Is modern orthodoxy like communism?

My roommate moved out and left me without an internet connection- right now I’m mooching off my blogger buddy Jacob Da Jew but I will not be able to blog like a rabid maniac- due to no internet and no job.

Its a simple question, although I doubt the answer would be as simple. It seems that modern orthodoxy is like communism, in that it is great in theory but it never went according to plan. Modern orthodoxy is moving way to the right, becoming yeshivish by nature and leaving all of those true to the word of modern orthodoxy behind. Then of course you have many who consider themselves modern orthodox- who are in fact more like conservatives who want to be orthodox.

Then again many people consider themselves something that others would not. Case in point, when I grew up we always considered our selves orthodox, but we watched TV on shabbos, and ate out in non kosher restaurants. Violating the two basic tenets of orthodoxy.

Most people when asking the question “are they religious?” mean to say, do they keep kosher and shabbos. Of course kasharus and shabbos isn’t so easy. Does keeping shabbos mean that they are extremely strict on the lesser known melocho’s which while psychologically ok on shabbos are just as bad as cooking and carrying. Does keeping kosher mean 100% kosher or is eating out salads and sushi ok?

So even if modern orthodoxy was like communism, what would be the right way to be orthodox? I mean who knows what modern orthodoxy really is anyway. It has changed over the years to mean many different things, according to many different people.

In the more ultra orthodox realms it may come to mean someone who does not devote his life to Torah, or maybe it means that someone reads secular books and magazines. While some consider those women who do not cover their hair and wear pants to be modern- regardless of what other laws they may keep. Modern orthodox for many means to engage in secular society, yet lead a life devoted to keeping the torah and mitzvos.