Try the fact the statistically women represent 52% of the population. We have a majority by fact.

The media is only doing what media do best, selling and appealing to the majority. Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus.

Although I feel that through this 52% majority, it has given rise to, and the opening for men to become more sensitive towards their feelings and the problems associated with their roles in society.

Although a male has a strong preservative instinct to think of "Self".

Hamlet ,you take me too seriously;but while we're on the topic of suicide I heard a story of how this mental assylum was bombed during WW2 and inmates suddenly became lucid and functioned as normal human beings,helping the injured to escape.After the crisis ended the assylum inmates soon went back to their dysfunctional ways.

It has been a long held theory of mine that our security conscious society have deprived people of a very basic emotion ie.the need to feel part of social group in times of survival.For millions of years our societies have had very strong emotional bonds tested often because we were confronted with survival on a daily basis.This is why we see men take sports like Rugby so seriously since it forfills a very basic tribal urge of emotional bonding in times of survival.

In a modern world we have removed the danger from our lives and this coupled with family breakdown and a complex era of infomation overload has probably been responsible for increases suicide rates.In times of War suicide rates fall because it gives many a purpose in life and caters for a very basic need of feeling accepted by our peers.Perhaps this why we are constantly at war with ourselves.

Dying is not the worse thing that can happen to us,never to have loved and being loved or had the courage to follow our dreams or ideals is probably worse,since death finds us all in the end.

It would be an interesting study to see if those who work in the security of the Public Service are less happy than those who live in the survival situation of Private Enterprise.

Overwhelmingly, the balance of power is held by men. That is not going to change any time soon. Probably take generations.

That is why I posted the Young Rich List - not so much about $ but about power.

However, I disagree that men are incapable of expressing their feelings or providing emotional support.

During some of the worst times of my life (miscarriages, relationship breakup, car accident) the very best emotional support came from men I knew; they ranged from a plumber through to ordinary public servant. They are the reason why (despite domestic violence and other horrors) I am not bitter towards men.

There are of lot of great men out there, who can take a joke and who genuinely like women (as opposed to desire).

Thank you

Media portrayal of any issue is double edged.
It both responds too and shapes public attitude, the extent that it does so probably varies according to the values and skill of those presenting the issue in the media.

In the case of domestic violence despite abundant statistical evidence that the incidence of domestic violence perpetration is not delimitated on gender lines our media continues to portray the image as though it were and as though violence initiated by women against men is justifiable. Men can be hit for doing stupid things while washing car parts, coughing at the office, making a friendly suggestion to a woman (or for failing to make the suggestion).

I've seen ads that suggest that "only a mother would know" regarding basic stuff about children - I think I saw a revised improved version of this.

My concern - how much are media images of men influencing public perceptions of fathers in regard to reform of the residency/custody imbalance which currently exists? If I could be confident that inaccurate or imbalanced portrayal of these issues did not contribute to ongoing wrong in society then I'm happy to laugh at the jokes but somehow that confidence eludes me.

R0bert

R0bert

Inaccurate portrayal of men and women goes on all the time. Stereotypes for both sexes are fodder for the media.

I don't find the Lynx deodorant ad "mile high club" as a postive stereotype for women, while I am not a prude and consider myself to have a good sense of humour I cannot tolerate that particular commercial.

We could go tit for tat on this issue all day.

However, who holds the balance of power in advertsing? How many advertising tycoons are women?

R0bert there is a saying that goes something like "I have seen my enemy and he is me".

There are a minority of men at the top who are just as determined to keep the majority of men at a disadvantage as they are keeping women from the top.

I know you have suffered from DV so have many others, myself included.

Until we have 50% representation of both sexes in all areas of power you should really be asking yourself:

Why is the male dominated media so hostile to men (and women).

Scout, "There are a minority of men at the top who are just as determined to keep the majority of men at a disadvantage as they are keeping women from the top." - agreed but then I'm not real keen to be at the top, rather to have the freedom to get on with my life in as balanced a manner as I can. I doubt very much that many of those at "the top" live the kind of life that I seek.

"Why is the male dominated media so hostile to men (and women)." - I don't see the issue as being as clear cut as that. Maybe hostile to men and women in relation to specific issues and or roles with a sprinkling of social engineering as well as following a thirst for advertising dollars would fit better with my perceptions.

The media while often claiming the moral high ground does not give me the impression of taking much responsibility for its actions and choices.

I'm not sure which ad you are refering to with the Lynx deodorant ad "mile high club" - I've seen enough Lynx ad's to have a guess of the style and will watch for it. I do see a difference between what are generally obviously fantasy ad's (The Lynx effect) and the millions of taxpayer dollars spent promoting a very imbalanced view of DV. Both in the nature of the dishonesty and the likely impacts. Maybe there are some guys who think that by wearing Lynx they will be stalked by large numbers of very attractive women but one walk in a public place should disprove that idea whereas plenty of people still think DV is exclusively something men do to women.

Cheers
R0bert