Desire is Sacred

Changing the world requires us to understand what people want, and what they think they want.

By Allison Keats

Why do people cling so fiercely to fantasies that harm others—and themselves? In this essay, Allison Keats argues that desire is one of the hidden engines of politics: the promise of love, recognition, and dignity that helps people endure humiliation and exploitation. From the manosphere to everyday anxieties about relationships, the author shows how reactionary politics feeds on wounded fantasies—and why socialism must offer a more compelling vision of the good life.