OT: Are You Afraid of the Dark ( book title )

[Rusty]

Are You Afraid of the Dark is the name of a book by Sidney Sheldon. He's won an Oscar for screenwriting, a Tony for the musical stageplays Easter Parade and Annie Get Your Gun. Supposedly the most translated author in the world.

So why am I telling you this? Because of course, it starts off with two women finding their husbands have been killed - and may be in danger themselves. Ho-Hum. Yawn. Scratch scratch. Boredom.

Standard woman in home hearing some strange and scarey noise out in the dark - oh, won't someone save Poor Pitiful Pearl? Heaven forbid that she take reasonable steps to protect herself. Of course a man has to come to her rescue!

Just once, why can't she grab a 20 ga. side-by-side, stick a couple rounds of buck into it, and when the shadow shows up looming on the curtains, blow the window out, call the police, and duct-tape some trash bags over the broken window? Or pick up a khukri or sword from somewhere and when the guy forces the door, step out of hiding and lop his head off?

How long do you think it would take for a man ( and not an east-coast girly-man ) to grab a revolver and couple of speedloaders from his nightstand and be ready to stand between the threat and his wife and children?

Why is the woman always a blonde airhead who's never ever been scared before? I've been in situations where I had the he!! scared out of me. I've been backed down and ran. But at some point I evaluated the experience and took steps so I can run if only I'm at risk, or make a stand to protect my family with a reasonable chance I will either survive, or at least won't have been killed for nothing. If I gotta go, I want to take an honor guard with me.

Alright, I'll go back and read the book. Just tell me though, does anyone else ever get tired of the poor helpless woman with a head full of fluff always having to be rescued?

 

[Aardvark]

"Protect yourself; stop the predator; reload; call 911."

I loved that poster that Spectre shared to link to.

 

[Yvsa]

Just tell me though, does anyone else ever get tired of the poor helpless woman with a head full of fluff always having to be rescued?

Yup.:grumpy:

Bro can you imagine anyone trying to get in the house past my Barb?

 

[Rusty]

I almost said something about that.

I for sure wouldn't want to be the one breaking into your house - I might get unlucky and live ( minus a few parts, that is )!

 

[Ben Arown-Awile]

I have never seen a "helpless" woman like that in real life. I have known women who were intimidated and controlled by azzhole men, but when that influence was removed they usually became whole and confident again.

I think the negative stereotypical image of the mindless, helpless woman is a creation of writers who feel threatened by real women.

 

[mross]

Unfortunately it is all to real. Reference the video from Florida where the guy
walks up grabs the girls arm and leads her away, no screaming, no fighting,
no attempt to run, no cell phone on 911 speed dial. It did not have a happy
ending. Granted she was young, a teen, but something is sadly lacking that this
sort of thing can happen. I'll be happy when this is just a Hollywood image
rather than a news reel. As a parent, that video scared the hell out of me. I will
do everything I can to teach my kids to be safe. Whatever it takes.

 

[Rusty]

See Philthy's post on Iris Chang. It's going to keep happening til at least some women do as the Jews did after the holocaust, and vow " Never Again".

 

[Bill Marsh]

Well, there is Cynthia Rothrock and a few others like her.

Then there are the stereotypical bubble heads that go into a dangerous place, strip naked and take a shower leaving all the doors and windows open.

A real life situation. I owned a 12 unit apartment building in Midtown Atlanta, a well-know gay section of our city. most of my tenants were "girlie-men" (from the West Coast, Rusty). But one was a young 20ish art student bubble head blonde girlie-girl.

One night about 2:00 am she had just finished an oil painting. it did smell of oil paint and turpentine, so she put it outside her door which was on the ground level facing one of the busiest streets in Midtown.

She left the door open, so she could keep an eye on the painting and be sure no one took it. The she stripped and went in the bathroom to take a shower and wash her hair.

When she opened the bathroom door she saw a young (west coast) gay man holding her purse which she had left open on her bed. They locked eyes and he said, no kidding, "Do you have shoes to match?" Then he turned and swished out with her purse.

Her father came and got her. Asked me for a return of her deposit. I could not stop laughing.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Ya. There she goes, down those stairs into the pitch-black basement to check out the scary noise. No weapon. No flashlight. Right!

 

[Bill Marsh]

and naked. Well, I have to admit I like that part. But what happens to her I don't like.

Maybe the writers have never gotten anywhere with good looking womenn (as someone else suggested). Maybe they write for men in the audience, who have never gotten anywhere with good looking women and would like to see women pay the price.

I saw a t-shirt recently that said, "For Every Good Looking Woman There is at Least One Guy Who Is Tired of Putting Up With Her $hit."

Have you ever noticed that the super models you see on the street are usually alone?