• zeppo@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    I’m more of a practical American socialist than a radical communist (since that’s unlikely to happen here) but it offends me because republicans are just so ignorant. The average Republican essentially has no idea what socialism, communism or fascism actually are, and conservatives have been using this as a scary label for my entire life.

    • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 day ago

      Both parties agree on the standard indoctrination. They only disagree about the purpose/topics of the brainwashing. Neither party wants it to include an honest discussion about socialism, fascism, etc. It’s a self-perpetuating problem where the indoctrinators don’t even understand what this stuff means.

    • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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      2 days ago

      I’m more of a practical American socialist than a radical communist (since that’s unlikely to happen here)

      Why do you say this? What’s a “practical American Socialist?”

      • zeppo@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago
        • practical: I don’t have any delusions that the US will implement leftism more extreme than EU style socialist policies any time soon
        • American: I’m from the US
        • socialist: I feel the government should be involved more in regulating industries, owning certain categories of services, moderating excess wealth, and ensuring the financial/economic well-being of citizens, as opposed to the conservative style which is basically ‘well, if you’re poor then fuck off’.
        • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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          2 days ago
          • practical: I don’t have any delusions that the US will implement leftism more extreme than EU style socialist policies any time soon

          The EU doesn’t have socialist policies, you’re referring to social safety nets.

          • socialist: I feel the government should be involved more in regulating industries, owning certain categories of services, moderating excess wealth, and ensuring the financial/economic well-being of citizens, as opposed to the conservative style which is basically ‘well, if you’re poor then fuck off’.

          So you’re talking Social Democracy, like the Nordics, not Socialism.

          • zeppo@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Not precisely as I mentioned public ownership of some industries and services that are privately owned. Healthcare and drug production would be two good examples.

            • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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              1 day ago

              Those are found in the nordics, that’s still dependent on Capitalism as the basis unless you also want to entirely restructure government.

          • NoMadMan@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Look, people have been debating the definition of socialism for decades, and you guys are not going to figure out here today on Lemmy World.

        • zeppo@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Defeatist because I’m not pushing for full communism or are you referring to something else?

          • DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social
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            2 days ago

            The thing about defeatism is that sometimes it’s just correct, the war is lost. Socialism as in the workers owning the means of production is a currently impossible concept for America. Social democracy would need a tidal wave of the YOOTHS building a New Deal-type political coalition as the Boomers die off but it’s something you can work towards.

    • NoMadMan@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      In order not to be confounded with economic socialists, who the right accuses of wanting everything for free at the expense of others, I always inform people that I am a Nathan J. Robinson socialist.