a fixer (and a woman.) I'm just a problem solver. It's how I've always been. (I probably inherited this trait from my father). Anyway my therapist showed this to me and besides being funny, I can completely relate to it! I plan on being a better listener to my husband. After seeing how that goes for awhile, I'll show him this video so he knows where I got the idea. Ha ha
Whenever my wife does this, I tell her: "Baby, I understand your need to feel listened to, and that's what I'm here for. However, I will only listen if YOU listen to ME afterwards, regarding what we can do to keep you from having this stress going forward. Sound fair?" Thank GOODNESS my wife is a reasonable person.
This seems passive aggressive to me. I will explain. Woman have this emotional connection to themselves that make the real issue solving come in a natural way after they "get it out of their hearts". No woman finds a point in staying stuck in the problem, you geniuses. They just want to first address it in a deeper way before. At least that's true for me. And the truth is also that lots of man are scared of really supporting and feeling the pain of their partner and even of themselves.
@@ellawolf777 "And the truth is also that lots of man are scared of really supporting and feeling the pain of their partner and even of themselves." You might be onto something there of not wanting to support feeling pain. Who wants to feel pain? Isn't it better to find a resolution & avoid it altogether if possible?
@@ellawolf777 I think your comments are entirely more passive aggressive, calling me a “genius” because I think I can fix a problem, and “scared” because I don’t want to listen to a woman complain about an easily fixable issue, like a nail in her head. There is nothing wrong with saying “honey, I listened to you. Now you listen to me”. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
If you got a problem, and the posibility of fixing it is in your hands, yet you still refuse to fix it, then you're just bringing drama. No man wants drama, we want peace.
I have sent this video to so many people. It's so perfect to show the differences between men (fixers) and women (feelings), relationship issues, etc. Even with my wife of 34 years, if I try to help and get shut down, I think "If you could just get that nail out of your head," but I've learned to not say it. Cheers.
@@Nickademas1 I was referring to things like inoperable cancer or chronic debilitating medical conditions. Not this silly woman's stupid nail. I'd just dump her myself.She's hot but too high maintenance.
@@SpongeJ All the other problems she mentions are emotional or health-related and might (just MAYBE) be entirely unrelated to the nail. It's unlikely, but there's a chance. But her sweaters getting snagged on the nail is a problem that could ONLY be caused by the nail, there's just no other possible cause. What's funny is that she's still in denial that the nail is her problem.
I mean, I can only see a couple different takeaways. First is that you should listen to loved ones who are trying to help you. Second is that you can’t help someone who won’t accept their problem
@@LEFT4BASS Third one: don't try to fix them while they are whining. This is the classic male/female communication problem. Men only take their problems to another man when they assume that that person can help them fix it. Women take all their problems to their female friends/sisters/mothers to share them for emotional validation. So when women go into their classical "validate me" rants, the result is miscommunication. As a dude, instead of trying to fix her, just nod and say uh-huh.
Excellent video! It is best to allow or guide the person with the problem to figure it out for themselves. We shouldn't take away a person's opportunity to learn from their own mistakes. If they can take responsibility for their situation, they feel empowered not threatened. And, yes, sometimes there is just nothing you can do for them.
Advice in the form of question(s) is usually advisable😁. Know-it-all’s aren’t cool. Asking questions to guide thoughts and attitudes is very supportive and extremely helpful.
@@noamto I don't think you understand the video or my comment. The lady does not start out attacking the gent. She just wants someone to listen. She only gets annoyed when he offers advice. So, in my view offering advice in this context is a bad idea.
@@jt6366 thank you this is very helpful. I wondered, how do I listen to them and didn't know if me asking questions to guide their thoughts was part of the "listening" or the "giving advice." I never wanted them to feel like that i was trying to fix them.
This video trained me in how to talk with 95% of the human population. Everyone just wants to vent to a sympathetic ear, 95 times out of 100 they can't or doing want to or have reasons for not fixing a problem that are totally valid, but the problem is stressful anyway so they need to talk about it XD
Thanks for the post! I showed my wife and she wasn't impressed. 3 times today she has brought up a dilemma that the answer is as obvious as you have a NAIL IN YOUR HEAD! I responded accordingly. Probably sleeping in the car tonight.
Gene Cole FWIW, I’ve been married for 30 years and yep there were about 2-3 times I thought I needed to sleep in the car that night. Sleeping on the couch.. many times, but yeah that “I gotta sleep in the car tonight” happened about 3 times max. 2 of 3 I never did it & ended up just sleeping on the couch. Only ONCE I actually went out and slept in car but came back & spent the rest of the night on the couch. So that “car thing” was a real emotion for me, but ONCE/10-Years... not too bad I guess. And I LOVE❤️ my wife. She is the most amazing person I’ve ever known.
I was looking up what other work Monica Barbaro has been in because of Top Gun Maverick, and pleasantly surprised that she was The Nail Girl in this short I saw years ago! Classic! She's come a long way!
Typical of some people to say that if something isn't done in the way they do it, it must be wrong. A person (man or woman) who is talking about problems and feelings is looking for someone to listen, so that person can, through talking, figure out the fix on his or her own. Many people work through their problems through talking. But no one likes to be told how to fix their problems as if they were children needing a lecture. Hear the person out and have faith that once having been heard, the pieces will fall into place and that person will solve his or her own problem.
Mike Carter You show yourself to be no better than the people I was talking about. Has it not ever occurred to you that there doesn't have to be a yes or no? Just listen.
It's a waste of my time listing to you talking about your problems. Talking about a problem and doing. Othing is stupid. If that's the case then sit there and have a doctor, rise listen to your problems and do nothing. My time is just as valuable
Dee Brown Expecting your loved ones to sit around and listen to you complain instead of solving the issues is selfish and stupid. No loved one should be forced to listen to you and not be able to help you. Listening to you complain that your a fat fuck doesnt help you not be a fat fuck. The video even proved the point. She refused to listen and now that issue is preventing them from having a relationship. They couldnt get close because she refused to deal with the problem.
Massive Tits With every post you prove my point. But I'm done talking to someone who thinks Massive Tits is a funny name to use. I imagine that you'll leap on this and claim you won this argument because I am no longer participating. And that will be even more evidence.
There actually ARE women who ENJOY it when a MAN FIXES the thing!! That isMe! If I am Complaining I have exhausted all my ideas and the thing still isn’t fixed! If you like fixing things you are welcome here!! I don’t talk just to talk.
Three important points: 1) she literally can't see the nail, 2) she doesn't trust him to accurately reflect her reality, and 3) she doesn't want to get help to deal with her issue, only get sympathy for it. This level of narcissism is utterly toxic and incurable without a literal miracle.
TEN YEARS LATER, and 25 MILLION VIEWS......that's all? This is one of the best things ever on UA-cam. You really made something special. I commented on this 10 years ago and just now it came up in my "recommendeds" again. This is something special Congratulations for catching lightning in a bottle.
Before you heal someone, ask him if he's willing to give up the things that make him sick - Hippocrates
nononono just eat drugs and talk about feelings duhhhh
"I'll help you out of your hole, but first you have to stop digging."
@@Bolsty7 *eat hot chip and lie
Love that
@@invisiblelemur Oh, I saved that sentence to use in the future!!
Truly hit the nail on the head with that one. Much appreciated.
This deserved more likes.
Pun intended
This comment nailed it!
take your like and go 😂
Yes I see the point of that comment. You should hammer it home.
If there's a man out there who doesn't instantly relate to this, then he has never had a wife, a girlfriend, or a female friend.
Sooo....what you're saying if he doesn't relate to this, he must be happy lol
man or a parent 😂
Choose better.
@rbie You mean to find that tiny sliver of women who would rather solve their problems than wallow in them? I would LOVE to find that woman. We ALL would. It is literally what every guy is looking for, but it has gotten to the point where the mere suggestion of trying to actually solve a problem is considered sexist. And I'm a FEMINIST!!!! I really wish it weren't this way, but alas...
@@tomhazelton3070 Funny, my late Husband Thom was also what I consider a feminist.
I'll tell you like I tell all other guys who speak like this... *Stop finding women in the bar or women who ×××× on the first date AND GO TO CHURCH.*
You know what helped my Husband get a good wife who hasn't slept with a man seven years after he DIED??
*He* was a very devout Orthodox Christian. You have to be deserving of what you want. All these men want Holy women, but they're *not* Holy men.
We have a friend who ALWAYS asks, "solution or sympathy?"
OMG! I gotta start using that!!!
😂❤
I think that's actually a pretty good approach!
I tried saying something similar and she got mad at me. Apparently it sounds “condescending”
Yeah I... don't think I would love that, in practice. Then again I don't share my feelings much so the people near me don't often have these puzzles to solve, I'm sure it's useful for some
I applaud the actress for allowing the props guy to bang a nail into her head. The things we do for art.
Underrated comment ^
It was an accident. They made this in the ER waiting room.
I’m pretty sure it’s a fake nail with make up
@@jayms16 welcome to the Internet
PUT ME IN THE R/WOOOOSH PICTURE!!!
This is the most true thing I have seen on the internet.
They nailed it.
+Consult Keith Young
They nailed it right on the head.
+Consult Keith Young
Crowd that hates puns in general: "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Me: LOL
BOOM!
+Consult Keith Young You are a fucking genius.
+Consult Keith Young LOL!! I see what you did there! lol!!
I saw this at a leadership training symposium. It’s lesson has proved WAY more valuable in being married for 36yrs and counting.
Sir, the video is only 10 years old.
@@aaditshah4689They have been married for 36 years. They did not watch the video 36years ago, but when they did, they found the lesson applicable to their preexisting marriage.
@elimbag5372 Uh, he's making a joke.
@@Michael_PrintGo outside
God....I hate humans
If your partner just wants to talk about things, that's all well and fine. But I have found especially in relationships is that if they don't resolve the problem, it will eventually become your problem. Either financially, emotionally or so on. I just don't want added work or stress in my life because they cannot or refuse to fix an ongoing issue.
@@pawemarciniak4929 Thanks for sharing your opinion. To each their own.
@@pawemarciniak4929🤣🤣🤣 nice fan fic
Some people would rather have a problem so they can complain about it than fix it and have the peace of no more problem.
@@davidm4566 I hear ya. I will never understand that 🤔
@@pawemarciniak4929just an FYI, if you put something in quotes it's supposed to be exactly what the person said or wrote, you know, like a quote.
"…and all my sweaters are snagged... I mean ALL of them" Line kills me EVERY time... HAHAHAHAHA
Can't believe I missed that the first time!
Yeah that's the line that makes you fall in love with her
I think the guy's non-verbal reaction to this line supports perfectly.
what does that mean?
@@quicksilver455 I mean that when those particular audio waves are detected by my acoustical detectors, it causes me to suddenly cease to function.
yeah I had to eventually end a relationship because of stuff like this. i realized my sympathy for the SAME SOLVABLE PROBLEM can only last so long, before it's actually inconsiderate of them to expect me to keep devoting emotional energy to it, when the other person has no real interest in solving the problem. sometimes people seem to get enough dopamine off the validation that they don't feel the need to actually be proactive. in a relationship the stress should come from you two facing the world together, not from the other person's poor judgment. the moment you feel like more of a parent than a partner, it's not gonna work. you also owe it to yourself to not continuously dump energy into an emotional black hole.
Yeah, same has happened to me many times. The best you can do is get away from them. It's like trying to save someone from drowning while they swim downwards and pull you with them, or like setting yourself on fire justo to keep them warm (when they are going to swim on frozen water 5 minutes later anyway, and blame everyone else but themselves.
@@chuchernaut7419 yes totally
Damn. This hit me square in the memories. Now I got the feelings.
@@Tamales21 well you're not alone!
But dat a$$ tho….
"I don't want to feel better, I want everyone around me to hurt as much as me." That's the vibe this gives.
He did listen. He showed that by responding with interest and an on point conclusion. She's the one that's not listening.
You must be from some other place because here in the west nothing is ever a womans fault ever. We have a joke here in Iceland... "A women took responsibility for her actions and apologized."
You're missing the point. He's listening to what she's *saying*, sure, but listening goes beyond that first superficial level. You have to listen to what *the person thinks they needs*. And that "thinks" is the operative word here; you might observe what you believe the clear source of a problem, but in that moment, the issue is more emotionally charged than logically so. If he had just sat down and listened - without trying to find where he could input, because that's not really listening for listening's sake - then she would've felt heard and more comfortable. And *then*, paradoxically, she would be more open to solutions.
If the wind is blowing so hard that your garden is being ripped to shreds, the solution is to build a greenhouse. But to build it in the middle of the torrent is a fool's errand; let the wind pass, then enact the solution under more peaceful and manageable conditions.
That's literally the point of the video
@@Lost1ntheSauc3i still missed it though.
@@domojestic4155But if you come to me with an issue and ask for my input and advice, and based on my experience and skillset I feel I can genuinely help you, then you ignore any advice and experience from me... why did you even come to me? Just to vent? Fine, then say that upfront... but be prepared for me to vent in return about how frustrating it is to constantly be presented with solvable issues for which my solutions aren't desired or implemented.
She wants to be heard but doesn't want her problem fixed. This is fine for as long as she gets headaches and her sweaters get snagged being the only problem. That is her problem and she can choose to fix it or not. What about the moment when the nail poked her husband at the end though? Should he risk his eyes being poked out or should he say: "You can choose to go around with the nail in the head, but I will not come near until I feel safe"? In reality, the nail is not only her problem, but her partners' as well.
Personal problems remain personal until they start affecting others. Then they become shared problems and we all have the right to tend to our own issues and fix them.
I'm a woman and I have to say you have a point in the respect that if it starts hurting others then it definitely should be helped but I think the point is, if it's not hurting others, sometimes a woman or a man, just want to be heard 🌻 I did laugh though as going through cancer now and it's difficult to talk sometimes and just be heard without fixing 🎗
Honestly, listening to someone you care about complain about an easily fixable solution is very draining. There's only so much sympathy i can offer before it becomes a me-problem too.
Empathy means we feel for the other person. If we empathize with someone, and share in their pain, then we are hurting too.
A quick venting session isn't a big deal, and if someone has a not-easily-fixable problem, that's understandable too; But if you're close to someone who wants to regularly talk about how a very solvable problem is negatively affecting them and wants you to empathize, i just see that as childish and selfish. "I'm in pain, and even though I could fix it, i don't want to. But i also want you to feel bad for me."
I had to tell the love of my life that I was going to step away until she came to me ready to work on her (admittedly, extremely serious) problems, because she was "dealing" with her problems by literally refusing to engage with me. We've always been long-distance, so this took the form of not answering calls, texts, emails, IMs, anything, for days or weeks; finding reasons to avoid coming to see me; and always being "busy" on those occasions when we did get to see each other, avoiding eye contact, shaming me for wanting to hold hands or rest my head on her shoulder in public.
When she finally admitted to me what the problem was, she flatly refused to let me talk to her about her mental health. And I did try to abide by that, but when her behavior didn't change, she clearly wasn't getting better, and all I did was cry all the time and obsess over if I was helping or hurting her, if I was selfish or not...
I had to give up, not because I was done with her but because I could see that her method of coping--ignoring what she needed to do to get better, and refusing to have even a friendship with me, let alone a romance--was not helping her get better, and that it was making me worse, or at least just swapping out one sort of misery for another.
Unloading on someone who loves you and then refusing to either let them help you, or to not allow them to see that you're doing something to help yourself...it's devastating.
It's not about not wanting the problem to be fixed. Obviously any sane person wants their problems fixed. There are ways to help people without giving them the answer. And goddamn if it's that big a deal tell them to go see a therapist.
@@thatvalensteingirl sure, but I would also argue that people often times already know the answer to their problems. It's just a matter of actually realizing the solution. Sometimes people legitimately cannot do anything about their circumstances, and just want someone to listen to them.
Just so you all know, this video was used in my law enforcement training for crisis management/dealing with a “suspect” or person of interest in crisis as a means of verbal de-escalation. I have shared this same video since being shown it then, because it is real. Active listening skills are remarkably important when resolving someone’s disgruntled emotional state. Sometimes in order for someone to return to homeostasis, it requires empathy and understanding, not to attempt to solve their problem. A fragile emotional state is not the time for that. The time for logic and reason is later, once homeostasis has been achieved. You can’t efficiently fix a problem when you’re in emotional distress. You need to be calmed first before being able to apply reason. (Edit: added “verbal” to de-escalation.)
What country? I highly doubt the U.S.
Good question lol@@thagomizer4711
Thanks for leaving this comment! I often struggle to communicate with people who are not in homeostasis and wonder why facts and logic doesn't help them come into reason. Your comment was so helpful for me to realize that I need to help them find homeostasis before I dump a bunch of reason and logic on them.
You should probably delete this.
@@PxlMrkthe fuck are you talking about?
in her defense
it's damaging her frontal lobe(controlling her reasoning skills)
She has an actual nail in her head?!
Cannonissomoney I'm assuming you're being facetious but, in case you're not, no, that's actually a fake nail used for the purposes of the skit.
+thejollyjumbuck Seriously?
+Connor O'Hare No. It's just her.
+Connor O'Hare Stop trying to fix it!
Still accurate over a decade later. Will probably still be like this in a millennia
This has been accurate since the beginning of time.
Human nature does not change.
This video changed my marriage.
My wife will let me fix things now... occasionally.
wow!
Dan L
So by just reflecting how she is feeling opened her up to accepting your help?
Gurfi0 - sarcasm?
No, no. _Innuendo._
Listen to her..... then tell her she's been working hard lately and probably could use a restful nap.
Once she falls asleep, carefully strap her down to the bed and retrieve some locking pliers from your toolbox.
No. Get the pliers and leave them by the bed.
I am reading the book "Emotional Agility" and she described this video in one of the chapters. Wow it is perfect!
I was thinking about buying that book... Recommend it?
@@theapologist6717 Yes I think it is worth it. It has some practical advice and she really makes you think about negative emotions in a different context. Give it a try.
I'm reading Ego Authority Failure and this video was mentioned 😂😂😂
I too found it in Emotional Agility by Susan David
i'm a natural fixer. when i was 17, my first gf told me that when she'd vent, she wanted validation rather than problem-solving. it didn't make sense to me, but i still adapted to do it, and it changed our relationship for the better. i've kept that in mind since then. sometimes people need to get their emotions under control to be able to fix their problems; and then they'll usually even be able to fix it solely by themselves. it's unfortunate that so many fellow fixers in the comments are defensive about it, being a supportive listener is an invaluable relationship skill.
Woman's opinion detected. Invalid.
This is a really beautiful comment!
Thanks for sharing.☺️
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Wouldn’t it be possible to provide the support/validation needed….and then fix the problem afterward?
@@isaacruiz3991 sure! in my experience, usually the person can fix it by themselves after venting, but if they need help, they'll be more likely to accept it if they had their feelings validated first.
I love the hypocrisy of needing to be listened to but not listening back, so sad.... so true....
Excellent point. In fact she's not only not listening back, but snapping at him when he tries to help.
@@pauljackson2409 ( above are both men )
@Caitilin McGuire Yes, and you're not listening. Kind of proves our point, doesn't it?
most people don't listen. They are only waiting for their turn to talk.
@@pauljackson2409 it rather does. Typical of females sexist attitudes towards men.
Jason, i just wanted you to know that this short has shaped my conversations over the MANY years since release, with people thousands of times. I find myself saying “That.. sounds…… really hard” ALL THE TIME. I have shared it (along with many of you other UA-cam vids) and i will continue to share it, cuz it is timeless and perfectly succinct. Thank you.
It's truly a work of art, and of course so insightful to those who choose to truly understand the message(s) being conveyed.
I've been doing it too and you know what? I actually does work. Well, it doesn't help solve their problem. It works to get people (not just women) to stop complaining so much in the moment, but the downside is that now "you're a really good listener" and now you've got to hear about all their other problems. And they all sound... really hard.
@@synthetic240 a friend is venting to you because they're frustrated and sad and overwhelmed. And you're listening because you're a good friend with a kind heart that leaves space for them to be comfortable to vent.
If it actually bothers you to listen, stop being fake about it. If it only gets to you sometimes (hey, listeners need to vent too, or they need breaks), COMMUNICATE it
Edit: venting is not for problem solving. It's to express pain without needing to seek a solution. Often times we have a solution in mind we can handle ourselves but things are too overwhelming in the moment
I don't think you should capitulate the stupidity. It is stupid to just want to complain and complain about a problem, and not want a solution.
It's perfectly reasonable to want to vent about something, but if you only want to vent, and not solve, and you want to do it in perpetuity, especially when the solution is very obvious, that's just stupid.
P. S. I'm a woman.
@@Rainlitnight isnt the point of the video making fun of the woman for preferring to complain about her problems rather than implement the simple, obvious solution? I don't think this is extolling the virtues of venting.
Chris Rock said it best...
"We men are handicapped when it comes to arguing with women...
"We are handicapped because we have this uncontrollable need to make sense."
If you connect this observation with what's going on with the Kavanaugh hearings, you'll see why there's a sudden interest in the "Repeal the 19th Amendment" movement.
It's not even the sympathy a woman wants. Sympathy is just the litmus test she uses that lets her know she has a workable excuse. When a woman comes to you with her problems, she's not looking for a solution, or even really for sympathy. What she wants to know is "How much of my personal responsibility does this excuse allow me to abdicate and how much can I get away with not doing or what can I be given because of it?" Men pull the nail out because the answer is "zero," so they need a solution. Men want to pull the nail out of the woman, because an upset woman makes trouble for men, and so they need a solution. If women pulled the nail out, they lose their scapegoat and have to be responsible again. So it's not about the nail, it's about testing how worthy a scapegoat the excuse of the nail is. They don't want the problem gone. They want to collect all the excuses they encounter in their entire life history in a jar like fireflies, to be held up and shaken at any time whenever someone has expectations of them. That's why she remembers that one thing you said five years ago, or the one time you told her that some idea she had was logically flawed. It's a firefly. They certainly don't want some man to come along and shatter the jar and fix all their problems. That would ruin everything. Then they'd have to get off their ass and do something. Men are trying to get the job done. Women are trying to make it not their fault that the job isn't done. Which usually involves blaming a man and making him do the job. Because everyone knows men have to be responsible. Because women can't be. And this is why when you come home from a long day of work wage slaving to provide for her, and catch her getting banged by Chad and Tyrone, it's your fault that she's cheating on you, because look at all these fireflies in my jar. And when she says it's all a man's fault, she's actually right. It is. When the dog crashes your car, it's not the dog's fault. It doesn't have the capability to take responsibility for its actions. Why did you let the dog drive your car? You knew the dog couldn't drive.
+William Barnes That's brilliant. Hence the "Happy wife, happy life" mantra. What's creepy though is that the feminist infection is inculcating men with this same ethos. I know. I was raised by one, and I'm still in recovery.
+William Barnes Sounds good to me. I love your take btw, reminds me of the moment when I realized how women 'shit test' in early relationships. How did someone so young (presumably if you're on UA-cam) get so wise?
Don't listen to what people say. Watch what they do. That's all there is to it. Stereotypes don't come from nowhere. There's no stereotype about how Turks are made of glass, or how Brazilians are shrewd gamblers. That's not an accident. Stereotypes have to convey useful information or warning to stay alive. The black stereotype about watermelon and grape drink is falling away as we speak, because it was a passing fad. The ones about stealing, contempt for education, and being fatherless, aren't going anywhere. Why not? It is the deepest of mysteries mankind was not meant to know. Lol, just kidding. It's obvious.
Once upon a time, I got offended by proxy when I heard someone use stereotypes of Jews being money-grubbing loan sharks. I think it was an episode of South Park, where the little Jewish boy was playing with a dreidel at holiday time. They had a song, and that made me wonder. Because I didn't know any Jewish holiday traditions, or how to play dreidel which is apparently their big cultural game, or about the song, and I was interested in proving that the stereotype of money grubbing loanshark banker was just unfounded bigotry.
I will now wait, while you look up the rules to how to play dreidel.
The true unstoppable force and immovable object is the clash between the problem solver and the empath.
But the girl is not an empath here. She ignores his partner's feelings in this clip.
"Honey, I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong..."
TheNobleScoundrel + thinks he is smart. Not.
What a wonderful quote!
you can be right, or you can be happy
I'm stealing this
I'd agree with you but one of us has to be right.
I laughed at this video and my wife got mad and said "A man must have made this" I think we might be fighting now but I can just never be sure anymore. Funny video, At least I think so.
Stay safe!!
It’s not about the nail !
Of course a man made it. It’s good!
@@nunuvyobiznes9149 shouldn't have laughed that hard to this
She's pissed because it's accurate AF!!
Lots of comments saying men just don't understand women. But that's laughable. Women really don't understand men and it's clear in many of these comments. There are two issues:
1. Men don't immediately grasp the impulse ("need") to share your feelings and frustrations because, honestly, no one gives a shat about men and our problems, we just have to deal with them without expectation of sympathy and with little help. Wallowing in self-pity just brings contempt from men and, especially women--so experience and observation have taught us that it's a self-defeating and harmful strategy. Realizing that that is not the case for women is a leap we have to make (but most do).
2. Making that leap tends to breed resentment and/or impatience. So while we definitely hear and understand that this is something that women "need" we're caught on the horns of the belief that we're actually harming the women in our life by engaging in it (our own experience of the world) and the idea that women live under a much different and easier rule book.
The truth Is, so many people today would rather continue to complain about a problem, instead of actually addressing and fixing it.
That is why after 20 years of marriage and 10 years of dating I am just single, I can't do this anymore.
I have watched this video a hundred times and shared it many more times than that. This video has single handedly helped me with so many relationships, not just romantic ones. I am a black-and-white "fixer" and to those who are storytellers I appear very cold and unemotional. Using this video has helped me be more emotionally available to everyone.
How does this video help you as a fixer? I'm 100% a fixer too. I need help. I want to understand people, but... I don't understand why they seem to prefer to hold onto their problem and keep complaining, rather than try a reasonable solution. And why is it good and helpful for me to hold my tongue and make sympathetic noises, rather than press them to solve their problem? Honest questions!
@@PerryandKim never change my man. Tell her straight up.I'm only available to speak if we gon discuss a solution.if not I ain't listening.
@@PerryandKim People often already have a solution in mind when complaining. It's not for problem solving it's just things are so overwhelming in the moment they need some validation and sympathy.
@@cheffromspace9771 I think the whole point of the sketch is to point out the stupidity of that. Making useless sympathetic noises but keeping actual solutions to yourself because your partner isn't interested in solving the problem is... stupid. Especially when you've heard the same vent 1000 times.
The sketch is obviously written from the perspective of making fun of the woman, but it unintentionally highlights the frustrations on both sides. The man's immediate assumption is that the nail is causing her problems (fair) and that she hasn't figured that out for herself yet (less fair). It's very reasonable to imagine that she knows about the nail, that she can't just "get it out" because it's lodged in her brain and requires complex surgery, and the fact that she's suffering because of it is upsetting her.
Next time you see someone with a nail, consider that they may already have put themselves on a long waitlist for delicate nail-removal brain surgery, and in the meantime, they are expressing valid pain and frustration over something they can't do *more* about right now. It's okay to set boundaries about not listening to complaints you can't handle, but when people express frustration about others trying to "fix" their problems, it's usually not the solution that's upset them but the assumption that they don't already have a solution in mind, and the implicit devaluing of their emotions while they're struggling towards that solution. Some of us have just been told that we have to wait six months before the nail can be safely removed, and we know we're going to spend those six months in pain, and we're *upset* about it. Being listened to and having our frustrations validated helps us to endure that pain.
I think that both types of person can learn from this. Sometimes, someone just wants to be validated, to know that they aren't crazy, and that it's okay to feel the way that they do. Other times, you have to stop crying and fix the fucking problem. The key to being an adult is knowing when to take which approach.
I ask my wife off the bat if she wants me to just listen or help her figure out a fix.
+RxRamon Best approach. Thanks
+RxRamon, you are a wise man and will still be married after many others have been divorced and on their second and third marriage. Teach a class! Way to go!
+Psalm139 v13: Lots of trial and error, but a lot of people don't adapt to either. A class sounds interesting, ha! Maybe a psa on my page.
+François Auerbach: I'm going to make a short marriage psa video with some weird humor and see if anyone seems to appreciate it.
If telling people their blind spot upsets them, take them to a mirror. It sinks deep when insight comes from ones own mind. This is a powerful message even to me.
She knows the nail is there.
but she has brain damage. because there's a nail in her skull.
and she gets upset when people tell her to fix the nail, because everyone assumes that her headache MUST be cause by the nail.
It might not be.
It might be stress.
But it's very probably the nail.
Woman misses the point entirely. Nobody is surprised.
@@antediluvianatheist5262 It very probably is the nail. And if it isn't the nail causing the headaches, it's obfuscating the issue. And it's the thing tearing up her sweaters too most likely. So let's at least look into the possibility of having it removed. Maybe, instead of just saying "It isn't the nail", she should say "it might be the nail, but for the moment please just commiserate with me." Or even "this is not about the nail, but how it makes me feel." Both of those let the man know that his input is heard, and understood to be not unreasonable, but also not what she is looking for at the moment.
This is the best video I've ever seen to sum up what it is like to have my job!
You know at first, I thought it was you in the thumbnail Teal
That sounds very hard.
Yes teal!!!
i feel the same way evwrytime people unload their problems on me. ita just like, "well if you stopped doing that you wouldnt have this problem"
Facts 😂
And she went on to star in Top Gun! Great Success!!
Thank you! I was looking for this comment. I couldn't remember where I'd seen her. Monica Barbaro. Also in the new Netflix series Fubar with Arnold.
right then. Top Gun was 38 years ago - i bet it predates this by quite a bit.
thumbs up though for recognizing her.
@@jamesha175Umm...Not the original. The sequel. IMDB is your friend. 🙂
@@CrankyOldDave wow i didn't even know that there was a sequel
@@jamesha175 That's because it didn't need a sequel. Just like so many other sequels today.
I think it's interesting how different people view this in totally different ways.
It's horrifying.
@@SomeGuy-xf9bcyou’re horrifying
@@SomeGuy-xf9bc Now imagine the nail applied across every subject in life that has human interaction.
If you are a straight man who is or has been married, there is only one way to interpret this.
@@trith72This is just flat-out not true lol. There's interpretations in the comments ranging from "women are so annoying and just want to complain instead of ever doing anything" to "often what the issue boils down to is not the problem at hand but their distress about it, which is getting in the way of fixing the problem".
"It hurts when I bang my head against this wall"
"Ok. Then stop banging your head against the wall"
"Will you shut up"
I used to laugh at the woman in this video, thinking she was completely ridiculous. Then I realized the world is full of people just like this. The events depicted in this video are not fiction, and this is one of the most personally applicable videos on UA-cam.
As a "fixer", nothing would insult me more than to finish talking about a big problem in my life and hear someone say, "That sounds really hard". To a "sharer", this is exactly what they're looking for. Just for somebody to listen and acknowledge that they're going through a very hard time in their life. Quite often, nothing else. In fact, they would be highly insulted if you did anything besides hearing them out, just as the woman in this video.
I believe this video can be a lesson to both parties portrayed. To the "fixer", to just be quiet and listen when someone is venting, especially when they did not ask for feedback. To the "sharer", that they indeed can appear utterly ridiculous while enduring something easily fixed or entirely prevented in the first place.
It really isn't about the nail. It never has been. It's about interacting with people very different from yourself and attempting to understand their needs.
By the way, the story is not dependent on the genders as portrayed here. It very well could have been a man with a nail in his head and the lessons remain unchanged. Although the "sitcom dysfunctional couple" may have been chosen for increased comedic effect. Maybe Jason Headley can chime in on this.
How about this: If you just want to be heard, go tell your story to a sharer. If you want to fix your problem, go tell it to a fixer.
Why do people force others to act to match their own selfish expectations?
@@iruns1246 Because you don’t get to choose which type the people in your life are. What if your partner, spouse, etc is a fixer and you are a sharer, and you need THAT person to acknowledge something wrong in your relationship? No one else will do, or the problem doesn’t get solved.
It’s selfish to think you shouldn’t accommodate for the people you love.
@@asheking8603 well sure, if that's the specific, serious case then it has to be accomodated. I was talking more about the daily conversation. Forcing yourself to accommodate that stuff daily can really take a toll on someone, and on the relationship.
@@iruns1246 problem is when your partner finds a sharer or fixer from the opposite sex. Now she or he is getting their emotional support from someone else. Emotional cheating is just as bad if not worse than it’s sexual counterpart.
Let’s be honest, 95% of sharers are female and 95% of fixers are male. It’s how we are wired, kind of like how does a bird know how to make a nest. It’s just ingrained in us.
If a man says something in the forest and no woman is there to hear him, is he still wrong?
probably so....
need to learn to ignore the nails, I guess
Sean Ferri of course he's wrong: if he's saying anything , it means he's distracted from felling that tree she so desperately needed.
_( of course, when he eventually gets it dragged home, it will suddenly appear to have been a nice shrubbery that had been demanded all along... )_
_rinse._ _repeat._ _segue into monty python skit_ ...
+Sean Ferri You could know that yourself from the start, unless you are thinking out loud, which is what I do...I verbalize my thoughts and work out solutions as I hear myself articulate them. I also keep a journal to write down first impressions, go back and look at it when I can and contemplate the situations. You might examine your viewpoint and decide if you are right or wrong. I have found, earnest people, male or female, offer considered thoughts and respond in kind.
+Sean Ferri, If a woman says something in the forest and no man is there to hear her, is she still nagging?
MaximusArurealius yes.
_( it's known as the "automatic nag reflex" - an intrinsic feature emergent from all structures lacking a Y chromosome... )_
Have lived this. Formulated solution; instantly channel her focus to clarify the nature of the conversation.
Dramatization rendered below:
Her: "Can we talk?
Me: "Do you want to talk or do you need me to listen?"
Her: "Umm...."
Me: "Please answer the question, hon. I need to know so I can proceed correctly. I can't 'just know;' I need for you to make it clear."
Her: "Okay...I need you to hear what I have to say."
Me: "Thank you for clarifying. I'm here and I'm listening."
Her:
Me: Okay. I've heard you and I get it. But just to be sure; was I here to be an sympathetic ear or to help you solve the problem?"
(Answer #1)
Her: "Thanks for listening hon...I feel better now."
Me: "Love you too. It'll be okay."
(Answer #2)
Her: "Can you help?"
Me: I'm on it. Love you.
Her: "Love you too...."
As long as you let them know that you still give a damn, you can easily work within this framework.
The best response in this whole comment section. You've restored some of my faith in humanity lol
0:33 "It is _not_ about the _nail_." [bombastic side eye]
I love this actress so much!
I saw this years ago and every time I'm in a "is it the nail?" situation I come back and watch..this is brilliant on so many levels and his facial expressions perfect
he's my hero
do u still do dat
@@holaholaheeits still not about the nail 😊
I'm a girl, and have this problem with friends frequently. JUST GET THE FUCKING NAIL OUT!
+Beth Rutter Basically all friends of my sister are male for exactly this reason she has told me. They get shit done. She tells her friends and there are 5 guys willing to help her out, that's what friends do according to her.
Not go "ow, that's awful for you".
i bet she does a lot with those 5 guys.
Tommy "Johny" Wiseau
I of course don't know but I doubt it. It's not exactly something I want to know about :p.
From what I've heard and seen with a few it's more of a brotherly relationship. She once asked for the same drugs(I believe XTC) her friend got from a 3rd guy and that friend basically start saying she isn't getting this shit and that she's better than that and threatening the dealer if he gave her any. She got an hour long lecture about sticking to weed only.
I'd ask you to marry me if I wasn't already... :D
It's nice to know there are rational ladies like yourself out there. Thank you Ma'am.
whenever you try to give someone free tech support, remember you are that girl that we have to deal with
Been there!
+Gordon Freeman Or any motoring matter. Us partonising gits with our silly 'expertise'.
***** tech support is really a pita for this very reason though. It doesn't matter if its the right way or even good, experience shows you just don't don't screw up their mess, even if its causing the problem. People always complain about change, no exceptions
Gordon Freeman That sounds really hard, {sorry, couldn't resist]
+Ian O'Riordan Expertise vs. not is the issue...not women. I get the same issue in graphic design...and I'm sure others do in their professions.
Yep, spot on. My wife and I dated 4 years, and now have been married 47 years. And this is a good representation of how it's been. Only took me 7 or 8 years to learn it.
you nailed it!
Poor bastard !
You're married 47 years to someone, who completely refuses to acknowledge the obvious.
Still learning...
As a marriage therapist, I recommend this video to everyone.
Train of Thought Madden my DBT therapist showed this to our group during a validation session. Brilliant example
And how should women react to men’s thoughts .
Seadog. Exactly the same way, just listen. Trust me, there's many a time I bite my tongue and let my man do things the wrong way. Aka the nail. Because to constantly just fix it for him isn't any help, sometimes it better just to ride the waves and listen, go with the flow, and let them sort it out themselves. Empowerment
Kathryn Tubecki : Thank you. But sometimes I can’t help myself from helping.
It might be the wrong way for you, but it's the right way for him. . . . . Did you think he was wrong for wanting to take the nail out of her head?
I feel this so hard! People tend to not want to take responsibility to fix the problem, they want someone to support them in not fixing the problem. It's called "fighting for your limitations" and it's a problem in and of itself. As a person who people tend to come to for advice that they don't intend to listen to, I am thankful for this humor. I also have learned to ask some questions before offering the advice so we don't end up wasting each other's time, or just not being available for it at all.
Right?!? The world must accept me for who I am, is the common response vs taking responsibility for one's own rubbish, and Doing The Work!
How insightful. Supporting them in not fixing the problem 😂
Totally. But if we let people talk it out, they can feel better, and AFTER feeling better be able to see it more objectively and find some solutions/see repeating patterns.
@@saraholmes5999 Indeed. In medicine, we sedate the patient for surgery not because it causes them less pain, but because it's easier to fix stuff while it isn't crying or screaming. Doctors would do it either way, just look at surgery before anesthesia. But the pain and emotions are real and they are included in the problem by default. A patient forced to be asleep will jerk around unconsciously if you don't manage their pain. Babies and children remember this pain and it can cause bad reactions later in life.
Now, if babies and children can develop neuroticism from a bad childhood experience, don't be surprised when suffering individuals accumulate increasingly larger damage. If you don't manage this pain, the person involved may become inefficient or incapable of problem solving all because of these emotions. They stick with them. Listen to sounds people make like you listen to sounds your car make.
@@saraholmes5999
Is actually supposed to be the other way around. You first the problem and then latter when it's no longer around to cause more problems, you analyze it and talk about it so you can learn from it and don't repeat it.
I remember relating to the man in this video several years ago (even though I'm a girl). Back then, my friend wouldn't stop complaining about her unrequited love and I kept offering her simple solutions. I've even showed her this video, and she took offense. We've both become more mature since then. And now I'm rewatching this and see that honestly both of them have communication problems. The nail metaphor is just a metaphor, it oversimplifies issues. Why is even this nail in her head? What if she's in denial because she's too scared of the operation it takes to get it out? Anyway I've learned since then that sometimes the best solution is just to shut up and listen, and maybe ask some questions to try and understand why is it so hard to recognize the problem. And maybe remember about the time there was an axe in your back or something like that. For me and my friend, it took a long long time to talk, listen and gain mutual trust, but it paid off in the end.
Sorry, but you've now become the girl with the nail in her head...
Hahaha.
wow, Refreshing to hear women that come to that realization!
women need to express their emotions. but its unfair to ask ur partner to listen to u if u aren't willing to listen to him.
our society tells men that they need to conform the way women think and communicate but doesn't tell women that they ever need to conform to the way men think and communicate. men's brains are wired around problem solving and tool use. if u want to vent, then be receptive to the advice. its a give and take, but most relationships are very one sided.
@@juanwononeyuan Very well said. The West is now "gynocentric"--woman have all the legal rights, and all the social sympathies. Whenever that's been done, it has never ended will for civilization.
1:02 “I don’t know what it is”
He literally just told her what it is…
I wish the thumbnail didn't use the nail image - lessens the impact for viewers who catch a glimpse of that!
Yeah, but the nail could be any kind of nail...the thumbnail's visual lessens the impact when it appears in the story.
Stop trying to fix everything! It's not about the thumbnail!
Randy Reichenbach 😂😂😂 clever!!! literally laughing out loud
Chris Strobel you make a good point but I think Randy got the last word on this one 😊😂
Yeah! They would definitely have nailed it had it appeared just before the kiss, oh...lol
They totally nailed this one.
Every woman I've ever dated...
Oh but it is about the nail.
Totally nailed it!
No, you nailed it, sir!
I am jealous that I did not think of this pun.
The look of painful restraint - priceless. Great work!
For me, too, the funniest moment has to be that cut where we first see the man and the pained expression on his face. That and the snagged sweaters line.
10 years on, still one of the best videos
I get that listening is important but sometimes we get so caught up in whatever is going on that we don't actually "see" the problem! I personally like it when I talk to my husband about my problems and he has suggestions that I may not have thought of! Simply telling me that I understand you are hurting, in pain, confused, etc. does NOTHING for me!
Exactly. Men offering solutions shows we care. We want the problem to go away. We want to solve the root cause. Just validating the feelings doesn't make the actual problem go away.
That means you probably haven't been steeped in grievance studies. Universities have inundated the nation with this kind of behavior.
@@ranredd85 Exactly x 2. *Women* (like me) offering solutions shows we care. For all the same reasons you gave. It's not as "gendered" as people think. It's about personality. I'm a problem-solver, analyzer, thinker...I'm empathetic, but I'm pragmatic..."fix it and you'll feel better".
What makes you think there is a problem? It's not about the nail. That's her problem & she will deal with it when she is good & ready. She is talking about her ability to soldier in spite of the difficulties, like snagged sweaters. She's to be admired for her perseverance! (In the same way we admire Scott of the Antarctic. He never solved any of his problems either, but is greatly admired for what he endured.)
It’s not so much an issue to provide solutions, the issue is that often when we jump right into problem solving mode it can leave the other person feeling invalidated or like the other person did not hear them fully. Sometimes people talk about their problems just to feel heard and other times they do it because they want advise and help. It’s important to always empathize first and then ask do you want advise or help coming up with solutions after. At the end of the day everyone is different and it’s just best to ask what they’re looking for do they just want to vent or are they looking for advise, just asking that simple question can help with any tension that may happen if you just assume they want you to fix it.
I have to come back to this every now and again. This is internet gold
The male version:
“I feel worthless and unlovable.”
“Just go to the gym bro.”
This is so true. Everyone is acting like this is just a man vs woman problem when it's just a human thing that occurs in basically all social circles
This is so true. Ppl are making this into a man vs. woman situation when it's just a human thing that can be found in virtually every social group
Sometimes, a problem can't be solved, and you just need someone to listen and sympathize. For example, my father has really bad Parkinson's and the man I have always known and loved, my rock, is gone, lost in this terrible disease. My husband can't fix that. But, he did say, "That's really sad." And that helped. Just some compassion and empathy.
Thumbs up, men, if you've found yourself in a non-sensical argument like this with a woman.
+bronlokis The best part is when he offers faux sympathy and she buys it as genuine. Been there...
JC Webb
Yt?
+bronlokis Women are not nonsensical. MEN are.
Mirani2
I said the argument was nonsensical... not women. learn to read, dumbass.
bronlokis Yes, but the implication is that the woman is dumb because people don't usually say those things even when a man has the same type of argument. And the arguments are not dumb, they only sound that way when taken out of context.
Can listen for awhile, but eventually, something has to be done about the nail.
I'm a woman happy to admit. IT'S THE NAIL LOL
😆
Best advice ive ever gotten on this is that men and women process stress in almost opposite ways. For men we process it externally. We find something external that is causing us stress and correct it to get rid of the stress. Women process stress internally. She will appreciate your help in getting rid of the extetnal stressor, but only after she had sorted through the internal feelings of stress that it is causing and gotten back to a place emotionally where she is ready to confront the actual issue.
This is why in moments like these both parties feel frustrated. The woman will systematically explain every aspect of whats stressing her out while the man internally screams "JUST SOLVE THE PROBLEM" and then feels ignored or like her stress is being minimized because there is an "easy solution". Conversely, women watch men quickly correct their stressors and then struggle with the emotional aftermath for much longer than she would and wonder why he doesnt decompress the way she does when she has a problem.
Its honestly pretty funny how much our programming seems to PREVENT the opposite sexes from coexisting, but love is a powerful thing 😊
And what happens if a woman is in a situation which needs urgent action and is delaying implementing a necessary and obvious solution?
Too late, opportunity lost, irreversible damage done, but the woman had her feelings time.
My entire first marriage... all sixteen years of it... thank God I'm divorced.
I'm happily divorced as well. All that drama! Pfffft!
Glad you got out. But if you had endured one more year, you could apply for sainthood.
@@nunuvyobiznes9149 I just feel bad for the dumbass who has her now.
She’s so lucky to be rid of you 😊
@@lateformyownbirth totally!
This is about as timeless and universal as it gets right here. Amen Jason!
This video is truer than most people will realize.
Or admit.
V Remus on sooo many levels . the accuracy is on point
True that
That's because most people are women.
Sometimes the best thing you can do is just get where someone is at. Don't try to fix, solve etc. just get it. Heard that in an est Training, Jack Tar Hotel, San Francisco 1978. Werner Erhard you are the BEST!
This is so well done. I mean not just the concept but the camera work and the actors (her subtle eye movements at the begging)... The whole thing is brilliantly done. I give this a 10/10
The gag is, unless she feels emotionally supported by the listening husband, she literally will not pull the metaphorical nail out herself. She’s stuck in an activated fear state and you can’t access logical reasoning in that state until you become emotionally regulated. The more the husband points out the “nail” the more resistant she gets and he’s working against himself and his desire to help her. You cannot save people from their own choices, like trauma or addictions or mental illness, but you increase their chances of them solving their own problems if you listen to them. Sometimes if you help someone calm down and sort their thoughts out and process their emotions, even if it’s extremely obvious what the problem is, you can then help them think straight.
I know this is about empathy. But isn’t it possible to say, “ I understand what you’re going thru.” Then remove the nail. Has anyone realized that ignoring the nail resulted in both of them getting hurt in the end?
It appears that removing the nail, or even mentioning the nail, is NOT part of the discussion. This video was discussed in my class today and just about every student avoided addressing the nail. Of the 1-2 (myself included) that did mention this, it was as though we just weren't "getting it." And you're right, they both, in the end, was injured by the nail.
There ya go again. Trying to fix things. (I feel you, brother.)
She has to figure out herself how to take the nail out and he just needs to listen better
@@msgear4607 By any chance is it a university class? This is the philosophy that grievance studies give us. When she gets angry that he wants to fix it and is ignoring her pain, she exerts power. The very fact he is trying to fix it shows he is listening, but she can use it to emotinally manipulate him.
This is a relatively recent idea. Women of 50 years ago would be embarrassed by this. My grandmother used to tell me about going to work in the aircraft factories in WWII and should smack this girl and tell her to pull the nail out of her head. It's also a Western idea. Women who grew up outside the Western world would have pulled that nail out immediately and gone on with their lives.
@@RichardChappell1 yes Richard, it is a university. And I agree that women today are an altogether different breed. Also agree about this type of thinking is a western idea. This whole idea of "don't try to fix it" is a misnomer in the sense that it's being discussed in this video. When women say this, it seems that they are really saying "Don't take over", as though they are children, which is different from your mate clearly seeing a problem and wanting to help (come alongside) you to resolve it. It is an insult to a man (anyone really) to assert that he cannot even acknowledge a clear problem and offer a suggestion (remove the nail). Some women expect just what this video demonstrate in that a man is not supposed to act in a natural role of observing and entering into a problem with his mate. If, in helping to remove the nail, he don't listen to her thoughts about how best, for her, to remove the nail, then that is him taking over, i.e., not coming alongside and helping her resolve, but treating her like a child who needs a parent to take over. But to expect him (or anyone) to ignore, or not even mention a clear problem is foolishness. And, in reality, if he did ignore the nail (and the moping, complaints of headaches and snagged clothing), he would be in the wrong for that too. Some women set it up that a man cannot win with them.
I've seen this video in presentations on supporting someone with a mental illness. For some people, it can look like this. For others, it's more like: "Yes, obviously there's a nail in my head. That's why I'm paying way too much money to two different nail experts, going to weekly groups, and doing nail removal exercises. Unfortunately, it isn't working, and it's unlikely that your uninformed advice is going to be the thing that fixes it. So for now what I really need to do is acknowledge that the nail affects every goddamn part of my life, and that it sucks."
There’s a lot of talk about toxic masculinity and teaching boys to be better men, which I am totally in favour of. But we need to teach girls to be better women too. Lots of toxic femininity with manipulation, silent treatment and “mean girl” behaviours.
As a fixer woman: stop interacting with mean girls and only befriend decent ones. 😅
That’s totally true and I’m glad you said it.
This is spot on. Someone who created this is a genius 👏
I'm a fixer (and a woman.) I'm just a problem solver. It's how I've always been. (I probably inherited this trait from my father). Anyway my therapist showed this to me and besides being funny, I can completely relate to it! I plan on being a better listener to my husband. After seeing how that goes for awhile, I'll show him this video so he knows where I got the idea. Ha ha
I like your comment
OMG SAME!
that would help out too many men.
Update time, Sheryl!
How did it go?
When she mentions the snagged sweaters, he changes gears and tries to be helpful. "Maybe you could try switching to cardigans." She smiles so sweetly.
Short-term emotional wants > Long-term quality of life. Success recipe.
OMG, I sent this to my ex. She always said" what happened", we were so happy. WOW.
Whenever my wife does this, I tell her: "Baby, I understand your need to feel listened to, and that's what I'm here for. However, I will only listen if YOU listen to ME afterwards, regarding what we can do to keep you from having this stress going forward. Sound fair?" Thank GOODNESS my wife is a reasonable person.
This seems passive aggressive to me. I will explain. Woman have this emotional connection to themselves that make the real issue solving come in a natural way after they "get it out of their hearts". No woman finds a point in staying stuck in the problem, you geniuses. They just want to first address it in a deeper way before. At least that's true for me. And the truth is also that lots of man are scared of really supporting and feeling the pain of their partner and even of themselves.
I mean, why are you assuming that after sharing her pain, she won't be willing to find practical solutions ? That is the real question...
@@ellawolf777 "And the truth is also that lots of man are scared of really supporting and feeling the pain of their partner and even of themselves." You might be onto something there of not wanting to support feeling pain. Who wants to feel pain? Isn't it better to find a resolution & avoid it altogether if possible?
@@Tetsu9701 I believe there is a relief in letting yourself feeling pain. After the storm comes the sun, as we say
@@ellawolf777 I think your comments are entirely more passive aggressive, calling me a “genius” because I think I can fix a problem, and “scared” because I don’t want to listen to a woman complain about an easily fixable issue, like a nail in her head. There is nothing wrong with saying “honey, I listened to you. Now you listen to me”. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
It makes a lot more sense once you start to realize that the nail, and her feelings are one and the same.
If you got a problem, and the posibility of fixing it is in your hands, yet you still refuse to fix it, then you're just bringing drama. No man wants drama, we want peace.
You don't speak for me.
I don't want peace, I want problems, always!
Really good representation of what BPD feels like. The triggers, communication.
This is literally one of my favorite videos ever. I always share this with friends who have never seen it.
I have sent this video to so many people. It's so perfect to show the differences between men (fixers) and women (feelings), relationship issues, etc. Even with my wife of 34 years, if I try to help and get shut down, I think "If you could just get that nail out of your head," but I've learned to not say it. Cheers.
I am a fixer, but sometimes, there are nails that just can't be pulled out. Then listening is the only option.
Agreed. Men are just frustrated with the fixable nails
@@ranredd85 if it's literally sticking out your face tho...
Oh shuttup.
@@Nickademas1 I was referring to things like inoperable cancer or chronic debilitating medical conditions. Not this silly woman's stupid nail. I'd just dump her myself.She's hot but too high maintenance.
@@ranredd85 I am a female, but I get frustrated with the fixable nails too.
My favorite line is at 1:07 - "And all my sweaters are snagged. I mean, ALL of them." ROTFL
Non native english speaker here. I must miss a pun here. What is so funny about that line?
@@SpongeJ All the other problems she mentions are emotional or health-related and might (just MAYBE) be entirely unrelated to the nail. It's unlikely, but there's a chance.
But her sweaters getting snagged on the nail is a problem that could ONLY be caused by the nail, there's just no other possible cause. What's funny is that she's still in denial that the nail is her problem.
@@scottjohnson9799 ok thanks I thought there was a hidden pun.
Love it!! -My sister showed this to me and her life partner and we all had different take aways. So symbolic of our challenges as a society.
uhtutuh, you mean as women. Imagine if we did the same
More like our challenges as men to put up with women's foolishness.
I mean, I can only see a couple different takeaways. First is that you should listen to loved ones who are trying to help you. Second is that you can’t help someone who won’t accept their problem
@@LEFT4BASS Third one: don't try to fix them while they are whining. This is the classic male/female communication problem. Men only take their problems to another man when they assume that that person can help them fix it. Women take all their problems to their female friends/sisters/mothers to share them for emotional validation. So when women go into their classical "validate me" rants, the result is miscommunication. As a dude, instead of trying to fix her, just nod and say uh-huh.
@@Volkbrecht Nobody is entitled to my emotional labor. If she doesn't want help, I don't want to hear about it.
Excellent video! It is best to allow or guide the person with the problem to figure it out for themselves. We shouldn't take away a person's opportunity to learn from their own mistakes. If they can take responsibility for their situation, they feel empowered not threatened. And, yes, sometimes there is just nothing you can do for them.
When someone wants to vent, don't even think about giving advice.
Advice in the form of question(s) is usually advisable😁. Know-it-all’s aren’t cool. Asking questions to guide thoughts and attitudes is very supportive and extremely helpful.
Of course, she "vents" by beating you up, don't think about protecting yourself, right?
@@noamto I don't think you understand the video or my comment. The lady does not start out attacking the gent. She just wants someone to listen. She only gets annoyed when he offers advice. So, in my view offering advice in this context is a bad idea.
But what if they’ve
Been venting about the same shit for a long time. You don’t want to enable people.
@@jt6366 thank you this is very helpful. I wondered, how do I listen to them and didn't know if me asking questions to guide their thoughts was part of the "listening" or the "giving advice." I never wanted them to feel like that i was trying to fix them.
This video trained me in how to talk with 95% of the human population. Everyone just wants to vent to a sympathetic ear, 95 times out of 100 they can't or doing want to or have reasons for not fixing a problem that are totally valid, but the problem is stressful anyway so they need to talk about it XD
Wouldn't that be about 50%?
@@jr-gw3si She only sees half the population as human. It's 95% of them, yeah.
Thanks for the post! I showed my wife and she wasn't impressed. 3 times today she has brought up a dilemma that the answer is as obvious as you have a NAIL IN YOUR HEAD! I responded accordingly. Probably sleeping in the car tonight.
I hope you didn't sleep in the car though.
Do you pay the rent?
Then reconsider who's sleeping where.
Gene Cole FWIW, I’ve been married for 30 years and yep there were about 2-3 times I thought I needed to sleep in the car that night. Sleeping on the couch.. many times, but yeah that “I gotta sleep in the car tonight” happened about 3 times max. 2 of 3 I never did it & ended up just sleeping on the couch. Only ONCE I actually went out and slept in car but came back & spent the rest of the night on the couch. So that “car thing” was a real emotion for me, but ONCE/10-Years... not too bad I guess. And I LOVE❤️ my wife. She is the most amazing person I’ve ever known.
What kind of mangina lets his wife kick him out of his own bed!?
@@yeboscrebo4451 One that's been married for 30 years...
This is a classic. What a great job. What great insight. I love you all.
"...and all my sweaters are snagged..." gets me every time...
*All* of them!
How did she keep a straight face?! 😂
I was looking up what other work Monica Barbaro has been in because of Top Gun Maverick, and pleasantly surprised that she was The Nail Girl in this short I saw years ago! Classic!
She's come a long way!
Typical of some people to say that if something isn't done in the way they do it, it must be wrong. A person (man or woman) who is talking about problems and feelings is looking for someone to listen, so that person can, through talking, figure out the fix on his or her own. Many people work through their problems through talking. But no one likes to be told how to fix their problems as if they were children needing a lecture. Hear the person out and have faith that once having been heard, the pieces will fall into place and that person will solve his or her own problem.
Are you looking for a yes person to listen?
Mike Carter You show yourself to be no better than the people I was talking about. Has it not ever occurred to you that there doesn't have to be a yes or no? Just listen.
It's a waste of my time listing to you talking about your problems. Talking about a problem and doing. Othing is stupid. If that's the case then sit there and have a doctor, rise listen to your problems and do nothing. My time is just as valuable
Dee Brown Expecting your loved ones to sit around and listen to you complain instead of solving the issues is selfish and stupid.
No loved one should be forced to listen to you and not be able to help you.
Listening to you complain that your a fat fuck doesnt help you not be a fat fuck.
The video even proved the point. She refused to listen and now that issue is preventing them from having a relationship. They couldnt get close because she refused to deal with the problem.
Massive Tits With every post you prove my point. But I'm done talking to someone who thinks Massive Tits is a funny name to use. I imagine that you'll leap on this and claim you won this argument because I am no longer participating. And that will be even more evidence.
i was married for 15 years, this is absolutely spot on. women are so stubborn it is unreal
There actually ARE women who ENJOY it when a MAN FIXES the thing!! That isMe! If I am Complaining I have exhausted all my ideas and the thing still isn’t fixed! If you like fixing things you are welcome here!! I don’t talk just to talk.
Thank you so much
Women in tech and engineering are not like this video, many others certainly are. Glad you are not.
Three important points: 1) she literally can't see the nail, 2) she doesn't trust him to accurately reflect her reality, and 3) she doesn't want to get help to deal with her issue, only get sympathy for it. This level of narcissism is utterly toxic and incurable without a literal miracle.
Mr. "Headley" - You sir hit the nail on the head with this communication gem!!!
Imagine how trapped the nail feels.
😂
I read the comments and many are very astute and thought provoking. Regardless I LMAO when she said her sweaters are all snagged.
TEN YEARS LATER, and 25 MILLION VIEWS......that's all? This is one of the best things ever on UA-cam. You really made something special. I commented on this 10 years ago and just now it came up in my "recommendeds" again. This is something special Congratulations for catching lightning in a bottle.
This is a great analogy for dealing with psychological issues. Validation does not mean agreeing or retreating.
"Don't try to understand women, women understand women, and they hate each other." -Al Bundy