Fintan O’Toole is unhappy that Catholic, traditional housewives in Ireland were once “very happy.” I understand his frustration: I frequently get annoyed that people can live happy lives that do not accord with my set of values. But then I’m a conservative so that’s to be expected. Mr O’Toole I assume fancies himself a liberal.
While clearing out his attic or the attic at the Irish Times, who knows, Mr O’Toole found a survey on traditional housewives in Ireland. In a classic piece headlined, “Ireland was once the tradwife capital of the world. Worse, they were happy. Or so they insisted in surveys. But surrendering to oppression can be a form of contentment” Fintan explains how happy housewives are “astounding.”