Socialism vs Romance

The oft derided Romantic impulse is impossible for socialists for many very good reasons. If we are not to breed ourselves like cattle, then we must somehow discriminate when we chose to marry and have children.

Discrimination of any kind requires us to have some set of standards, morals and principles by which to make our judgments. We all have them. Some are attracted to financial success, some to physical prowess, and so on.

But Romance, of course, is not that simple. People often think that it is financial success that they want in a partner, but marry someone poor with no prospects. Or they marry someone rich and find that wealth didn’t answer their Romantic longings. And if you can fathom these and all the other inexplicable matings which occur under the banner of Romance, you begin to understand inherent enigma of Romance.

Socialists and Social Justice warriors want equality of outcome, regardless. No one is allowed to have a story that matters in the unfolding of their life. Some opponents of socialism call this a lack of accountability. While I see their point, I think Socialism and Social Justice is much worse than that: those philosophies deny people their heart’s desire, which is love for who they really are.

And how can you know who you really are if you are denied your story? People don’t fall in love because of someone’s outcome; people fall in love because of who the other person is and how that person has navigated their way through the trials and tribulations we all experience in life, no matter who we are.

Some want to be loved no matter if their outcome is total failure. This can mean everything to some people. Some people want simple lives, some people want glamour, some people want children, and some people want careers. And no matter what people want, they want someone to love them for what they want or they want someone who shows them a new kind of life that they might enjoy. Haven’t we all seen all these paths and paths not taken in our friends and ourselves?

Take away every person’s story and substitute the Socialist’s ideal Social Justice cause and grievance of the moment and you’ve destroyed the person for the benefit of the Socialists, to support the Socialists usually rather limited perceptions of life. The enigma and the mystery of life is subsumed in the trash heap of society’s latest fixations and trendy causes.

Mystery is the essence of Romance and the essence of life. People who live their lives by programmatic Socialism are afraid to face the ultimate mystery of love. As the great Bard said, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” But, ah, you can learn so much by loving and embarking on a Midsummer’s Night Dream.

Happy Valentine’s Day