Improvements have been made, however I still believe we still live in a male dominated society. Up to some time ago, women going to work were shunned upon by some conservatives.
However, the arguments the conservatives give are flawed. A woman’s place is in the kitchen or taking care of kids. If women go to work they will have more ‘temptations’ for cheating (as if this does not apply for men too!) along with many others.
What’s my opinion? Should a (married) woman be able to build a career? Definitely. Is working a cause for temptation for a woman to cheat her husband? I don’t think so. If it is such, first it was the postman or milkman and now it’s the colleague. Is it OK for me if a couple change roles and the man takes care of the kids and took care of his house? Sure, why not. Should the male keep control of the money and ‘give’ some money to his partner for necessities? Of course not, though unfortunately some people still seem to live in the Middle Ages.
What I find irritating is not the fact that many women choose to work but the fact that they have to work. The reason is obvious. We may have a better standard of living than before however purchasing power is diminishing. I’m not quoting the NSO here, but from what I hear form nearly everybody I meet and my own experience. The worst 2 culprits are the ever increasing rise of property and that of energy.
I would love a partner coming home and telling me about her achievements, what she’s done and how her career is going. What I wouldn’t like is a partner that never wanted the job she has anyway, but has to do it, coming home like a wretch and thinking about quitting – until the next electricity bill comes and we would have to change our minds.
Some say more marriages break down since working women started to increase. Obviously it is a phenomenon that is happening but can one be open-minded enough to look for the reason of all this? Living in a rat race, usually you find both couples doing a full time job and at least one of them having also to work part-time just to make ends meet. Then there are the house chores to be done, after you’re at home dead tired.
Talking about temptations (adultery), I also think it comes from the same obvious cause. If the man or woman sees his colleague much more than his partner the temptation is much higher (though falling for it is still a matter of weakness). If a couple had an argument and went to work, tensions will accumulate since they may have to wait days, maybe weeks to find some free quality time when they can trash things out, after the problem would have probably escalated.
What about children? I have beautiful memories of my father playing football with me, and my family together playing scrabble in the evening. How many couple can afford such quality time today? Now children are playing a memory game instead – trying to remember who their parents are – mum and dad? Grandma? The nanny? Neighbour? No one at all?
Can we be mature enough and address the main problem instead of pointing fingers at lack of morality or Catholic values. This is nonsense. If a couple remains together just for the sake of not committing sin, or looking in a bad light with neighbours and extended family, I ask myself what kind of healthy relationship is this?.
May I point my fingers to land speculators who deliberately let the price of property increase, crooked politicians who decline to invest in alternative energy just because you will see the results after election comes and the other party might be in government; among others.
Give our couples a break please. A healthy relationship is such a beautiful thing. Stop spoiling it for your egocentric purposes.
Robert Callus 