I applaud your bravery in citing Dr. Schlessinger's book. It's come up before, and I found just CeMar and me agreeing with its main points, and she is a very controversial figure.
I read excerpts of the book (not the entire thing), and listened to her "take" on the subject many times on her radio program. I would disagree with you that it's written from the man's perspective. On the contrary, I took her major point to be that it's been her experience, in her practice and on her radio show, that WOMEN aren't happy in their marriages, and that THEY can be happier if they'd just learn the very simple needs that most men require:
Feed them. Admire them. Make love to them. And they will move MOUNTAINS to make you happy.
I do think that there has been an overall "feminization" of the American male over the past 30 years or so, from little boys not being allowed to play "Tag" in school and doping them up with Ritalin just for being rambunctious boys... to grown men being told by counselors that if they just get more in touch with their feelings, and empathize with their wives, that all will be better.
As you point out, rightly I believe, BOTH sexes need to do a better job of moving out of what's comfortable for them, and meeting the other's needs. I think there was a time, in the "Ward Cleaver" 1950s, where it was grossly imbalanced toward the woman being expected to just suck it up and do most of the work in that regard.
Now, I don't even think it's arguable, it's imbalanced the other way.
