They would have been two prototypes of the Celtic Tiger. I noticed them in their sharp suits as I turned into Fitzwilliam Street because the animation of their conversation was more electrifying than the ESB across the way. They were standing beside a parked Bentley as I approached. One of them was jabbing his finger towards the iconic machine and spluttering: "Do you know what the monthly repayments are on that? Five thousand euro. Five th-ou-sand eu-ro!"

"Jesus!" went the other. Indignation radiated from their every pore, and I felt gladdened. They showed not a hint of respectful awe. Maybe it's true, I thought, that we've finished with the culture of size is all that matters.

That night there was an item on the television news about the blogger who discovered a flaw in Ryanair's on-line booking, allowing intending passengers to snap up free tickets. An executive in the airline had responded to the blogger's exposé of the loophole with a tirade of foul-mouthed insults predicated on sexual dysfunction. A company spokesman went on camera to defend his colleague but he too reverted to the prehistoric tactic of slighting the blogger's manhood. "If you want to play with the big boys…." he taunted. For the second time that day, I felt optimistic because, in the crossfire of profanities and pubescent squaring up of male appendages, something else resonated. It was the sound of bygone days.

The game is up for the avaricious big boys in the boardroom with their obscene bonuses and unethical practices. And bully for that, but there is a more important change happening that goes far beyond the banks. The zeitgeist itself is being re-invented and the form it is taking is female.

It is International Women's Day in a few days' time. Normally, that prospect is enough to drive many women indoors with embarrassment at the patronising tokenism of it. This year, though, it feels different. This year, there is possibility in the air.

The culture of ballsy heroes that has prevailed is finally being examined, if only because the boys who advanced by those rules find they themselves have become the losers they so revile. No more of the expletive-laden vernacular, the fake genuflection to equality, the jingoistic crowing about being richer than Britain, the phallic symbols of success, the aggress­ion, the abusive name-calling, the laddish clubability, the chorus of 'Seánie, you're the man' and 'women and your silly feelings, get over it'. These are the macho principles (forgive the oxymoron) that have damaged our society by promoting and rewarding those with questionable contributions to make other than swapping bawdy jokes with the boss and bawling out the underling. Rambo has been striding the workplace while his bimbo mate went shopping. We have not been getting the best from ourselves.

The other side of the coin are qualities like encouragement, respect, appreciation of skills and talents, fairness and human connection. These are what are known as female values, derided by the macho brigade who are now exhibiting ever increasing signs of besiegement. Female values are not the preserve of females. In the brash meritocracy, the many men who embody such values have been suppressed by a culture that pretended to flower from equal opportunity. The thing about equality is that everybody is in favour of it but those in power believe that delivering it means coming down to everybody else's level.

It has been predicted that women will come to rule the world once again someday but that would be just more imbalance. I would settle for being ruled by female values.

jmccarthy@tribune.ie