Why can't men be men, and women be women?

Question

What ever happened to men being the main household earner, being mentally and physically strong, respecting women?
Why don't women wear dresses, speak properly, save themselves until marriage, and raise their family at home anymore?
We were all happier back then.

Answer 1

That is a sweeping generalization, I know plenty of couples who still have those more traditional values. As far as the woman having a career, if that is what she wants to do it is her right to do so.

Answer 2

Those men didn't respect women.
Ok, so perhaps a good lot of them did. But many men from those days didn't even count women as their equals. Many men from this time assumed that women's minds were weak and feeble in comparison to that of a man. How can you call this respect?

We weren't happier back then.
Ok, so I wasn't alive so I wouldn't really know. But I can understand how restricted people (both men and women) might have felt in those days. Women weren't allowed to act as the men did, they weren't allowed to be independent in the same way men were (although this gradually changed last century). Men weren't allowed to act as women did, they couldn't be too open about the way they felt as they would be seen as weak. I guess where we are now, still struggling with the whole equal rights thing (but slowly getting to where we seem to want to be), we don't seem too happy. But then, when has the human race ever truly been happy anyway?

I think you perhaps have misunderstood the way things were back then (whenever that was). Maybe you've just watched a little too many black and white films? I don't know. If you feel that you wish to live in a way similar to people from centuries ago then that's alright. You mustn't however, go on thinking that everything would somehow be alright again if everyone else acted the same way.

Answer 3

Were you really happy back then, or just contented with what you had? I figure you are from a well to do middle or upperclass family.

Ofcourse a family should be raised at home...even now.
Does the genetic makeup of the human being...other than for the strength and bearing of children.....say..women...stay at home..men got to work? Not really....they are pretty identical.

But what of the poor families in developing workd..the income of 1 person per household is not enough... The women have to work.

Who says men are mentally stronger? If women do get the oppportunity to study...their capabilities in economics and sciences are huge. Yes...women do cry...they let it all out. Most men keep it all in...the sad emotions which can have devastating effects in their immediate actions or in their lives in the future.

Who says woman in trousers are not happy now?

I guess..... it was all 'happy' then in the middle class and above as men controlled a large area in the economy, scientific, literature fields as well as the HOME. As long as men had their way at work, home and country clubs...no problem..as women stayed at home and did the washing, cleaning, raising of kids. They knew where their lives Fitted.

Answer 4

Society is constantly evolving. Whereas we once had a primarily agricultural economy and each family provided for most of its own needs, the type of economy has shifted from agricultural to industrial to its current information basis. Men don't have to be so macho to use a computer as they did to wrestle farm animals, trees, plows, axes, and other tools. The costs involved in raising a family have changed. Now most people have to buy everything instead of growing it themselves. It's expensive bringing up a family, and it's tough for the average family to make it on a single income. So women work, too. And in many cases, the fathers have disappeared after engaging in the act of procreation, married or not. Women in that situation have even a greater need to earn a living. As for wearing dresses... fashions are also an area that evolves constantly. In ancient Rome, men wore togas, not slacks. Scottish men often wore kilts. I personally remember when in my school in NC, girls were sent home to change if they came to school in pants instead of dresses. I remember having very, very cold legs in the wintertime. Now I wear dresses when I feel like it, and pants when I want. I don't see the problem. As for women saving themselves for marriage, you seem to be forgetting that it takes two to "tango." If all men engaged in sex only within marriage, then there wouldn't be anyone for the women to throw away their virtue on. It works both ways.

Answer 5

not all woman would have been happier back then, they basicaly had no choice but to stay at home.
thankfully though times have changed so that woman have a right to have a carrier or buy their own home ect if they want and that is why some now choose to do that cos not all woman are the same, they dont all have a materanal nature, they dont all want to look or act feminine and they dont all want to get married, and some just want their own complete indepedants.
also men have always disrespected woman but in the olden days it was usualy kept hidden behind closed doors.
anyway how can you think woman not having equal rights is some how being respected by men? that to me is disrespect.
woman get to be their selves now so we should definitly be happy for that.

Answer 6

When women got out of the kitchen and decided to stand up to abuse.
Men are intimidated at the power of women. So in turn, become weak. Some, not all.

Hell, don't stop there, take it back a few more centuries..... I surely would have been burned at the stake for being an independent woman.

Answer 7

we're you really happier back then? i mean wasn't there a fire buring inside wanting to tear that dress in half, drop your shirt past your sholders and grind instead of doing the twist? I still think men are still men and women and still women but adjusted a bit. because a woman goes to work instead of being home does not make her more or less of a person same goes for the man. I think you need to look past the deeds and duties and you will find that we still do open doors and wait until you sit to be seated. we care and fight for what we have wiether it be in a lumberjack outfit or in a suit and tie. we are all the same inside, the play just changed scenes, that;s all

Answer 8

Ok as time passes by our society and culture changes. People just dont want to live like that any more. The 1950s is characterised by this society that you depic however in the 60s things changed because people felt oppresed so they began doing drugs having a lot of sex and being liberal. There are many people today that abide by the old rule that you say but many people just want to live life free not having to try and play this role of having everything perfect.

Answer 9

I'm sorry, but where did you just warp from - the dark ages? You are right up there at the head of the class for narrow-mindedness.

I don't know how old you are, but one day, alot of women woke up and said, "...I want my own money. The hell with him - I'm getting a job!"

I could go on and on but, did it ever occur to you that people have viewpoints about clothes, about how they speak, about "saving themselves" and about how they raise their family that might be, oh, I don't know, DIFFERENT from your feelings about those subjects?

I think the era you're speaking of is the 50's? Your problem is that you didn't evolve with the rest of us.

Answer 10

Were we honestly happier?

One can question a kind of shaky morality, but isn't it better to be given the option to choose instead of being corraled into something over which the woman has no say?

I know for a fact that if my wife was the "happy little homemaker", she would be miserable to the point of suicide.

She is happy and content with what she has EARNED, and more power to her!

Answer 11

woah thats such a abackwards conservative idea! you're telling me that you want to go back to the days when women were oppressed and werent allowed to do anything except be a house slave who was bossed and pushed around by her husband and had no independence or social life?! days when men didnt spend tie with their kids and enjoy family life?! when children and women were to be seen not heard.

go back to days when you couldnt have a job let alone a career, or have the chance to explore the world for yourself? and your man couldnt be honest about his feelings or take care of his appearance because he needed to be macho!

no one was happier back then, people were just too scared to tell people they were unhappy because it was all about saving face and keeping up appearances....if people were happy thenno matter how many laws etc were introduced people would have stayed that way! news flash they havent so news flash they werent genuinely happy!