"You think he's a little old?"
"Wealthy men are never old."
How to Marry a Millionaire - 1953
I'd like to think we've come a long way since 1953. But the other day my friend's daughter, who'd just ended a bad marriage, said to her mom:
"You never told me to marry a rich man." I was amazed at that statement but others involved in the conversation said, no, there are a number of younger women (with really toned arms) in our circle of friends who've married older, successful men. Hum.
And now the current Time Magazine has reviewed two books on the subject. In 2013 Susan Patton wrote an open letter to Princeton women telling them to snag a husband before all the good ones were taken. Her new book "Marry Smart" expands on this theme.
You'd think Sheryl Sandberg's new book "Lean In for Graduates," would have the exact opposite theme. Her message is to hit the ground running after college. But the idea is to be successful in the workplace fast so you can then have children.
In other words, it's all about our ticking biological clocks. Tick. Tock.
I'm all for following your dreams but both of these books seem to be putting the pressure on, big time. Where are all the books telling young men that if they mess up just once they'll end up alone and childless?
I wish young women could learn to love themselves and others, educate themselves to do the work they love and therefore be able to support themselves, marry for love, and have children if and when they want.
Just like men.
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