# Why do men like shiny, metre-length, pointy objects? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 19, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-men-like-shiny-metre-length-pointy-objects/149679 "2003-01-19T21:05:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![andymurph64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@andymurph64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andymurph64)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-men-like-shiny-metre-length-pointy-objects/149679/81 "2003-01-22T16:07:33Z")
Galdius…my God I can’t type… ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-men-like-shiny-metre-length-pointy-objects/149679/82 "2003-01-22T17:37:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Unintentionally Blank \* > \*\*[de-lurk] Watching a show in the Discovery channel on one-on-one combat (I think it was the Top Ten Martial Arts or some such thing) They had a segment on, ah I forget. But to the uneducated viewer, it pretty much just looked like boys beating on each other with bamboo sticks. :rolleyes: > \*\* Sounds like the Phillipine martial art Escrima, the sticks were probably rattan. And let me assure you those boys are badasses. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-men-like-shiny-metre-length-pointy-objects/149679/83 "2003-01-22T17:51:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Sounds like the Phillipine martial art Escrima, the sticks were probably rattan. And let me assure you those boys are badasses. Eh. My western fencing school enters their full contact swordsmanship tournaments regularly. We usually win, and we are hardly badasses. The escrima fighters are good at a few techniques, particularly striking their opponents’ hands. But it about ends there. ---
**Author:** ![GKW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@GKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GKW)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-men-like-shiny-metre-length-pointy-objects/149679/84 "2003-01-22T18:17:30Z")
When I was 12 I went on a vacation to Puerto Rico with some family friends. The highlight of my trip was tasting fresh pineapple for the first time and purchasing a machete. I loved swinging that huge blade and cutting down brush. It made me feel powerful. It did what it was supposed to do really well. Perhaps you like feeling powerful too? Unfortunately when I came home, it caused tears. My brothers thought that it was unfair that a girl should own such a splendid tool. My dad made it disappear. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-men-like-shiny-metre-length-pointy-objects/149679/85 "2003-01-25T07:14:29Z")
**Maeglin** - I’ve had several discussions with fencers and martial artists about that sort of thing. I’m of the opinion that it’s sort of like comparing apples and cats. Asian martial arts are even more stylized than European fencing… a Kendoka is pretty bound by a style that doesn’t allow for the free flowing improvisation. The methodology of Eastern vs. Western Martial arts is pretty different. It’s a popular topic of discussion though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-men-like-shiny-metre-length-pointy-objects/149679.md?page=4)