Consumerism now wants you to be single, so it sells this as sexy. The irony is that it's now more radical to attempt to be in a long-term relationship and a long-term job, to plan for the future, maybe even to attempt to have children, than it is to be single. Coupledom, and long-term connections with others in a community, now seem the only radical alternative to the forces that will reduce us to isolated, alienated nomads, seeking ever more temporary 'quick fix' connections with bodies who carry within them their own built-in perceived obsolescence.
The solution: Get radical, get hitched, demand commitment from partners and employers. Say no to the seductions of the disposable singles market.
Read the whole thing. As someone who made what felt like a very countercultural decision to get married when I had just turned 23, this resonates deeply. For someone who also flirts with a Marxist view from time to time as well, in the sense that I hate the commodification of pretty much everything in our culture, this also makes perfect sense.
No comments:
Post a Comment