Wibbins asks:
Dal, I have a question, when I hear the phrase “happy wife, happy life” it’s like hearing nails on a chalk board, it usually comes from men that let their wives make all decisions and just let her do everything, is there any way to push back on this concept?
I have some thoughts but they aren’t as pithy as I would like. This seems like a good topic for an open thread, so I’ll share my less than ideal responses as a seed for better replies by others.
One thought would be to reply with a question: “What makes a wife happy?” This is an opening for a conversation that may happen immediately or may happen at a later date.
Another thought comes to mind, and this is that the offending phrase is actually a reframing of Proverbs 21:9. Offering the proverb back would be a reframe in kind:
Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
However, this is also more of a conversation opener than the kind of retort I think Wibbins is asking for. It also would only be effective for a limited audience.
One last submission to get the ball rolling:
Wimpy husband, miserable wife.
But I’m sure there will be much better suggestions forthcoming in the comments.
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