What Do Women Really Want? (Long Read)

The Public Interest, ^ | Winter 2005 | By Neil Gilbert

[tbird5]

With journalists as well as social scientists continually on the lookout for new trends, the public is regularly treated to the discovery of social "revolutions." One of the latest concerns women and work. In October 2003, Lisa Belkin detected an "opt-out revolution" in her New York Times Magazine article about accomplished women leaving high-powered jobs to stay home with their kids. Six months later, reports on the revolution were still going strong. For example, the March 22, 2004 cover of Time showed a young child clinging to his mother's leg alongside the headline, "The Case for Staying Home: Why More Young Moms Are Opting Out of the Rat Race." But the evidence on this score is thin. Both the New York Times and Time stories are based mainly on evocative anecdotes. Princeton college graduates with law degrees from Harvard staying home to change diapers may be absorbing as a human-interest story. But as the saying goes, the plural of anecdote is not data.

The limited empirical evidence offered in support of the opt-out revolution draws upon facts such as these: 22 percent of mothers with graduate degrees are at home with their children, one in three women with an MBA does not work full time, and 26 percent of women approaching the most senior levels of management do not want to be promoted. However, with information of this sort one needs a ouija board to detect a social trend, let alone a revolution. The fact that 57 percent of mothers from the Stanford University class of 1981 stayed home with their young children for at least a year gives no indication of whether the percentage of Stanford graduates remaining at home with their children has increased, decreased, or remained the same over time.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Hey ? my mom was the only female in a household of men.
Sadly to say, they divorced when I was 12, and my dad died a few years ago of a heart attack.
I loved my dad very much, I miss him.
Even though, he was a democrat ( in some issues he was liberal, in some others, he was Conservative ) even though, he was a democrat, and I was a Conservative republican, we both respected each other ( we did have some political debates though ) and my dad knew I loved him.
His coworker told me at his funeral, that out of all his sons, I was the one that spent the most time with him, and his coworker told me, I was the one he talked about the most.
Him and I always had respect towards each other.

[Theresawithanh]

LOL! I was wondering if somebody was going to have a go at that joke!

Speaking as a woman, (and one who has been married before, which didn't work out too well), I'd say women want to be treated with respect and as an equal and valued partner.

Shoes? Naaah. I'm still wearing tennies that I've had for 5 years now. My second choice to the above would be chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate!

[exnavychick]

But it does drive him crazy when he leaves me money to go 'have fun' like shopping or lunch or a couple of beers - and I do go shopping - grocery shopping.
___________________________________________________________

Gabz, I think you're my long-lost sister, lol. Mine sends me out to buy stuff for myself and gets mad when I come back with stuff for him or the kids instead, with maybe one book or something. LOL

[clamper1797]

My wife and I both work ... we each have our share of bills to pay ... and whatever is left after paying the agreed on bills is that persons ... no questions and no accounting for it.

[Chunga]

What women want and what women need rarely intersect.

[FreedomCalls]

I can understand the high heels as it makes the calf look better. But what's with the long pointy toes? Manolo Blahniks are the "hot" shoe right now and just look at them:

And this is a mild one. Women's shoes didn't used to be so pointy (or so expensive). Ten years ago these shoes would be a good 3/4" less pointy.

Styles change I guess. Like men's ties going from ultra narrow in the 50s to ultra wide in the 70s. I guess we are in the ultra pointy stage of women's shoes.

[Larry Lucido]

I knew someone would get it. :-)

[kahoutek]

Keep your tennies on, stay away from shoes with metal in them and stay out of the minefields........

(see above post)

[Gabz]

....and the one pair of regular high heels would probably only be favored by strippers and porn stars. (Or wannabes) IMO, that is.

I'm glad it's only your opinion, because I own several pair that look like that.....and it is my preferred style of dress shoe. And I'm neither a stripper or pornstar or wannabe or everwas.

I've just always preferred 3-5 inch stiletto style heels.

[Gabz]

Those pointy shoes are so ugly, they look like something a witch might wear.

I don't think they're ugly - but witch has been something I've been called more than once in my time. In fact it's one of the nicer things I've been called ;^)

[Ksnavely]

Really, whats one of the meanest?

[Mo1]

As a chick, I know PLENTY of women who are not into shoes or chocolate...

I don't get the chocolate thang either

One year I asked for and got a snowblower .. my sisters thought I was nuts ..

Maybe so .. but I didn't have to shovel all that snow like they had to :0)

[Richard Kimball]

That's funny. And true. Wonder which one has bigger boobs?

[Theresawithanh]

"Keep your tennies on, stay away from shoes with metal in them and stay out of the minefields........ "

LOL! That I will! Thanks for the tip!

[Ksnavely]

lol, judging by the posterior region on the two I would have to put my two cents down on the man.

[John Lenin]

They make you look like you have oversized feet and will go out of style as fast as bell bottom pants will.

[exnavychick]

Owie. I can do three inches, but five is waay to much for me. I would feel like I was going to pitch over onto my face!

Maybe I'm just jealous because my calf muscles aren't up to the punishment, LOL.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

How about the man ? should the man get paid also ? for going out to work ? and supporting the whole family ? and risking his life ? mame ? please ? I didn't want to argue, I was just making a point.
I feel the man should also get paid too,, for supporting the family.
The main point I was making is ? if it was the woman's money, most of the time, in her mind,, it's " HER MONEY " and not his.
If a woman makes money, it should be " OUR MONEY " regardless of whom made the money.
The problem I have, is when woman " TAKE " her husbands money, without him knowing she took the money, and went out and spent it.
I also have a problem, when, women, in their minds think, when they make money, it's " HER MONEY and NOT HIS " that is a selfish kind of attitude.

[Our man in washington]

Hey, it's all fine now. Despite the best efforts of my family, I grew up to be a conservative. And I'll admit I find high heels attractive. :)

[exnavychick]

Tee-hee. Just goes to show, doesn't it?