Post: #44

(10-16-2014 10:32 PM)Days of Broken Arrows Wrote:  My own theory: I think the single biggest influence that turned an entire generation of men off marriage was the TV show "Everybody Loves Raymond."

Intentionally or not, it presented being a husband as such a thankless task, that I think this got into the psyches of guys who came of age when it was a hit. The unattractive wife didn't help, either. At least "Home Improvement" (its older brother in spirit) had a hot mom.

I remember when that show used to air and my family used to watch it (I was a teenager during its run). That show was always so annoying and I am not sure why my parents liked it (my parents don't have that kind of dysfunctional "husband is the idiot" relationship either). It's more or less 'normal'. The show showed men as either idiots (Ray), dirty and emotionally distant (Frank, also the show's only real man), or plain weird (Robert). Sure Ray's wife was a housewife but almost every episode was about Ray messing up and then hiding it from Debra before she ultimately found out and fixed the problem. Even back then when I knew nothing about game or the 'red pill' I used to think why is he so scared of her for no reason? What's the big deal if he wants to watch the game or go play golf with his friends? I am sure though that the show is reflective of a lot of marriages where the wife has all the power and the husbands is literally scared of the wife.