When Women Rule the World

“Mommy, how would the world be if men weren’t so silly?” Lavidia watched her brother’s foolish behavior as he played with other boys in that park. The mother pondered the question for a moment, and after seeing her son get hit by a stone, she said, walking towards him: “The world would be much worse, sweetheart. If men had our abilities, humanity would be engaged in constant wars, and cruelty and oppression would spread everywhere.” The mother separated the two fighting boys and comforted her crying child who now sat on her lap, while she used a handkerchief to clean the blood that was beginning to ooze from a budding bump. The daughter continued: “But, mommy, we wouldn’t allow that, right? We wouldn’t let them ruin everything.” “No, of course not, Lavi. That would only happen if, in addition to being as intelligent as we are, they were also stronger.” “But would society have survived in such a world?” “Hardly,” the mother replied. “And if it did,” she continued, “it would be a world of straight lines, full of useless grand constructions made to demonstrate their power, with wasted spaces...” “And much uglier!” the daughter added. “Certainly. But you know what? The worst part wouldn’t be that Lavi. The worst part would be that they would be the benchmark, and we would spend our lives sighing to do what they do.” The daughter hesitated for a moment and said: “What nonsense! I would never waste my time playing silly games like chasing a ball, or...,” she looked to her right, “or competing with other girls to see...,” she laughed, watching what a couple of boys were doing beyond, “competing to see who has the biggest breasts.” The mother smiled as well and said: “You would, Lavi, you would. Deep down, we’re a bit silly too, and we let ourselves be carried away. I assure you that if men ruled the world, we would even give up having daughters just to be like them, because we would want to do the same things they do.” “Give up motherhood?” the girl widened her eyes and put on a look of total disbelief while trying to imagine such a horrible world.