Oddbean

Yes. Many years. Asia. Thailand first and now central asia. I think I have kind of the same values and principles you have... People here want to live in EU or USA. Many. Same in Thailand. I find some good things here too... but locals think I am crazy to leave my countrie and I can kind of see why. Just look at the state of opportunities, streets, education, buildings, products, corruption...

I moved to a small, poor, capitalist country in eastern europe for 5 years a long time ago. People there all talk about the golden years during socialism, where they didnt worry about all the things i listed above. They still talk like that today. They suffer unemployement, homelessness, forced LGBT ideology, drugs, mafia crime etc. All the American diseases have come there now.

I know they talk like this. This is what makes me think. Socialism is great for a short time period and when you lived their at this time... everything seems hard after that. It IS hard. So you think these people that want to live in the west (US and EU) wants to have it more easy and just enjoy socialism standards?

People who have never studied socialism, don't understand there is more than one example. Im not really sure. When my parents immigrated here from a socialist country, they were promised dreams of a glamorous west. I wont make a mocker of the discussion or reveal how hard they had it in the beginning and their whole lives for my sake. But they were very disappointed and missed home very much. They become Canadianized over the years and never felt like they belonged back home anymore, especially since back home turned capitalist and failed miserably.... They all agree on the golden era of the 60s of their country.