Ms. Atlas, time to shrug.
Because you've been holding the world together since the dawn of time.
Every year, around this time, I start to reflect on possibilities. Not pie-in-the-sky what ifs, but rather a reflection on how my life would be if my friend Scott were still alive. Indeed, 30 years ago this week, my best friend died in a tragic winter accident brought about by the overconsumption of alcohol. And each January, I spend time reflecting on what might’ve become of his life, what he would be doing, whether he would have kids, whether we would be living near each other, or even if we would still be friends (I think that answer is “yes”).
My annual deep winter reflection also steers me into unexpected territory in the “what might’ve been” or “what could be” department. And this year, I thought of this:
Try to imagine a world where women didn’t exist.
I got to thinking about this when my Audible account somehow recommended I read the book Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand’s philosophical (picture me making air quotes) -magnum opus - outlining her philosophy of objectivism, where tragically few loyal practitioners imagine carrying around the weight of other, lesser people and then decide to stop working: causing the modern world to grind to a screeching halt. So basically chip-on-the-shoulder narcissistic selfishness.
But every time I think about Atlas Shrugged (and ignore the Audible recommendation) I come to the same conclusion: Who is John Galt? He’s an egomaniacal narcissist whose wife irons his underwear. Yeah, some dude’s like their underwear ironed, which is bananas by the way.
Anyhow put Ayn Rand’s smoldering cigarette aside and look around: Look at who’s actually carrying the weight in this world. It’s all women: Mothers, Wives, Grandmothers, Nannies, Aunts, Cousins, Daughters - you name it - they hold men together in the face of intransigence, insecurities, incompetence, stubbornness, toxic masculinity, sports-watching, mess-making, weekend golf trips, and Barstool Sports fueled nonsense. They work multiple jobs to feed their families, then come home and kick ass all over again as the primary cook, maid, and laundry manager.
Yet their standing in this country seems to be both taken for granted and increasingly put under the thumb of theocratic authoritarians. Hell, a major party’s Presidential candidate has been married three times and routinely insults and degrades strong and capable women at every moment. But I’m convinced that without the women in this country, nothing - and I mean NOTHING - would get done. And if you need proof, read anything from Reshma Saujani - Founder/CEO of Moms First (formerly Marshall Plan for Moms) and the Founder of Girls Who Code for more perspective than this one human can muster.
That’s it. That’s my post. Rest in Power, Scott.