CRITERIA

We all have them.

Don't try to deny it.

We may call them by a different name, such as "preferences" or "guidelines" or "standards". We may not even view them as sufficient, or necessary.

But we all have them.

Yep, that's CRITERIA. It's a dirty word, but if pressed to answer, most people will state a preference which they usually act on when they are looking for a mate.

Dating websites ask users to pick their preferred height, body type, race, income and educational level, hair color, religion and geographic location of their most preferred mates. Some, like Eharmony and Chemistry.com even go so far as to only allow you to view "matches" which fit your criteria.

So why do men get so mad when girls have criteria?

The argument usually goes something like this: The woman will list an exhaustive laundry list of traits that look something like this:

-Non-smoker
-No hairy backs or back acne
-Subscribes to [Y] religious belief.
-Loves to do [X], because I love to do [X], and can't imagine dating a guy who can't do [X]
-Conservative but not racist
-Exhibits good manners, even to those he thinks aren't important
-No shorter than 5'10"
-Believes that hitting children is NOT an acceptable form of punishment
-Mature sense of humor (no South Park, Borat etc...)
-Ambitious, intelligent, goal-oriented (read: makes more money than I do)
-Drug free
-Can't have an accent from [A], [B], or [C].

whereas men just say they'd be happy with a nice girl with blonde hair and big tits who isn't much of a feminist, keeps herself in shape, and is younger than them.

Thus, women with criteria are real See-You-Next-Tuesdays.

However, in practice, we use our criteria in much the same ways as university AdComms view SAT and GPA. SAT, GPA and National Merit status are equivalent to looks, intelligence/income, religion, and other such "big" factors; and "soft factors", such as extracurricular activities, are like "chemistry". The hotter you are (and the smarter you are, too, if you're a man), the more people will want to date you. However, if there isn't that special zip, that undefinable chemistry, a person can fulfill all the easily measurable criteria and still get the ding.

The bottom line is, love can't be fit into boxes that we check off. Sure, we may blather on about how we prefer a people of a certain height, socio-economic background, religion etc..., but when it comes to love, the whole transcends the sum of its parts. Or, at least I hope. Since I'm a 32B who's as brunette as they come and isn't getting any younger.

A question for discussion...
Do men really have less criteria than women? Or is it a case of men being just as picky as women, but since women are more able to articulate their preferences (or think more than men do about what they want in a mate), they have longer lists?