why do you think youngsters are drawn toward socialism, etc?? BECAUSE OUR CAPITALISM IS CORRUPT. they see politicians and other elected officials enrich themselves beyond comprehension, with no potential down side, and think it is capitalism that allowed it. Until we fix the corruption, people will thing anything is better. They don't realize that the alternatives are actually worse. I am tired of seeing politicians make fortunes on "insider" information before political announcements. when are we, as a nation, going to stop accepting this??
During a recent interview I watched with Robert Kiyosaki, he told the story of how a high school teacher had him read, at the age of 17, The Communist Manifesto. It was an eye opening revelation that changed Kiyosaki’s world view. I then thought about my own understanding of communism. As a boomer, I’ve been told my entire life how bad communism is. I served a lengthy military career and participated in wars to fight communism. But not once was I ever tasked with actually reading The Communist Manifesto. I knew the tag lines of what communism is, but not the complete story. So I purchased a copy on Amazon to enlighten myself. And I wondered how anyone with a reasonable brain could believe such utter lies and twisted logic. Just as we are taught the Declaration of Independence and the U. S. Constitution in civics class, we should also spend time doing an honest study of The Communist Manifesto and what horrors it has spawned around the world since its inception. Perhaps then younger minds might change.
I really enjoyed reading this! Thanks Joel. In preparation for our 250th anniversary, I have been taking a free on-line course from Hillsdale College called "The Great American Story." I am so glad for this free service to anyone for the sake of enlightenment (although I contributed because I felt guilty!).
As I revisited our rich and complex American history it reminds me how perilously close we came to defeat and failure over and over again. Studying those flawed men and women reinforced my faith in "rugged individualism." It also reinforced my faith in God. I was reminded of a famous quote from George Washington "We have, perhaps, had too good an opinion of human nature."
Those men and women had humility, they understood their own flawed natures and drafted a working document to mitigate those flaws. Compare those origins with the unmitigated arrogance and myopic visions of Marx/Engels "zero sum game." I do not claim to understand all the reasons young people find communism/socialism (authoritarian systems) appealing. Likewise, there is no way young people truly understand the true history of the "Great American Story." That I lay blame squarely on all of us; however, the public education system (the burdensome administrative dysfunction) carries a disproportionate share.
Thank you Frenchy, the only reason “young people find communism/socialism appealing is because they are TAUGHT that belief. Taught by the largest and most corrupt organization in America. The Teachers Union. These most vile individuals in control, hire only the most vile of the lot to make the vile, mentally and morally corrupt scum of society look normal and good folk look bad. Add a corrupt and morally void media system to the horror, and we have Obama’s America. Fundamentally Trans-formed into the deranged world our President is now fighting against. I believe it’s all going to work out for our “Great American Story” and hopefully many thousands of these most vile nihilists will be held accountable for their crimes against America and our children 🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Yes, Hillsdale College is a wonderful source of free courses on a wide variety of wholesome subjects. I’ve taken a number of them over recent years and benefitted greatly. And while Hillsdale charges nothing and puts no pressure on anyone to contribute, I, too, chose to financially support such a fine institution. Just as Joel’s Notes from the End of the World is free to readers, there is a cost involved at some level and it benefits one’s soul to help shoulder that cost.
Perfect Joel. Here in the USA few understand that much socialism has creeped into our Constitutional Republic thanks to the likes of Wilson, FDR, LBJ and their respective Congresses, probably should add Nixon in as suspect #1 in the destruction of our money and rise of China. Yet, we in the USA have a social safety net unmatched in the world the likes of which the Communists in China can only aspire to... unknown to most the US citizenry the Chinese people do without much of what we have in the way of government subsidization. They do enjoy the basic tenants of Communism though, no private property, no god other than the State and rules aplenty on when and how to do things to assure absolute equality (except of course the CCP party elite and friends). Regrettably these two socialist countries share very similar bankrupt finances. I'll save a discussion on the fascistic characteristics of our Capitalism for another day.
If there was any system to guarantee the abolition of government, wether you call it a revolution or deep extraction the flourishing of a private citizenry is preferable to what we had and presently have.
To all those professional class criminals and perpetual victims who need no introduction.
The Fatal Irony of Communism is that It's Prime Directive states that All men are Equal, yet one Man has to make the Decisions but the Instant that happens, You are now in a Dictatorship...
Joel, Thanks for this essay, and to the many readers comments. A conversation each person (here in the U.S. of A. ) needs to seriuosly consider. We have been a part of a two party dictatorship for too long. Am thankfull for your newsletter, if for nothing else, being aware of the "great expierenment" actually working in Argentina with positive results ,working on the peoples's behalf. Scott
Nicely drawn synopsis, Joel. It is genuinely dismaying that so many young people can be attracted to Marxism, many without even knowing what it really entails. The good news is they grow out of it as they grow up. The bad news is people like Bernie Sanders never grow up, but they maintain their ability to sway innocent minds.
Marx presented us with a sketch of the following 100 years. After his death (1874?) he became the best kind of Communist and showed us the way. Many came after, Gramsci in Italy, in Argentina we had Ingenieros, Repetto, Palacios, then Yrigoyen and -on the fascist side- Uriburu, and finally Perón whose sycophants sang with gusto "Perón, how great you are!" and then extoled the virtues of Peronism in a song that ended declaring war on Capital, the elusive investors that flew after Perón arrived: "for that Great Argentinian who knew how to win over the great mass of the people by fighting against capital!" all kinds of knaves acceded to power to save the people with some kind of socialistic scheme: Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Perón, Getulio Vargas, Fidel Castro, etc. etc. all of them delivering war and misery in the end.
I might also add, in addition to none of the endorsers of socialism/communism likely having ever lived under those two sides of the same totalitarian coin, you will find more believers in, and proponents of, socialism/communism on a U.S. college campus than you will in the entire rest of the world.
Marx was still stuck in the feudal system and never discovered the difference between a Lord and a Businessman. Both had money and he had not. Envy at the bottom of his nonsense.
"The Capitalist Manifesto" authored by Joel Bowman is a must read! His pithy and nuanced writing style is a joy to contemplate. Publishers the world over must be tripping over themselves to distribute. I suggest Penguin should be avoided. Their editorial board may be compelled to add "Unless you feel smarter/fairer/more deserving than them." to the ending.
"We had no faith in (Cook) whatever. He was not even good for a day's work, and the idea of his making such an astounding claim as having reached the Pole was so ludicrous that, after our laugh, we dropped the matter altogether.
I have reason to be grateful to Dr. Cook for favors received; I lived with his folks while I was suffering with my eyes, due to snow blindness, but I feel that all of the debts of gratitude have been liquidated by my silence in this controversy, and I will have nothing more to say in regard to him or to his claims." ~ Matthew Henson
Snowed blindness is apparently much more difficult to resolve.
Were that difficulty not so “capitalism” would be seen, & called, “counterfeitism” (Cook the “money,” Cook the books, Cook the cannibal feast, Cook everything …), or “Ponziism,” or “frack/tional reserve systematized looting, pillaging, & destruction” & the too big at any size NOT to fail would be left to its own breaking through the ice & drowning devices …
… & the eyes-protected from glaring contradictions clear-sighted lived happily ever after.
“It’s always worth noting how people who never lived under socialism adore it while everyone who lived under it hates it.”
— Garry Kasparov
why do you think youngsters are drawn toward socialism, etc?? BECAUSE OUR CAPITALISM IS CORRUPT. they see politicians and other elected officials enrich themselves beyond comprehension, with no potential down side, and think it is capitalism that allowed it. Until we fix the corruption, people will thing anything is better. They don't realize that the alternatives are actually worse. I am tired of seeing politicians make fortunes on "insider" information before political announcements. when are we, as a nation, going to stop accepting this??
True Capitalism is pure, man is corrupt. The leftist is inherently corrupt.
I agree completely. Its just like Christianity, it is pure, man is the one who makes it corrupt.
During a recent interview I watched with Robert Kiyosaki, he told the story of how a high school teacher had him read, at the age of 17, The Communist Manifesto. It was an eye opening revelation that changed Kiyosaki’s world view. I then thought about my own understanding of communism. As a boomer, I’ve been told my entire life how bad communism is. I served a lengthy military career and participated in wars to fight communism. But not once was I ever tasked with actually reading The Communist Manifesto. I knew the tag lines of what communism is, but not the complete story. So I purchased a copy on Amazon to enlighten myself. And I wondered how anyone with a reasonable brain could believe such utter lies and twisted logic. Just as we are taught the Declaration of Independence and the U. S. Constitution in civics class, we should also spend time doing an honest study of The Communist Manifesto and what horrors it has spawned around the world since its inception. Perhaps then younger minds might change.
I really enjoyed reading this! Thanks Joel. In preparation for our 250th anniversary, I have been taking a free on-line course from Hillsdale College called "The Great American Story." I am so glad for this free service to anyone for the sake of enlightenment (although I contributed because I felt guilty!).
As I revisited our rich and complex American history it reminds me how perilously close we came to defeat and failure over and over again. Studying those flawed men and women reinforced my faith in "rugged individualism." It also reinforced my faith in God. I was reminded of a famous quote from George Washington "We have, perhaps, had too good an opinion of human nature."
Those men and women had humility, they understood their own flawed natures and drafted a working document to mitigate those flaws. Compare those origins with the unmitigated arrogance and myopic visions of Marx/Engels "zero sum game." I do not claim to understand all the reasons young people find communism/socialism (authoritarian systems) appealing. Likewise, there is no way young people truly understand the true history of the "Great American Story." That I lay blame squarely on all of us; however, the public education system (the burdensome administrative dysfunction) carries a disproportionate share.
Thank you Frenchy, the only reason “young people find communism/socialism appealing is because they are TAUGHT that belief. Taught by the largest and most corrupt organization in America. The Teachers Union. These most vile individuals in control, hire only the most vile of the lot to make the vile, mentally and morally corrupt scum of society look normal and good folk look bad. Add a corrupt and morally void media system to the horror, and we have Obama’s America. Fundamentally Trans-formed into the deranged world our President is now fighting against. I believe it’s all going to work out for our “Great American Story” and hopefully many thousands of these most vile nihilists will be held accountable for their crimes against America and our children 🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Yes, Hillsdale College is a wonderful source of free courses on a wide variety of wholesome subjects. I’ve taken a number of them over recent years and benefitted greatly. And while Hillsdale charges nothing and puts no pressure on anyone to contribute, I, too, chose to financially support such a fine institution. Just as Joel’s Notes from the End of the World is free to readers, there is a cost involved at some level and it benefits one’s soul to help shoulder that cost.
Perfect Joel. Here in the USA few understand that much socialism has creeped into our Constitutional Republic thanks to the likes of Wilson, FDR, LBJ and their respective Congresses, probably should add Nixon in as suspect #1 in the destruction of our money and rise of China. Yet, we in the USA have a social safety net unmatched in the world the likes of which the Communists in China can only aspire to... unknown to most the US citizenry the Chinese people do without much of what we have in the way of government subsidization. They do enjoy the basic tenants of Communism though, no private property, no god other than the State and rules aplenty on when and how to do things to assure absolute equality (except of course the CCP party elite and friends). Regrettably these two socialist countries share very similar bankrupt finances. I'll save a discussion on the fascistic characteristics of our Capitalism for another day.
If there was any system to guarantee the abolition of government, wether you call it a revolution or deep extraction the flourishing of a private citizenry is preferable to what we had and presently have.
To all those professional class criminals and perpetual victims who need no introduction.
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.”
―Ronald Reagan
“Socialism of any type leads to a total destruction of the human spirit and to a leveling of mankind into death.”
— Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
The Fatal Irony of Communism is that It's Prime Directive states that All men are Equal, yet one Man has to make the Decisions but the Instant that happens, You are now in a Dictatorship...
Joel, Thanks for this essay, and to the many readers comments. A conversation each person (here in the U.S. of A. ) needs to seriuosly consider. We have been a part of a two party dictatorship for too long. Am thankfull for your newsletter, if for nothing else, being aware of the "great expierenment" actually working in Argentina with positive results ,working on the peoples's behalf. Scott
Nicely drawn synopsis, Joel. It is genuinely dismaying that so many young people can be attracted to Marxism, many without even knowing what it really entails. The good news is they grow out of it as they grow up. The bad news is people like Bernie Sanders never grow up, but they maintain their ability to sway innocent minds.
Marx presented us with a sketch of the following 100 years. After his death (1874?) he became the best kind of Communist and showed us the way. Many came after, Gramsci in Italy, in Argentina we had Ingenieros, Repetto, Palacios, then Yrigoyen and -on the fascist side- Uriburu, and finally Perón whose sycophants sang with gusto "Perón, how great you are!" and then extoled the virtues of Peronism in a song that ended declaring war on Capital, the elusive investors that flew after Perón arrived: "for that Great Argentinian who knew how to win over the great mass of the people by fighting against capital!" all kinds of knaves acceded to power to save the people with some kind of socialistic scheme: Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Perón, Getulio Vargas, Fidel Castro, etc. etc. all of them delivering war and misery in the end.
Outstanding essay. Well done!
I might also add, in addition to none of the endorsers of socialism/communism likely having ever lived under those two sides of the same totalitarian coin, you will find more believers in, and proponents of, socialism/communism on a U.S. college campus than you will in the entire rest of the world.
Marx was still stuck in the feudal system and never discovered the difference between a Lord and a Businessman. Both had money and he had not. Envy at the bottom of his nonsense.
"The Capitalist Manifesto" authored by Joel Bowman is a must read! His pithy and nuanced writing style is a joy to contemplate. Publishers the world over must be tripping over themselves to distribute. I suggest Penguin should be avoided. Their editorial board may be compelled to add "Unless you feel smarter/fairer/more deserving than them." to the ending.
"We had no faith in (Cook) whatever. He was not even good for a day's work, and the idea of his making such an astounding claim as having reached the Pole was so ludicrous that, after our laugh, we dropped the matter altogether.
I have reason to be grateful to Dr. Cook for favors received; I lived with his folks while I was suffering with my eyes, due to snow blindness, but I feel that all of the debts of gratitude have been liquidated by my silence in this controversy, and I will have nothing more to say in regard to him or to his claims." ~ Matthew Henson
Snowed blindness is apparently much more difficult to resolve.
Were that difficulty not so “capitalism” would be seen, & called, “counterfeitism” (Cook the “money,” Cook the books, Cook the cannibal feast, Cook everything …), or “Ponziism,” or “frack/tional reserve systematized looting, pillaging, & destruction” & the too big at any size NOT to fail would be left to its own breaking through the ice & drowning devices …
… & the eyes-protected from glaring contradictions clear-sighted lived happily ever after.