I actually don’t read the New Yorker only for the cartoons. I also look at the line drawings. These days, they are thematic, sometimes telling a story of sort as they amble across the pages of an issue. This week, the first drawing in the series caught my attention – it was a stick figure, on p. 26, of an adult holding a sign that said, “I’m happy to be single.”
As I turned the pages, I was eager to see what would come next. Each drawing was of an adult (sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes unclear) holding a sign. Here, in order, is what each of the signs said:
p. 32 “J’aime les filles.”
p. 36 “I love too much.”
p. 38 “Women don’t understand me.”
p. 43 “I’m waiting for the right one.”
p. 52 “All my wives left me.”
p. 58 “I don’t need women.”
p. 62 “My first man was a woman.”
p. 66 “I only want children.”
p. 69 “I like every woman.”
So, after a promising start, another let-down. I’d love to highlight examples from prestigious media that actually suggest something positive about singles, so if anyone ever finds any, let me know!
