Moranifesto: Make Your 2017 Resolutions

I ended my 2016 by reading British journalist Caitlin Moran's remarkable Moranifesto. A collection of her recent articles, it is the funniest and most incisive set of musings I've read on the current state of the world and how we might go about fixing it. Moran opens the book with a clear declaration of how unsuited she felt to being a political commentator. But she decided to write about the world and its ways anyway (alongside hilarious interviews with Benedict Cumberbatch of course, because why would you ever give THAT up?) and the result is a truly wondrous insight into the brain of a truly wondrous woman.

The book is divided into four parts: it begins with the current state of affairs, followed by a riveting series of articles on feminism, then a section on the future and how we can (and must) do a better job of things, and ends with Moran's personal manifesto of the issues that matter to her and which she hopes the government (whatever form it takes) will address. Each part is a scintillating read, varying wildly in terms of subject matter and tone, but always conveyed with captivating passion. Her writing is vivid and visceral and you will delight in the sheer Wodehousian flair with which she deploys words and sentences.

And yet, despite being an exceedingly funny woman, she does not choose to be "blithe." In the brilliant piece, "The Rich are Blithe," she breaks down the fundamental difference between an optimistic working-class woman like herself and a blithe posh man like David Cameron or  Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster. According to Moran, "Optimism is saying, firmly, 'Things will get better.' Blitheness is saying, easily, 'Things never get that bad in the first place.'" It's a sobering and utterly valid explanation of the difference between left and right wing political philosophies, both in the UK and the US. Moran explores that idea throughout the book as she muses on socialism's benefits in tandem with capitalism's advantages and how someone like her would never have reached such heights if it weren't for the welfare state that supported the struggling citizenry.

Naturally her thoughts on feminism are poignant and powerful, ranging from the serious topics of rape and abortion to comical (yet still necessary) declarations on how she will no longer wear heels. These articles ought to be required reading for adults and children alike because they explain what exactly women and girls are dealing with on a daily basis and imbue the reader with the empathy that is required before we can deliver true equality and social change. Reading this book gave me a whole new sense of why I am the woman that I am and reminded me that I am not an anomaly. Of course, Moran cannot (and does not) speak for every man, woman, and child's struggles on this planet, but she routinely points out the absurdity of our current age where pioneers are mocked or declared disappointments if their focus is too narrow and fails to include every cause that is currently in fashion. Instead, Moran argues for a team approach - everyone grab one piece of the quilt that you want to patch up and then we will put all the pieces together.

Moranifesto is the perfect way to begin your 2017. You may not (and likely will not) agree with everything in this book, but Moran has the uncanny ability to put the opposing viewpoint into perspective. She will get you thinking about the things that are important to you, as well as the things that are important to the world. She won't stop being a liberal feminist, but she can firmly argue why you ought to be one too. And most importantly, this book is a rousing call to action, demanding that you stand up for the things you believe in and help the world become a better place. Some of her ideas can seem like a bit of a pipe dream, but in her words, "if we can make New York, we can make anything." That sentiment right there? That's not blitheness, that's optimism. And it's what we need in 2017.