In the US, when something is fundamentally important, we call it “the backbone.” Teachers are “the backbone” of our society! Small business is “the backbone” of America! Eggs are “the backbone” of a delicious breakfast! So, why is it that we, through this figure of speech, compare anything that’s truly essential to a “backbone”? Simple––it’s because the spine is one of the most important parts of human anatomy. The backbone is, quite literally, “the backbone” o...
