Why Socialism?

Ken-1122 said:

What capitalist debacle did Elon Musk create? Also, how does Socialism put the workers above the Government that owns all the businesses?

Click to expand...

Ken-1122 said:

What capitalist debacle did Elon Musk create? Also, how does Socialism put the workers above the Government that owns all the businesses?

Click to expand...

There is plenty of information out there to research. Thanks for engaging!

Ken-1122 said:

I was looking at a survey that said most Millennials prefer Socialism to Capitalism. I just don’t get it. I can understand having some socialist programs in place in a Capitalist country, but the entire country to be Socialist? I’m not getting this. What it it about socialism that appeals to so many young people?

Click to expand...

My view is that they're taught that socialism is "cool" and that capitalism is "evil" and that's why they want the former. It seems that way with every issue to those born circa 2000 and later. Socialism, climate change, immigration, you name it. Someone on Tik Tok or Instagram or whatever the latest cool website is said X is good and Y is bad and they have to go along with it. It's a herd mentality and most of them no longer even try to think for themselves.

Add in the appeal of lots of "free" stuff and you have your answer.

Capitalism isn't perfect, and there is much inequality and unfairness, but throwing it all away and turning to socialism will produce the same results as Venezuela, Zimbabwe and every other socialist experiment in history.

the Vital One said:

My view is that they're taught that socialism is "cool" and that capitalism is "evil" and that's why they want the former. It seems that way with every issue to those born circa 2000 and later. Socialism, climate change, immigration, you name it. Someone on Tik Tok or Instagram or whatever the latest cool website is said X is good and Y is bad and they have to go along with it. It's a herd mentality and most of them no longer even try to think for themselves.

Add in the appeal of lots of "free" stuff and you have your answer.

Capitalism isn't perfect, and there is much inequality and unfairness, but throwing it all away and turning to socialism will produce the same results as Venezuela, Zimbabwe and every other socialist experiment in history.

Click to expand...

The word socialism is misused much like the term millennials. Millennials were born between 81 and 96. They are old enough to have experienced failure of the ‘American Dream’ they were promised. Do they want true Socialism? I don’t believe so. What I do believe they want are expanded social programs similar to what is offered in Nordic/European economies.

Ken-1122 said:

I was looking at a survey that said most Millennials prefer Socialism to Capitalism. I just don’t get it. I can understand having some socialist programs in place in a Capitalist country, but the entire country to be Socialist? I’m not getting this. What it it about socialism that appeals to so many young people?

Click to expand...

In a capitalist system, the Government is in place largely to keep the people who make the most money away from being the ones who decide who is going to make the most money in the future.

the Vital One said:

My view is that they're taught that socialism is "cool" and that capitalism is "evil" and that's why they want the former.

Click to expand...

I don't think it's so much being taught as witnessing and experiencing it.

It's been pointed out that the term "socialism" has been misused pretty egregiously in the past decade or two - any government aid program that benefits the poor tends to get labeled as such. When you change the definition of a term to mean something that people want, of course they'll have a more favorable view of that term. For example, if I decide to start calling anything that is excreted from an animal "poop" - to include milk, honey, eggs, etc - and do it for long enough while convincing half the population to follow suit, then the overall impression of the word "poop" will improve. Sure, older people will still associate it with feces, but younger generations will come to associate it more with things that they like to eat.

As far as capitalism being "evil" goes, again that seems to be largely experiential. Over the past 20-30 years, we've seen a massive rise in wealth inequality and corresponding reduction in social mobility. Furthermore, protections for workers (especially lower-wage workers) are being steadily eroded in the name of profits - profits that increasingly go to shareholders and executives rather than the employees that generate them. I don't think it's much of a stretch for one of those workers to view such a system as evil. Of course, this is primarily an issue with the American implementation of capitalism, which has lately become more and more focused on deregulating corporations and trying to remove government influence from the market. We can look at other capitalist systems - like those in Europe - and see that the workers are much happier - because they have more protections, more safety nets, and more equality.

the Vital One said:

My view is that they're taught that socialism is "cool" and that capitalism is "evil" and that's why they want the former. It seems that way with every issue to those born circa 2000 and later. Socialism, climate change, immigration, you name it. Someone on Tik Tok or Instagram or whatever the latest cool website is said X is good and Y is bad and they have to go along with it. It's a herd mentality and most of them no longer even try to think for themselves.

Add in the appeal of lots of "free" stuff and you have your answer.

Capitalism isn't perfect, and there is much inequality and unfairness, but throwing it all away and turning to socialism will produce the same results as Venezuela, Zimbabwe and every other socialist experiment in history.

Click to expand...

I find that as well. I think things through and I always reach the right conclusion. Those that disagree with me are just following the herd. I feel your frustration...

Edit: Maybe the sarcasm was too subtle...

Maria Billingsley said:

I can see why because Capitalism is seemingly failing the younger generation. Remember the days when going to college was affordable? Getting a decent job after graduation was a shoe in ? Buying a home was an automatic next step.? Homelessness and disparity was a none issue? I could go on and on with reasons. The bottom line is , its not like it use to be, which is why socialism is so appealing. It offers a way to even out the playing field. Blessings.

Click to expand...

Can't say I remember days when everything was so easy as you propose it was. It is not like it used to be, that is true. Obtaining one's basic needs is much easier today than it ever was in the past. Work environments in general are much less authoritarian and stressful than in the past. What socialist system has ever delivered an even playing field or delivered what you seem to think took place under Capitalism in the past? Is Capitalism failing the younger generation? Is the younger generation failing itself? If there is an expectation that every desire will be instantly gratified, and every path will be easy there is no system that will deliver that.

Bradskii said:

I find that as well. I think things through and I always reach the right conclusion. Those that disagree with me are just following the herd. I feel your frustration...

Edit: Maybe the sarcasm was too subtle...

Click to expand...

It sounded somewhat sarcastic but that's one of the pitfalls of written messages online. Sarcasm isn't always clear.

I never said that I always reach the right conclusion or that everyone who disagrees with me is following the herd. The OP asked a question which I provided and answer to. Read the previous post to see how young people are following the herd and, in most cases, don't even want to think for themselves.

As Ken-1122 asked, what exactly do you disagree with?

Naiveness combined with vague definitions of socialism. It is most likely these kids simply don't like capitalism run amok. social democracy or regulated capitalism tend make better systems.

the Vital One said:

It sounded somewhat sarcastic but that's one of the pitfalls of written messages online. Sarcasm isn't always clear.

I never said that I always reach the right conclusion or that everyone who disagrees with me is following the herd. The OP asked a question which I provided and answer to. Read the previous post to see how young people are following the herd and, in most cases, don't even want to think for themselves.

As Ken-1122 asked, what exactly do you disagree with?

Click to expand...

The blanket statement that 'young people are following the herd and, in most cases, don't even want to think for themselves.'

Now this might just be me and I could be wrong, but if a young person agreed with you, then you wouldn't think that she'd then be following the herd. Even if there was a 'herd' of people who thought the same.

The line of thinking that says (quite explicitly in your case) that 'I'm an individual and have reached the correct conclusion by thinking for myself but you disagree therefore you are simply following the herd' says more about the person making that statement than it does about the argument or those who disagree with the person making it.