The Cranky Professor

There is an interesting trend that I’ve noticed among my unmarried friends in their 30s and 40s: they want man candy.

Take, for example, an old friend of mine. She was married and it wasn’t the world’s greatest relationship. She was supporting the two of them. They weren’t planning on having kids. He didn’t have a whole lot cooking in the career department. There were other problems in their relationship, but one day, she said, she looked at him and said to herself “If I’m supporting you and doing everything in this relationship, you should really be A LOT hotter!”

They split not long after that.

I’ve noticed that many women in my age group who aren’t married and aren’t planning on having kids are going for younger, hotter men. I think it’s an interesting sign of what the women’s movement has given us: back in the day, women were supposed to find a man and marry him. He would probably be older and more established, because it was his job to be the provider. Your job as a woman, to attract that good provider, was to be as attractive and fascinating as possible.

By the time women reach my age, they usually have their own money and their own life happening. They don’t need anyone to provide for them. These babes are established.

And remember how women who were over 30-something would have trouble finding dudes in their age group to date? They used to have to go older, because all the 30-something men were after the 25-year old hottie? Well, I’m fearing for the poor 40-something men. You better start working out, boys.