I Am a Socialist
Ambivalent... I'm not sure where I stand on socialism. It is purest form, it is idealistic, seemingly a utopia, where everyone gets along and works for the collective good. But in practice, it always seems to fail. There has never been a true, working socialist state. Most devolve into totalitarian strangleholds, where everyone is in fact equal, but equally poor. Such as Soviet Russia. Stalin just replaced the boyars, and it pretty much was an authoritarian aristocracy. China, well, it started out that way, with Mao, but has become more capitalist than ever, allowing big businesses to come in, making China's economy one of the largest in the world today. So without a true, working model of a socialist state, there really is nothing to compare it to.
And where I'm ambivalent about socialism, I'm equally as ambivalent about capitalism. It works, as time has shown, but it is indeed cutthroat and unforgiving. While competition breeds innovation, it also breeds jealousy, arrogance, and cruelty. People will do whatever it takes to get ahead, and there really is no room for the little guy. Now, I've had a comfortable life under capitalism. I'm part of a dying middle class, as the gap between the rich and poor is increasing. But I'm right in the middle, so I haven't had too difficult of a time here. But it distresses me to see this gap increasing, and big corporations and businesses ruthlessly taking advantage of everyone putting their trust in this system. It seems that so system can keep out the worst aspects of human nature. In socialism, the quest for power usually is the downfall. In capitalism, the greed. Both systems have flaws, but I must say, in capitalism, I think is less of a downside. If, IF a truly socialist system emerged, without devolving into a totalitarian state, I would say that it is the better system. But that has yet to happen.
And where I'm ambivalent about socialism, I'm equally as ambivalent about capitalism. It works, as time has shown, but it is indeed cutthroat and unforgiving. While competition breeds innovation, it also breeds jealousy, arrogance, and cruelty. People will do whatever it takes to get ahead, and there really is no room for the little guy. Now, I've had a comfortable life under capitalism. I'm part of a dying middle class, as the gap between the rich and poor is increasing. But I'm right in the middle, so I haven't had too difficult of a time here. But it distresses me to see this gap increasing, and big corporations and businesses ruthlessly taking advantage of everyone putting their trust in this system. It seems that so system can keep out the worst aspects of human nature. In socialism, the quest for power usually is the downfall. In capitalism, the greed. Both systems have flaws, but I must say, in capitalism, I think is less of a downside. If, IF a truly socialist system emerged, without devolving into a totalitarian state, I would say that it is the better system. But that has yet to happen.
31-35, M
