Status Updates From The Screwtape Letters

Sigh rhis isn’t great

The point that got me was the idea of we think that any reason for getting married other than 'being in love' is somehow cynical. The idea of sticking together for children is cynical. That looking for an economical, intellectual, and sexual partner is somehow mercenary, instead of just going with the one that you 'love'.

It struck me because it's true. Love marriages are treated as 'better' than arranged ones.

The discussion of marriage and its associated beliefs was rather depressing, we have this view that it was 'different' back then 'easier' or 'more wholesome'.
Nope. They had the same issues we do. This book was written 80 years ago, but it talks about how we can be made to think that 'being in love' is most important, if after 20 years of marriage, we are no longer 'in love' then it must be time to end the marriage.

Well, reading this makes me realize that there really isn't anything new under the sun.

In the prior chapter, Screwtape gave an excellent precis of the idea that all people interact only through competition and through the use of other people in order to gain something for themselves. While he never used the word 'power' it was an excellent summary of Foucault...12 years before he started publishing.