There has been some talk lately concerning society's ongoing emasculation of men. Actors, such as Alan Alda from the television show "MASH," were lauded for their sensitivity and gentle treatment of the fairer sex. Brutish characters such as James Bond began to be considered undesirable misogynists who could never ultimately unlock the mysteries of a modern woman. As a result, husbands have now resigned themselves to the gentle call of nature and taken on the moniker of househusbands. However, one question has to be asked: What happened to men?
There was a time when women stayed home while the men went out into the world to support the family. Maybe those times have changed because of the economy or America's need to obtain materialistic satisfaction. Whatever the case, the majority of women entered the working force and from that point on, each sex was on an even playing field. Or are they? No one will argue the importance of women finding an equal place in the world, but we must ask ourselves, has their continued rise in society somehow lowered men into a more subservient role, and if so, whose fault is it?
Perhaps most of the blame falls squarely on men's shoulders. One of a man's universal goals during a period in his life is to find a mate and continue his lineage. In order to be successful in these endeavors, men must adapt to the changing needs in order to accomplish their mission. A modern woman has made it known that a man must reveal his emotional side in order to connect on a deeper level. We have all heard the question, what are you thinking about? It is possibly an example of survival of the fittest, but men who took the path of least resistance are statistically more successful in the art of relationships than those hold-outs who are looked upon as Cro-Magnon men trapped in the wrong decade.
Of course, with all generalizations, there are contradictions that exist simultaneously. The other day a friend of mine relayed an interesting first date that he recently had. During the date, his female counterpart described in great detail her dreams and aspirations that didn't necessarily involve a man. Her independence was as equally important as her biological clock. My friend listened to this admission with a smile and accepted the woman's aversion to commitment with a grain of salt. He clung to the hope that if a true connection were formed, her inflexible view of love might melt away. As the night wore on, her convictions held strong. He shook his head and resigned himself to becoming a ship passing in the night. When the check came to the table, she made no effort to pay her way. My friend felt an outrage that this woman could rail against the institution of love and marriage, but fall short when money was added into the equation.
For whatever reason, the paradigm has shifted once again. The media is flooded with sophomoric humor from hit movies such as "Superbad," which rejoices in the most primal urges of teenage boys, as well as the "Jackass" phenomenon that takes bodily functions to an all-time low. Skate gurus such as Bam Margera are now role models not only for boys of this generation but girls as well. With extreme upheavals such as these, the idea of the stereotypical man and woman are being left behind. What will the future hold? If you ask me, we will be much happier when we can all comfortably be ourselves.
Jerry Roth is a senior in English. He can be reached at roth.270@osu.edu.
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