Let's face it. Facebook is destroying us.
I hesitate to use the term social media in fear another person who couldn't pass a high school civics class will call me a socialist. What socialism is or isn't seems to be the most debated topic on Facebook these days with folks on either end of the wacko spectrum unable to identify it.
Let's start with Webster's, shall we? There might be half our population that still agree dictionaries are valid resources, so that's probably the best we can do. Webster's first definition of socialism reads:
"Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods."
For the right end of the spectrum, there are clearly no candidates anyone has heard of advocating for this. I have not heard Bernie Sanders suggest we should turn the Toyota Plant in Georgetown over to the state. And Bruce Walters does not have to worry that the Fiscal Court is going to take over the next Memorial Day Blowout Sale.
To bring it home, not one Democratic candidate is suggesting the government should be mining the coal or drilling for gas. I might point out most Republicans seem to think the government should partially subsidize these things, but that's not the point.
For the left end of the spectrum...no, libraries, police, Social Security or Medicaire are not examples of socialism, either. These are public services that almost any first world, civilized country in the twenty-first century would provide their citizens.
There is a huge difference between public services and state owned production, no matter what your favorite Trump apologist might claim.
Let's be clear. Socialism is not a good idea, although understandable in its time. It was a reaction to class based systems in England and the rest of Europe where there was a 99% chance that if you were born with nothing you'd die with nothing. Europe was dominated by monarchies and/or state religions, not democratically elected governments. There is no freedom in either case.
This is why Europeans and other world citizens flocked to America in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.
But Facebook and facts mix like oil and water. You're about as likely to learn what socialism really is as Mark Zuckerburg is to ban memes. Those Russian Troll Farms put a lot of money in his pocket.
Just as you do.
In a way, it might be argued that Facebook is socialism in practice. Everything you do on Facebook is owned by Facebook. Everything you post is sold by Facebook as a product. Facebook distributes the product you created to only benefit Facebook. If you choose to leave Facebook, or "delete" product, Facebook continues distributing that product to the highest bidder.
All you have to do is replace the words collective or government with Facebook and the definition pretty much fits. At least it fits better than who the far right accuse of socialism and what the far left want you to think it is.
It's time we face it.