a german once claimed that all values must be rethought
he went too far and others went further, and that was his point
is there a land beyond love and hate? there seems to be, if family
and marriage are not to be trusted, cast aside as tools of the inheritors
of society's reins to keep things moving in a direction in which their ghosts
could trust that their wealth and traditions would survive the great grand children
yet here we are, in an age that ought to be of friendship, and we are stuck in the past
worshipping the notion that love is god after god died and that children and spouses and
lovers will provide the everlasting heaven, the relief from Kierkegaard's anxiety and Kafka's
pessimism that no one has imagined past outside of vendors of serpent oils (and marketers)
love cannot give what the priests may yet promise: it swears that multiple parties will
become gods to each other in a least human way, something to write fairy tales about
but not to bet your life on; Pascal wouldn't wager the change in his pocket on such a
wild notion, but it remains a strong bet that others will wager on the coming of the
loving savior. nonsense, can't you see. you don't do unto yourself as you would have
others do undo you and you only sometimes do unto your friends as friendship would
have you do unto itself. you might quibble that perfectibility is what's dead and that
love is not built to be perfect; to that I say bah! ideals and definitions demand terms
be met, such is the power of words repeated. you are your words and your expectations
come out in speech. love lost is the defeat of groups, perhaps. family values are jealous
values, values aligned against friendship and exploration. love has died and we have killed it.
Roman Ryan 