November 07, 2006

MSN BLOWS IT AGAIN

I was intrigued by the MSN link called Women: 20 musts before 40. Geez, I've only got eleven years left! I'd better get in gear.

Uh, what?

All in all, MSN advocates $94,154 worth of consumer goods, plus pricetagless trips to see the Dalai Lama and a haircut from some famous L.A. barber.

Get real.

A Cadillac XLR roadster and Gucci luggage? That's what women need? Doesn't the average American household have something like $8000 in consumer debt? And MSN thinks that suggesting $4000 watches and trips to Mongolia is a good idea?

Seriously, what planet are these people living on? You know what women need by the age of 40? Maturity and self-respect. Then they won't fill that void with fancy suits, watches, haircuts, and cars.

Some of the suggestions were reasonable: a subscription to a smarty-smart magazine, a few jazz CDs, and some classic movies. Get people to broaden their horizons. Even a trip isn't a bad idea, though it's condescending to say that Europe is oh-so-yesterday and now the Third World is where it's at. Maybe MSN can encourage these women to adopt an African baby while they're there; it's all the rage, right?

I'm regularly disgusted and offended by the nonsense MSN prints, but this is just over the top. Who do they think their target audience is, suggesting a $78,000 car? Is Julie Greenwald hanging out on MSN trying to figure out what she should buy with her millions? I imagine most women who click that link are looking for more spiritual advice: find a hobby you really love, teach your children to waltz, volunteer for a charity that empowers you. Not more ways to spend money.

What the hell is wrong with our culture, that this passes as advice for women?

Posted by Sarah at November 7, 2006 08:24 AM | TrackBack
Comments

The list rings a bell, and I know why: it is actually from Marie Claire Magazine, and I read that list in disbelief a few weeks ago too. I think there was some mention of super expensive luggage too. And from someone who travels a lot, I just snorted at that. (Oh I see that you mentioned it too...my bad...yeah, Gucci luggage, whatevers).

Some people are so impracticle. Case in point: we are dogsitting this week. My friend dropped off her 8 month old boxer, and the dog has two collars, one that she has on all the time, that is a little tougher, and then one that she puts on the dog when they walk out the door...wanna know what that one is? A Louis Vuitton dog collar. I just snorted and put it in the drawer saying it was so flimsey and useless, and that I certainly wouldn't be trying to restrain the dog with that.

Anyways, I digress. Must-haves really aren't must haves anymore. It seems like the new must have is "massive debt."

Posted by: CaliValleyGirl at November 7, 2006 11:13 AM

I've noticed MSN has started to use Marie Clare A LOT lately when making their most wonderful articles. I've also noticed they are moving to articles that tend to link in ads of some sort. I wonder how much they really need the money if they need to use their articles to get money from vendors?

This article, though, does sicken me. Most women who do read this magazine are our age...in our 20s. And we all know the average 20-year old woman is most likely still recovering from their college debt and can no where near afford to buy these kinds of items. As if we should all strive to be able to buy the $3,000 Gucci or Prado. Wow...makes me wonder what the women of the 70s think of this article??

Posted by: Billie at November 7, 2006 12:28 PM

Ah, speaking as a man around (*cough*) 40, IMHO one “must before 40” for a single woman would be to ask a man out, any man. Do it once and you may appreciate what we go through.

Posted by: tim at November 7, 2006 03:27 PM

Tim -- I was the one who asked my husband out on our first date. And then when I told him I liked him, he said he didn't realize it was a Date-Date, just that he thought that we were hanging out. And that's when he gave his famous "Well, I like you but I'm not going to marry you or anything" line. So, yeah, I've been there with the humiliation. Turned out OK in the end though...

Posted by: Sarah at November 7, 2006 04:04 PM

Sarah,

Good one on ya’. I hope some woman readers learn from your experience.

Posted by: sarah at November 8, 2006 04:36 PM