2 not-of-a-kind

An egotistical ‘big’ mouth tried to warn his fellow Americans against all revolutionary manifestos that envisioned a fundamental break with the past and a fundamental transformation in human nature or society that supposedly produced a new age. He felt that all such utopian expectations were illusions, driven by "ideology," the belief that imagined ideals, so real and seductive in theory, were capable of being implemented in the world.

Another egotistical ‘big’ mouth tries to convince his fellow Americans that his socialist, revolutionary manifesto offers hope and change from the past and a fundamental transformation of human nature into a more fair and equitable society, a participant in a new, global age. His utopian illusions are driven by Marxist ideology and his belief in envisioned ideals, so real and seductive in theory in their appeal to gullible youth and deceived adults. He may be capable of actually implementing them in America imitating those already implemented elsewhere in the world.

From Constitutionalist and Federalist founding father, John Adams, to socialist party member and extreme liberal presidential candidate, Barack Obama - we’ve come a long way. From the intellectual hedonism ( insatiable writing and thinking) of Adams to the physical hedonism of Obama ( 45 minute workouts, 6 days a week and bumming ciggies for his addiction), we’ve come a long way.

A line from a novel - fake but true - puts this stark contrast into perspective. The book’s protagonist says his living like a millionaire is the "last phase of bourgeoises capitalism, which will eventually collapse." Adams not only embraced individual achievement and monetary success (what today we would call bourgeoises capitalism) but also remained confident that America’s constitutional checks and balances would prevent excessive executive power. Obama lives like a millionaire, a bourgeoises capitalist, but preaches social and economic equality under a socialist system with the goal of eliminating bourgeoises capitalism in the name of the common good.