Ok, I wasn't going to comment... I recieved this chart in a "pass-it-on" email. My initial reaction was ;) However, after reading over the list a couple more times, I thought hang on, I agree with this. I'm not too sure on Demerit 3 and 9 or Merit 12. Though sleeping in on Sundays and holidays might be nice, the family should come first.
To heck with political correctness. What has the world come to, that we should look at a marital rating scale drafted up in 1939, and see it as fit only for a joke. There was less divorce, adultery and family-breakdown in 1939 when such things as marital rating scales were in use, than we see in 2008, I'll warrant.
(my friend and I have reason to believe that the guy that forwarded this email to me may be a werewolf.)
To heck with political correctness. What has the world come to, that we should look at a marital rating scale drafted up in 1939, and see it as fit only for a joke. There was less divorce, adultery and family-breakdown in 1939 when such things as marital rating scales were in use, than we see in 2008, I'll warrant.
(my friend and I have reason to believe that the guy that forwarded this email to me may be a werewolf.)
She seems like the perfect wife for the most lazy and un-caring husband. I say "to heck" with stupid lists that say nail polish is bad and music is good.
ReplyDelete1939 was not a time of innocence, sure there was not as much but family breakdown was certainly around at the time. Think Kate Sheppard, George Eliot, George Sand...
I think you would find that if there were a list of merits and demerits for a husband back then, it would be even more astounding.
ReplyDeleteCome on, give them a fair go, they're specifically saying that red-nail-polish is unattractive, and that the ability to play a musical instrument is a positive feature. They both sound pretty reasonable.
Immorality was not accepted and celebrated in the mainstream media and in society as it is today.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure I know who you are... why are you not prepared to put your name to your comment?
ReplyDeletehmmmm... :)
I noticed that washing dishes was not one of the criteria. Just as well, or this comment would have been much more scathing...
ReplyDeleteEven if you were stupid enough to do this test on your wife and you came up with a high score, you can't judge her "goodness" by that.
Heck, there's got to be more to being a "good wife" than just getting all the boxes ticked by some short - sighted male.
Ok, you found me out! I can't hide from the all speculating eye!
ReplyDeleteI think it is seen as a joke these days, as it is so damn naive. Remember, that this was written during a period of great optimism in what humanity was believed to be able to achieve. The 'War to end all Wars' was over and, except for later on in that same year with the beginning of the great depression, people generally had a strong sense of rationalism. Almost like "Babel II - the return of the Mighty Hunter"
While the philosophy of today isn't any better, people seem to have more of a jaded and cynical view of human nature which in my book, is a more accurate way of seeing the world.
That's just my well thought out and rather simplistic view on a time period which I never lived in (thank goodness).
One more thing. Doesn't this chart though, by virtue of being a way of ranking one's wife make it a tool for quantifying or formulating dissatisfaction?
Wrote a nice long response, but Firefox did a double-back-flip and I lost it, no time for a ctrl+c, so just in a word or two,
ReplyDeleteI didn't think it was you John...
And Lydia, I didn't say that I would use this marital rating scale, but then again, I didn't say that I wouldn't use it either.
This test was probably designed to be a bit of a joke in the first place. I don't believe any "rational" man would have seriously rated his wife using a single test..
ReplyDeleteHis ideas about politics, theology and philosophy might have been grounded rationally, but when it comes to matters of the heart, I doubt that he could have been so
cold - blooded.
...Unless his wife was more like a convenient housekeeper that is..
Perhaps this irritates people because it is a slightly higher standered (even if tongue in cheek) then most want to strive for these days.
ReplyDeleteI quite frankly would be pleased if my husband had the merits that are ascribed to women and none of the demarits (except for cold feet or sleeping in :-). And I would be happy if he was looking for a wife with a high standard of behavior and lifestyle.
This made me laugh and didn't offend me, no one should get married just because they can check a list off but...it isn't wrong to make a list.