Poll results: young people prefer socialism over capitalism (economic, retirement, money)

[HappyTexan]

If you get the majority comfortable with the word, even if they all have their own definition of it, then it becomes much easier to slowly define it over time as you move to it.

You think the capitalism we have today (big business type) sprung up overnight ?
It took time and laws and monopoly building.

Say capitalism today and most think of big business, corporates, bankers.
They don't think of small business.
Capitalism is becoming a dirty word and shunned.

[Clark Park]

I read an interesting quote recently:

"In the old Soviet Union, capitalism triumphed over communism. In the United States, capitalism triumphed over democracy."

[InformedConsent]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

And why not. Our education system promotes it with everyone's a winner, we're all the same, social promotion over actual skill.

Yep. And equal outcomes over actual development of potential. Public school K-12 indoctrination.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

And why not. Our education system promotes it with everyone's a winner, we're all the same, social promotion over actual skill. The family unit promotes it with kids getting what they want when they want it.

Then they become adults and reality is not how they grew up.
The recession and lack of jobs only drove the numbers upward this year.

The poll (Pew) had the following breakdown:

49% of the 18-29 crowd favor socialism
55% of Blacks favor socialism
59% of liberal Democrats favor socialism

Young People More Likely To Favor Socialism Than Capitalism: Pew

Also this is about how many of these groups grew up on welfare handouts.

All these kids have known is that the government is the Great Provider of all good things. They didn't grow up watching a parent get up in the morning and go to work to put food on the table.

It's really a shame but these welfare babies are outnumbering the kids who grew up with an example of the work ethic.

[malamute]

It all comes down to how they expect to get their money to buy their cell phones and iPods and food.

With Capitalism they would have to get up in the morning and go to work in order to have money to buy these for themselves.

With Socialism the government provides them their cell phones, iPods, food, housing.

Food stamps don't look quite like money so they love them. Money looks evil because you have to work to have it.

[buzzpost]

Originally Posted by SamBarrow

This is completely useless without a specific definition of "socialism" because it seems to differ depending on who you ask...

Use common sense. Something of which LIBS have none.

[Fiyero]

I prefer a split Socialist/Capitalist system.

[alphamale]

Socialism sounds good in theory, especially if you're young.

Once out in the real world, you realize that you may have a skill or ability that will bring you more income than your contemporaries.

At that point, you forget "equal".

[malamute]

I teach my kids the difference between Capitalism and Socialism, I don't let the schools do the teaching.

Fairly often my kids want money for something and they know they will have to do some special work in order to earn this money.

On Capitalist days, the one who does this work, gets his money and can use as he wishes.

On Socialist days, the one who works gets told that it's not fair that he gets money while the others who laid around and played video games or slept until noon and did no work get nothing so it gets split "fairly".

Funny thing is, I can't get the kids to do any special work on Socialist days.

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by Fiyero

I prefer a split Socialist/Capitalist system.

I think that's kind of what we have today with much battling going on between the capitalism part and the socialist part as to who pays how much from one to fund the other. It will get worse though as neither side wants to give in to the other.

The Fourth Turning is a good book about history as cyclic progression rather than linear progression and repetition. One system ends with much fighting and upheaval and pain while another comes in to takes it's place.

Civil War was one such time, the Great Depression/WWII was another and we are due soon as the 80 year cycle is coming to a close.