Just a few days ago my wife told me that a woman should never express empathy to a man when he complains about life being difficult (because apparently then he will spend the rest of his life complaining, and never grow up). This is a wisdom she learned from her mother.

From my perspective, that's a complete idiocy. (And incompatible with love.) But she is not the first woman I heard to express a similar opinion. It's in the culture.