--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Making coffee has become the great…" description: "\"Making coffee has become the great compromise of the decade. It's the only thing \"real\" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity. To wome..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/erma-bombeck-780_chickens_making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compr_123165.jpg" --- # Making coffee has become the great compromise of the… ![“Making coffee has become the great compromise of the decade. It's the only thing "real" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity. To women, it's on the same domestic entry level as putting the spring back into the toilet-tissue holder or taking a chicken out of the freezer to thaw.” quote by Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/erma-bombeck-780_chickens_making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compr_123165.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/erma-bombeck-780_chickens_making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compr_123165.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/erma-bombeck-780_chickens_making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compr_123165.jpg) > “Making coffee has become the great compromise of the decade. It's the only thing "real" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity. To women, it's on the same domestic entry level as putting the spring back into the toilet-tissue holder or taking a chicken out of the freezer to thaw.” [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Coffee‑making is a socially accepted, low‑stakes task that lets men perform a domestic chore without challenging traditional masculinity. **In simple terms:** Coffee is a safe domestic task for men. Key Takeaway Gender norms dictate acceptable chores. Themes gender roles domestic labor culture Mood wry observational Type social commentary When to use this quote - office coffee breaks - family breakfast routines - shared household chores Key Concepts masculinity social acceptance Practical Applications - reframe chores as skill‑building, not gendered - use humor to discuss domestic expectations Questions to Reflect On - Why are some chores gender‑neutral while others aren't? - How can we normalize all household tasks across genders? A Different Perspective Such framing can reinforce stereotypes rather than dismantle them. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chickens/) [Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Entry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entry/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Freezer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freezer/) [Great coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-coffee/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Making Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-coffee-1433251/) [Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity/) [Masculinity Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity-women-1357215/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-men/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Threaten Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threaten-masculinity-1433252/) [Tissues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tissues/) [Toilets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toilets/) ## Related quotes > [“You know, all through the centuries, pathetic men have abused strong women who threaten their masculinity,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/you-know-all-through-the-centuries-pathetic-men-have-abused-strong/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Women are beautiful when they're young, and not after. Men can still preserve their sex appeal well into old age… Some men can maintain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/women-are-beautiful-when-they-re-young-and-not-after-men-can-still/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I didn't grow up making coffee. I'm not good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lulu-wang/i-didn-t-grow-up-making-coffee-i-m-not-good-at-it/) [Lulu Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lulu-wang/) > [Americans are making coffee a bigger part of their lives, expanding attitudes and behaviors that are driving new levels of consumption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-nelson/americans-are-making-coffee-a-bigger-part-of-their-lives-expanding/) [Robert Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-nelson/) > [See, this was why I liked coffee. You couldn’t screw up making coffee. Even the bad stuff was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/see-this-was-why-i-liked-coffee-you-couldn-t-screw-up-making-coffee/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I do think that there is a real crisis of masculinity that's happening in America. I think the problem is - the way it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-do-think-that-there-is-a-real-crisis-of-masculinity-that-s/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Some men can maintain cragginess and weary masculinity. Women just get old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/some-men-can-maintain-cragginess-and-weary-masculinity-women-just-get/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [My son would walk to the refrigerator-freezer and fling both doors open and stand there until the hairs in his nose iced up. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/my-son-would-walk-to-the-refrigerator-freezer-and-fling-both-doors/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I don't know why no one ever thought to paste a label on the toilet-tissue spindle giving 1-2-3 directions for replacing the tissue on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-don-t-know-why-no-one-ever-thought-to-paste-a-label-on-the-toilet/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The powers of a man's mind are directly proportional to the quantity of coffee he drank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/the-powers-of-a-man-s-mind-are-directly-proportional-to-the-quantity/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [Good coffee is a benefit, but great coffee is a reward, and the difference between good and great is just pennies a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wyckoff/good-coffee-is-a-benefit-but-great-coffee-is-a-reward-and-the/) [Richard Wyckoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wyckoff/) > [I would rather suffer with coffee than be senseless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/i-would-rather-suffer-with-coffee-than-be-senseless/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Coffee, according to the women of Denmark, is to the body what the Word of the Lord is to the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isak-dinesen/coffee-according-to-the-women-of-denmark-is-to-the-body-what-the-word/) [Isak Dinesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isak-dinesen/) > [You did it! Congratulations! World's best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody! It's great to be here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/you-did-it-congratulations-world-s-best-cup-of-coffee-great-job/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [The best Maxim I know in this life is, to drink your Coffee when you can, and when you cannot, to be easy without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-best-maxim-i-know-in-this-life-is-to-drink-your-coffee-when-you/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## More by Erma Bombeck > [Cats invented self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/cats-invented-self-esteem/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To my way of thinking, the American family started to decline when parents began to communicate with their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-my-way-of-thinking-the-american-family-started-to-decline-when/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The term 'working mother' is redundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-term-working-mother-is-redundant/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To say, "Well, I write when I really get into it" is a bunch of bull. Put the paper in the typewriter, stare at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-say-well-i-write-when-i-really-get-into-it-is-a-bunch-of-bull-put/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I used everything you gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-used-everything-you-gave-me/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, 'No thank you' to desert that night. And for what?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/just-think-of-all-those-women-on-the-titanic-who-said-no-thank-you-to/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The mole rat is the only rodent born without a fur coat. With a good lawyer, someone would pay for that little oversight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-mole-rat-is-the-only-rodent-born-without-a-fur-coat-with-a-good/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [God created man, but I could do better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/god-created-man-but-i-could-do-better/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [If the nest is truly empty, who owns all this junk?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/if-the-nest-is-truly-empty-who-owns-all-this-junk/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Housework, if it is done properly, can cause brain damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/housework-if-it-is-done-properly-can-cause-brain-damage/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy: Seize the Moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-have-a-friend-who-lives-by-a-three-word-philosophy-seize-the-moment/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/when-i-stand-before-god-at-the-end-of-my-life-i-would-hope-that-i/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Before we sent kids to computer camps and told them they were having a good time, there was imagination among the human species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/before-we-sent-kids-to-computer-camps-and-told-them-they-were-having/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-would-have-invited-friends-over-to-dinner-even-if-the-carpet-was/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) [Explore all 372 Erma Bombeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## More Chickens quotes > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) [Christoph Niemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-niemann/) > [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [I've never even been into those supplements or any of that. I don't even drink energy shakes. I'm not into that kind of stuff.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-ve-never-even-been-into-those-supplements-or-any-of-that-i-don-t/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-mckenzie/one-of-the-mistakes-i-made-was-thinking-chickens-and-penguins-could/) [Bret McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-mckenzie/) > [My dad was proud of himself when he farted. He sounds like he's strangling a chicken when he farts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-barron/my-dad-was-proud-of-himself-when-he-farted-he-sounds-like-he-s/) [Carl Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-barron/) > [I joined PETA for minks and dogs. I need my beef, my chicken, my seafood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waka-flocka-flame/i-joined-peta-for-minks-and-dogs-i-need-my-beef-my-chicken-my-seafood/) [Waka Flocka Flame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waka-flocka-flame/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [In a way that somebody else converts to Judaism or becomes a Hare Krishna, I belong to the church of fried chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/in-a-way-that-somebody-else-converts-to-judaism-or-becomes-a-hare/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I eat a lot of chicken with salad or salmon with salad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ellison/i-eat-a-lot-of-chicken-with-salad-or-salmon-with-salad/) [Jennifer Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ellison/) > [To this day I over prepare. I draw storyboards for every scene - chicken scratches so crude that they amuse and horrify the crew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/to-this-day-i-over-prepare-i-draw-storyboards-for-every-scene-chicken/) [Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/) > [Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-erotic-nothing-kinky-it-s-the-difference-between-using-a-feather/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You want a drumstick? Like a ice cream cone or a chicken wing!?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/you-want-a-drumstick-like-a-ice-cream-cone-or-a-chicken-wing/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [I'm such a fitness freak that I eat so plain, it's gross. I have oatmeal in the morning and then I have chicken breasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-such-a-fitness-freak-that-i-eat-so-plain-it-s-gross-i-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The chickens have come home to roast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-ace/the-chickens-have-come-home-to-roast/) [Jane Ace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-ace/) > [Dinner Special - Turkey $2.35; Chicken or Beef $2.25; Children $2.00](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/dinner-special-turkey-2-35-chicken-or-beef-2-25-children-2-00/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Browse all 1,079 Chickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chickens/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Making coffee has become the great compromise of the decade. It's the only thing \"real\" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity. 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