(no subject)
A central message in advertising is that relationships with human beings can't be counted on, escpecially for women. The message is that men will make commitments only reluctantly and cant be trusted to keep them. Straight women, and these are pretty much the women in ads, are told that its normal not to expect very much or get very much from the men in their lives. This normalizes really abnormal behavior - with male violence at the extreme and male callousness in general- by reinforcing mens unwillingness to express their feelings. This harms men, of course, as well as women. Basically men cant be trusted but Haagen-Dazs never disapoints? Love is fleeting, but a diamond is forever? Sort of a recipe for lowered expectations, isnt it?