Socialism in the Netherlands

Check out this New York Times Magazine article by an American writer living in the Netherlands. I don't claim to know a whole lot about the fundamentals socialism, communism, or the other -isms. I only know what I know about what exactly capitalism is supposed to be - the theories and what it's supposed to encompass - because of this economic crisis and Fox News complaining about socialism from the Obama administration. But I'm not ignorant enough to assume that CAPITALISM IS THE BESTEST!!! just because I live in a capitalistic society.

I think it's interesting how his main con about living there is that there is so much conformity and the widespread belief there that "if you were born a dime, you'll never be a quarter". I've always thought that we Americans are just conformists who can't admit that we're conformists. We may split into smaller pockets of conformity along race, religion, and ethnicity, but what exactly is the American Dream if not a fantasy of what our lives are supposed to be like based on what everyone else wants? The truth in this country, too, is that if you were born a dime, you probably won't end up a quarter. The greatest indicator of how much money someone will make is how much their parents made. Yes, some do achieve upward mobility (myself included), but in reality it's just not as common as proponents of the American Dream would have you believe.

I hope to have time to explore all types of societies before I make up my mind about where I want to live while I'm raising my future children. But the Netherlands is definitely a contender now.