NPR's ATC has been doing a semi-off-color series titled "The End of Men" this week, basically exploring recent shifts in the gender equilibrium.

Today's contribution was uncannily resonant, given my current useless vegetative state.

People on life support have demonstrated more brain capacity than I have during the last few days. (Can somebody please pass the Velveeta?)

Joe Palca interviewed two cultural anthropologists, one of whom takes the alarmist view that as women continue to forge inroads into higher positions of power on par with men, more guys are now "spending endless hours slumped on a couch watching sports on TV." (Shockingly, the anthropologist in question was a male homosapien.)

Palca then sums up the crux of the guy's warning:

"Men are watching sports, taking drugs, and oggling pornography on the web."

As someone who's hardly left the room in the last 72 hours, I gotta ask:

I don't get it. What's the problem with that?

Let women do all the dirty work, while we get to watch ESPN Classic, take illicit mind-altering substances, and engage in measures of hedonistic instant gratification?

Really?

Sign me up, brotha! Bring on the Fall of Man.

In good NPR point/counterpoint fashion, Palca gets the dissenting view from another anthropologist, this time, shockingly, a female. She very wisely points out that women still have a long way to go in the struggle for socio-economic equality.

So at this point in the piece we're back to business, and I've regained the proper maturity for my age.

But not for long.

The female anthropologist goes on to say:

"What the smart men today are asking is, 'What are the natural talents of women and how can I use those natural talents in my business to get ahead?' And those that can understand how to use this resource are winning."

...? [stifled laughter]

Unfortunately, Ice-T was unavailable for comment.

And people wonder why I'm such an NPR junkie.