Comments about ‘Dumbing down Dad: How media present husbands, fathers as useless’

When I read articles like this, I wonder what world the Dnews is living in. I have noticed that people of a certain political persuasion have the need to invent a boogy man in order to keep that persecution complex going.
This article is the perfect example of that

re: John20000 1:03 p.m. Feb. 27

If there is such a thing as the *typical* American Family; it lies somewhere between the Bundy's & Huxtable's... but that is just my opinion

TV is entertainment & art imitating life. People who believe the media is engaged in some kind of social engineering need to get a life.

re: Ernest T 2/27

Agreed.

What would social conservatives be w/o the need to go on a Don Quixote like crusade? answer: tolerable

Let me point the discussion back to where it started. Men need to be men: providers, defenders, head of the household who honor and respect their wives. TV and movies portray men as the article says, and it gives some the excuse they need to slack off. Back when, a man needed to prove himself or be thought by other men to be unworthy. Now, there is no incentive to prove oneself since no pride or honor is at stake. That has been taken away by the modern thought of "men are not needed". Well,pop culture addicted world, you got what you wished for. Men get the message that they aren't expected to do anything but slack off, so that's what they do. They don't fulfill roles as fathers, husbands and gentlemen because it isn't in style anymore. Wonder why men don't step up? There's your answer....and yes, the LDS Church leaders have taken men to task for not doing what they are supposed to do. General Priesthood Meeting is often the arena where it happens.

Step up to the plate men!!!

"I remain optimistic that family still has more influence than media," Kelly said.

Sadly, the author appears to not understand that only about 50% of American youth live in a traditional "family", the other half is "the New Normal", and a large percentage of both groups spend FAR more time in touch with peers in person or via social media than with any real human role model outside their own age group.

Ernest T and Hank,

So you're saying that the portrayal of dumb dad's isn't real and doesn't impact the way society sterotypes dads? While I agree that some conservatives are whiny and picked on, speaking for an entire movement that is not your own is weak and only discredits your comments.

There are men who fit the sterotype sitcoms portray. But as usual, there are those who take the minority of any group and rap up an entire race, gender, religion, political party, movement, into one as if they all behave that way, all believe that way, all support and standardize the expressions of the extremists. Can we grow up A LOT please? Immaturity and lack of emotional control is rampid among opinions. Have an opinion. Share an opinion. But learn to deal with other opinions without condescension, arrogance, biting sarcasm and disrespect. Then maybe someone would care to listen.

re: Ironhide

Its okay for conservatives to proactively engage in histrionics and amateur theatrics but a little sarcasm is uncalled for? REALLY!?

"So you're saying that the portrayal of dumb dad's isn't real and doesn't impact the way society stereotypes dads?"... "There are men who fit the sterotype sitcoms portray"

Art imitates life. Homer Simpson & Peter Griffin are based on a person or several individuals. I have yet to see their actual flesh and blood doppelganger. Let me know when you do, okay?

I don't let my kids watch much TV. Show like I-Carly (not sure if it is still around) and others are just disturbing! I think most of the shows (for kids and adults) dumb down both mom and dad and devalue the nuclear family.

Thinkman
Provo, UT
How often do you hear over the pulpit at our church meetings, regardless of faith, the leaders railing on fathers while at the same time praising mothers and women in general?

Answer: very often

How often do you hear over the pulpit at our church meetings, regardless of faith, the leaders railing on mothers?

Answer: never

11:29 a.m. Feb. 27, 2013

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Agreed!

I've noticed the same disparity.

I've seen friends and family members walk away from OK marriages simply because they weren't yet "PERFECT" and could never live up to all the unreal expectations.

Ward Cleaver had a June Cleaver.

But somehow -- some women expect the Ward Cleaver to their endless nagging and henpicking as being A-OK

I have also noticed this disturbing trend in television. It is terrible that men are lowering their expectations of themselves and women are expecting to teach their husbands, boyfriends, and brothers how to care for a child.
However, in defense of television, there are a few shows that are almost a throwback to the "Cosby" days. Two of note are "Last Man Standing" and "Guys With Kids." The former is new Tim Allen comedy about a man with three daughters, and a grandson. He is shown to be a loving father who tries to understand his daughters and support them in their decisions. Some of those decisions he does not like.
"Guys With Kids" shows three sets of friends who show three different family dynamics. All three are loving fathers who fulfill a great role in their children's lives who are shown to be equal to their wives in terms of general stupidity.
These shows are no where near where they should be in creating an ideal family dynamic, nor are they as popular as the "Simpsons" and "Family Guy," but they are a step in the right direction.

I don't see how this is part of the feminist movement. Every feminist that I know would actually support the notion that a man could capably handle a non-traditional role in his family, such as being a stay-at-home parent.

If anything, I would say that many of the TV ads that show men as incompetent in the home are just pandering to the mothers who are at home watching the ads. The "Peter Griffin" stereotype in television shows, on the other hand, is simply an exaggeration of some of the behavior that working men espouse in order to avoid doing extra work at home. Men love to laugh at themselves. Ever notice that the way men say "I love you" to their friends is to dish out a well-placed insult?