Tuesday, October 11, 2005

"On average, men get paid more money than women. Most people think this is unfair, but let's look at it another way. Given a choice, most people would rather spend money than earn money. And who is doing all the spending?

If you don't believe that women spend most of the money, just walk into any Sears store and see what they're selling. If you're a male, you see maybe two things you might want-a second cordless drill (so you have a spare in the car) and a trickle charger, because you like how the look in the garage. That's all you want in the whole store. But SOMEONE is buying all that other stuff in there or sears wouldn't be in business. Someone is buying those fuzzy toilet seat covers. Someone is buying decorative covers for tissue boxes. Someone is buying place mats.

Who could it be?

Kids don't have money. Pets aren't allowed in Sears. By the process of elimination, we can conclude that women must be buying all that other stuff. Women are spending most of the money.

If you were from another planet, say Switzerland, and you only knew these two facts-1) Men earn most of the money, and 2) Women spend most of the money-what would you assume about who is holding whom by the whatchamacallits and swinging the person who owns the watchamacallits around in the air while yelling, "I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR!?"

It's a rhetorical question."

- Scott Adams, the Dilbert Future


I'd always quoted this section as: "Men may earn more, but women spend more. Which would you rather?"

A lot more pithy and rememberable, I think.