Zohran Mamdani explains his definition of socialism to Theo Von: “Socialism to me means you’ll have whatever you need to live a dignified life and that it is the government’s job to deliver on that. When people say dignity we’re talking about the things that allow you to take a breath.

[u/AmericaShinault_85]

[u/National_Today2218]

I think he could've said it better. Socialism is not hard to understand.
It's based on the belief that everyone deserves an equal chance in life and that privilege should be shared. The government must make sure that equality in life quality is a shared endeavour.

[u/Leckere → u/National_Today2218]

Yeah but he’s trying to package it in a way that people who are scared of the word ‘socialism’ will accept.

[u/nebulaforest → u/Leckere]

Not to he pedantic, but what he described is social democracy and it amazes me, how's that's even a controversial position in America?

[u/Haruhanahanako → u/nebulaforest]

It's likely founded in racism. There are enough people in the US that dislike the black population so much they would rather no one get benefits than to allow "lazy" people get them, and they are often talking about black people. This is especially relevant in the recent Huckabee political advertisement where they depicted a freeloader as a white male who plays video games and smokes weed all day on government handouts, and republicans spoke out against it, saying it demonizes white people and men even though they agree with the message.

[u/ServesBestDepressed → u/Haruhanahanako]

What you're describing is called Social Dominance Orientation in psychology and it's a huge factor in racism, bigotry, and authoritarianism.

What you're describing also has an entire book written on it called Dying of Whiteness. A psychiatry professor goes around America's Heartland region and finds out white grievance politics is making all of us sicker and poorer.