Dear *daylia*,

I have to tell you that I really, really don't hate shopping because it's a "gendered activity". I hate it because it's often a waste of time and a source of frustration! The reality of modern consumer society can often reduce me to an apoplectic rage. The propaganda tells us that we have lots of 'choice' but in actual fact the average high street is full of identical shops trying to sell us rubbish that we don't need - and there is really very little choice. Until recently I worked in the R&D department of "fast moving consumer goods" company. The unspeakably arrogant shits in marketing were always telling us that we needed to find ways to fill "consumer needs". What actually happened was that they either copied what the competition was doing or converted the latest fad into product form and then manipulated the market research data to 'prove' that the consumer wanted the product ... anyway, needless to say I could go on and on about how much I hate 'marketing professionals' (excuse me while I spit!!!) so I'd better stop now!
Apart from that, as a single man, I have to do all my own shopping or I'd be reduced to wearing rags and starving ...