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.

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.