wakproductions
Sharpshooter
I have 2 questions about your son, who you say hates capitalism.
1) Does he have any student loan debt? Or is he surrounded by people who are affected by student loan debt?
2) How's he doing economically? Does he get paid well for what he does?
My theory on why so many young people hate capitalism is that the system has let them down. Young people are struggling to get by - they don't have the economic opportunities that their parents had. Offshoring has killed many white collar jobs and driven down wages. Corporate mega mergers have given the big players too much power to control markets, which also tightens the job market. Those who are employed don't get paid very well, but executive pay has skyrocketed. You also have unethical companies abusing patents, like Mylan Labs which raised the price of the EpiPen 400% (making it unaffordable to have now) and gave the CEO a $16 million pay increase. I've encountered many boomers here in the Midwest who feel deserving of their six or seven figure salaries, but don't want to pay younger employees a livable wage (like $50-$100k) for taking on important roles critical to their company's success.
Millennials and Gen Z have been raised being told that we live in a "capitalist" country. But its failed them. They were all told by their parents to go to college, or else live a life of poverty. So many of them went to college, undertaking huge debt. Then they get into the workforce and don't get paid enough to pay the interest. They can't afford to go to the doctor because healthcare is so expensive. They can't get a fresh start because of that stupid Bush era law that made it impossible to get rid of student loan debt through a bankruptcy. So what options are left? Socialism. If the elites and boomer executives don't collectively wake up and compensate workers more generously, Millennials will eventually use the instrument of the government to extract their wealth.
On the issue of guns, I usually take this path on confronting an anti-gun leftist:
* Does he believe that private citizens should be able to own firearms? Is his belief just coming from the angle that it's just too easy for an irresponsible nut with no training to access firearms?
If so, then you can debate this by showing examples of states like California, New York, and New Jersey, where well intentioned licensing laws have turned into de facto bans from the way they are implemented. It is difficult, if not impossible, to own a gun in some of those states (especially in NYC). Many nonviolent, but uninformed travelers have been arrested and jailed for being in possession of firearms in those states. Lives ruined, and public safety is no better. Show by example that the government is incapable of coming up with a sensible licensing system.
If he takes the argument to assault weapons, show the slippery slope of how an AR-15 ban will also encompass other seemingly less nefarious guns like .22 pistols. Any gun worth using for self defense is an assault weapon.
1) Does he have any student loan debt? Or is he surrounded by people who are affected by student loan debt?
2) How's he doing economically? Does he get paid well for what he does?
My theory on why so many young people hate capitalism is that the system has let them down. Young people are struggling to get by - they don't have the economic opportunities that their parents had. Offshoring has killed many white collar jobs and driven down wages. Corporate mega mergers have given the big players too much power to control markets, which also tightens the job market. Those who are employed don't get paid very well, but executive pay has skyrocketed. You also have unethical companies abusing patents, like Mylan Labs which raised the price of the EpiPen 400% (making it unaffordable to have now) and gave the CEO a $16 million pay increase. I've encountered many boomers here in the Midwest who feel deserving of their six or seven figure salaries, but don't want to pay younger employees a livable wage (like $50-$100k) for taking on important roles critical to their company's success.
Millennials and Gen Z have been raised being told that we live in a "capitalist" country. But its failed them. They were all told by their parents to go to college, or else live a life of poverty. So many of them went to college, undertaking huge debt. Then they get into the workforce and don't get paid enough to pay the interest. They can't afford to go to the doctor because healthcare is so expensive. They can't get a fresh start because of that stupid Bush era law that made it impossible to get rid of student loan debt through a bankruptcy. So what options are left? Socialism. If the elites and boomer executives don't collectively wake up and compensate workers more generously, Millennials will eventually use the instrument of the government to extract their wealth.
On the issue of guns, I usually take this path on confronting an anti-gun leftist:
* Does he believe that private citizens should be able to own firearms? Is his belief just coming from the angle that it's just too easy for an irresponsible nut with no training to access firearms?
If so, then you can debate this by showing examples of states like California, New York, and New Jersey, where well intentioned licensing laws have turned into de facto bans from the way they are implemented. It is difficult, if not impossible, to own a gun in some of those states (especially in NYC). Many nonviolent, but uninformed travelers have been arrested and jailed for being in possession of firearms in those states. Lives ruined, and public safety is no better. Show by example that the government is incapable of coming up with a sensible licensing system.
If he takes the argument to assault weapons, show the slippery slope of how an AR-15 ban will also encompass other seemingly less nefarious guns like .22 pistols. Any gun worth using for self defense is an assault weapon.