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by dschmidt on 03:17 PM January 20th, 2006 EST (#1)
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It's not (as I read it) about real homelessness or "bag ladies," but about insecurity about finances after divorce/husband dying.
From the article:
Women tend to be unprepared and overwhelmed when widowhood or divorce suddenly plops their financial security in their hands.
Gee, ya mean like when they have to actually be adults and financially responsible for themselves, like their husbands had to be for both of them before this. (Ignoring the fact that we all know in the case of divorce, the family courts will make sure he's still responsible for her financial security--even to the ruin of his own).
Women typically depend on the males in their life (father, then husband) to perform the earning and saving roles, while they typically manage the household and raise the kids, largely a spending role.
So we are to pity them now because they leeched off some poor hard-working, contributing member of society in the past? Note also the usual dichotomy of referring to female human adults as "women" but male human adults as "males."
But it's the disparity in their life expectancies that particularly troubles Pottruck: "David is eight years older than I am and I'm supposed to live seven years longer anyway, so now I'm looking at being alone, by myself, taking care of myself, for 15 years at least. How am I going to pay for that?"
Gee, such a bad break. Tell ya what--if you'll figure out how to make the trade, I'd gladly live the better part of a decade longer in exchange for having to be an adult and take care of myself....
"No, men don't have bowery bum fears," says Mellan. "They have fears that are more rational and related to their provider burden: being injured, dying young, being laid off, things like that.
I don't think that even requires further comment.
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by Gregory on 12:16 AM January 21st, 2006 EST (#3)
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Men are, of course, at greater risk than women for death, disease and disability, but women receive more sympathetic media attention and more protection from the government and society in general. This article is a good example of the media's almost exclusive focus on female concerns.
There's always sympathy for the frightened elderly widow who now has to deal with financial matters her husband used to handle. But there's no mention of helping men live longer so that the longevity gap is narrowed.
There's sensitivity for the anxiety of the newly divorced woman but no mention of the fact that it's usually the woman who initiates the divorce and wants out of the marriage. And is awarded child custody, support, alimony, tax advantages, a pro-female family court system, etc etc.
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by RandomMan on 01:05 AM January 21st, 2006 EST (#4)
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On that note, Gregory, here's an excellent commentary piece I picked up while browsing MND today. It provides a well thought-out discussion of the pro-female, anti-man presentation we find in most popular media today. It's written by an Aussie and deals with a few local issues and media outlets, but the author's points are valid nonetheless.
Anyhow, I'm off to break some double standards, knock over a few pedestals and gently deprogram a few more men who've been taught to loathe themselves by women and their government. Hopefully I can reverse some of the damage which has caused them to suffer from the delusional psychosis we call chivalry...
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by Gregory on 12:34 PM January 21st, 2006 EST (#5)
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RandomMan:
I had not seen that opinion piece by Peter West. Looks good. Thanks.
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by Davidadelong on 09:33 PM January 20th, 2006 EST (#2)
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Am I missing something? Where is the link? I would like to read the article.
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by Raymond Cuttill on 09:37 PM January 22nd, 2006 EST (#6)
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try this
Bag Lady Syndome. Seems a women has written a book about it. Women being worried about being homeless is more important than men being homeless. Right?
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by gatsby on 01:06 PM January 24th, 2006 EST (#7)
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Of course womens "concerns" are more important than a mans "reality". Have you ever had a girlfriend get mad at you for what you did in one of her dreams? We must now cater to women to shield them from danger but also the THOUGHT of being in danger! A mans work is never done.
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I saw