Have there been books, speeches, movies or television shows, or even poems that had a profound influence on your perception of something? Perhaps with the exception of a speech by a world leader, do you think the author of that work knew he or she would have such an influence?

I’ve mentioned before a quotation from Harper Lee, who said “Sometimes a story is just a story” when a reporter badgered her about the symbolism found in To Kill a Mockingbird. She protested that she just had a story to tell, and others could read what they wanted into it. Truth, or modesty, or perhaps she was just tired of being asked.

In sociology class a couple years ago, we discussed how such things can change the rules of society.  For instance, women and men who championed the cause of women’s rights used words – from street-corner speeches to news and magazine article to novels – to make their point.  Sometimes with the power of words comes great responsibility.

One of the things I pointed out in my part of the discussion is that we are currently being faced with a pendulum swing of gender-discrimination because of the same influences.  The women’s rights movement gained such strength that it is backfiring… there is a disturbing trend creating a subliminal belief that women are stronger and more powerful than men.

WHAT, you ask?

Henny Youngman created “Take my wife…” comedy, but today’s comics are getting even with a lot of male-bashing.  And did you ever watch sit-coms? Somebody writes these things, you know. A growing number of them feature strong, bossy (dare I say b**chy?) women who berate fumbling, foolish, husbands to the amusement of a general audience. Children easily get the idea women are the real People In Charge and men simply aren’t capable of intelligent conversation or decision-making.

And in 1999 a company started a line of t-shirts that had slogans like “Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them” which the public generally considered humorous. Later the originator published a children’s book with the same title.  What if the books had said “Girls are…”?  Would the reaction have been the same?

(In 2003 a campaign against the t-shirts, accusing them of promoting misandry, was launched with mixed results. Some stores immediately pulled the merchandise, while others scoffed at the whole thing and took advantage of the publicity to create more sales. This particular war is still being waged.)

All this because someone thought it would be funny to make a Dad a fool or put a slogan on a t-shirt.

Did you ever read anything that created an emotional reaction for you? Did you think it was funny or offensive or perhaps downright ridiculous?  Ever stop to think how someone else would consider it?

I’m like Ms. Harper (excuse the southernism).  I just want to write my story about a human condition, using a few of my privately created characters.  It’s scary to think that years from now, it could influence a whole society.

I should choose my words carefully.