I do also want to clarify. I acknowledge my bias. That doesn't mean I am close minded. Yet it does mean that unless you tell me something new that I haven't already heard before then I am not going to suddenly change my mind. Right now as far as me and debating this you sound like a broken record and are trotting out the same things I hear time and time again. You haven't recommended a book for me to read yet, so you at least have avoided that cliche.

I read quite a few books people recommended and it was their logical fallacy laden appeal to emotion approach in the books that often quickly lead to my seriously considering the person in the book as an "authority" ending. Yet, I still read.

So am I open minded? Yep. Yet that doesn't mean repeating the same things over and over is going to suddenly change my mind. So far you are repeating the same "drivel" (my opinion) that I've had stated to me many times. :)

I didn't consider it drivel initially. In fact, my parents are both hippies. I grew up under "Peace, Love, and Flower Power". So the SOUND GOOD, FEEL GOOD ideas inherent in the presentation of communism and socialism were appealing to me when I was very young.

I like to think. I argue with myself regularly. Have conversations, debate, etc.

I study history. I make mistakes. I am often wrong.

Yet, repetition and quantity of people telling me a thing are not logical reasons to support something.