Why are USA Americans so afraid by Socialism?

[Chromatica Island 8,538]

3 minutes ago, PartySick said:

Maybe the kind I am? kind of moderate-left. I like the bits about our tax dollars actually being used to help people (medicare for all, actually fixing our infrastructure, other welfare systems and safety nets) but I also value a free market (consumer power) and believe that a lot of these nation wide "sweeping legislation" ideas wouldn't go over well (what works in New York might be a disaster in Mississippi and vice versa).

Really, that issue is uniquely American due to how large and diverse the US actually is. I like the Nordic model too, it just needs to be worked in properly into our 50+ different individual economies in a stable way.

Thank you for clairifying it for me, I kinda forgot moderate left existed haha

[PartySick 174,134]

Just now, Monsterabriel said:

Thank you for clairifying it for me, I kinda forgot moderate left existed haha

That's 'cause these days you're either far left or conservative, apparently 

[Chromatica Island 8,538]

Just now, PartySick said:

That's 'cause these days you're either far left or conservative, apparently 

Thats the way it is in America lol far left and far right are kinda similar both are totalitarian basically

[FATCAT 60,909]

Lack of education between the differences of Socialism and Communism, not to mention both words were basically forbidden topics, so most people didn't even try to educate themselves on what they meant for fear of McCarthy-style "outings".

[StarstruckIllusion 53,590]

Propaganda 

[ALGAYDO 35,379]

The short answer is ignorance 

[gypsy101 5,453]

probably an aftereffect of the cold war tbh, a lot of people think of socialism as being the thing that controlled russia for 70 years

[Future Lovers 7,790]

The majority of the general public don't make distinctions between socialism and communism because the terms have been (wrongly) used so interchangeably over the years. It would take a mass reeducation on the difference between them to make any majority swing in favor of socialism. 

[stevana229 1,916]

two words: BABY BOOMERS

[ProfessionalClown 10,647]

1 hour ago, PartySick said:

That's 'cause these days you're either far left or conservative, apparently 

No lie I’m like majorly in the middle but it’s funny how we in the US say left and right when I’m reality? There really aren’t any true lefties in the US. At most they’re left leaning middle of the road people. 
 

I hate the two party system  here ugh

[tomsches 17,560]

Many of them are also brainwashed into thinking it's absolutely the worst thing in the world. The USA needs Russia as an enemy to gain the support of their people and so they want to stray as far awy from communism/socialism as possible.

[SevenWonder 4,770]

Much of American trepidation of Socialism is simply in the labeling, branding and our history. In our minds? Socialism = Soviet. And we've been reared by parents and grandparents who were taught that the Soviets/Socialism were the root of all evil in the world. My mom, for instance, remembers atomic bomb drills. She equates that with socialism - which doesn't make sense. But it's hard to let go of something that impactful. 

However, in practice? Much of America adheres to varying degrees of socialism - and most like it (even if they don't realize it).  Social Security, Medicaid, and other similar constructs are insanely popular. It's just that no one calls it socialism - even though it clearly is. 

Even with healthcare (one of those annoying line-drawn-in-the-sand issues in America)? You ask low income participants who were part of ACA (Affordable Care Act)? The rave about it. You ask those same people what they think of Obamacare (literally the exact same thing as ACA)? They hate it and call it evil socialism. It's remarkable, really. 

Capitalism is too enshrined in the collective lifeblood of the US to ever go away. And it HAS been good for us - even with its glaring flaws. But I think if the US is to really continue to make its mark? We need to adopt the Nordic model of a capitalism/socialism hybrid. Even more than we already have.

But we need to rebrand it as something else.