Against Love : A Polemic

Unfortunately, Kipnis argument that adultery is a significant form of political resistance to oppressive social mores is far less successful than her argument against marriage. While there is undoubtedly a political element to cheating (inasmuch as marriage is an inherently social phenomenon), she wildly overstates its subversive power. In fact, it would not be at all difficult to argue that adultery oftentimes prolongs the misery of a bad marriage. One could even argue that cheating simply carries the delusions typically associated with marriage into non-married territory.

People who cheat on their spouses are like the Luddites, the factory workers who attacked the factory machinery instead of the plant owners--their rage is real and valid, but entirely ineffectively directed.

Opposed to marriage? Dont get married, and dont hesitate to tell people why you think marriage is a bad idea. Unhappy in a marriage? Get divorced. But whatever you do, dont try to couch fundamental dishonesty in the rhetoric of righteousness (as Kipnis does here)--we get enough of that from our corporate CEOs and politicians.

The only thing that kept me from giving this book five stars was Kipnis excessive use of run-on sentences. Otherwise, good job!