Deus Vult, Agreed. Most people who're in good physical condition spend a bit of time outdoors and that I think is the difference, as has been said. So many people/men stay indoors far too much. That tends to make them weaker, but not just in body, but in all ways. Especially in regard to their take on things. Look at our judges and their stupid decisions. That's one of the reasons. They're indoors constantly. Living in such a way is death to a man. Our bodies and minds aren't fit for such a life. Actually, I do know a judge. He's a nice man, but has everything in the world against him physically. Every few months, he's in the hospital for some reason or other. This is the way with so many men. Too bad.
You make good points, Joe. I've got a funny story...
In 2003, the Louisiana Gubernatorial contest came down to center-lib Democrat Kathleen Blanco vs. pretend conservative Republican Piyush Jindal. I was on the state's Republican State Central Committee then, and had been active in lamestream politics, local and statewide, for a while. Yet I was not shy in telling any fellow Republican who brought up the subject that I would not support Jindal. I routinely explained that
a) Jindal is a WOG, therefore would never get my support for ANY endeavor;
b) he is not just a WOG, but an affirmative action recipient to an absurd degree, and I would not support Republicans who promote or receive the affirmative action (or "outreach");
c) he is an establishment-promoted moderate-type campaigning with the aid of conservative sounding slogans, therefore even if he wasn't a WOG, I'd oppose him as I would any other moderate Republican.
Blanco won the election. Shortly after the election, I had a series of conversations with an old friend who was (and still is) a political consultant. He worked for the Jindal campaign (still does, in some capacity). At some point in our contentious communications, I pointed out that even if I could be convinced to for a nonwhite, Jindal himself was in a crucial area a terrible candidate: he was/is an obvious weakling, a pencil-necked nerd, a wonk-boy. Louisiana, I said, is full of farmers and commercial fishmen and blue collar workers, who could not for a moment imagine Piyush (who calls himself "Bobby") doing the typical Louisiana outdoor manly pursuits, such as fishing and hunting. I told him Jindal would never win statewide election, because women and men alike could look at him and see he has never baited a fish hook, probably never fired a gun, not even a bb gun.
Shortly thereafter, I began receiving campaign email newsletters from Jindal's organization, featuring photos of him in sport fishing boats, posing with the day's catch, talking about Louisiana's great natural resources. Other newsletters featured photos of him in full camo, rifle or shotgun in hand. Soon, he got himself elected to Congress from the suburban New Orleans area, and learned how to grandstand on the anti- gun control position.
I am still not convinced Jindal has ever fired shotgun, especially at wild game. But he and his did realize that for deceptions they first attempted to pull off, they neglected to take account of the strength factor. I believe, as Joe hints, that people find strength attractive. That doesn't mean people will most favor a bodybuilder or power lifter, but ruggedness and outdoors living reflect a certain set of traits that most people value.