Men, can you handle . . .

[Laura]

your wife being better educated than you? How about your wife making more money than you? C'mon now, don't give us the PC answer.
I want your deep-down-in-your-testosterone-soaked-soul answer.

[televisionary]

I'd say that having handled that gives me the ability to say yes.

And I'm still more man than you.

[TheWheel]

I'm with TV. By far she out earned me. And you. And most on the board. She rocks. 3 masters. Retired at 45.

And you Laura? How about your S.O.? Strap on action?

[Combiner]

I think You are referring to a common problem people have with "displacing WOW-impulse" (coined by Victor Pelevin in Generation "П", but see here) w.r.t. self-esteem and the spouse.

I have no problem with that.
Moreover, I'd really like her to make much more than me, but only if she'll not get all obsessed with it.

Does education really counts? "Been there", but I thought it's not directly related to smartness...

[Laura]

Susan Patton's latest article was the inspiration for this thread where she encourages young women in college to husband-hunt:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303496804579369420198599600?mod=trending_now_1

But this article in Slate that tallys up the insults to women and men in Patton's article is the best:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/02/14/princeton_mom_is_back_susan_patton_writes_for_the_wall_street_journal_annoys.html

[bobs]

A WSJ opinion column that's breathtakingly stupid: What else is new. I think Patton should marry James Taranto.

[Nurse Ben]

That's a weird question.. how could I be bothered with my wife making more money than me, it all goes in the same pot. As for education, there is more to being intelligent than what degree(s) you've acquired.

I just wish my wife was already here...

Those are some very silly articles, Slate 's response is no better. The Patton piece was written to get attention and sell ads, no one with more sense than a love struck teen is going to believe that garbage.

Is this really "the Laura"? You used to be so much better, age getting the best of you?

[Teleman]

If you can't telemark...laura....then you ain't worth much typin...dig? TM

[Chugach001]

Smarter, she already is.
Better educated, already is.
Making more - I can only wish.




Laura, what's your point?

[BillyFromTheHills]

I can see that it might bother a husband (man) that a wife (woman) makes more money than they do. Many of us were raised by pre-women's lib parents with the expectation that the man is the primary breadwinner. If you have that mindset, and you are not fulfilling that role, then I could see how it could bother you. If I was in that situation, it might bug me a little bit. But that would be far out-weighed by the gratitude I would feel for her efforts, the extra money and her fulfillment/achievement of her career goals. Some might look at the situation as unfair or whatever....I would count myself LUCKY!

[Matt J]

It's really only a problem for Baby Boomers. Younger men cook, clean, and raise children so they don't care who does what as long as it gets done. My wife earns more than me and has more degrees, but I doubt she necessarily claims to be smarter. Smarter is as smarter does.

[Laura]

Hmmm, all you "secure in you manliness" men:

Would you feel differently if your wife made all, or almost all, of the family's household income and then gave you a weekly spending allowance based on how much she determined you needed?

How about if your wife determined where vacations were taken or could veto all decisions on when big-ticket items were purchased, because after all -- she earned the money -- not you.

The above scenarios have been played out many a time by husbands. So maybe it is not that husbands who make less than their wives are emotionally secure, maybe it is because their wives' don't rub their nose in it.

[Crowbar]

Hmmm, all you "secure in you manliness" men:

Would you feel differently if your wife made all, or almost all, of the family's household income and then gave you a weekly spending allowance based on how much she determined you needed?

How about if your wife determined where vacations were taken or could veto all decisions on when big-ticket items were purchased, because after all -- she earned the money -- not you.

The above scenarios have been played out many a time by husbands. So maybe it is not that husbands who make less than their wives are emotionally secure, maybe it is because their wives' don't rub their nose in it.

Yeah, that sounds more like a mother than a wife. Also, I would not be in any relationship where the other person feels the need to 'rub my nose in' anything, ever.

[BillyFromTheHills]

These sound like Ward Cleaver-era marital arrangements. Not sure it happens like this anymore...and there are many more options for a woman to make a life/living than June had. Women being more subtle and sensitive to their partner's needs...old news.

What made you bring this up?

[Laura]

I agree, Crowbar. Which probably explains why women are the plaintiffs in most divorces.