Does media mirror reality? Watching sitcoms of a particular era is a good indicator into the social landscape of that time.
So is it an interesting paradigm shift in the American media and household in how men are potrayed? Let alone hen-pecked, slacker,out of shape husbands who never grow up, but love their family, have a good heart and don't cheat on their gorgeous wives as potrayed by numerous sitcoms, "Everybody Loves Raymond", "King of Queens"or "According to Jim".
Let's shift the focus for a bit to the single men of the late '90s. George Costanza , is a typical single New Yorker in his late 30s, maybe early 40s. George Costanza is potrayed as a medicore worker who cannot keep his job, over-weight, balding , with little or no luck with women, with quirky overbearing parents.
In sharp contrast, Barney Stintson is your smooth 30 something New Yorker, in top shape, always in suits, thinks of life as a larger version of a video game where one needs to come up with new tricks to score random hotties. He is self-absorbed, seemingly successful and thinks he is nothing less than "awesome". He is also very insecure about his friends getting hitched, and loves babies and laser tag. And doesn't want to grow up.
Granted, both characters are exaggerated caricatures to evoke laughter, but is there something more to it ?
