Defending S.A.T.C.

HBO's TV show Sex and the City was a hit alright, only to the female citizens of the United States. Many men expressed their dissatisfaction towards the show. Most of the complaints targeted on the egotistic female perspective reflected by the main characters' luxurious life-style and their attitude of "men are disposable."

The show was indeed controversial. First time on television, the topic of sex was focused as an essential element throughout the series. Blunt, shameless, at times brutal truth of human sexual behaviors blended with a sense of humor in the cleverly written dialogue, freed female viewers from awkwardness in talking about sex. The show was not just controversial. It was brave. It was daring. And it did make a statement.

But it wasn't just about sex. There was rarely any explicit nudity, which might have been disappointing to some male viewers. The show was about relationships and human interactions, from the female perspectives: how women think, feel, react, behave; how irrationally and emotionally they can be, in spite of right or wrong; their habits and their flaws. The facts were vulnerably true, all of them. The small number of men who secretly enjoyed the show might have the potential of making themselves better boyfriends because of their open-minded attitude in finding out what women are truly like. Though, men wouldn't understand SATC and are not expected to understand. HBO should have rated the show as NFM, i.e. Not For Men. But for them to accuse the characters as egotistic were simply an unintelligent mockery out of their own egotistic imbalance.

Please read under the lines, male friends! Everything is slightly more complicated than what it seems. When you thought Carrie or Miranda or Charlotte (excluding Samantha here) were treating men like disposable toothbrushes, they were only trying to take a failed relationship as lightly as possible, in order to protect themselves from being hurt. They were not heartless. Women tend to get attached quicker and deeper. They would give up everything for their loved ones in their search of the "perfect one." And it's not easy. After many heartbreaks, they eventually learn how to be brave. If what it takes to be brave is to say such thing as "men are disposable," please don't take it personally, for they are just trying to comfort themselves from another catastrophic break-up.

So what else were men offended by? Women's independence? Women's successful careers? Women's powers? Don't be offended, because those are true facts in this 21st-century. Men's odd behaviors? Well, yes it was brutal to see them on TV, but let's call it fair, the show equally revealed women's freakish behaviors. "None of the girls are even beautiful." Perhaps, but that's how real life is. You don't end up with cosmetic models, but real women, who might not be perfect, but beautiful in each of their own way. Maybe SATC should have a sequel, from the male perspective, if they'd like to get even.

Now the SATC movie is under the making (which I think would be a failure,) we should expect a full theater of female fans and a few unwillingly presented boyfriends.