I think it's worth examining these things in that context, though.. like, "what if that was reversed? It wouldn't be acceptable".

I'm reminded of threads on the old DU, stories (I'm paraphrasing) where some guy got his dick stuck in a utility drawer or (worse) was mutilated in that area by his wife or girlfriend, and there would be a lineup of gleeful chortling until someone, invariably, would remind everyone that this was a real human being who experienced something terrible.

And yeah, I mean, I can understand the impulse to laugh at first at a guy getting his dick stuck in a utility drawer. I'm not a saint.

The other thing, I guess there's not a lot you can do about it with your situation, but man, there is so much good quality tv out there, now. It's a shame you can't get her to watch some other stuff. For your own sake as well as hers.

And my mom never watched that shit either until her brains went all mumbly. Such is life in your decline.

There is indeed a ton of great stuff on tv. But her brains are up to friends, and just barely.

Not just for the crappy tv, but for the mom in decline. It's tough, I know.

It is ridiculous to suppose that we can bring girls up with the idea that it's okay to hit, and for that to not have ramifications.

http://www.patientedu.org/aspx/HealthELibrary/HealthETopic.aspx?cid=M0907d

Studies have shown that women are 70% of the perpetrators of non-reciprocal violence. The same study shows that 50% of domestic violence is reciprocal. Thus, 35% of all domestic violence is unilateral violence by women, 15% is unilateral violence by men and 50% is reciprocal.

Yet, suggesting anything other than the party line; "Get tougher on that 15% because other kinds of violence are a myth", is subject to a massive outburst of righteous indignation.

Ralph always seemed to be threatening to punch his wife but never did. That we saw. Both sexes can be provoked to violent behavior. Men by nature are stronger and have the male hormones that drive aggression. Testosterone verses estrogen. Men have much responsibility to maintain the drives that come with the chemistry because if they do go to beating us up we mostly come out on the losing end. It's pitiful to see a beaten woman or a child because of the power inequity. It is not a fair fight. I think most men must feel remorse at the loss of control and abuse of another. But do it over and over, without some treatment.

The bad tv is another story. I've been next to bedridden for the last couple of years and had a tv with rabbit ears for entertainment. I've watched so much Raymond and Chris I'm warpped for life.

Men portrayed as knuckle dragging morons who need a woman to smarten them up in a present day comedy = not an issue

Women portrayed in a historically accurate drama about life 40 years as being mistreated by men emotionally, financially and sexually = massive outrage because OMG I think they are "glamorizing" it.

The characterization of the husband being the clueless buffoon who'd accidentally kill the kids and burn the house down if it wasn't for the wife. Years ago I saw of comedy skit spoofing housecleaning ads where the housewife was talking about the wonders of a new aerosol spray that not only killed odors, it killed the source of the odors. She then walked up to her hubby who was sitting on the coach drinking a beer as he watched tv and she sprayed him and he died.

I thought that was damn funny!

It wouldn't have been funny if the husband killed the wife.

I think we as men can generally laugh at such because we feel secure and confident in our positions. It wouldn't be funny for those who, in real life, are degraded, feel they are 2nd class and are being treated as such.

we should be really angry.

And case in point, The Honeymooners, with Alice being "sent to the moon", as observed up thread, would not be allowed in our current culture

...although Mad Men seems to duck the criticism because it's so damn good. The cheap knockoffs like Playboy Club and Pan-Am (which just weren't very good) spawned great outrage here.

in one form or another.

I suspect if there were a show where a husband constantly berated his wife for being stupid it would be seen as abuse rather than comedy.

That goes for sitcoms and commercials and movies and pretty much all entertainment involving heterosexual couples.