Men Get No Respect
For a couple generations now, entertainment media has traded on the theme of “men as idiots.” Virtually all sitcoms play on the theme that men are incapable of doing the right thing without a woman leading or correcting them.
We all laugh at the husband, who is able to provide for his family but is somehow unable to function at home. His kids give him no respect and his wife uses him as the butt of her jokes.
This post by JoJo Tabares lays out examples going back to The Honeymooners in the 1950s. As Jolo points out, media’s message to our kids significantly taints their sense of what a man is. Girls learn to put down their partner and men learn to be a man he must be sensitive in a feminine way.
Where are the models of men being strong and sensitive, or caring and committed? The mindless watching of TV pollutes the hypnotic suggestions for a struggling relationship. I’m not saying TV or media is THE cause of failed marriages. I will say that it’s not the ideal model of success. We’re all floundering in a void of wimpish men dominated by cynical women.
Where are the models of healthy, communicative marriages where the partners are different but equal?
What are your thoughts?
Photo: Wikipedia
Her piece makes too many generalizations. “Home Improvement” actually embodied the pro-masculine “Iron John” spirit of the time, with Tim Allen’s Tim Taylor having his own wise male elder, his neighbor Wilson, in to routine call on for advice. And was “I Love Lucy” supposed to be an indictment of all women? Similarly she fails to mention “Father Knows Best” or “My Three Sons”, both of which showcased positive father figures.
Rick, you have a better memory than I do. I so seem to remember My Three Sons as being a good show.
We need more shows that support a healthy model of what a man can be.
I think that’s an awful lot of generalizations…although there are plenty of shows as referenced above, looking at shows like “Growing Pains” and “Family Ties” when I grew up had those parents on equal footing as partners raising children together… Each parent made mistakes along the way, but there was always the other parent to balance things out. Also, keep in mind that most of the shows you mentioned are sitcoms…and there’s more on tv than just comedy. Most of the other shows have a lot more balance with strong paternal figures. Look at Castle and the way he is with his daughter! And that’s just one example…