Today was a cleaning day for me. I prepared meals, washed dishes, did laundry, vacuumed, dusted, and wiped smudges off the walls. As I worked, I thought about American attitudes toward housework, and how those attitudes have changed.
1950s – “A clean house is a sign of a good life.” The woman in this advertisement is cheerful but brainwashed. She is controlled by her husband, who forces her to dress up in sexy high heels, put on lipstick, and clean up all the messes he makes. Because men are selfish and evil.
2010 – “A clean house is a sign of a wasted life.” Today’s American woman is smart and independent. She has a full-time job and a busy schedule. She still scrubs the bathtub, but she’s very angry. Her husband cleaned the bathroom, but he didn’t do it right. He is wasting her life! Men are selfish and evil.
Some things never change!
To tell you the truth, I like housework. It’s a good feeling to take control of my little world and make everything clean and orderly. Maybe I’ve been brainwashed!
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Do you enjoy doing housework?
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