A timely and most appropriate alert to the medical fraternity's modern day eugenics. Time for their self-ordained experts [dentists also filling their ranks] to cease attempting to shape society according to their political, moral and corporate agendas

A somewhat unfortunate example, I feel.

"Marabel Morgan’s The Total Woman, selling more than ten million copies, was perhaps the most popular. She advocated that women enfold themselves in saran wrap (a transparent plastic used to preserve left-over food) when greeting a husband just home from work. An alternative was to spread oneself liberally in jam or honey whilst making supper for a husband lying prone on couch or carpet watching evening television. In this context, ‘wife’ was supposed to equal ‘supper’."

All very dramatic. But the "ten million" readers bear a little closer examination.

The basis for Ms Morgan's opposition to what she called the "women's movement" was her commitment to evangelical Christianity. Given the depth of this phenomenon in various parts of the United States, sales of a mere ten million copies may be regarded as a pretty poor show, rather than an indication of the book's popularity with women. One wonders, in fact, how many of these were given by evangelical Christian husbands, to their wives, in an attempt to appeal to their piety.

If you think that is an unfair assumption, take a look at the sales figures for Hillsong's "music". According to wikipedia, "Hillsong Music Australia has been accredited with over 50 gold and platinum sales awards achieved worldwide". One of their offerings hit the top of the ARIA charts, purely on sales made at a Hillsong conference.

I doubt Hillsong's melodies could be accused of being mainstream, but instead cult-oriented, much as Ms Morgan's views were.

Such carelessness detracts from an otherwise sensible indictment of women's search for... whatever.

Mind you, according to my sources on the subject (the blokes down the pub, mostly) the principal reason that women do this to themselves is to impress other women. "The lads" think it is a waste of time and money.

I mean, lipstick? What's the deal with that?

Pericles, my source tend to agree with yours. The makeup and other artificial aids are wonderful when we play dress up's (a special occasion) but for day to day beauty a good smile is hard to beat.

Someone who looks after them self without being silly about it is generally a lot more attractive than someone decked out with artificial enhancements.

As for the image thing and business, possibly some truth to that. Guy's have mostly had to put up with the silly idea that people who wear ties (and suits) are somehow better equipped for responsible position regardless of how unsuited said ties and suits are to the climate.Not sure how we will ever change some of those perceptions.

R0bert

*I mean, lipstick? What's the deal with that?*

Pericles, Desmond Morris in "The Human Animal" took
a closer look at all that.

Primates display sexual availability by the swelling and
reddening of the genital labia. During sexual arousal
the lips also swell and redden. To increase the effect
even more, many females from ancient Egypt to the modern
day, have painted lips even redder.

We can show that females wear more revealing clothing
at precisely the time when they are ovulating, even
though they are not aware of doing it conciously.

Morris puts it down to the power of unconcious human
sexual behaviour, rather then fashion houses.

Don't forget, the biggest threat to females are not
males, but other females.

Yabby,

That is so weird...I was reading "The Naked Ape" yesterday and wrote down a few things pertinent to this discussion, for example, Desmond Morris refers to our large complex societies and the human condition of being a highly sexed, yet pair-bonding species. He writes of the contradictions of controlling and sending sexual signals:

"The widespread use of lipstick, rouge and perfume to heighten sexual lip signals, flushing signals and body-scent signals respectively provide further contradictions....Part of the answer to this is our very high level of sexuality, which demands constant expression and outlet. It was developed to keep the pair together, but now in the stimulating atmosphere of a complex society, it is constantly being triggered off in non-pair-bond situations...."

Poirot, the way I understand it, "The Naked Ape" was the first of
Desmond Morris's observations about the human species, from a
zoologists point of view, ie in 1967.

He went on further with "The Human Zoo", then "The Human Animal"
in the 1990s.

Cities are in fact much like human zoos, when you think about it.

I've certainly learned alot from his observations, which remind
us that we are risen apes rather then fallen angels.