Socialism Is Freedom
by Richard Cummings
Socialism was associated with Communistic ideals, a threat not only to our way of life but continued existence. The U.S. was the only non- communistic country at the time. We engraved into history the importance of freedom for generations to come as we sat on our couches, cowered in bomb shelters, to protest the Vietnam war, Socialism was considered to be as evil as communism. The ideology of freedom was never stronger for past and current generations.
Currently, five generations make up our society. Each of those five generations has a role in the way they perceived the world, marketplace. Each generation is not exempt from exposure to political views and propaganda. To understand what is happening now, we must understand what has happened in the past. For three generations, I have listed the approximate age, generational year. I will briefly describe significant events influencing their ideology.
Millennial or Gen Y: Born 1977–1995 / ages 24 - 53
Generation X: Born 1965 –1976 / ages 43 - 54
Baby Boomers: Born 1946 –1964 / ages 55 -73
I happen to have been born between 1946 and 1964, labeled as a Baby Boomer. Nuclear threat was spread all around. Parents were just grateful they had survived the Great Depression. In 1946, the US bombed Hiroshima, a shocking event to see on television in the U.S. Television recorded the event and the aftermath of the hell it created on the ground. Then Kennedy became president and the Cuban Missile crises occurred. Propaganda of the potential of our nuclear annihilation was believed. We were taught to build bomb shelters to cope.
President Kennedy was shot in 1963, once again shocking the nation. President Johnson was immediately sworn in and became the next president just before the X generation was born. The prior Baby Boomers attention was turned to Vietnam and the fear being drafted into a war we were not supposed to be fighting and dying in. The news and television recorded the anarchy. Protests occured around the nation. If this wasn't enough to change this generations ideology, landing the first man on the moon, ending a space race between nations did.
The Millennial generation was being born from parents who had learned from society the importance of being free from being drafted. Living in a growing technological nation after landing a man on the Moon, going to college, finding a good profession. Having parents who had this type of background would eventually cause misunderstandings, disharmony and familial chaos. Millennials now had baby boomer parents and grandparents who were raised and survived the great depression. Stereotypes were building and being believed.
Let's be clear about the issues. Health care is now more costly for parents of Millennials. They are being brought up in an unstable political world, particularly after the 9-11 attacks on the world trade centers. High unemployment after a devastating economy in 2008. Challenges of paying back student loans and slushy economies. The continued rise of health care cost creating a potential health crisis. The rise of social media uses with increasing judgmental behavior from parents.[5]. The Millennials are living through a very unstable and fast-changing world fracturing their social-psychological field of vision.
What is socialism after changing world venues? Definition of freedom is flawed and political trust is rusting out. "And on many issues, Millennials continue to have a distinct – and increasingly liberal – outlook"[6]. When a generation experiences a crisis, it makes room for an ideological change. The change to becoming more liberal, which happens to be associated with Socialism. [7].
When does Socialism become freedom? Perhaps it is taking longer for the Millennial generation to find the job which suits his or her skills. After all, why stay with an employer when there is no upward mobility, investment, and maybe even healthcare. Millennials are not spoiled, they are using their freedom to find the right job. Forget the stereotype, which indicates job-hopping is common among Millennials. Instead, they are seeking opportunities to find the careers they want. [8].
Disruption and irony are responsible for the division between Millennials and their Babyboomer's parents just like freedom and socialism are misunderstood. The irony over the fact both generations believe in and use technology, just not in the same similar way. Isn't it better to have health insurance like baby boomers, better than no health insurance due to affordabiliy? Babyboomer's don't like the idea of not being able to choose a providor, maybe they are just being spoiled. At the same time a Millennial wants to be healthy and access health insurance without having to forfeit all of their profit and savings to pay for it.
A Millennial doesn't want a life affected all the time by breathing poor air, devistating weather events and Babyboomers don't like disruption in not being able to choose their cars and fueling stations. As a Babyboomer, I don't care how much a cow farts, but a Millennial does knowing it will add to their environmental misery in years to come when they are older, raising their children. It's kind of ironic Millenials have a stereotype of being selfish.
Resources
1.Evonomics, The Next Evolution Of Economics. " How America Hates Socialism without Knowing Why". Why are socialist programs so unpopular today?" Sun. Retrieved 2019. http://evonomics.com/america-hates-socialism-without-knowing/
2. The Center For Generational Kinetics. " Breakdown: Info About All of the Generations." Retrieved 2019. https://genhq.com/faq-info-about-generations/
3. Teaching and Learning With ICPSR. "Voting Behavior" Retrieved 2019.
4. Teaching and Learning With ICPSR. "General Ideological Orientations".Retrieved 2019. https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/instructors/setups/voting.jsp
5.Psychology Today., "Mental Health Issues and College-Age Millennials" Esposito. Retrieved 2019. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-zen/201511/mental-health-issues-and-college-age-millennials
6. Pew Research Center. " The Generation Gap in American Politics - Wide and growing divides in views of racial discrimination." 2018. http://www.people-press.org/2018/03/01/the-generation-gap-in-american-politics/
7. The Guilford Press. "The Relationship Between Liberalism and Socialism". Rooksbye, 2017. https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/siso.2012.76.4.495?journalCode=siso
8.Forbes. "Millennials Aren't Job Hopping, Young People Are: 5 Things To Keep In Mind". Alton, 2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryalton/2018/01/22/millennials-arent-job-hopping-young-people-are-5-things-to-keep-in-mind/#397ac27a10d8.
9. Inc., " The Real Reason Baby Boomers And Millennials Don't See Eye To Eye (Written By A Millennial)". Cole. Retrieved 2019. https://www.inc.com/nicolas-cole/the-real-reason-baby-boomers-and-millennials-dont-see-eye-to-eye-written-by-a-mi.html.
