[const_cast]

I don't even think we necessarily need socialism.

So far, we've been pretty good at identifying where capitalism just doesn't work and then bandaiding that area with legislation.

For example, capitalism has no solution for disability. In a capitalist system, everyone must work. Those who don't work should, then, be filtered out - die.

But that's obviously bad, so bandaid - SSI. We say, if you're disabled, we'll give you little socialism, so you don't die. We'll put a communal responsibility on keeping you alive because that's what's most beneficial for society.

There's no rule anywhere saying we have to just let AI make the world a worse place. No, WE decide that, even in a capitalist system.

[krapp]

You say we don't need socialism then give an example of where we need socialism.

Socialist activism is the reason we have labor rights and a minimum wage and eight hour workdays. Socialists are the reason American companies no longer field private armies to shoot striking workers dead. Socialists are the reason American schoolchildren get free lunches. Socialists died to make life in the US something more than grist for the mill for anyone who wasn't rich.

I'm going to say yes, we need socialism. And we need to admit that we need socialism. And we need to stop acting like socialism is a bad word.

[const_cast]

I mean, I agree - it's just a very tough sell. A much easier sell is demonstrating areas where we already use communal reasoning to supplement the failures of capitalism.

[sangnoir]

The best time to have moved the Overton window was decades ago. The second best time is now. It's also relevant to this age, as the current strain of capitalism is showing its ass, and everyone can see it.

[saubeidl]

I think one core issue in capitalism is that it's really hard to decide things that go against the interest of capital. See Big Oil, but also Big Tech these days.

Sure, theoretically a democratic system would allow us to make all sorts of changes to curtail the worst excesses.

In practice though, once the capitalist class has accumulated enough power, nothing that goes against their interest actually happens. They buy off politicians. They manipulate the public, be it through ad campaigns or even just straight up buying the media (Bezos buying WaPo, Musk buying Twitter).

Capital distorts democratic decision making until it becomes completely unviable to curtail their power.