Thus the slogan of a recording company, or an outfit having something to do with popular music, which I bumped into on the World Wide Web. I recoiled in horror, which is why the provenance of the slogan has escaped me. Nowadays, socialism is not only politically defunct, it is not only the butt of jokes, unsavory or otherwise, but it is also becoming part of popular culture. I cannot tell whether I am taken aback by this cynical paraphrase of Marx on account of socialism, though, or on account of much of my own misguided life, as well. Socialism as I knew it was not my cup of tea. Neither was the music for the masses as I knew it. Far from it. But the sheer possibility of reaching one day beyond the market in everything under the sun was always there as a consolation. Nay, as the reward for lifelong suspense, I suppose. The ultimate carrot. The mother of all carrots. Idealism, opiate of the masses.