[Razorback]

Originally Posted by TTBRAHWTMG

I agree...I think that he actually insults both men and women a little though with Mary's "testing". If a man doesn't have an immediate physical response to her...HE'S AN ALIEN! What did you guys think of his line "Most women are damn fools and children..."

I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but I guess Mary’s test does kind of insult both. You could also take it as showing conceit as Mary’s character flaw, but I doubt that’s what Heinlein intended.

I was startled when I first saw the fools quote in your post since it didn’t make that much of an impression when I read the book. Something like that normally would. When I saw the full context in your later post, I understood. The following lines largely mitigated or offset the nonsense of the first statement. I also agree with j.d.’s and Mollygurl’s comments on this point.