Why I Don't Care

I'm a glutton for punishment. That's the only reasonable explanation behind my continued listenership of 680 The Fan. Chuck and Chernoff are the worst. Their mind numbing generalities are enough to make Hitler doubt Mein Kampf. What's worse is, Chuck Oliver is an Auburn alum. I know, in the spirit of Urban Meyer and his now infamous "you're either a Gator or you're not" rant you shouldn't attack your own. But wow, the guy knows as much about sports as I know about stealing cars (read:nothing). Ashamedly, I admit I agreed with something Chernoff said last week and not coincidentally it had nothing to do with sports. They were discussing your wife (or girlfriend) making more money than you. Male ego and pride is a powerful and funny thing. The majority of men would rather their lady not make more than them. This made little sense to Chernoff and finally we had something we agreed on.

I'm well aware of human frailties, physical and psychological. Men have the provider gene embedded in their DNA. For most of us, it's as constant as our desire for red meat and college football. In that same vein, men are inherently competitive and competing requires something tangible. Hello salaries! Undercover competition exists everywhere between passive aggressive statements and new pristine sunglasses. Why compete? The better question is why not? Competition breeds success and self-improvement. Why are smart kids placed in classes with other smart kids? Because competition breeds success. I know I'm not breaking any ground here, but stating the obvious is necessary in understanding pride and ego.

What do you want for yourself, for your family? Success. Ask 10 out of 10 people if they want to be successful and you'll receive 10 affirmatives. It follows that you want your spouse to be successful, but just how successful? Successful to a point? Really successful, but only if that means they're a little bit less successful than me? No, and no. Our society routinely bases success on monetary compensation. It's easy, broad, and requires little more than the ability to read in order to discern. But why? My mother stayed at home her entire life, does that mean she's less successful than the woman wearing the power suit and keeping up in corporate America? Of course not. Sure, I have some personal bias there but I believe the point stands. If my (hypothetical) wife makes one and a half times what I make, would it bother me? No.* Why would it? Marriage is a symbiotic relationship where both parties mutally benefit from the others individual happiness. If it makes my wife happy to make a ton of money, then great. Her success is well worth the additional fulfillment she derives from making said money. I desire success for my (hypothetical) wife above all else. This is why I absolutely do not care if she makes more money than me.

*I realize I am killing the hypothetical constructs here, but this is stream of consciousness at its worst people.