socialism, it's so hot right now...

Why Do Rich Kids Love Socialism? - The Atlantic

A teacher who has to buy his own school supplies, an adjunct professor who works at three universities to make ends meet, a social worker who assists the disadvantaged, a nurse whose hospital was bought by private equity, a federal employee who watches lobbying groups kneecap safety regulations, a data engineer who helps make a product that gives teens suicide advice, a student who takes out burdensome loans to get a degree that is no longer a guaranteed ticket to a middle-class life–what should these people think of capitalism as it currently exists? What do you expect them to think? And why is it considered hypocrisy, rather than a defensible moral position, when some members of the PMC decide that the ugliness they encounter in their workplace, corporate office, and daily life is symptomatic of a system that deserves significant, even systemic, reform? (emphasis mine)

if you look at what’s going on and don’t have serious migivings about how things are going; i have to wonder whether you’re simply stupid or morally bankrupt. i appreciate that “capitalism” has been the most successful mechanism for moving {b,m}illions out of poverty. but in its unconstrained form, it’s leaving so many bodies in its wake. i don’t even know what to call what we have at the moment, but a capitalist kleptocracy is feeling about right.

unfortunately, i fear americans are too ignorant (in the best way) or willfully misinformed to think about socialism from a new perspective or to even do the simplest separation of socialism from communism. we could use some mandatory (re)education on some topics. /ducks