Saturday, June 19, 2010

A Request

Why does every man in every (contemporary) novel I read have a giant flat-screen TV?

Not that there's a problem with giant flat-screen TVs. The only reason it matters is that, every single time, it's mentioned in a derogatory "all men have to have them" manner, complete with implied eyeroll.

You know what? *I* want a giant flatscreen TV. And not just to watch sports on, despite my passion for football.

Something for authors to consider when they're seeking shorthand for portraying their heroes as modern, macho men.

Just a small request, plskthx.

6 comments:

Cindy Procter-King said...

LOL, Natalie. I do think it's a more prevalent need for men. I want a flat screen, too, but not the way my dh NEEDED his flat screen. I'm happy with my regular TV (upstairs). He has his monstrosity downstairs. I steal it on a regular basis.

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

I think that's a myth perpetuated by the advertising industry! (That it's a more prevalent need for men.) Sure, there are men that NEED them, but there are women who do, too (I demanded we get a new, larger, flat screen for our bedroom! Not gigantic, though, the room's too small :) ) and men who don't.

It's just that I read SEVERAL books in a row that ALL did that. It's like when you're judging a contest and all the heroines have red hair. LOL

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I want a big TV too with the biggest high def available. LOL. I just treated myself to the first seaason of SN on DVD. The dream of watching it on a big screen!

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

Woo hoo, Sue! :)

We have a 53" TV so I get Giant-Head Winchesters, but oh, to have high def! LOL

Cindy Procter-King said...

Hi-def rules. You gotta get hi-def. I only watch non-HD channels on our regular ol' TV now. Downstairs, where The Monster lives, it's all HD all the time. For me. The kids and dh watch shows on the non-HD channels, but not moi.

As for the myth...I personally did not need a 60" wide TV, LOL. I am glad now that we have it. It's like having your own personal movie theatre. But if I weren't married, it would have never occurred to me to get one. It was the dh's idea and it's his baby.

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

Our 53-inch is high-def ready and the upstairs TV is high-def, but our subscription services are not. It's too expensive. Plus, it takes up HUGE space on the DVR! We'd never be able to save all the shows we watch, between the 4 of us.

High def is one of those things you don't need but you can't give up once you have it, like DVR and the 30-second back button. So we're not getting it! :)