According to a 2025 survey, 62% of Americans under 40 have a positive view of socialism or communism. Where did this come from, and what should be done? That’s the question we asked Eric Patterson, president of the Victims of Communism Museum and Memorial Foundation,
We have a problem with both “practical socialism” and “ideological socialism.” We’ve raised a generation of “practical socialists,” meaning that their every need and desire has been provided for by an external authority with apparently no personal cost. Why shouldn’t this support extend into adulthood?
On the ideological side, many of us weren’t paying attention when the media and public education radically changed the narrative taught in our schools. No more the hard-fought American Dream. Instead, they were taught that our history is one of oppressors (usually white and Christian or Jewish) grinding the oppressed. Thus, we need a radical restructuring of American institutions.
Ideas have consequences. Good ideas have good consequences, so re-centering on gratitude, work and value creation, rightful patriotism, and other key themes can help.
The first step is to cultivate gratitude rather than entitlement in the next generation. This begins in the home with how we teach our children to say thank you, show respect to teachers and elders, and recognize the blessings of daily life in America—food on the table, safety, freedom to fully practice our faith, and opportunity for advancement. These are privileges that millions around the world are denied. We should not take them for granted.
Tied to this, is a generation that deeply distrusts authority. Some of this is the result of failures by older generations—broken homes, public scandals, and a culture that too often mocks or dismisses the role of public officials, police, and even parents. Think, how many times have our kids heard, “all politicians are corrupt” or the police mocked as “po-po” or donut-lovers?
When legitimate authority and public service is undermined at home and in the public square, it leaves a vacuum that radical ideologies are eager to fill. By the time kids arrive in college, they’re primed to see America’s story not as one of opportunity and progress but as a litany of oppression and injustice. How we model gratitude and respect for authority—both in word and deed—matters more than ever.
We must also be mindful of what our young people consume—in books and the boundless online content. “Content” spans everything from more ideological school textbooks and Wikipedia articles to viral TikTok videos and Instagram feeds. Much of this material shapes their worldview more powerfully than any classroom lesson.
Limiting exposure to harmful or hedonistic material is only part of the equation; we must also provide access to uplifting stories and ideas that reinforce the values we hope to see flourish. Carmen Agra Deedy’s The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet and Carina Felina are children’s books that are analogies of the communism that has decimated her native Cuba.
At the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, we’ve curated an Amazon page of appropriate materials for different age groups and curricula for elementary and middle school families and schools that tells stories of courage, honesty, and sacrifice in contrast with the evils of communism.
Another vital element is the cultivation of rightful patriotism, which C.S. Lewis says stems from an appropriate love of home. Patriotism doesn’t mean ignoring our nation’s shortcomings. Rather, it means an honest pride in the American story—a story that, while imperfect, is remarkable for its steady march toward greater freedom and equality.
One of the best ways to cultivate a love of America is by speaking with recent immigrants. My family has heard me quiz taxi drivers: Afghans, Ethiopians, Ukrainians, Pakistanis, Somalis, and others who fled the devastation of their homelands and who deeply appreciate the freedoms and opportunities the U.S. offers.
A fourth element that deserves attention is the value of work. For too many young people, the experience of holding a job, earning a paycheck, and learning to manage money is delayed or missing entirely. Just a few years ago, it was common for teenagers to take on summer jobs, mow lawns, babysit, or work in local stores. Their work created value, and they were compensated for that value. Learning the value of a dollar, saving up for something special, and making decisions about spending and giving are all part of growing into a responsible citizen.
Finally, we must not neglect the role of religious faith in the shaping of character. Martin Luther King, Jr. rightly observed that communism is incompatible with Christianity because it is “secular, atheistic, and materialistic.” Our Judeo-Christian heritage teaches the opposite. It instills a sense of human worth, dignity, and responsibility for family and neighbors. It teaches that every person is created in the image of God, deserving of respect and compassion.
By teaching children about faith, gratitude, rightful patriotism, and the value of work, we instill in them a sense of purpose and reality that can withstand the destructive ideologies of this civilizational moment.
That was Eric Patterson, president of the Victims of Communism Museum and Memorial Foundation, Learn more about their work at vocmuseum.org.