The Pittsburgh Press (March 18, 1946)
Ferguson: Antidotes to nagging
By Mrs. Walter Ferguson
Now we’ve heard from the American husband. According to the Gallup Poll his pet peeve is a nagging woman.
I think he has just cause for complaint. Too many wives spend their time broadcasting their grievances.
When a wife’s desire to talk lapses into nagging, she can take all the joy out of a man’s life, wear down his soul, discourage his buoyant spirits and frazzle his nervous system.
Hearing the complaints and whines of a dissatisfied woman is enough to turn the best-natured male into a grouch and the wonder is that more husbands don’t go berserk.
Of course, the average married male gradually builds up a resistance against this form of marital torture. Long before the days of radio commercials, husbands turned off dials – in their minds. They closed or opened their ears at will.
I think the habit of grunting out replies to feminine remarks stems from a husband’s ability to shut off his attention whenever he foresees a nagging siege.
The American husband also has mastered the art of hiding behind a newspaper. You can see most of him – but he just isn’t there. The gesture of lifting up newspaper pages in front of the face can silence the wifely tongue sometimes better than any words he utters.
Nature looks out for her creatures, we’re told. I believe it. Look at husbands, who sink into unresponsiveness at will.
Considering how little they gain from nagging, isn’t it strange that women don’t give it up?