This commentary on the ridiculous use of “socialism” is so spot on! You describe it perfectly- I’ve been longing to develop this thread, and here you’ve done it. I’m in, I think this is my tribe!
There is a terrific article on the New Yorker - from a few years back, I’ll find it - about the way the AMA squashed Harry Truman’s determination to set up universal healthcare as we came out of WWII. The too-talented marketing team came up with “socialized medicine”… that’s all it took.
I live in a country (Canada) where socialism is not 'the great scare' ...In fact, the influence of socialism colors many of our laws. But the fate of women is still a weak point, even if we made quantum leaps...In any system of government, the cause of women is underestimated...
If only we could negotiate a truce between left and right in which the right stops calling every left wing position “socialist” and the left stops calling every right wing position “fascist.”
Yes, McCarthy was big, but the first Red Scare following World War I was pretty damn bad all by itself. Check out the film "No God, No Master" to get a flavor of the times and some actual historical fact.
Red-baiting was also aimed at gun reform. The minute you start talking about that, suddenly people are screaming, "They're trying to take our guns away!" I did wonder where all that came from, and you know something? NRA are some really ignorant people who believe things like that easily. I became a member for about a year just to see what kind of crap they talk about. It was eye-opening. Took a while to get them to stop sending me junk.
Socialist, Terrorist, Communist, Fascist, Capitalist, Globalist, Anarchist, Colonialist, Imperialist, Isolationist. These are just a few labels from our arsenal of smears. We hurl them at one another to smother any criticism that threatens to set our indefensible actions and ideologies aflame.
We use them not so much to silence our critical opponents, but to frighten off the spectators. For the crowd's greatest fear is that they themselves may get splattered and others might witness their stain.
When we have no logical or moral argument to offer against the truth, the best defense is always to attack, to attack wildly, to hurl insults and labels at random. The crowd of spectators will run for cover behind your shield of lies, for their greatest fear is that their own privileged, pristine conscience might also begin to burn from the guilt of having to face ugly truths.
Now, consider the stigma of being labeled a "Socialist." A society whose members fear being accused of advocating for social well-being, for harmony, for services that care for all... that is not a society. It is an arena. A jungle. A rat race. It is the survival of the fittest, where the philosophy of self is paramount.
So if you fear being labeled a socialist, it could be worse, they might label you a humanist!
It’s important to remember where we were taught about socialism . Think back to your days in public school. The teacher and the texts never truly defined socialism because many of them thought it was a step to communism. The teachers were ignorant and failed to conceptualize the fact that Medicare, FDR’s enactment of jobs programs, Medicaid for struggling Americans, were all examples of socialism but never “labeled” as such. I cannot begin to tell you the number of teachers who confused my children(now in 30’s and 40’s). It is difficult to explain teachers are not teaching truth. I tried, because in the 70’s my teachers seemed to grasp ideology of socialism a little better. Not today. Ask your children’s teachers how they “feel” or what they think about “ socialism” -I think you will be unpleasantly surprised!
Thank you, Ethan. The latest breaking news of Trump’s decision to test out nuclear weapons, has me terrorized. When he commented yesterday that we have the largest arsenal of weapons, I felt that awful nausea I get when I suspect he is plotting another event against us! Sometimes I think it’s my cancer, but I’ve become all too aware it’s the manifestation of fear I’ve held since his election. You must warn everyone. I don’t have the following. I only started last week either my Substack. We are in the most vulnerable time ever. RFK’s brain worm must have gotten to djt -combined with his sociopathic tendencies we are all in grave danger.
The capitalist (and therefore eventually Imperialist) countries have ALWAYS gone to a great length to prevent the young socialist/communist countries from developing their economy - including State Coups, Terrorism and Embargo.
***
The USSR and its allies were heavily sanctioned, the obvious example is Cuba, living under the heavy US embargo for more than 60 years, and you probably know what happened to Vietnam and Korea. The US and its Japanese pawns caused civil war in Korea and divided the country into 2 different parts, all in order to prevent the communist government to take over.
Another classic example is Chile, where the US/CIA sponsored the coup to overthrow legitimate socialist government and installed the fascist dictator Pinochet, who sold out the whole country of Chile to the western Corps at fire-sale prices. The same thing as those fascist clowns are doing now to Ukraine and Argentina.
Just look at what the US/CIA is doing in Venezuela..
***
So, ask yourself a simple question - If the Capitalists are so sure that Socialism/Communism doesn't work and always fails, why do they spend so much effort and resources trying to destroy them?
***
How the US wages economic war on countries all around the world:
"Every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba. If such a policy is adopted, it should be the result of a positive decision which would call forth a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspicuous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation, and overthrow of government."
- Lester Mallory, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1960
I’m personally skeptical of democratic socialism but I admit it’s probably what’s best for America going forward and I am very sad that the Biden administration was rejected just for remotely appropriating it. As someone whose parents are from India I know full well why many oppose democratic socialism - Arnold Schwarzenegger is Republican because when he came to America in the sixties he thought Democrats sounded too communist and Asian-Americans were a reliably Republican voting demographic prior to the Democratic Party’s embrace of fiscal conservatism under the Clintons.
The way we hit back on the corporate/think tank narrative is the corporate welfare giveaways to conglomerate businesses who barely pay taxes. It's interesting that the Dems never really grasped that narrative. I mean it was right there the whole time.
Almost too saddened to entertain the scenario any longer think this is goodbye . The bush is enticing me……….. as I see myself just walking …………. And walking and walking ect…… dimensions blend the form again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and 🦘🥲
Instead of calling them Socialism we could just call them very idealistic but dumb ideas that never work (at least not in the long run) due to the flaws in human nature. Eventually self interest and greed will ruin every idea proposed above.
Capitalism isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s the worst economic system ever devised by man, except for every other system. It thrives on self interest, which, for a while, requires playing nice to succeed. The role of government is to encourage people to continue to play nice.
Interesting attempt. In the end, they all have the same ideal - end private property ownership, install a dictatorship (which we now know also means protecting the current power structure regardless of the figurehead on top) and eventually allow the masses to have license to take from the earners. It has been played out many ways, and I have read all the caveats. In the end, in incentivizes people not to work, and fraudsters to suck out cash all along the process while producing nothing. It also is almost impossible to vote your self out of it. No thank you. It's failures are legendary.
Of a particular interesting point, the modern western democratic welfare state, based upon ever increasing populations so that the ponzi schemes can stay afloat, is facing a reckoning. Falling birthrates and populations mean they are now all acutely nonviable, especially those related to health care. What happens to the big socialist dream when the money runs out?
This commentary on the ridiculous use of “socialism” is so spot on! You describe it perfectly- I’ve been longing to develop this thread, and here you’ve done it. I’m in, I think this is my tribe!
There is a terrific article on the New Yorker - from a few years back, I’ll find it - about the way the AMA squashed Harry Truman’s determination to set up universal healthcare as we came out of WWII. The too-talented marketing team came up with “socialized medicine”… that’s all it took.
Keep on keeping on!o u
Ethan, my respect and admiration for you are damn near boundless
I live in a country (Canada) where socialism is not 'the great scare' ...In fact, the influence of socialism colors many of our laws. But the fate of women is still a weak point, even if we made quantum leaps...In any system of government, the cause of women is underestimated...
Thanks, Ethan…
Socialism smears have thus far failed against Zohran Mamdani, Katie Wilson or Omar Fateh. They are all quite effective candidates.
In deep blue NYC
Where the dumbest voters are
Packed with MILLIONS of illegals who stole American jobs
If only we could negotiate a truce between left and right in which the right stops calling every left wing position “socialist” and the left stops calling every right wing position “fascist.”
Yes, McCarthy was big, but the first Red Scare following World War I was pretty damn bad all by itself. Check out the film "No God, No Master" to get a flavor of the times and some actual historical fact.
Red-baiting was also aimed at gun reform. The minute you start talking about that, suddenly people are screaming, "They're trying to take our guns away!" I did wonder where all that came from, and you know something? NRA are some really ignorant people who believe things like that easily. I became a member for about a year just to see what kind of crap they talk about. It was eye-opening. Took a while to get them to stop sending me junk.
Yes
Socialist, Terrorist, Communist, Fascist, Capitalist, Globalist, Anarchist, Colonialist, Imperialist, Isolationist. These are just a few labels from our arsenal of smears. We hurl them at one another to smother any criticism that threatens to set our indefensible actions and ideologies aflame.
We use them not so much to silence our critical opponents, but to frighten off the spectators. For the crowd's greatest fear is that they themselves may get splattered and others might witness their stain.
When we have no logical or moral argument to offer against the truth, the best defense is always to attack, to attack wildly, to hurl insults and labels at random. The crowd of spectators will run for cover behind your shield of lies, for their greatest fear is that their own privileged, pristine conscience might also begin to burn from the guilt of having to face ugly truths.
Now, consider the stigma of being labeled a "Socialist." A society whose members fear being accused of advocating for social well-being, for harmony, for services that care for all... that is not a society. It is an arena. A jungle. A rat race. It is the survival of the fittest, where the philosophy of self is paramount.
So if you fear being labeled a socialist, it could be worse, they might label you a humanist!
Its why I listen to this on repeat. https://youtu.be/OfQzegXwsac?si=UzF31ASC2U0rcMFF
It’s important to remember where we were taught about socialism . Think back to your days in public school. The teacher and the texts never truly defined socialism because many of them thought it was a step to communism. The teachers were ignorant and failed to conceptualize the fact that Medicare, FDR’s enactment of jobs programs, Medicaid for struggling Americans, were all examples of socialism but never “labeled” as such. I cannot begin to tell you the number of teachers who confused my children(now in 30’s and 40’s). It is difficult to explain teachers are not teaching truth. I tried, because in the 70’s my teachers seemed to grasp ideology of socialism a little better. Not today. Ask your children’s teachers how they “feel” or what they think about “ socialism” -I think you will be unpleasantly surprised!
Thank you, Ethan. The latest breaking news of Trump’s decision to test out nuclear weapons, has me terrorized. When he commented yesterday that we have the largest arsenal of weapons, I felt that awful nausea I get when I suspect he is plotting another event against us! Sometimes I think it’s my cancer, but I’ve become all too aware it’s the manifestation of fear I’ve held since his election. You must warn everyone. I don’t have the following. I only started last week either my Substack. We are in the most vulnerable time ever. RFK’s brain worm must have gotten to djt -combined with his sociopathic tendencies we are all in grave danger.
The capitalist (and therefore eventually Imperialist) countries have ALWAYS gone to a great length to prevent the young socialist/communist countries from developing their economy - including State Coups, Terrorism and Embargo.
***
The USSR and its allies were heavily sanctioned, the obvious example is Cuba, living under the heavy US embargo for more than 60 years, and you probably know what happened to Vietnam and Korea. The US and its Japanese pawns caused civil war in Korea and divided the country into 2 different parts, all in order to prevent the communist government to take over.
Another classic example is Chile, where the US/CIA sponsored the coup to overthrow legitimate socialist government and installed the fascist dictator Pinochet, who sold out the whole country of Chile to the western Corps at fire-sale prices. The same thing as those fascist clowns are doing now to Ukraine and Argentina.
Just look at what the US/CIA is doing in Venezuela..
***
So, ask yourself a simple question - If the Capitalists are so sure that Socialism/Communism doesn't work and always fails, why do they spend so much effort and resources trying to destroy them?
***
How the US wages economic war on countries all around the world:
youtube.com/watch?v=qYUq_9XlQs0
***
"Every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba. If such a policy is adopted, it should be the result of a positive decision which would call forth a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspicuous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation, and overthrow of government."
- Lester Mallory, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1960
https://dwkcommentaries.com/2023/04/21/state-department-secret-memo-from-1960-set-basis-for-subsequent-u-s-policies-regarding-cuba/
I’m personally skeptical of democratic socialism but I admit it’s probably what’s best for America going forward and I am very sad that the Biden administration was rejected just for remotely appropriating it. As someone whose parents are from India I know full well why many oppose democratic socialism - Arnold Schwarzenegger is Republican because when he came to America in the sixties he thought Democrats sounded too communist and Asian-Americans were a reliably Republican voting demographic prior to the Democratic Party’s embrace of fiscal conservatism under the Clintons.
Hey thanks!
The way we hit back on the corporate/think tank narrative is the corporate welfare giveaways to conglomerate businesses who barely pay taxes. It's interesting that the Dems never really grasped that narrative. I mean it was right there the whole time.
Love ❤️ this
Bunkers, nukes, USA….. ? WTF……………….🥲🦘
Almost too saddened to entertain the scenario any longer think this is goodbye . The bush is enticing me……….. as I see myself just walking …………. And walking and walking ect…… dimensions blend the form again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and 🦘🥲
Rare earth, they glimpse back as they depart. I’m………….
Instead of calling them Socialism we could just call them very idealistic but dumb ideas that never work (at least not in the long run) due to the flaws in human nature. Eventually self interest and greed will ruin every idea proposed above.
Capitalism isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s the worst economic system ever devised by man, except for every other system. It thrives on self interest, which, for a while, requires playing nice to succeed. The role of government is to encourage people to continue to play nice.
Interesting attempt. In the end, they all have the same ideal - end private property ownership, install a dictatorship (which we now know also means protecting the current power structure regardless of the figurehead on top) and eventually allow the masses to have license to take from the earners. It has been played out many ways, and I have read all the caveats. In the end, in incentivizes people not to work, and fraudsters to suck out cash all along the process while producing nothing. It also is almost impossible to vote your self out of it. No thank you. It's failures are legendary.
Of a particular interesting point, the modern western democratic welfare state, based upon ever increasing populations so that the ponzi schemes can stay afloat, is facing a reckoning. Falling birthrates and populations mean they are now all acutely nonviable, especially those related to health care. What happens to the big socialist dream when the money runs out?