Another question...

...brought on by listening to one of the talk channels on Sirius...
Why in the hell is it so hard for some people to tell their partners what they like, and what they DON'T like? One of the hosts, as I was listening, talked about a certain thing her partner did that she hated, and she said, "It's so annoying, and he thinks he's so good." (Keep in mind I am operating on the assumption that she's telling the truth here.). I just said, right out loud, "If it's so annoying, TELL HIM!" Seriously, I know no one who's a mind-reader, male or female. And I can understand some people's trepidation at telling these things, being afraid they'll upset their partner -- but if said partner has such a fragile ego that you can't be honest with 'em, well, that's not a recipe for a good long-term relationship, I'd think. Input from readers?