The two political cartoons shown on the page were featured one above the other in last Saturday’s edition of the Chicago Tribune. They were both referencing a New York Times article stating that 51% of American women now live without a spouse. Even if we overlook the fact that the information upon which the article was based is skewed at best, we still see a poor depiction of men. Granted, some men are less than desirable when it comes to being a complete spouse but the same can be said for many women. So why the poor image of men?

Is it not enough that men are so often used as a foil and a punchline to the much smarter women in television and movies? The article doesn’t mention that the poll’s sample data was flawed as it counted women in their teens and some spouses who remain married while their husband works out of town. If one wants to look for a cause for the decline of marriage it would be as easy as looking at our increasingly selfish society where people firmly believe they can “have it all”. With a relationship comes sacrifice and that is something people are less inclined to do these days. The good relationships don’t come easy but are well worth the work we put into them. Celebrity idol worship and the dumbing down of the great institution of marriage have taken their toll as well. Why get married when Brangelina doesn’t bother? Kurt and Goldie have been together for years without the legal benefit of matrimony so why can’t we?.

Eventually people begin to recognize and embrace the deviations as the norm and that us harmful to society. Of course with depictions of men such as these, why would any woman bother at all? Men and women together can accomplish great things, the most important being the children that make the next generation. Don’t let half-baked studies and biased portrayals become a deterrent. There’s a lot to live for out there, but it is even better if you share it.