"Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires." John Steinbeck
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I’ve tried to tie this back to Steinbeck and have found no source. Do you know where it comes from? I’m asking earnestly.
aug 25, 2025, 4:04 am • 1 0 • view
wist.info/steinbeck-jo...
aug 25, 2025, 1:23 pm • 1 0 • view
On my way to the dentist right now. Will get back to you this afternoon.
aug 25, 2025, 11:14 am • 1 0 • view
I did a bit of research (purely because you posed the question) and found lots of the same quotes, plus a number who said it was misattributed to Steinbeck. Found no actual source. So, just as much in the dark as you, but enjoyed the search.
aug 25, 2025, 8:26 am • 3 0 • view
I'm reading "Dying of Whiteness" by Jonathan M. Metzl. It documents white voters in Missouri, Tennessee, and Kansas voting against their own best interests because they see themselves as above other races. You can't fix stupid!
aug 26, 2025, 12:01 pm • 1 0 • view
Democratic Socialism isn’t the boogeyman Americans have been digitally lobotomized to fear. The U.S. public education system is designed to churn out obedient wage-slaves, not enlightened thinkers who might actually question why they’re selling their lives for a paycheck. Marx predicted this! 👇
aug 25, 2025, 8:01 am • 9 2 • view
It's been going on a lot longer than the digital era. Most Americans couldn't accurately tell you the difference between Socialism and Communism today. It's sad. A lot of citizens don't know how much propaganda is in our own education system.
aug 25, 2025, 2:14 pm • 2 0 • view
Racism and corporate greed have been, and still are the two problems that have been holding America back from being a more perfect union. America should reflect on the millions of lives lost, wasted human effort, and wasted trillions of dollars, squandered by bigots, simply to keep America unequal.
aug 25, 2025, 4:52 pm • 1 0 • view
Read this as a kid, it stuck with me, and damned if it isn't true, MAGA believe they are but a few months away from being millionaires, whilst the rest of us, know that the oligarchy is our sworn enemy
aug 25, 2025, 3:57 pm • 2 0 • view
It's called 'The American Dream' because one has to be asleep to believe it.
aug 25, 2025, 4:52 pm • 1 0 • view
I read somewhere that 70% of the US population agreed with the statement, “someday I will be rich.“.
aug 25, 2025, 3:44 am • 2 0 • view
I wonder how they would define "rich"? If defined as above the median, then yes 50% will be rich so the statement makes sense The issue is that "rich" has moved to only the top 10% and that number is shrinking. Also, 90% of that 10% will now start of rich. so only 1% are likely to become rich
aug 25, 2025, 11:31 am • 1 0 • view
The US ranked 27th in social mobility. You have a better chance of living the American dream in France than you do in the US.
aug 25, 2025, 1:56 pm • 3 0 • view
The chance of becoming a millionaire, which is not very rich these days, is estimated at about 3% if you are not inheriting your wealth.
aug 25, 2025, 1:54 pm • 2 0 • view
Not very rich at all. I read somewhere that 5 million is now the minimum standard for “wealthy” (but that may be Canada)
aug 25, 2025, 3:04 pm • 1 0 • view
For hundreds of years, they were sold the “American Dream” along with patriotism, religion and sports by some well funded propagandists.
aug 25, 2025, 1:24 am • 5 0 • view
Where is today’s Tom Joad?
aug 26, 2025, 1:14 am • 1 0 • view
Boom
aug 25, 2025, 3:53 pm • 1 0 • view
Thanks to the imaginary carrot
aug 25, 2025, 5:27 am • 1 0 • view
I always heard this was Mark Twain but either way it’s true
aug 25, 2025, 1:49 pm • 2 0 • view
COINTELPRO did a lot too. The FBI-King letter, MLK's assassination prior to his Economic Rights March, etc. America is known to actively kill leftists domestic and abroad.
aug 25, 2025, 3:24 pm • 1 0 • view