We see the bloodshed, the hatred, the greed, the ruthless brutality, and then we look to see who is making or letting this madness happen. We find that male excesses, not male needs-certainly not women's and children's needs-drive the world. Clive James, the well-known cultural critic, stated, "It would be a better world if women were running it." He believes women are better guardians of civilization because, "Women see more of reality; they are better anchored; men are more into their fantasies." Yes, Cordite & Testosterone investigates these ideas. Tanner wants to see both men and women running the world. The real importance of Cordite & Testosterone is the huge challenge it presents: -a challenge to the men to prove Tanner wrong, -and a challenge to the women to take an active role in demanding better, demanding a voice, demanding nothing less than full participation in running the world.