Thoughts on the term "socialism"

[Atman]

"Accepting the results, Chavez held up a copy of the constitution he had attempted to alter and declared, "We will continue constructing socialism but under this constitution." source

Socialism.

What, exactly, is so wrong with that? What is wrong with being "social," thinking and acting in accordance to the needs of society as opposed to the needs of CEO's?

If you mistreat your neighbors and act out against the norm, you're labeled "anti-social." But somehow, being social, and advocating a system which seeks to address the common concerns of a "society," (check your Latin roots), is a BAD THING according to so many (most of them, of course, being free-market capitalists, trickle-downers, and other assorted Republican flotsam).

So, I ask the question. What the bloody eff is so bad about the concept of "socialism?"

As with "liberalism," we've allowed the media and the very capitalists who control it to redefine the English language. There is nothing inherently wrong with socialism. Or liberalism.

Unless, of course, you're a capitalist. And you own the media which tell us what to think.

:shrug:

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[Mr_Monday]

1. American Society is based upon Individualism.

That being said, Corporations should not count as individuals.

[L. Coyote]

3. Wow, that is a great oxymoran. If true, why call it a society!

[CANDO]

4. So they want us to believe, anyway.

It's a favorite con talking point. The founders wrote in The Declaration of Independence that they owed their very lives to each other in standing up the the King of England. Doesn't sound too individualistic to me.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Oddly though our current political/economic/social system is best described

as 'corporatism' which is a form of collectivism. The myth of american rugged individualism died out as a reality when it became impossible to simply pick up and move off to the frontier. That would be about 150 years ago or so.

[fascisthunter]

10. American Society is Made up of Individuals Who Work and Live Together

It's more than that "individualistic" desire for the dollar or power. It's based on "We the People". Pretty damn social from the get-go with many individuals who believe in greed and selfishness more, unfortunately. In fact, those folks get wealthy due to their own greed in a socialistic system that made it possible, only to turn around and weaken that same social system until there is nothing of it left.

"My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years," he says, "to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub."
- Grover Norquist

Why? Because selfishness is threatened by the very society that believes in helping each other, rather than enriching the "individual" as you put it. I'm an individual too, just not a greedy selfish one. Is the Country as a whole important to you, or just the few "individuals" with the money and power? And if so, is that only America to you? Very exclusive if so... like a country club... we live in a democracy where everyone matters not in some fruity fascist banana republic. Think of it as team work.... without team work, you have nothing. In order to have a strong country, you need a strong society with folks working TOGETHER as a whole, and not just competing and undermining each other for selfish gains. When that happens, there is no more country. Those countries die because of that mind set. History proves me right.

[Mr_Monday]

12. LOL. All I said was

that America was based off of Individualism and now everyone thinks I'm a fascist/corporatist (I'm not.)I think I did say that I didn't think corporations were individuals though. It's the people, the individuals, that make up America.

[LSparkle]

2. I've always considered "socialism" being belief in society

Not to the exclusion of the individual, but the basic belief that we need to act collectively in ways that are good for the whole of society, not just selfishly ("what's in it for ME?"). It really took a beating starting with the Reagan "greed is good" era.

[Taverner]

6. Nothing

We need more of it here...

And it really doesn't cost that much...

[hfojvt]

7. In the USA, the Russkies destroyed that word forever

Now it means evil, it means a repressive dictatorship where there is widespread poverty and inefficiency.

Clinton certainly aided in that too, what with the longest peacetime expansion under capitalism. It is just taken as a given by everybody but pointy-headed academics that capitalism rules and socialism drools. Calling for socialism over capitalism would be similar to calling for a dictatorship over democracy. It just isn't done.

[TahitiNut]

8. Well, there's "socialism" and "antisocialism." Pick one.

:evilgrin: (We got both.)

[Pavulon]

9. These guys ruined it.. Needs a new name

Orwell and Nabokov sum up the dilemma quite well. As does the collapse of the USSR.

[fascisthunter]

11. There is Nothing Wrong with Socialism

the word nor the meaning behind it. Sometimes it can be the people, but the concept is pretty damn strong. Societies do not exist without basic concepts of socialism.