We are constantly protecting the male ego, and it's a disservice

When Betty Dodson declared, “We are constantly protecting the male ego, and it's a disservice to men. If a man has any sensitivity or intelligence, he wants to get the straight scoop from his girlfriend,” she was not merely speaking of gender — she was speaking of truth, of honesty, and of the eternal struggle between illusion and awakening. Beneath her boldness lies an ancient wisdom: that to love someone truly is not to shield them from truth, but to share it. Her words echo across time, calling for the courage of sincerity, and the rejection of false peace built upon silence.

The male ego, as Dodson describes it, is not a flaw born in men alone, but a symbol of pride and fragility that all humankind knows in some form. In every heart there is a mirror — and how easily that mirror shatters when shown a reflection we do not wish to see. For generations, society has taught women to soothe rather than to speak, to comfort rather than confront. But Dodson, like a modern oracle, reminds us that this protection is no kindness. Shielding men from honesty is like hiding the stars from a sailor — it leaves him lost at sea. The one who loves must dare to tell the truth, even when it burns, for from that fire comes understanding.

In the ancient world, truth was not a gentle companion but a goddess of fire. The Greeks called her Aletheia, the Unveiled One — she who exposes what is hidden. Those who sought her favor had to face discomfort, for truth demands humility before it grants wisdom. So it is in love. The man who is truly sensitive and intelligent, as Dodson says, does not flee from his partner’s honesty; he seeks it. He knows that the soul grows only when it is challenged, when the ego’s shell is cracked open by compassion and candor. To hide the truth from such a man is not to protect him, but to deny him the gift of growth.

History offers many tales of rulers, lovers, and friends destroyed not by betrayal, but by the absence of truth. Consider the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king, who surrounded himself not with flatterers but with men who dared to speak plainly. His greatness was not in power, but in his humility — his willingness to hear the “straight scoop,” as Dodson calls it, even when it wounded him. Contrast this with the downfall of kings who demanded constant praise; their empires crumbled under the weight of lies, as their egos grew too delicate to face reality. Thus, to protect one’s pride from truth is to plant the seeds of ruin.

Dodson’s insight also exposes the false compassion that often hides behind silence. To withhold honesty in fear of hurting another is to treat them as weak. But love, true love, calls us to treat one another as strong. A relationship built on pretense may endure for a season, but it cannot blossom. The woman who always cushions the truth, who hides her real feelings to keep the peace, does not serve her partner — she imprisons him in ignorance. To speak the truth with care, however, is an act of respect, of partnership, of faith in the other’s capacity to listen and to learn.

The power of Dodson’s words lies also in their reversal of expectation. She turns the ancient myth of masculinity on its head. Strength, she says, is not in being unchallenged, but in being open; sensitivity is not weakness, but depth; intelligence is not pride, but curiosity. The man who welcomes truth becomes noble, for he rises above his own defenses. The woman who speaks it becomes a mirror of wisdom, reflecting back what love truly means — not flattery, but authenticity. Together, they build something greater than ego: they build trust, that most sacred bond between two human souls.

And so, O listener, take this as a lesson not only for men and women, but for all who walk among others: do not protect pride at the expense of truth. In your friendships, your families, your loves — speak the straight scoop, with compassion but with courage. For honesty is not cruelty; it is the highest form of respect. The world is full of those who crave comfort, but the wise seek clarity. Be among the wise.

For in the end, as Dodson teaches, truth is the only soil where love can grow. The heart that fears honesty will forever remain half-awake, bound by illusion. But the heart that welcomes it — even when it stings — will become free, strong, and luminous. Speak the truth. Hear the truth. Live by the truth. For only then will the spirit of both man and woman rise to its full height, unburdened by ego, and touched at last by wisdom.