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In their third episode, the Young Americans take the occasion of the recent New York primary victory of 28-year-old self-declared socialist Millennial Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to wonder if their peers really are all socialists now, or are just going through a phase. They also reflect on the 10th anniversary of The Dark Knight and debate whether it is the best blockbuster released in their (so far relatively short) lifetimes.
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Good program; you’re learning!
Socialism is a moving target. Back in the 19th century, leftists dubbed the real economy, “capitalism“ (bad), and their fantasy economy, “socialism“ (good).
Over time, under pressure from reality, the definition of socialism gradually drifted in the direction of capitalism, as the original socialist ideas (like the end of money and a magical change to human nature) were jettisoned. Today’s socialists mostly don’t want the government running everything, just education and health care.
It seems quite probable to me, incidentally, that Democrat primary voters selecting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over an Anglo party hack may be nothing more than Hispanic voters going for the Hispanic name on the ballot.
The Democrats’ program of dividing America by race and ethnicity is a two-edged sword.
I don’t buy that people from your generation to mine (latter Gen-X) aren’t socialists, or flirting with it.
I think they buy into it in the “dorm room” sense. They love the idea of it, they don’t get the downside. They think their creature comforts won’t be affected, they think they’re not rich, therefore they won’t be taken from, it will be taken from people better off than they to be given to worse off than they.
They think it’s Norwegian white socialism, not that Central American kind.
I wonder what it would look like if the government ran education and healthcare…
This is fair. I think it can be true both what I said and what Alec said: Many Millennials don’t understand what socialism is, and what capitalism has done, while not really being in favor of true socialism. They want a sort of “feel-good” socialism, with free college but also the latest iPhone.
Somebody get these hotheads outta here. TDKR is the superior movie.