If the woman is 'acting' (faking it), there lies the problem.
A man naturally expects the woman he loves and is committed to by virtue of marriage to emotionally support him. If the person you love and who you assume loves you can't find it in themselves to encourage you and/or let you know they think you're special (to them, anyway), who will?
Enter the hooker, cute co-worker or next-door neighbor's frisky wife. Whatever the focus of his mistaken attention, a man who is deprived of emotional support and attention from his wife (not to mention, sex) will often seek and find solace somewhere else, even if has to pay for it and even if it risks destroying his life, as happened with Spitzer. None of this excuses adultery on the part of a husband but it does help explain why it happens. Unfortunately, many women don't like the explanation so they try to kill the messenger. In this case, Dr. Laura.
The male ego - a need for 'validation', if you will, won't be denied. Fame, power and wealth can't substitute for a loving wife that thinks her man is the greatest. If these other things could, powerful men would never get married...but they do.That many wives think they can do so with no consequence makes them part of the problem, which is Dr. Laura's point. A point dismissed and ridiculed by some but that also has a lot of male heads bobbing up and down in silent agreement and that should be recognized, not reflexively disputed based, mostly, on feminist orthodoxy.
That some folks seem to view a wife's sexual availability and emotional support for her husband superfluous to the man's emotional well-being demonstrates the validity of Laura Schlesinger's contention that society seems to have given married women the idea that she has little obligation to her husband and that he doesn't need or expect much from her because, if he's all that self-confident, he is his own best friend.
That kind of egotistical attitude in a husband will kill a marriage, fast. The 'praise and adoration' you sneer at should be mutual and should be expressed often, even if in sometime subtle ways. This kind of mutually appreciative attitude is what can keeps a marriage strong.
Exactly (the mutual statement you made in the last paragraph - but ITA with the entire post, too). Wish I could figure out how to do the thing with posting what the other poster said.
Also, I’m a self assured, confident woman but it’s always nice (and a turn on) to hear my husband praise and adore me with words and actions (and vice versa).
You are right. I agree totally. But if love is lacking, then she shouldn't do the 'validation of his ego' thing.
Love is not a one sided emotion. When a woman loves her man, she will do anything for him. (Believe me, I know.) The same should go for a man. If he loves his wife, he should 'stroke' her in every way he can.
Love survives, and flourishes with reciprocation.
But, if a man is seeing hookers, then that (to me, at least), is a good sign that something is seriously lacking at home, and it's not all the wife's fault, (as Dr. Laura suggests.)
H. Page Williams wrote a wonderful book, titled, "Do Yourself A Favor: Love Your Wife."
And, then this from the Bible:
I agree with all that you said in response to “Why would any real man need a woman to stroke his ego?” And I am a woman.
I think it is really a crime in our culture to see the extent to which men are disdained by women in general and show major disrespect by their wives. I am sick of it. So many women complain about how their husbands do not take the time to learn the wife’s needs, yet there are precious few who understand how important it is to a man to be admired and respected by his wife.