reply to post by The Blind Eye
Interesting theory but I have to respectfully disagree because I see it in a completely opposite perspective from you.
Men and women have some extreme noticeable differences. Of course we all want love, security, get angry, have emotions, etc. This stereotype that men
don't process deep emotions ('real men don't cry') or that women cry at AT&T commercials is not necessarily true.
But there are some huge differences between the sexes and I believe the media actually tries to use tactics that take us towards a unisex culture. In
a lot of media you will see the stereotypical happy housewife with a huge grin on her face while using the Swiffer Sweeper in a commercial or a husky
man out in the mountains with his truck in a Ford commercial.
The above is true because marketers realize they have to target their proper potential customer but I've noticed more and more that the entertainment
media continues to blur the lines between the genders. Men are shown as weepy, submissive, emotional creatures while women are strong, independent
business tigers.
IMO, that is why the books you used as examples were so popular. It's because they spoke the truth on a psychological level while the media tries to
program us with stereotypes that are untruthful. I've read both books you mention and can vouch for this. In relationships, a man and a woman really
can be on two separate planes in terms of how they deal with and process things in their marriage. Hence,
Men are from Mars and Woman are from
Venus. And the old adage 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free' is not obsolete. Hence, the popularity of the book 'The Rules.'
I personally enjoyed MARMWAFV because it helped me understand conflicts that were going on in my own marriage due to having two opposite genders
trying to coexist under the same roof. It dissects the psychology of men and women and how they act in relationships. It was pretty accurate as I
recall. 'The Rules' was not as appealing to me but it was based on the well known male instincts as the hunter/pursuer instead of the modern
feminist beliefs that women are aggressive.
To even further validate my opinion, a male author came out with the male version of 'The Rules.' While the female version was a self help book to
win a mate for marriage, the male version was a self help book for men to get a women in bed without a commitment. Just another sign that men and
women do have some very strong differences.
It really does seem to me that the media is reversing us. Of course we have a lot of similarities because we're both human and have basic common
human needs. But talk to a married couple and they will tell you just how different they are from their spouse to the point it makes their head spin
sometimes.