Is Your Child a Socialist?
Highly likely, according to a new survey from Pew. From 24/7WallStreet.com:
Young Americans have a more positive view of socialism than capitalism, according to new research from Pew. That puts them in contrast to the balance of adults, the great major of whom view socialism negatively. But younger Americans, those under 29, may have read the headlines about the future of Social Security and other social safety nets and believe these programs will be gone in two decades. That makes the results understandable.
I’m not sure I agree with the analysis – that faltering, bankrupt entitlement schemes have turned young Americans into Little Octoberists. But seeing their paychecks and their futures get looted to pay for those faltering and bankrupt entitlement schemes is certainly going to have some effect on their attitudes and political philosophy. I hope it makes them turn sharply to the right. But this survey indicates that they’re turning sharply to the left.
Stupid kids.
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Dec '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Magically refilling refrigerators are to blame.
Feb '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
They're little socialists because the education system has so completely sold out to that philosophy, and that defines their world-- until they get out into the real world. Those who can handle it, turn to the right. Those who can't, join the Occupy movement.
Aug '11
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Not my 21 year old. He's about as far away from embracing socialism as you can imagine. And...he's got a lot of friends who are just like him.
So perhaps there is a little bit of hope after all.
Dec '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Conservatism has always been and will always be counter intuitive. Thats why we constantly have to explain thing and re-fight old battles with every new generation. On the bright side considering how well we have been doing with an anti-intuitive message, no centralized leadership, and no national spokesperson for the last 12+ years I am looking forward to the day when we elect a Republican president who can talk and the old media finally loses the majority market share.
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
This actually makes no sense to me. Seems to me that the kids these days are flocking toward the libertarian/libertine special combo.
Jun '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Self-esteem poisoning, caused by an overdose.
Jun '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
I don't think we all mean the same thing by the term "socialism."
For many the term is synonymous with "Communism" and conjures up images of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but for those under 29 the U.S.S.R. is something they may have read about in a history book, not part of their lived experience. When they say they have a positive view of socialism I doubt they have in mind the dictatorship of the proletariat or government ownership of the means of production.
Many have been to Europe, or at least Canada, and have seen first-hand that multi-party democracy, civil rights, and private enterprise can coexist with cradle-to-grave welfare, free health care, and clean efficient public transportation systems. That's more or less what they want us to copy when they say they want "socialism."
May '11
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Stupid kids? Yes, but only because we have stupid teachers. I remember having a communist history teacher sophomore year in high school. How did I know we has communist? Well apart from him spewing socialist propaganda every class, he had commie posters all over the classroom. The kids in my class seemed to pretty much accept everything he said, although at the end of the year when the teacher asked the class what they were going to do in light of his teaching most of them said move to Canada, rather than work to reform the US. That made me happy. As long as parents don't talk to their kids about proper government, many lefty teachers will be happy to take their place.
Aug '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
We seldom admit this to ourselves, but it's our fault. We should make a list of the things we didn't do that would have helped the next generation to be more discerning. Then we should do whatever we still can do.
Jul '11
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
I'm 24 years old and own my own business, a Socialist I am most certainly not. I think the problem isn't so much that people my age are stupid, as it is that they have never been allowed to see 'the other side'. It had never occurred to a friend of mine that private charity (for example) was more efficient and thus better than government handouts.
May '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
The libertarian beliefs of today's young people go something like this:
You can do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt someone else who is not rich. Oh, and keep the government out of people's lives as much as possible unless they are 1) rich, or 2) a non-left-winger producing carbon dioxide.
Oct '11
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Most of these kids (roughly speaking of my generation.) never stood much a chance. They're children of hippie-dippy baby-boomers, educated/indoctrinated by government activists, and saturated by propaganda masked as entertainment (Captain Planet, Nick News, Ferngully.) from their first cognizant moments on. We're blessed more of them aren't squatting on public land in a trotskyite fervor.
Dec '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Agreed. How many children have any idea what is required to keep them housed, clothed, and fed? How many are required by either circumstance or wise parents to be part of the process of caring for their own basic needs? For those parents who do include the children, how many laws are they breaking?
Nov '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
The saying "If you aren't a socialist at 20, you have no heart, if you are not a conservative at 40, you have no head" is really quite old (variations of it go back to at least the 1870's). If they had comparative polls going back over several decades, it might be an interesting article, but as it stands it's pretty useless (especially its conclusions).
Aug '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
The same survey has the Occupy Wall Street crowd giving a 39% positive reaction to Socialism. I think it's actually fruitful to look at all the data, which is odd and contradictory in many places.
May '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Robbie! SHARE with your sister! Don't give me that "Its MINE garbage!"
Clothes, housing and toys appear without children lifting a finger. All children are raised in socialism.
Jul '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
Joseph Stanko: I don't think we all mean the same thing by the term "socialism."
For many the term is synonymous with "Communism" and conjures up images of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but for those under 29 the U.S.S.R. is something they may have read about in a history book, not part of their lived experience. When they say they have a positive view of socialism I doubt they have in mind the dictatorship of the proletariat or government ownership of the means of production.
Many have been to Europe, or at least Canada, and have seen first-hand that multi-party democracy, civil rights, and private enterprise can coexist with cradle-to-grave welfare, free health care, and clean efficient public transportation systems. That's more or less what they want us to copy when they say they want "socialism." · Jan 16 at 1:16pm
I'd be interested to see some polling around this, but this sounds right to me. I think most of them equate socialism with the welfare state and entitlements without any concept of the economic definition of socialism or the totalitarianism that seems to follow in its wake.
Apr '11
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
I hope the next generation realizes that there are a lot of basic things the government should and can do to help people. What do you gain intellectually by calling it socialism?
We happily watch the Daily Show and Colbert each evening as a family and agree with what we see.
Our kids will move on to value the ideas of Paul Krugman and Robert Reich.
Actually, the GOP Clown Car of candidates has helped a lot also.
Edited on January 16, 2012 at 10:52pmJul '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
I'm a 22 year old and technically a conservative...though I am more in line with the 19th century British Gladstonian Liberals. I was a naive factory setting liberal until about 16 when I got a real job. Been a reactionary ever since.
Dec '10
Re: Is Your Child a Socialist?
When my daughter was in 6th grade and her class was studying Marxism, she raised her hand and said, "But, if you take money from people who are working and give it to people who aren't, why should the workers keep working?"
Socialists? Not my kids. Hey, Doc Rahe? Got any spare applications for Hillsdale, freshman class of 2016?