Reply #22: I had suspected that was what you were driving at, about the 'power' part.

[Shandris]

Although, I must confess -- and again, this may be just a generational thing, that tends to be where I first consider differences in perception to lie -- that I haven't heard the 'ball and chain' in reference to marriage before, but rather as a 'limiter' on things that a man can do. So from my perspective, men complain about the 'ball and chain' from a perspective of 'she doesnt let me do every single thing I want to'. To me, that's a GOOD thing, and if they can laugh about it rather than get abusive over it...I guess I won't complain too much. OTOH, in reference to marriage, yeah that would be pretty damn infuriating, and you're definitely right on the money about how the very terminology of 'making' the man do something does absolve him of responsibility or choice (in his own mind). I wouldn't find that amusing either.