What is trickle-down sexonomics, and how can we fight it?

The GOP tax bill currently squeezing its way through Congress is hinged on the polarizing theory of trickle-down economics. Will slashing taxes for corporations and the rich ultimately amount to money rolling downhill into the pockets of “ordinary Americans?” Whatever side you’re on, evidence suggests that even if TDE does work, the process is slow and the net result, unimpressive.

I’m more certain of the theory’s effectiveness in the field of sexonomics. In trickle-down sexonomics, the results are way more striking and pervasive.

In droves, men at the top of the food chain in entertainment, media, politics and more are finally being outed for their atrocious embodiment of sexual harassment. And as it happens at the top, so shall it trickle down. Because as long as the men creating our favorite films and TV shows, delivering the news in our living rooms, and swaggering around the West Wing are doing it, trust that it’s seeping down into every pocket and pantleg of society.

At play here is implied consent. We’re always peeking up at our leaders for the nod. As in, Trump lets fly his bigoted comments, so white supremacists start marching. As in, my wife and I have Pakistani friends who had to pull their two sons out of school when the bullying began shortly after Nov. 8, 2016.

Yes, in firing Lauer & Co. & Co. & Co. & Co. (et al), we’re extracting some bad apples. But how do we plant new seeds? How do we make meaningful, lasting change within such an insidious and entrenched culture of abuse?

About 85 years before Hillary’s “What Happened” book, Oklahoma’s favorite son penned his own post-election analysis, entitled “And Here’s How It All Happened.” In it, he suggested that FDR enjoyed a landslide win over the Republican incumbent because “The money was all appropriated for the top in the hopes that it would trickle down to the needy…But (Hoover) didn’t know that money trickled up. Give it to the people at the bottom and the people at the top will have it before night, anyhow.”

(So, whaddya know: “trickle down” terminology © 1932 Will Rogers. All rights reserved.)

Rogers clearly fell into the anti-trickle-down camp. But if he was right – if our money ultimately trickles up to the rich – then perhaps our virtues can. We can double-down on dismantling societal suggestions of what “being a man” should look and sound like. We can personify respect, equality and honor. We can truly own our duty of modeling principled manhood for forthcoming generations.

If we men can commit to all of this – which essentially amounts to acting like decent human beings – then slowly, eventually, our values will trickle upwards. We can reverse-engineer the trickle-down toxicity of today by setting the new standard to which all men should be held, and by which they should be promoted, or rewarded, or elected.

Money, power, sex. We’ve always known them to be inextricably tangled. But now, as we finally begin disassembling this antiquated machine, tossing away the rusted and rotted parts, we have a chance to re-envision, reinvent, and rebuild.

Meanwhile, take note: yours truly is a vigilant one and will remain fiercely protective of my wife and daughter. Grope them at your peril. But I also believe that morality is buoyant. Given the chance, it will rise up and up and up for all to see.

That’s my theory, anyway. Trickle on, brave souls.

This story was originally published December 10, 2017 at 11:10 AM with the headline "What is trickle-down sexonomics, and how can we fight it?."