Gold diggers begone!

"Money impresses lazy girls. For those who work hard, a man with money is just a bonus, not a ladder" - Unknown

No, he shouldn’t even be a bonus. A man’s wealth or lack thereof should not be a consideration when choosing who to date or potentially marry.

I’ve spent most of my life in female dominated industries (including attending an all-women’s college for three years), and I have heard the wealth and earning potential of prospective men discussed with disturbing frequency.

I heard it spoken of three times this week.

I’ll repeat that:

Three times this week I listened to a woman talk about a man in terms of his income or overall wealth. In each case, money was one of the leading  factors when it came to determining if a man had dating potential.    

I hear this sentiment expressed on television and film all the time, too. I heard it discussed on a television show last night, and I only watched one show. 

I despise this notion with every fiber of my being.

The last thing I want my daughter to hear is anyone, but especially a potential female role model, talking about a man in terms of his income potential or personal worth.

Whenever I hear a discussion like this, I always make my disgust known. 

Always.

Please don’t get me wrong. Not all women participate in this brand of materialistic self-degradation. But I hear these conversations with shocking and disturbing regularity.

Also, men suck, too, so please don’t think this is some attempt to elevate the status of manhood. Our priorities can be equally appalling. Though I’ve never heard a man talk about a woman in terms of net worth or potential income, we are certainly not without our faults. 

But this is the quote I saw today, so this is what I wrote about. As the father of a young, impressionable daughter, I’d appreciate it if these discussions of a man’s wealth would cease immediately.

I would much prefer that Clara earn her own living rather than rely on a man’s income (or even view it as a bonus). If she falls in love with a humble painter or a hard working sanitation worker, good for her.

Just so long as he is kind and loves her. 

Please. Enough about the money.