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Notes -
It's not just Western media. There's a lot of complaints about MILs in some Asian societies as well. I've heard many examples of MILs ordering their DILs around and some DILs fighting back and correcting expectations.
It's interesting to hear stories of how things have changed over the past few generations in some countries. A funny story; i knew a couple with a young kid who lived in the US. His parents lived in China and had nanny cam access to some of the rooms. They couldn't stop offering unsolicited advice about what to do so much that the US couple threatened to shut off the nanny cam if they didn't stop.
See here for examples: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2023/12/135_130229.html
https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2016/07/11/korean-mother-in-laws-mantra-please-cook-for-my-son.html
Oh we have this problem as well, very very massively. another issue is that the husband still sides with the mother over his wife in marriage, which leads to strife between him and his wife. I wouldn't say it's merely an unsolicited advice problem where the wife can ignore the advice and everything is fine, it's the MILs literally ordering the wife around and treating her like a servant, which shouldn't be seen as OK. I suppose it's more fine when you have actual servants she can order around so the wife doesn't have to do everything herself but if you don't it makes the wife's life hell.
I like to think when I get married my mom won't be like that to my wife, but every man probably thinks that way...
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