What are 'The Rules'?

Note to the Orthodudes: The Orthogals do not necessarily approve of or use The Rules, but they are worth mentioning. This is just a summary–we promise, there is a critique to follow.

It is, they say, old wisdom passed down from Grandma, who had “more proposals than shoes.”
I don’t know about your grandmother, but mine was an abrasive Irish-American from south Chicago whose hobby was making politicians cry. She didn’t play by any rules, much less The Rules. Then again, none of the politicians ever proposed.

We’re not talking about general rules of life. That’s far beyond my pay grade. No, The Rules is a dating advice book published by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider in 1995. It made a big splash in its day–changed the conversation, really–and it’s likely a book that we’ll be referring to from time to time. Not so much because it’s the awesomest thing ever, but because it’s…on to something.

I have some major objections to The Rules. And the book will make your inner feminist throw tantrums. But it’s worth taking a look at nonetheless.

What are ‘The Rules’?

Note to the Orthodudes: The Orthogals do not necessarily approve of or use The Rules, but they are worth mentioning. This is just a summary–we promise, there is a critique to follow.

It is, they say, old wisdom passed down from Grandma, who had “more proposals than shoes.”
I don’t know about your grandmother, but mine was an abrasive Irish-American from south Chicago whose hobby was making politicians cry. She didn’t play by any rules, much less The Rules. Then again, none of the politicians ever proposed.

We’re not talking about general rules of life. That’s far beyond my pay grade. No, The Rules is a dating advice book published by Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider in 1995. It made a big splash in its day–changed the conversation, really–and it’s likely a book that we’ll be referring to from time to time. Not so much because it’s the awesomest thing ever, but because it’s…on to something.

I have some major objections to The Rules. And the book will make your inner feminist throw tantrums. But it’s worth taking a look at nonetheless.