The Essential Confrontation

Over and over, I see this confrontation:

A thin, dark-eyed, passionate kind of girl, arguing against animal cruelty or for consumer rights, gun control, women's right to choose, carbon emissions control, immigration rights, etc.
Versus
A heavyset, scowling, florid-faced man, often with a handlebar mustache, arguing from the opposite perspective and often from an industry or business point of view.

I've seen it so often that it's starting to feel like all basic conflicts can be boiled down into this stereotype. It's all about individual freedom of choice, versus producers' control of the marketplace. Biodiversity and species' "right to exist", versus the desires of humans to expand their access to natural resources and improve their economic outlook. Idealism versus pragmatism. Compassion versus greed. Urban versus rural. Education versus experience. Both are sincere, unshakeably entrenched in their convictions. It would be a stalemate, except that the man is always the one with the power. He listens, arms crossed, his scowl deepening, but he doesn't have to do anything to change, and he won't. The girl can rail at him all day and he'll never change - even if it made sense for him to, just to spite her, he won't.