Too Late For Prince Charming?
The following is a quote from this article in Newsweek which has the most outrageous quotes (and the worst spell-checking I have ever seen). I'm not sure whether to laugh at some of the people quoted or be insulted by them. I may have to settle for both. It has man and married-woman haters quoted as well as men whining about picky women who don't like nice guys. And it goes on. I chose the most outrageous comment to sarcastically pick apart.
"The study's main message—that delaying marriage may [statistically] ultimately mean forgoing it—clearly came as a slap in the face to this generation's best and brightest women. "When you look at men who don't marry, you're often looking at the bottom of the barrel," says Berkeley sociologist Nancy Chodorow. "When you look at the women who don't marry, you're looking at the cream of the crop." "
Can you think of any group other than single women who don't want to ever marry that this comment DOESN'T insult? (I say this as a unmarried career woman who is STILL insulted. Although, admittedly, I am planning on getting married next year.) Apparently career-driven, busy women are the cream of the crop and pity the poor woman who marries - she is clearly sub-par. Oh yes, but single men? They're all losers. Of course, the cream of the crop men were stupid enough to marry sub-par women, so poor men - they don't realize they got the low-quality women.
I wonder if Nancy Chodorow is bitter about her prospects and trying to make herself feel better?
But the sadness comes in when most that is to be seen in this article is bitterness, from both men and women, and an emptiness they are looking to fill. Being single doesn't have to be synonymous with being bitter does it?
That's probably why this second article was written - well that and the backlash and publicitiy they got back in 1986 from the original article. This second one is a little more cheery. And for you readers of the book Captivating, notice how women can find joy and fulfillment in giving birth to movements, not just children. Interesting yes?
"The study's main message—that delaying marriage may [statistically] ultimately mean forgoing it—clearly came as a slap in the face to this generation's best and brightest women. "When you look at men who don't marry, you're often looking at the bottom of the barrel," says Berkeley sociologist Nancy Chodorow. "When you look at the women who don't marry, you're looking at the cream of the crop." "
Can you think of any group other than single women who don't want to ever marry that this comment DOESN'T insult? (I say this as a unmarried career woman who is STILL insulted. Although, admittedly, I am planning on getting married next year.) Apparently career-driven, busy women are the cream of the crop and pity the poor woman who marries - she is clearly sub-par. Oh yes, but single men? They're all losers. Of course, the cream of the crop men were stupid enough to marry sub-par women, so poor men - they don't realize they got the low-quality women.
I wonder if Nancy Chodorow is bitter about her prospects and trying to make herself feel better?
But the sadness comes in when most that is to be seen in this article is bitterness, from both men and women, and an emptiness they are looking to fill. Being single doesn't have to be synonymous with being bitter does it?
That's probably why this second article was written - well that and the backlash and publicitiy they got back in 1986 from the original article. This second one is a little more cheery. And for you readers of the book Captivating, notice how women can find joy and fulfillment in giving birth to movements, not just children. Interesting yes?
posted by Xana Ender @ 4:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home