What Else Does The Box Say?
Men are sloppy, useless, lazy, cowardly, dishonest, and dumb! No, this isn’t a conversation between Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg from an episode of the View, nor is it a course description of Harvard University’s Woman’s Studies curriculum.
It’s just your average commercial on TV!
Just about any product from Cereal to Cell Phones is now being pitched on television by portraying men as total buffoons! These commercials all seem to have the same theme; men are idiots to be mocked, while women and children are smart and admirable.
Cellular companies in particular seem to love this advertising angle. The men or fathers in the ads are constantly being schooled by their intellectually superior children. The dimwit fathers don’t know how to make a phone call, much less text someone!
Then, there’s the commercial that sends shivers down the spaghetti spines of henpecked husbands all over America. You know – the Cheerios commercial where the stupid husband makes the near fatal mistake of asking his bitchy wife if she’s chomping on Cheerios in order to lose weight. The glare that she throws at him would stop a charging grizzly in its tracks! Where do they get these actresses? Meanwhile, the husband is backtracking and tripping over himself trying to explain away his idiotic and insensitive question. (see here)
So why have ad agencies and corporations fallen in love with this male bashing form of advertising? Simple, in 2009 America, men (white men in particular) are the only group of people you can poke fun at without suffering any repercussions. Humor has always been a big part of television advertising, but Political Correctness has severely limited the pool in regards to who can be made fun of.
The adult male has now become the court jester of American society. I refuse however, to be hypocritical on this issue. So unlike other groups, I won’t complain too much, or call for boycotts. In fact, I’ll take some pride in being part of the only group in this doom and gloom world that is capable of making people laugh.
Reader Comments
Sitcom/Ad writers don’t seem to think past their noses of the subconcious repercussions and how such humor affects societal culture. While many types of relationships have become significantly less taboo, men are still the *most common* sole providers of households.
I recognize that my bias is obvious here but the position of ‘household provider is a position (whether male OR female) which *should* be respected.
Overly-empowering specific groups [e.g. women and children (as the ads promote)] while demonizing others (men) creates imbalance of the mutual respect. Mutual respect is *key* in relationships and ALSO the rearing of children. If respect is not in balance knowledge/experience/discipline cannot be shared.
I should have used ‘think past their wallets’–could you change it for me and delete this post? Great articles btw.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?????????????????????
Growing up in the 60s and 70s- strong male images were part of our pop-culture. We even saw ads that showed smoking on TV- a culture of taboos had not set in. Dad was the leader of the family and he would use foul language at times. So would your USMC drill instructor.
If you were big enough, Dad might show you how to use an outboard motor, fireworks, or tools like a pocket knife or axe- how to drive the pickup truck on a dirt back road, jump a car battery, clean fish, build a campfire, start and run a chain-saw, check the oil in the car, or load and fire a shotgun. We learned a “use vs. abuse” approach to handling responsibility. Dad could show his daughters too, then they would be more confident and less likely to grow up to be attracted to the guy who just got out of jail, has a suspended license, no job, lives on his mom’s couch and is abusive towards women.
As time went on, pop-culture no longer supported the strong male, he was replaced by sweater wearing good listener types and women’s daytime TV shows where men became deadbeat dads, cheaters, and wife abusers with gambling and drinking problems.
Today- males as characters on TV shows and in advertising are frequently overweight, bumbling, dopey dad types seen as fools- who are lucky to have mom and the kids around to keep them out of trouble. Network announcers are selected for their neutered father-figure personalities.
Bashing women? No, I am attracted to strong women, but strong men should not be seen as a threat.
The loss of the strong male seems to have come at the beginning of an era of increased divorce, bankruptcy, GEDs, overweight teenagers, bad credit debt, free school breakfast and lunch programs, “Have you been in an accident?” TV ads, medicated kids, homeless “tent cities”, foreclosures, the use of check cashing/payday-loan outlets, alternative high school programs, grandparents raising grand-babies, 27 year old children who have never left home, prescriptions for antidepressants, bans on the use of public school lockers and the decline of self sufficiency, independent spirit, problem solving, and self esteem.
We see increased safety warnings and dumbed-down tutorials for formerly routine activities and events like hand-washing, bicycle riding, trick or treating, use of sunscreen, camping, fireworks, bbq grill operation, doing the dishes in your sink, summer at the beach – any activity that has the potential of being linked to thousands of weekend trips to the emergency room. Stay tuned to avoid worst-case-scenario-Y2K style episodes and experiences.
My wife refuses to believe that this guy in the commercial is depicting a “Terrified Man”. She is blind to the abuse perpitrated on men by the media.
These commercials are being created by man hating d!&#s that feel it’s their time to take revenge on the male population. Don’t tell me that we would be better off if women ruled the world because that is a bunch of BS.