Well, what I find offensive is that people keep trying to ascribe all sorts of attitudes and politics to SATC when I think it's just pure fun, which is why I used Indiana Jones and James Bond as counter examples in my first post.

That's because what's good for the goose is good for the gander, folks.

If men are allowed their mindless entertainment, living out their fantasies on screen with impossible gadgets, millions of dollars at their disposal to lose on a poker game, driving Astin Martins, cavorting with beautiful women, knocking out bad guys with one punch while sustaining countless blows to the head (as a retiree no less!) with no problem whatsoever, then uh... I don't see anything wrong with women in a movie with wonderful relationships, happily ever afters, powerful jobs, a penthouse on the Upper East Side and beautiful clothes and shoes to boot. And seriously, if we're talking consumerism, what costs more? Astin Martins or Louis Vuittons?

See, I don't see people wringing their hands over the impossibilities of Indy and Bond (or the countless other superhero movies we'll see this summer) like they do with SATC. And yes, I think it's only happening because this is a movie that's mostly for women. To get back to the matter of privileges and the "dismissal of work," maybe work/family issues were always obscured in SATC because they would make the sex and romance less fun if the audience was reminded of money and how hard it is to get ahead. (We already do that in real life. No need to see it mirrored in everything in pop culture.) But my point is, people nitpick SATC for this when they don't bat an eyelash at the rampant consumerism in Bond.

Which is why I didn't like seeing four women on Slate sit around and tear SATC apart either. When have male writers ever had to do that with Bond and Indy? No, to them it's just good fun. Sure, some men don't like the franchises just like some women don't like SATC. So what? Let the rest of us have our cake and eat it too.

(BTW, thanks for your comments, Lunesta. I enjoyed reading them in the other thread as well and obviously I loved the show and the movie, so it's nice to see another fan on these boards!)