Houllie,

The "increased risk" I was referring to really pertains to a situation developing that a sober woman would spurn (or a sober man for that matter). I'm not blaming men for the modern choices of women. This is a construct society has fashioned for itself. "Wonderful capitalism" can roll along as long as its adherents can participate in drug induced courtship rituals in place of true community.

Squeers - regarding your lack of respect for modern women as a class. Many of these women would have been peasants in biblical times. In the modern world, they are swept along on the tide of goodies with which capitalist society presents them - and much of it is directed at making themselves attractive to the opposite sex. Is it really so surprising that a modern society would find a way to satisfy a woman's instinct in that way? And why do you feel that it is only the women who are sucked in? I know plenty of men that don't realise it's bulldust. They experience their "glitz" through the conspicuous consumption of alternative material emblems - some sexual, like big powerful cars and boats or oversized ostentatious houses.

*"Wonderful capitalism" can roll along as long as its adherents can participate in drug induced courtship rituals in place of true community.*

Hang on Poirot. Sounds to me more like you haven't lived yet.

Being young and silly, waking up in some strange bed, after
too much to drink, is all part of growing up, IMHO.

That is as much part of true community as your seemingly more
wowser views of life. Personally I would find your kind of
attitude, terribly boring.

Really, Jennifer, I'm sorry if my plain speaking gives offence.
You seem to be on a crusade against "disgraceful rants", yet your article is surely no more than that--though I applaud you for at least being opinionated.
Sorry, but it didn't come across to me that you were arguing "that men aren't just driven by base carnal desires" (if you had I might have agreed with you). Men seemed to me to be getting short shrift. Though that didn't offend me.
What offended me is that you treat the gendered or sexual context as a given, as if our sexual representations, male or female, were accurately revealed by this commodified existence. You cow-tow to the cheap system we "represent" ourselves within by defending sexual representation in that context. You want to teach "our girls about the perils of being passed out p*ssies. Let's teach them that women are responsible for the decisions and choices we make, and that's something to be proud of". Never mind the paradigm, girls, so long as you conduct yourself with assertively and seemingly (same thing) within it?
The fact is women are "not" being responsible looking down their heavily pomaded noses at the drunken cavorting of men.
Real feminism is not a matter of adaptation to a sick culture, of sexual politics, but of finding fault with and "changing" the world.
The vast majority of the ladies have no interest in changing the world; they can't conceive things could be different, let alone that they have the power to change it! They just want to have their cake and eat it.
Poirot,
modern western women can't hide behind their petticoats anymore, they have to take their share of responsibility "for the world", and not just their behaviour---as if the world was merely there for them! If it's any comfort, I have no more respect for men as a class, though considering I've admired women all my life, there a hell of a disappointment.

The majority of women think all the glitz is real!

Squeers! I am genuinely sad that you have not met any down to earth, genuine, non-market affected, non materialistic, free spirited, beautiful hearted, naturally pretty and easy going women! What about your partner Squeers? Does she view marketing regularly?

I have not watched television or read advertisements for five years with the exception of wife swap a few times at a girlfriend's place during winter on a weekend evening when free and asked. Many women in my age group do not have the luxury to sit around watching television, let alone flicking through marketing material or sitting on the internet to read marketing stuff or order off E-Bay.

It is the blokes I know who find the time to look at marketing material, the Trading Post, E-Bay and enjoy some television. However, it would be inaccurate to state that the majority of Aussie blokes are into viewing and absorbing their time with marketing and advertisements.

There are dozens of women I am friends with through work and socially who are none of what you describe Squeers.

The 'Majority' of women you refer to, may in fact be, which is fine, those women who feature in your life or you have met locally to be fair.

Squeers,

Why do believe that it is any more likely that women would have the foresight or the strength to buck the system while the men are firmly entrenched in it?
I don't get why you're so disappointed with one half of the gender equation while you seem to cut the other half some slack because they, in your view, "...know it's all bullsh!t..."
I believe it's a double act with both genders dancing to consumerism's tune. And there's not much credence given to intellectualising about society's constructs among the indentured inhabitants. They've all been programmed to shop till they drop - probably with money that they haven't yet earned.

Perhaps you sense that women are selling themselves way short in our modern world. Their natural propensity to nurture and self-sacrifice has been warped into something more resembling showiness and self-indulgence.

Of course, not all women fit your generalisation - I'd rather buy a book than a lacy bra any day - but then, according to Yabby, I'm a wowser.

Yes, a fiery moment from Wackford.
My dear fellow, it's lucky you are posting here rather than over at Larvatus Prodeo. They would have had your guts for garters there, as to your questioning of this theoretical lack of wherewithal women have as to their being conned.
Now, I've wondered also why women seem susceptible also and been booted off websites for wondering that. Poirot makes a good fist of answering the question though, on two grounds.
One, we blokes are both individuated and socialised beyond our imagining and are well and truly as commodified, if you like, as a our sister'n. Can you think of anything more infantile and expensive than a V8 ute and the posturing a new owner indulges in on the purchase of a new forty thousand dollar monster?
Secondly, what may appear to be irrationality in shopping choices may be no such thing- people often have little motives for doing things that seem foolish to others- but what seems foolish to another can be integral to another's reason, with the reasoning being played out at a later time.
I agree that consumer wastage on high fashion and blokey cars, botoxing and beer swilling, let alone vile macmansions is, on balance, symptomatic and irrational,
especially in a world where billons live on a dollar or two a day.