Aren’t We Already Socialists?

by Kelley

I had a strong reaction to this Medium article posted here by Jessica Wildfire. An empathetic reaction — my parents were LIFETIME republicans until Obama came along! But now my sister has taken the mantle of conservatism upon herself. I appreciated this piece because it expressed clearly what I have come to after YEARS of trying to understand the appeal of conservatism, political or spiritual/religious, beyond pure self-assistance, self-absorption, and focus on self self self.

https://link.medium.com/8rAUT9j2wab

I still haven’t found a conservative person who can explain it to me beyond that. And I’m trying, really I am, because I have conservative people in my life whom I love and I’d like to understand them.

First: big government as a political problem. I get that the government is an inefficient machine, but still at its purest form its intent is to provide its citizens with basic needs so they can pursue their own happiness. I feel like people, especially as I’m watching all the crazy election stuff inundating my TV right now, throw around the word ‘socialism’ without really understanding the concept. The Oxford dictionary defines socialism as:

so·cial·ism

/ˈsōSHəˌlizəm/

noun

1. a political and economic theory of social…