Generic Viagra Socially (Part I)
Thinking about the impact generic Viagra has had on our society, I realized this medication while a revolutionary medical product, it is also a social actor that has strongly influenced both men and women about the way they perceive what was once thought of as a negative sexual situation. If you are a fan of Friends like me, you probably remember the episode in which Rachel and Ross fight and break up. The confrontation after which they break up ends up with her telling Ross, “it is NOT okay, it IS a big deal, and no, it doesn’t happen to all men” or something like that. She was evidently referring to his erectile capacity, or in this care lack there of. Erections and generic Viagra (by association) have become part of pop culture. The taboo is out; at least most of it is. We can safely say at the very least that people have less fear and more options about erectile dysfunction these days.
With Viagra commercials popping up in every billboard, football half time ad and men’s magazine or blog, the bombarding presence of erectile dysfunction, and obviously what the advertiser believes your remedy of choice should be, no wonder the subject has been so quickly assimilated by popular culture. I recently browsed around to see how many hits I got from Google for jokes or funny bits about erectile dysfunction and Viagra. You’d be amazed! Some, of course, repeated themselves in different sites, but when you add up the images and hits this browser gave, sildenafil citrate is very much part of our lives.
The other day I was hanging out with some of my friends at a BBQ of course. We were having a couple of beers and all of a sudden the conversation turned interesting. A friend of mine started talking about his much anticipated and dreaded proctologist appointment to have his first prostate exam (yes, we are already there. The “you need to get your prostate checked” generation). Of course, Bill, who always makes the inappropriate frat-boy jokes, started teasing good old Joel until the much more mature and actually concerned Andrew shut him up to let Joel explain.
As my life time friends discussed whatever information they had on the subject, Joel’s comment froze our Sunday BBQ. His father had prostate cancer. He recovered from it; however surgery and treatment left him unable to get an erection. All of our mouths had unconsciously gone open in awe. The thought of being unable to have an erection was terrifying for us all. That’s when the conversation took a turn, and it wasn’t sympathy towards Joel’s dad and his unit. It was actually something close to girl talk I’m afraid to admit. It was the guy version of the pill talk. I heard my wife discuss with her gal pals about the different birth control pills the market had to offer, and which one they liked better. Popular topic right next to the shops they liked and the new cream they bought with anti-aging effect.
My boys were discussing the pros and cons of generic Viagra and Cialis, this pill and that. They were informed, I tell you. And much to my surprise, so was I. Most of the things these guys had heard, I had read about too. I know my dad takes them and out of curiosity, Jena and I asked him for one to “try it out”. The pill never got test driven because we found out it was a prescription medication and Jena freaks out with those things. Anyway, the thing is right then and there, I realized how well-informed men like my friends are and how every-day things like erectile dysfunction and generic Viagra have become within social circles. I’m not saying EVERYONE is okay with it or men now shout it out of roof tops, but erectile dysfunction is just one of those things that happen. And it’s okay.
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