I don't watch many movies any more. I just am instinctively turned off by most of the messaging. But despite having avoided these movies myself I've only just recently begun to understand the role these movies play in manipulating our beliefs and behaviors.

As an example it was in the 60s when movies began normalizing and encouraging divorce. These movies even had kids who were happy their parents were divorcing. There you go everyone: no reason to feel selfish when you're getting divorced, even your kids are happy about it.

Of course we now know it is undisputed that children are traumatized by divorce and are disadvantaged in many ways. And this is something we all knew instinctively. It's just that we were able to be manipulated into disregarding our instincts and believing something that isnt true. And it's not entirely our fault--our behavior is largely unconscious. Human beings in general are easily manipulated by messaging that indicates certain behaviors are desirable. It is a natural human desire to fit in.

Now I bring up this backstory to highlight how single mothers are portrayed in current cinema. In my first example single mother Alexandra Daddario somehow reels in a billionaire in San Andreas. Here we have the pinnacle of male sexual market value in a man whose status is what females prefer to fantasize about (as evidenced by the proliferation of billionaires in romance novels alongside pirates, vampires and doctors). (And make no mistake about it, romance novels are pornography for women. This is why 50 Shades of Gray became the cultural phenomenon it did. You might not have noticed it because it only appealed to women.)

Now I'm watching the movie Drive on Netflix and Ryan Gosling just met the mother of a young boy whose father is in prison. Her car breaks down and being the useful fool he is he heroically takes her home and accepts a glass of water as he visits with her in her apartment.

Now I haven't finished Drive yet so I might be way off base in assuming Ryan Gosling is going to pursue this woman who makes bad decisions. But my point is: men are being tricked into thinking female promiscuity is an acceptable thing. The more people see this messaging, the more the behavior becomes normalized and the more single mothers we end up with and the more men ruin their lives getting involved with them.

My point is this: let's not forget that single mothers are not relationship material. It is not worth the risk to get involved with one only to be discarded later when the mother finds it advantageous. Also, by bailing out a single mom you only encourage more women to abandon their partners and husbands, leaving them in despair not being able to see their kids or just financially crippled as having to support a woman who betrayed him.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this including any criticisms. I hope it's the right board for it. Since I'm discussing female nature I feel like it is.