I'm an Aussie that's lived and worked in quite a few countries, including the US, and I share this experience.
I was in Mexico partying with a bunch of US college kids when Obamacare was on the table, and we talked about it for a while. All of them said "We don't want it because it's Socialism!".
When I inquired as to what that meant, or why that is undesirable to them, the entire room of 30 of them went silent. Not a single one even know what Socialism meant, or why they had distaste for it, but they sure were certain they didn't want it!
IMHO, people in the US have been lied to for multiple generations, to the point where they don't even know why something is good or bad for them personally, they just know what they're supposed to think about something.
I was in Mexico partying with a bunch of US college kids when Obamacare was on the table, and we talked about it for a while. All of them said "We don't want it because it's Socialism!".
When I inquired as to what that meant, or why that is undesirable to them, the entire room of 30 of them went silent. Not a single one even know what Socialism meant, or why they had distaste for it, but they sure were certain they didn't want it!
IMHO, people in the US have been lied to for multiple generations, to the point where they don't even know why something is good or bad for them personally, they just know what they're supposed to think about something.