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Reader question: Please explain this sentence, with “collective bootstraps” in particular: “The guys who made up Aerosmith pulled themselves up by their collective bootstraps and climbed to the top of the rock world again.” My comments: After suffering a setback, members of the Aerosmith music band worked their way back to the top of the rock and roll world – with a song or album dominating the pop charts one more time. They were able to succeed again because the musicians banded together, obviously, putting their differences aside (for example), and worked hard and as a team. Pulling themselves up by their collective bootstraps suggests that the team worked hard. But first of all, the expression “pulling themselves up by their collective bootstraps” is not to be read literally. To read it literally may result in the understanding (or misunderstanding rather) that all Aerosmith members wear heavy boots, the type that, say, mountain climbers wear in winter weather, the type of tough shoes with thick boot straps. No, that is not the case. Not all of them wear strong boots, certainly not in summer. Pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, collectively or individually, merely indicates that they are making a great effort. This expression is probably derived from the fact that it is hard to squeeze one’s feet into the heavy boots and lace the shoes up – the straps refer to the laces. | 
