Daft Old Duffer returns. Guest opinion articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication. Ed
I’m a fan of TOWIE (aka The Only Way Is Essex) which is, in case you’ve never heard of it, a TV show which follows a group of basically ordinary, yet strangely fascinating young folk around Essex. Don’t ask me why – I can’t explain it to myself.
Howmsoever, a couple of items on a recent show made me sit up a bit, because it seemed to me they reflected some modern attitudes quite alien to the thinking of my day.
Budding business-women
The first was when Lucy remarked to another lass that, whereas many of the women had started their own businesses, none of the men had.
What a contrast with my young days when just about the only female-run businesses were a wool shop, usually financed – and supported – by hubby; or a tea shop run by a pair of spinsters who squabbled a bit.
And it was a contrast emphasised when boyfriend Mario showed off his male sulks at being neglected. A total turn round from the times when it was the missus moaning that hubby spent more time at work than he did with her.
Independent home-owners
The second was the explanation by both Lucy and Lydia that they’d bought their own houses despite planning to move in with their boyfriends, because each wanted to have something to fall back on if and when things went wrong between them.
Which I interpret as a common sense acceptance that sooner or later they would.
Again the contrast to the days when a boy-girl relationship was assumed to be for life, with no thought of the need for a fall-back position.
Is the future female?
All part of the ever-growing surge of female independence.
Which, I fearfully expect, will eventually lead to female dominance.
And the day when we insignificant males will be told not to bother our handsome little heads about it.
Image: Eva Rinaldi under CC BY 2.0
