So I'm not the first person to point out that socialist love trains. In fact, it was one of Jeremy Corbyn's main promises to improve British trains by cutting the private middle man. I think the reason socialists love trains is because their disappearance, once you understand the history behind their decline, is very Hegelian and follows the logical path most people have to take to be socialists anyway. Thinking it goes like this
I like trains Sad I don't see many in my area. But why is that? When I see old pictures, movies, and so on trains are so ubiquitous that they play massive roles in a lot of daily travel. Why are they gone? Ohh, because of the highway system. Still though, trains cause less pollution, are faster, and there's no traffic. Why did we prioritize cars which are better suited for local-travel but not much for anything more? Right because car manufactures are massive and have powerful lobbies. Wait, why are they so massive and have powerful lobbies? There was this one weirdo on my train forum that said something about companies paying workers very meagerly compared to the value they give, and selling goods at massively inflated prices for extra profit to entice investors. That can't be it can it? That seems like it, and none of the other explanations seen to be relatable or based in practical reality. So if I want trains I must weaken or abolish car companies. Wait, what'll happen to the hundreds of thousands of people whose jobs are in that? Surely there's some group of people looking out for them. We won't let entire cities go to waste right? Ohh, no one is looking out for them. In fact they all got replaced by robots and some of the work is being done in Mexico and Asia. Wait, why Mexico and Asia? Ohh, because they get paid a lot less and the factories are more hazardous therefore cheaper to maintain. Well with all the money they're saving cars should get cheaper. Wait they're getting more expensive now? This entire system is arbitrary and convoluted. Wait, if all those people's livelihoods and communities can be so casually tossed aside and those companies not only face no consequences but actively get awarded with more political power and money, what's stopping the company I work for from just doing the same thing? I just do _____ for 8+ hours every day, a robot can really do that all day if someone programs it/this workplace can be sent to a third world country where those people aren't even given the protective gear I get. If I not only wanna ride the choo choo, but also ensure I don't just randomly get thrown in the trash to appease a couple dudes I don't even like, I must abolish or at least significantly weaken the system that does that. Why are people calling me socialist? Is that what that was? I thought they like, ate babies or whatever. I believe all these things, and socialist is getting thrown around at people much less mad about this than I am, so I guess that word doesn't even have any meaning at this point.
How do you think that pipeline is laid?
When you cripple your country's infraestructure which led to cripple the whole future just because some rich fuckers gave you money.
Capitalist economies eally are self destructive
Capitalist economies eally are self destructive
it is a cancer
i just hate driving. i think its unnecessarily dangerous and not a lot of people have the mental capacity to be able to drive properly
Most people could drive decently if they were taught to, they are just never taught. As a result, most people are terrified of driving and drive stupidly and rashly and dangerously.
Capitalism is so pervasive that if you care enough about any political topic, unless you are into business, I imagine you will start to question the system. I was interested in cities. Why were certain areas of cities poor while others are rich? Why are suburbs a thing? Why did we fund public transit the way we do? Why do American cities look different that European cities? Why is rent so damn high?
These are all questions I had and over the years my attempt to understand how the world worked radicalized me.
These are all questions I had and over the years my attempt to understand how the world worked radicalized me.
ummm actually it was because you read (((Saul Alinksky)))
A simpler and less specific way of saying the same thing is this: If you like trains you are going to think about them. If you think about trains you will realize how they are more better than alternatives in most cases, and aren't implemented in those cases because it's a fairly large change, and has societal implications. If you are thinking about how trains effect society, you will think about our capitalist society from a different angle. This different angle may make you realize there are some things fundamentally broken about it if you hadn't realized this before.
I always get jealous of those rugged individualists in their 50k automobiles sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on the 10 twice a day 5 days a week while we sail by on metrolink.
Big powerful machines are cool, nation builders, a symbol of moving forwards with a strict pathway. Full steam ahead.
They're about moving massive goods for communities, or entire communities of people on board. They are collective by their very design.
Cars? Individualist.
