Sorry Dad, but I want to become a Socialist

I come from a mostly Conservative (not so much at the moment), capitalist family, I lead a material life. I thought yesterday; ‘what is the complete antithesis of my life?’, and the answer came to me like a light bulb in a cartoon. Granted I have actually been writing an essay on materialism vs. idealism, but I still think the light bulb analogy is valid.

Anyway  my new plan is to become a ‘Socialist’.I decided that I needed to really scrub up on Socialism, so I went to a second hand book store and picked up a penguin special Twentieth Century Socialism published in 1956. To be honest, it had more to do with the fact that I love old books and the way they make you feel like you are picking up a piece of history or someone’s life in your hands.(I also got some Hardy books published in 1920, which make me feel like I am living in the 20s or in a film).

So I began my quest to find my Socialist calling. I told everyone my plan, including the lady in the book shop, who looked quite bemused and I think was trying to hide her smirk- well she wasn't hiding it very well. At least she did better than the friend I was with, who almost collapsed in laughter. Perhaps I said it with a pinch of sarcasm… but really I have to stop getting side tracked… my serious desire to become a socialist…

 I read the first passage of the Twentieth Century Socialism. I think that some of the overall concepts it was trying to tell me is of equality rather than uniformity, all rather enlightening. The book blames capitalism for unifying us and making us sheep to materialism, which is ironic considering that we see Socialism and Marxism as doing exactly that.

So that is my first thought of Socialism. Equality not Uniformity.It is really quite exciting, I seriously am on my way to becoming a good little Socialist… sorry Dad.