What a load of rubbish. Isn't this another case in point that women are the weaker sex? Males are bombarded with just as much advertising designed to improve image but the majority of us, as evidenced by your survey figures, are not enticed by such images. We prefer to sit back and let the peacocks in their expensive suits and aviators in their ongoing pursuit for praise and underlying acceptance from all around them - how shallow. And what is the 'expected presentation standard'? If one exists for women then it also exists for men, but the majority of us aren't influenced by the need to fulfil it. And hence don't feel obliged to purchase the latest high end suit and silk tie. It is a sad state of affairs if women feel satisfying a certain image (portrayed by advertisers) comes with territory.

Well Proust. Thems is some bold calls, and for their boldness if nothing else I congratulate you.

I put it to you that men are just as swayed by expectation, though for men the chief expectation is not through the advertising medium, but the cultural expectations.

These expectations are along the lines of being able to fix a car, not caring about our hair, being able to consume a six pack or two during a footy game without any discernible effect (as well as knowing the names of every player in the match), a hatred of quiche and having no fear of any animal anywhere ever. Including sabre tooth tigers (a real caveman would have had a sabre-tooth tiger rug).

I'll admit I'm a product of these expectations, and I still feel a kind of genial contempt toward the 'nancy boyz' trade215 so eloquently described, who seem impervious to the good old fashioned male ways of the past, like mugby and the Holden-Ford debate. (I'll take this moment to chuck in a vote for Ford, seeing as Holden have been kind of stupid lately).

That being said, I don't think it's fair to describe women as the weaker sex... perhaps in being a product of our culture and feeling the need to project a strong image, men are being weak also.

Nah. That's getting a little too sensitive. But you catch my drift, even if you can't catch a football.

What about the costs of being a man? Although a lot of women talk of equality, just see how far you get with many if you don't at least offer to pay for dates and lavish them with gifts. Likewise, look at the results of divorces: a great deal of men get taken to the cleaners and then end up in virtual indentured servitude afterwards. Furthermore, despite it all, men are (to some extent) expected to be good catches in terms of their finances/income, at least in the middle class. Finally, given that women control something like 70% of household spending, yet don't earn that, I'd say they're doing okay at spending money.

I agree with many of the comments so far. Ultimately, it does seem that people (not just women) buy into consumerism, pardon the pun, far too much. Then they want to have a whinge. This article hardly seems like a case for why women are any smarter than men. Of course, plenty of men do plenty of dumb stuff too, and there are smart individuals in both sexes. If anything, this article actually just scares the bejeebus out of me -- that I may one day end up with some vacuous, image obsessed woman whom I have to constantly bail out of credit card debt, or that there's a really small subset of financially sensible women and I'll miss out or have to settle for one of the former. That's probably just my own insecurity though.

TRTL: I don't know about the cultural expectations of men. I'm neither blokey nor prissy I guess. I do fit stereotypes sometimes, but generally, I couldn't give a rodent's earlobe about who I'm supposed to be. Of course, that may be why I'm not a chick magnet...

In the US women spend over 80% of the family cash. The Minnesota Womens Press, a feminist publication in the very feminist state of Minnesota acknowleges this and calls it 'empowerment' If men did the same it'd be called destruction of the enviroment in the name of greed.

Nope the author has totally missed the point.

BUNNINGS

Now try and fit that word in with
"The vast majority of men prefer not to shop if they can avoid it."
"Recent research shows that men can only handle one hour and 12 minutes of shopping before losing it."

Do you have Bunnings in other parts of Australia? If not substitute another giant hardware/tool shop and you might start to understand.

If not tools and hardware add in other "gear" which can form the backbone of lifes necessities for some - fishing gear, camera gear, computers, 4WD accessories, golfing gear, boating gear etc.

We don't spend it on expensive undies because we already spent it on more important stuff like that new biscuit jointer or the new surf rod.

R0bert

We have Bunnings in Victoria.

Love it - I am a woman!

Get over the stereotypes, please.