Re: Re: Illusions in my marriage
Mrs. Peel said:
And when a woman tries to do them also, she is often harassed and ostracized by her male coworkers. My mother-in-law worked in a nuclear plant, she put on the suit and crawled around doing the exact same "dangerous" job as the men. Yes, she was harassed by men who felt she had no business there and took away the job from a "man" and she was passed over for promotions. Another friend is a construction supervisor. She continually complains the men won't listen to a "woman" and treat her rudely. I could go on.
I'm not saying this doesn't happen but in my experience many men will take a more paternal approach if they're older than them and the younger ones will want to chase after them! You use personal anecdotes to strengthen your case, your example dates from what time? The 70's? May I give you a contemporary example?
Three months ago I was called to a rescue. A teenaged boy had fallen down a ravine and broken both legs. Our team made it's way to the site 3km of steep winding path with 1 km of thick, muddy, leech infested bush with 25kg backpacks on our backs. We got to the boy and began treating him, the chopper came and blew down branches and saplings all around us. Freezing water from the creek was blown over us, it was challenging! Up until then our team consisted of white, middle-aged anglo-saxon members of the patriarchy. Lowered from the chopper came a female doctor, she was brilliant and took over the boy's treatment. Soon he on his way to safety. During this time another team had arrived, more middle aged patriarchs and 2 young women. Every man there was old enough to be their fathers. These young women carried nothing down, it was carried by the men. We now had to get out, we scrambled, heavily laden, on all fours up the steep, trackless hillside over logs and rocks. I led the way and looking back I noticed that one our young ladies was having difficulty despite being 25 years younger and carrying nothing, not even her own water bottle. On closer inspection the reason she couldn't climb was because she didn't want to break her fingernails! They were liabilities, could we say anything? No, we get labelled misogynists. Same goes for every rescue I've been to, it's mainly men doing all the hard dangerous work. What if, one day, men decided not to show up for work, I think you'd notice it
author=Brewer link=topic=27957.msg354015#msg354015 date=1342083396]
True, women do make that $0.77 of the dollar but they also spend about $0.75 of every dollar made. Go to a shopping mall, look at advertising in the media, largely geared for women's shopping. My girlfriend has three daughters, she knows the score!
Mrs. Peel said:
Hmmmm. Who buys the most electronics and automobiles? Spends the most on sports-related tickets and paraphernalia?
Good, you are aware that there is something to this. Young men do spend much on cars and motorbikes, it's one of the ways they attract young females. They do it because it generally works, it attracts young females, works on older ones too, they wouldn't do it if it didn't. With cars, many men will make an effort to understand how the vehicle works and some make it their life's work which benefits others (mechanics). It's a little more involved than owning a dozen handbags and a wardrobe full of clothes. When a man enters into marriage the choice of vehicle often rests with the woman. Marketers know this and market accordingly. It's the same with houses too.
Electronics, that cellphone that my ladyfriends insist must be updated every three months, the wall sized TV's in their large designer homes. I've seen three types of men interested in electronics. Those that wish to understand the mysteries of the devices and seek to develop their own ideas. Those that play video games and their interest in the technology that drives them and those that buy the stuff to impress others. Once again building and understanding your electronic systems are somewhat more involved than buying two dozen shoes and the latest cosmetics.
I'm not saying here that women lack creativity but there must be many who shop and want oversize houses. Without this there'd be fewer shopping malls, fewer Mc Mansions and the credit industries that support such activities.
As for sports, I can't fully understand the obsession that many men have with it as I've never had much interest in it. It's a big industry and like shopping malls, big houses, gossip mags, daytime TV and so forth it wouldn't exist were it not for the millions of men obsessed with it. I remember at school the sporting types always attracted the girls. Men use their 'knowledge' of sport to impress others and perhaps the monster grew from that.
Brewer said:
Might pay to read a Warren Farrell book on this subject too, it's not as simple as some may think
Mrs. Peel said:
No, you are right. It's not that simple. But the fact remains that the majority of upper management, CEOs, politicians, and those in "power" are men.
True, and how does that benefit men? For every CEO and politician there are millions of men doing everyday jobs that are largely invisible.
It's late, busy day tomorrow, gotta go, good night!
When I visited the US and told family men of my life they were envious. They were working themselves to death doing 80 hour weeks to provide the 'American Dream' to their families. For this they were criticised for being too 'career focused', however if they didn't do so they were deadbeats and underachievers who lacked ambition. Some didn't really see their kids grow up. No middle ground. Pretty much the same over here in Australia. 
