Yesterday, Denny Burk posted the video below. Though it is humorous, I find it condescending to women. Here is what I wrote on Denny’s comment thread:
“Funny, but not very good. It assumes all problems are as irrational as allowing a nail in the noggin. Many problems our wives have are legit not irrationally destructive.”
I am dismayed to see everyone glowing about the video on Denny’s comment thread. If we believe our wives suffer needlessly because of their unwillingness to extract the “nails,” we miss the point that many of their concerns are legitimate and perhaps not so simple to solve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EDhdAHrOg&feature=player_embedded
I’m gonna cut the guys some slack. What married man hasn’t had this conversation? I know every situation isn’t as cut and dry as pulling the nail out of a skull, but let’s take female “friendships” for example like… “Why do you keep doing things with her if she is selfish?” “Did you expect her to behave differently the 5th time?” “If she keeps hurting your feelings then why do you hang around her?” Women tend to put up with people (other women) that men would cut loose if that person were a man. Let’s face it, even Christian women can be MEAN and snarky. When men don’t respect another man they simply cut him loose. They don’t do stuff with him, they don’t talk to him, they acknowledge each others existence, but that’s about it. The phrase from the hymn comes to mind (out of context of course) “Oh what needless pain we bear.” Then women will talk to other women about it, or to their husbands which elevates things to topics of conversation which don’t need to be discussed in the first place because she doesn’t need to be having those interactions which are causing the stress! This is a common example at our house. Does my wife have problems, do I have problems… YES! Do we need to discuss them… YES! Do we both have unnecessary problems which are the results of our own bad choices… YES! Is this video condescending to women? YES if you view all of your wife’s issues as simply solved and simply understood. No, if you truly love and respect your wife and can acknowledge that both sexes have some irritating qualities. If the video were about a man that sat watching the TV, scratching himself in la la land while his wife was trying to talk to him no one would call it offensive or degrading to men. It would be viewed in a spirit of good humor because IT HAPPENS, and it is frustrating as can be to women. And now I will be in trouble if Holly is reading this blog today. 😉
I love that video!! I feel the guy’s pain 🙂
Had to laugh out loud and go look in the mirror to pull the nail out of my head.
Sorry, Bill.
I come from a different generation and say, “UGH!”