The Alternate Reality of Viagra

I turn on the TV, cue commercial and it’s selling Viagra. Lately, I’ve been paying closer attention to the Viagra commercials, especially with the ones that include women. The content structure is more or less identical. Handsome, silver-fleck haired man, between 50ish-60ish, has a knowing look on his face. His wife or girlfriend (more likely the former, but sometimes it’s left unclear) breaks into a Mona Lisa-like smile. Her body transforms itself in anticipation. I pay no attention to the man in the story, but the woman’s role intrigues me.

I have no statistics to refer to, but I wonder, are wives and female partners happy and willing to accommodate their men when the latter get into that mood? I mean, what if you’re doing the laundry or mopping the floor, or just returned from 8 hours of brain-dead work, and your randy partner sneaks up behind you ready to light your fire? Can you summon up enough energy to spark a flame? And, if you’re willing and able, do you have four hours in your day to devote to one task. This is one activity that precludes multi-tasking. (Well, ideally.) What if you say ‘no, not now, dear’? Do you feel guilty for not being supportive of your male partner, whose self-esteem is inversely related to his erectile dysfunction condition? What do you do under these circumstances?

The commercials, not surprisingly, are from a man’s perspective, and the woman is merely a silent, compliant being. Truly, it has changed the lives of men, but has it changed the lives of women for the better? I’m curious to know because implicitly, the target market for Viagra includes the female partners and these ads don't leave me wanting for the day when I might be.