the simpsons, the king of queens, yes dear, the family guy, home improvement, etc. this is a list of popular (at least marginally) television shows. i love sitting around and watching them and laughing at the situations presented and the bizarre ways the men in the shows react to them. however while i enjoy the comedy, i've become more and more alarmed at the underlying message encased in each episode. the message that all men are idiots.
now i'll acknowledge that there are innumerable times in a man's life when he doesn't exactly use common sense, but come on. people have made an arguement that television and movies are a reflection of the society that produces them. while i'll acknowledge that this is the case sometimes, more often than not this 'reflection' is skewed to fit an agenda. in the case of the shows mentioned above i strongly believe that the agenda being pushed is the one for the advancement of women; not just women's advancement, but advancement over men by any means necessary. i am in no way for women as an entire group being held down in their pursuits, but i find it alarming how men are increasingly degraded and ridiculed by the media. there is a reason men are supposed to be leaders...it's ordained by God. now i will acknowledge that in many instances men have dropped the ball on this, but by projecting a negative, buffoon-type image of every male character in sitcom television (the most powerful medium in the US) what message is being sent to the men, women, and especially children that view these programs. the message that the women and children get is that men are undependable, weak, stupid, and incapaple of contributing to the family aside from fathering children, contributing some income, and lounging around in front of the tv, beer in hand. i'm offended.