Why
Older People Should Embrace Socialism
An
Interview with Wolf Larsen
from the book Capitalism Sucks!
Question:
So why should older people embrace
socialism?
Answer:
There's lots of reasons. First of all medical care and medicine will
be free under socialism. Free medical
care and medicine will be a human right under socialism. Second of all a decent pension will also be a
fundamental human right under socialism.
Older people have worked their whole lives and they should have the
right to retire with a decent standard of living. Nobody should have to work in their old age
just to get by! If someone wants to work
in their old age it should be a personal choice, it shouldn't be forced upon
them by economic circumstances. I think
another major benefit of socialism for older people is knowing that their
children, their grandchildren, and the great-grandchildren and all of their
descendants will live in a better world.
Q.
Why do you say that the descendants of older people will live a better life
under socialism?
A. Because under capitalism much of humanity is
doomed to poverty, inadequate medical care, and endless war. Under socialism everyone will have the right
to quality free medical care. Everyone
will have the right to a job at a decent wage.
Everyone will have the right to decent housing and there will be no more
war.
Q.
What else can socialism offer to older
people?
A. More attention has to be given to improving
the lives of older people. There should
be more centers for senior citizens, and these centers should offer lots of fun
activities for senior citizens. In such
places and activities seniors can meet other seniors. Who knows, maybe socialism will even improve their
sex lives!
Q.
(Laughs) Socialism will improve the sex lives of senior
citizens?
A. Why not?
If there's more quality senior citizen centers for older people with
more activities for older people than older people can meet each other and have
all the sex they want! Plus under
socialism Viagra and all other medications will be free. Under socialism the government will do
everything it can to reach a cure for AIDS.
So we can eliminate the element of fear in sex. Also, free medical care and medicines will
make seniors healthier, and that will make sex better than ever!
Q. But there's already Viagra. Isn't that enough? (Laughs)
A. Viagra is a start. Under socialism there will be a greater
commitment to improving the lives of senior citizens. Pharmaceutical companies will be nationalized
– so that the pharmaceutical industry under socialism will put people's health
before profits. Sex enhancing drugs that
don't affect one's health by raising one's blood pressure would be just one way
that a system committed to improving the lives of senior citizens could make
things better for senior citizens.
Q.
Okay, let's move on – what else can
socialism do for senior citizens?
A. Socialism will make the streets safer. Everyone will have the right to a job with
decent wages. Hence, there will be less
muggings. Since my own grandmother was
killed by a mugger I feel rather strongly about this. Senior citizens will have the right to defend
themselves with the Second Amendment, so it will be hazardous to one's health
to mess with senior citizens! I think
that there would have to be measures taken to make things like public
transportation and everything else more accessible to seniors.
Q.
Isn't public transportation already accessible
to seniors?
A. When it gets crowded public transportation
can be dangerous for some senior citizens.
Sometimes the rolling motions of buses throw senior citizens about, and
they can get injured! Under socialism it
will be very important to educate the rest of the population about some of the
particular ways that we can make life safer for senior citizens. Whatever it takes so that seniors can travel
safely on public transportation must be done.
No one should be stuck at home.
Whether it's public transportation or something else, everything should
be done to make the life of senior citizens better. Unfortunately, under capitalism the needs of
senior citizens and just about everybody else is secondary to corporate
profits. Socialism – on the other hand –
puts people first. And after working
their entire lives senior citizens deserve better than what they're getting
today under capitalism.
Q.
What about housing?
A. Seniors must have the right to quality and
accessible housing. Under socialism no
greedy landlord will be able to excessively raise the rent on some senior
citizen on a fixed income. Under
socialism, no senior citizen will go homeless or hungry. Basic services like heat and electricity will
be a right for seniors. After all,
seniors have been working their whole lives – they've earned it!
Q.
What would the socialists do about nursing homes?
A. When one thinks of nursing homes today lots of
negative images come to mind. It doesn't
have to be that way! If and when the day
comes that a person can't take care of themselves or needs help that they can't
get at home and they need to be in a nursing home well then a nursing home
should be a quality living environment.
Older people shouldn't just be dumped in substandard nursing homes to
die! Nursing homes should be a quality environment,
and if that means changing them completely then let's do it! Resources must be spent so that older people
live the last years of their lives with dignity, with as little suffering is
possible. The last years of one's life
should be fun! People who worked their
whole lives deserve a better old age than they're getting today! Many senior citizens around the world have it
difficult today – certainly not all – but many.
That's the reality under capitalism.
That's why we need socialism.
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