The Big Scary “S” Word (2020)

The Big Scary “S” Word review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

It’s the word that seems to make every Democrat cringe and every Republican hiss. There is clearly a class divide in America and something needs to be done. But if the word socialism dares enter the conversation, suddenly we’re no longer talking about the plight of the working and middle class being unable to live. The word immediately makes pundits and reactionaries zoom into speaking of history. “Do you want to end up like China?” they ask speciously. They will then rant about how socialism never works until they’re as far away from talking about the issue of class struggle.

The Big Scary “S” Word takes a look at how the idea of socialism is becoming more and more appealing to Americans. Why is that? If you were to ask a conservative, they’d have their lists of reasons all lined up. They blame colleges for socialist literature. They blame the media for not being more pro-capitalist. They blame teachers for indoctrinating their children. The spread of socialism is treated like a poison that has infected America. This documentary, however, displays just why people have been better off turning to socialism and it’s not so simple as a social media fad.

The film showcases workers around the country struggling to get by who have decided to become active in politics by pushing forth a more socialized system into America’s government structure. This isn’t a new movement as it has always been present. The film tracks the history of how socialism slowly became more favorable as capitalism began to meet less and less of the basic needs of Americans. Where it reached a certain boiling point for capitalists to start firing back (literally) was the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Many conservatives love to use Martin Luther King’s words about not judging people by the color of their skin but the content of their character to use against protests of any sort they disagree with. The video they don’t want you to see is of King reexamining his words and how the world can’t be complacent on those simple aspects alone. His best words are in this documentary, where he speaks of how the term “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” means nothing to the people who have no boots.

Throughout the film, taking place mostly in the later years of the 2010s, we see how political figures fight for socialism to fix the problems with America. Healthcare and union power are among the biggest fights for the politicians and activists who struggle to make a point and get elected into office. Prior to such an era, pundits and reactionaries would simply say that if you’re having problems with money, just get a second job. If you can’t get a second job, you’re lazy. Nobody is buying that excuse anymore. More and more people are seeing such excuses do not hold up in broken systems. Something has to change and that change is starting now.

The many interviewees present are cautiously optimistic about the future of those who push for socialism to fix America. One activist states that she is not so much full of hopes as she has hopes among many feelings about the direction of the country. Maybe we will get to a point where money is not a requirement to live in this country. But it’s an uphill battle with a system that has been built with greed to ensure it stays that way.

The Simpsons made perhaps the best joke on this topic in recent years. During a parody of Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, Lisa tells the feuding working class that they can form a better world if they reform the system. Moe says he’s all for it as long as there’s no socialism involved. Lisa then mentions timidly that there are aspects of creating a better world that have socialist leanings. The Sword prompts the violence to continue onward. Class struggle is bad but, for the brainwashed American mindset, socialism is apparently much, much worse for some unexplained and irrational fear.