With the day that men in relationships with women dread most – “Extortion of Insincere Materialistic Tokens of Affection Under Threat of Emotional Violence Day” (or simply “Emotional Extortion Day”) – just a little over 5 weeks away, I’d like to suggest a little informal research project.
A couple of years ago I kept track of the themes I heard in advertisements for VD. Most of them broke down into either guilt trips or threats of emotional terrorism. Being exiled from the shared bed to the couch seemed to be the most popular, with ads containing a subtext of “we know you are going to screw it up, let us save you from an emotional beating” coming in second place. Threats of actual physical violence were not all that common, but I did hear a few.
I suggest that readers of The Spearhead keep tabs on how many VD commercials they are subjected to, and what the major themes of them are. I’m not envisioning anything very rigorous, nor do I expect that it will be “peer reviewed.” But, I thought it would be interesting to compare notes on how modern women are portrayed when it comes to what makes them “happy” or “feel loved.”
Frankly, I am surprised that more women are not up in arms over being portrayed as such materialistic shrews. I realize that the ads are aimed at men, and crafted by the most brilliant manipulative minds available, and may not be an accurate representation of what women are actually like and how they actually react. Or, then again, it might be accurate.
Things which might be worth keeping track of –
1. Date you heard the first VD commercial.
2. Breakdown by theme or message of the commercial. In addition to the 2 I mentioned above, if one doesn’t fit in those categories try to come up with a brief description of the message and the basis of “the sell” or “the hook.”
3. Product being hawked – jewelry, flowers, dinner/entertainment, romantic getaways, etc.
4. Total number of ads encountered, by type of media. For me, it will be easy because I don’t own a TV and only listen to one radio station on my way to and from work. But, those of you who watch TV or listen to multiple stations might be able to provide some insight into whether the medium of the advertisement makes any difference in the messages.
5. Reactions you observed of both men and women. If you hear any particularly juicy snarks about VD, please share them.
6. If you are in a relationship, what you got your woman along with a brief description of how and why you chose those gifts, along with her reaction, would be very interesting.
Perhaps some of you can make suggestions for other things guys might track or look for. I plan to make a post on February 15th summarizing my observations, hoping that all of you will add your observations in the comments.
For your entertainment, here are – 14 Miserable Facts About Valentine’s Day – including –
3. Valentine’s Day traces its roots to an ancient pagan holiday called Lupercalia, in which men stripped naked, grabbed whips, and spanked young women in hopes of increasing their fertility.
