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I've heard it said that as far as unrealistic expectations go, Men have Porn, and Women have Romance Novels/Rom-Coms!
I might be cumming to that view myself soon. The more I've been thinking about it, the more it seems to me to make sense that heavy reading of romance novels leads to unrealistic expectations in women, while heavy viewing of porn leads to unrealistic expectations in men.
All things in moderation, I guess.
I assume your spelling of the word "coming" was a deliberate one there? xD
Now and then I hear someone point out that romance novels typically have male characters that are fundamentally unrealistic -- sometimes to the point of absurdity.
I once had nothing better to do for a few weeks than to take a friend's challenge to read a stack a yard high of romance novels. I couldn't stand them -- because the males were just so impossible! -- and I ended up merely skimming the books.
I've heard again and again that romance novels create in women unrealistic expectations about men. For instance, a heavy reader might be likely to think men are more romantically inclined than they typically are. She might even form the strong opinion that male and female sexuality is absolutely perfectly compatible! (By the way, if men and women had perfectly compatible sexualities, why would there be a demand for romance novels? Why would anyone want what is, essentially, escapist literature?)
I myself scoff at that! I mean, I think the average experienced, adult woman is realistic enough to know BS when she reads it. Some women might not (especially, perhaps, younger women and girls) but I have faith that most women do call BS when they read it.
What do you think, though? Am I just as right about this as I almost always am right about everything else?
Or, are most women suckers for the BS about men found in many -- maybe even most -- romance novels?
I'm thinking of changing my mind. Maybe even the average experienced woman (who is a heavy reader) spends most of her time deluded by the novels, and only wakes up from her delusions long enough to convince herself she is not deluded.
I honestly don't know, I read a romantic novel once about 6 years ago
I don't read romance novels, but I can say that most of the people who read them can tell the difference between fiction and real life.
I'm so sorry you went through that! I didn't know. Was therapy of any help? It's possible I'm projecting from my own reading experience, though.
Not to argue, but I'm beginning to question my view that most heavy readers remain largely uninfluenced.
I'd love to see some science on it!
Hhhaaahhhhaaa!!! It was set in the Victorian era about a woman who fornicates with her husbands friend (or was is cousin?) after her husband died and got pregnant, then the baby daddy's brother (or was is cousin?) married her so she wouldn't become a social outcast, and then they eventually fall in love. Cheesy but it wasn't that bad, I wouldn't read a book like that again though.
I think it's arguable that Gone With the Wind is essentially a romance novel. But what do you make of that?
My absolute favorite passage from the novels I've skimmed comes from an Old West gunfight scene in a quite fine work of trash, Savage Love.
The two men, you see, are competitors for the heroine. This leads them to square off. The author goes into great detail, at that point, describing the two men.
She first flops, from my male point of view, by comparing and contrasting the fashion sense of the two men.
But, it doesn't end there! No, the male reader has not suffered enough. So, she goes on and on until she reaches the thrilling moment when she can at last announce that one of the men -- in those very deadly circumstances -- has taken an astonishing interest in the fact that the other man's eyes are a very attractive shade of blue.
I haven't read gone with the wind, I haven't even watched the movie.
I must admit that scene sounds hilarious!
I haven't read gone with the wind, I haven't even watched the movie.
It's not worth reading, in my opinion. Not even to see why it's so popular in places. Scarlett, the heroine, is an undiagnosed idiot who, according to the novel, has got to be raped by Rhett, the hero, before she is capable of forming the opinion that she might actually like bedding the man.
So many things people say on this forum reminds me of Andrea Dworkin quotes :help:
I'd love to see some science on it!