Stalin in Drag

Writer Mary Eberstadt has apparently written a book comparing the sexual revolution with the adventure of Communism in Eastern Europe, in terms of its disastrous consequences. Rings true to me. A writer for National Review objects that nobody wants to flee the sexual revolution the way many did Eastern Europe. True; while the results of the sexual revolution may be disastrous for society, and indeed for millions of individuals, almost all of us can also see the obvious payoff of lots of sex. Stalinism never had an inducement like that.

But, on the other hand, for anyone who wants to flee the sexual revolution, there is a problem not faced by those who opposed Stalinism: where can they go? The sexual revolution's triumph is so complete that there really are very few jurisdictions it does not yet fully control; and those few that do exist, like Saudi Arabia, are more or less under siege.

Sometimes it seems the only way to escape is in the pages of old books. In the last few days, re-united with my book collection, I have read to my son Arthur Conan Doyle's “The Speckled Band,” and taken up Great Expectations.

In the Sherlock Holmes story, a woman comes to ask Holmes for help. But before she does so, the author notes, she lifts her veil. 

The Speckled Band: proper black dress and veil of a Victorian lady.

Yep. London, 140 years ago—no respectable woman would go into the streets without her face covered.

In the Dickens novel, Pip is being raised by his sister, who physically abuses both him and her husband, the blacksmith. 

Pip and the abusive Mrs. Joe.

Yep. In England 150 years ago, everyone was aware that a woman was just as likely as a man to physically abuse either children or spouse.

Since then, of course, the world has gone mad. Sexual revolution.

May it all collapse one day soon like the Berlin Wall.