It’s not that hard. Think of it like this: most people who live in these cities like them. What don’t they like? It’s likely one or a combination of: Too crowded, don’t like the way people are, too expensive, changing from how it was when they liked it to something else.
So they find a place that is cheaper, less crowded, where people don’t behave in the same ways as the ones they don’t like in their city. They find a place with “potential” that just “needs a few things...” and they move there and begin to change it (and it tends to begin to change as more people like them come- in an exponential cycle) to suit their tastes. It sucks doesn’t it? That’s that whole “gentrification” thing that people in urban environments have been taking about for decades. Where that little space you’ve built home and community starts filling up with people who have the money, power, and numbers to start pushing out you and yours and transforming your home into theirs- a place you can’t or don’t...
Want to live anymore. Hopefully anyone feeling this can apply their emotions to others in the future when they hear people dealing with similar struggles. To the subject though- it’s simple. The “best” places get taken first usually. Places with beauty, access to things, economic opportunity- and people congregate there. The immediate surroundings become places for people who don’t want to pay the price or deal with the crowds, then someone else says “I don’t mind driving 2 hours to get to work if it means I can buy a huge house for the price of a dinky condo closer...” and it repeats as a circle widens around this central hub. With technology, now people can work from home easily and home can be anywhere. The 2 hour drive a day is now a 2 hour flight every week or month or quarter when they have to go in person. The world gets smaller every day. We adapt, or we get left behind.
Ever have a job that you just didn’t fit in? Maybe it was the coworkers or the corporate culture or whatever. Have you ever left and gone for a job in the same field but loved that one more? It wasn’t that you didn’t like what you were doing or the way the business worked- those were fine. You just didn’t like those parts of it. Or- maybe you loved most everything about it- but you had to move or had a kid or whatever so you change jobs based on your new circumstances. And maybe you like the new job less and wish t was like the old one? Or maybe the new job is great but there are a few things you wish were the same? Bagels on Friday, happy hour after work, longer lunch? So maybe the people didn’t leave because they didn’t like a socialist country. Maybe they left for other reasons and liked that part just fine. Maybe- the US is a democracy and if enough people want socialism that’s how democracy works? Or maybe- we are surrounded by hidden socialism already and like to pretend not.
Historically socialism nor communism have never worked for a prosperous country. Hitler tried to unite Germany under the National Socialist party (aka Nazis) and it ended in mass genocide. Stalin tried to "help" East Europe under a heavily government controlled communist system and it ended in mass hunger and poverty. Castro thought communism would help the people of Cuba and they ended up fleeing to the U.S. and I genuinely don't understand the "but maybe THIS time it will work!"
A socialism or communism won’t work. This time, next time, and in any realistically foreseeable future.
They are great theories that make for real terrible ways to run countries. But let’s clear a few things up- firstly: that while Nazi Germany was socialist- and did carry out mass genocide, the two things can’t be linked as you do to equate genocide as the natural consequence of socialism. Secondly- we need to seperate a socialist government from a non socialist government that can see prudence in certain socialist or leftist leaning policies for civic good. The point of capitalism is what? To encourage competition, production, and innovation through reward and challenge. Yet- we have companies acting effectively unchallenged in their markets. Stagnation. With government incentives, backing, and bail outs. It’s a system not far removed from state ran industry except you’ve cut the corruption of a socialist state but putting the money straight to select private individuals instead...
... of even trying to maintain an illusion of social ownership. Socialist and Communist became boogie man words fairly recently. By the standards of today “old guard” republicans would be looney liberals. America established agencies like the EPA and SEC, set up restrictions and busted monopolies, regulated commerce and dictated responsible practices. Build social services and public works for the good of all citizens. And America prospered. Then came the age of a new right conservativism that put an emphasis on deregulated capitalism and “free markets.” In that period we’ve seen wealth gaps sky rocket along with poverty and crime. Coincidence? So Communism and socialism don’t work. Really can’t. But when we run from any idea that is labeled “socialist” regardless of proof of merit- we are being ignorant and reactionist.
Squirrels. Fuck you. Squirrels.
So they find a place that is cheaper, less crowded, where people don’t behave in the same ways as the ones they don’t like in their city. They find a place with “potential” that just “needs a few things...” and they move there and begin to change it (and it tends to begin to change as more people like them come- in an exponential cycle) to suit their tastes. It sucks doesn’t it? That’s that whole “gentrification” thing that people in urban environments have been taking about for decades. Where that little space you’ve built home and community starts filling up with people who have the money, power, and numbers to start pushing out you and yours and transforming your home into theirs- a place you can’t or don’t...
They are great theories that make for real terrible ways to run countries. But let’s clear a few things up- firstly: that while Nazi Germany was socialist- and did carry out mass genocide, the two things can’t be linked as you do to equate genocide as the natural consequence of socialism. Secondly- we need to seperate a socialist government from a non socialist government that can see prudence in certain socialist or leftist leaning policies for civic good. The point of capitalism is what? To encourage competition, production, and innovation through reward and challenge. Yet- we have companies acting effectively unchallenged in their markets. Stagnation. With government incentives, backing, and bail outs. It’s a system not far removed from state ran industry except you’ve cut the corruption of a socialist state but putting the money straight to select private individuals instead...