You're In There With Me

“You’re in a pretty bad fix at the present time,” LeMay said.

“What did you say?” Kennedy snapped.

“You’re in a pretty bad fix,” LeMay responded.

Kennedy forced a laugh. “You’re in there with me.”

-       Jeff Nussbaum, Undelivered

Workplaces function on the parent-child dynamic. It’s deeply etched into our psyche. Boss as Mum or Dad. We as Children.

We see this in action even in the highest levels: Between the President of the United States (‘Dad’) and the United States Air Force Chief of Staff and Commander of Strategic Air Command, General Curtis LeMay (‘Child’).

Le May speaks to his Commander in Chief as would a petulant child to their father. Insubordination and discourtesy aside, Le May implies President Kennedy - ‘Dad’ - alone can make right the nuclear annihilation confronting the world.

We see in this exchange the Faustian pact every worker makes with their boss: I’ll suppress my agency in my life if you protect me from the anxiety of choice.

President Kennedy will have none of it.

“You’re in there with me.”

As both President and General confront vaporisation in a nuclear fireball along with millions, President Kennedy acknowledges their shared humanity.

It’s time we grew up.