Are Catholic men being turned into wimps?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lepanto
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Dtmccameron said:
Indeed, the more I think of any male characters on TV, the more they seem to share one attribute.

Misery.

Lonesome misery.

Perhaps they need to become cowaring fools in order to obtain happiness?

Say now! Cowaring fools are indeed easier to control, don’t you think?
Click to expand...
I resemble that remark. No, seriously.

Actually, I think I exhibit the worst of both traits. I count myself as both a cowering fool, and I live in lonesome misery. Yes, it is possible to have it both ways. I guess I should consider myself a “hybrid”.

Although married for 20 years, it is a fake, dead, meaningless marriage. And I am estranged completely from my children. I might have some relationship left with my son, but very little with my daughter, who has abandoned the Catholic faith.

And I have lived as an emasculated eunich for the past 16 years, with no sexual relations, whatsoever. I guess I am cowering fool for having put with this for so long.

I am completely taken for granted, by everyone in my life. I lose my job back in February, and a) my wife decides to go on an Alaskan cruise, and b) my daughter decides to attend a $30,000-a-year college. And I agree to pay for it. Boy, am I clueless dope.

=====================================================

Hey, maybe some TV network will make sitcom out of my life! Maybe their still putting together their fall lineup… maybe they can build a show around me! Maybe I should hire an agent to pitch it to the producers. It would be hysterical!

Now all I need is a snazzy name for the show… I know! “Catholic and Clueless!”

Here is how the advertising slogan for it should read: “Tune in on Saturdays at 8 P.M. this Fall for…Catholic And Clueless! See how a middle-aged Catholic male copes with the loss of his job, health insurance, family, and dignity! The hilarity ensues when he learns that he has sacrificed his career, sex life, marriage, physical and mental health - for absolutely nothing! Watch with laughter as he copes with mounting bills, an ingrateful family, a thinning hairline, expanding waisteline, and a complete loss of masculinity! Only on the XYZ network this Fall! Viewer discretion is advised.”

=============================================================

OK, that was bit overdone. But I think I got my point across.

The reason that we laugh at these sitcoms is because they touch at reality. A wise man once said we only laugh at things deep down we know are true. That is why we laugh at characters like Homer Simpson, for example. We see ourselves in them, so we laugh at our own misery through them. We can 't laught at our own sufferings, so we laugh at theirs.

Many of us endure the plight of sitcom characters - but in reality. The reason that we laugh at these archetypes is because they reflect us.

So the question remains: is the entertainment media reflecting us, or do we reflect the entertainment media?

======================================================

p.s., maybe my concept for the sitcom was a little over-the-top. But if someone produced and aired this program, would you watch it? And if it was funny, would you laught at it? If you answered yes to either of these questions - well, welcome to the world of the “hybrids.”
 
mrpathetic said:
I resemble that remark. No, seriously.
…

So the question remains: is the entertainment media reflecting us, or do we reflect the entertainment media?
Click to expand...
*(All I can think is, *“Fitting nome-de-guerre”**)

Ah, no, sorry. But anyhow, about that reflecting bit…I’m gonna say the entertainment reflects us, since without us, there’d be nobody to entertain, and really, no ideas to put on air.

While I can laugh at some of Homer’s antics, I find they often annoy me. I guess I’m not so very tolerant of asinine stupidity, nor the fact that, regardless the harm done in an episode, all will be made well, all will be reconciled before the end, and we’ll be ready to start afresh next episode. It devalues any and all strife the preceded it.

And yes, indeed, it is possible to have it both ways, to be the liberated, virile, despicable, and miserable loner; or the emasculated, impotent blundering fool under his wife’s heel.

The one fact they hammer in is “you will never be happy”.

Until it’s time for a commercial break, and oooh! Look at that car! Look at the people in that car! They’re smiling! Ohh, look at those burgers! Look at those happy and satisfied eaters!

Consume, buy, buy, buy. One hollow effort, one pointless affectation at a time. Happiness is as elusive as ever.

Because, eventually, the Government will get in the happiness business, I mean, hell! Obama’s entire campaign was based off a good feeling! And people will be so miserable, they’ll sell their souls for this last chance at happiness.

It’s a shame the world has so stooped their backs they cannot turn their eyes heavenward.
 
While I’m fascinated by the character (because he’s so much like Holmes) I would not say that House is a positive depiction of a man - or even of a human being - in any way. I don’t watch 24 so I can’t comment on Jack Bauer.

One show in which I do find positive portrayals of men that are neither chauvantistic bullies or foolish losers completely controlled by their women is on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The show features tons of sinful behavior, and is probably not on most devout Catholic’s radar, but I find Marshall and Lily’s marriage to be probably the brightest spot of all sitcom marriages. There’s no element of “perfect but shrewish hot wife belittles her fat, dumb, incompetent husband”. They genuinely love each other and are completely faithful, are best friends, he’s handsome, kind and a successful lawyer, she has the “stronger” personality but she never puts him down and they’re always protecting each other and building each other up. I didn’t think a sitcom marriage could be endearing, but it is. And Ted is a pretty good example of a single guy for tv - he’s smart, nice, looking for true love and wants “the real thing”, but isn’t going to compromise his principles to achieve it. And Barney is…well, Barney’s not a good example of a man at all, but the show paints his awfulness and promiscuity in a bad light. We’re supposed to find him funny, but not ideal, if that makes sense. Marshall and Lily are clearly the ideal, and it’s refreshing to see after so many years of shows where the husband is a stupid whipping post and the wife is a harpy.

ETA - Just one comment about Homer Simpson. Of all the “fat dumb tv husbands” he bothers me both the most and the least, because in my experience, he is the most realistic, especially when he is being cruel or not caring about his family’s welfare because it doesn’t occur to him to care. Lines like “Marriage is a coffin and every child is another nail” or “Marge, you don’t need friends, you have Lisa! And the stove!” and (paraphrasing) “You feel trapped, Marge? Open a window!” would make my father laugh and laugh - because they were his own sentiments. We shouldn’t paint all men as Homer like, but we shouldn’t pretend they don’t exist either.
 
QUOTE=whatevergirl Oh yes, I know…I know it exists…But cyncism and wimpiness are two different things.

I will say this…THIS IS KEY…I can’t recall who said this, it was a christian football coach…ugh, his name escapes me! He said the problem with boys today…is that women are raising them. :o (one parent homes, raised by moms) TONY DUNGEE, that’s the name!
Code: 
 I agree fully with Tony Dungee. Ironically, the part of the American system which most disfavored men for decades was the divorce and custody courts. But, at least, years ago, negligence and drug addiction of the mother could be weighed in settlements. All I am saying in bringing up my BIL is that the system from top to bottom tends to devalue masculinity and fatherhood among males. (Among females, it's invariably praised.) 
 Obviously, once a boy grows into a man, his personality is basically formed, and a real guy will remain so. He *may* become angry and jaded, though. For younger boys trying to find their roles in life, the message in all the media that take-charge responsible guys are "controlling" fools and jerks can't be missed. I think that this dysfunctional propagandizing has a cataclysmic effect on SOME boys. Blessings, Rob :shrug:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top