I guess that depends on your definition of "socialism" J.M. I quickly googled the word and it apparently falls into multiple categories.
Myself, I was referring to the recent push in the USA and Canada for everything to be given away, free of charge for all who want it.
Eg: Free homes for the homeless, free drugs to drug users, free money to whoever wants to collect it, free, free, free.
People don't seem to realize NOTHING is free and it's the taxpayers that pay for all these bad decisions/programs. Everyone seems to want a handout nowadays and people are slowly, but surely draining the system for all it's worth. I have seen a slow decline in society for decades now. I strongly believe if you want something, then go earn it.
I personally don't have anything, because I don't earn it. Like yourself Jaded, I don't make more than $10k a year because I don't do anything to change that. Like others, I always seem to have an excuse for why I can't make more than that, or if I do, it never lasts long because I get pushed out of a job for someone with a better education or is simply motivated more than me. BOTH of which are my fault.
So like allot of folks, I believe in basic capitalism. You earn every cent you make and just because others are not willing to make (sometimes severe) sacrifices, doesn't punish you because of that. Why should someone who worked their asses off for their entire lives be forced to pay extra taxes for a bunch of welfare, drug using, non working, little effort people. That is what socialism is in my mind and many others.
Socialism is a system that simply doesn't work period unless it's to the far extreme (google a list of socialistic countries). Never mind I'll do it for you; China, Cuba, Vietnam, lao, North Korea etc. And nobody wants that right?
As we see non stop on the news right now we see prime examples of how the extreme left are pushing both counties towards a divide. I use the term "left" here loosely as it refers to liberals mainly. In Canada is could mean Liberals, NDP and even the Green Party (which are far left as it goes).
So even though I feel your pain Jaded in the fact that EVERYONE should have free health care (like in Canada), I still feel this recent push in our countries is for the worse. Socialism in it's intended philosophy is a nice thought, but it only leads to the breakdown of a proper and well ordered system.
Defunding police, burning cities to the ground, Pushing #BLM on everything and everyone etc isn't going to help anything or anyone, it's only going to make it worse. So my definition of Socialism is what's happening in the USA and Canada (somewhat). People fighting for injustices that don't exist. People burning down the very places that are trying to support their communities, people asking for handouts from the Government that clearly don't deserve them. That's all derived from a socialistic standpoint. We don't have, thus we shall take attitude. Natzi Germany comes to mind.
Now I'd like to make the point of huge companies being Capitalists. That's just a fact of life. Big companies hire thousands of people and keep them employed. I don't agree that someone like ourselves should always be given minimum wage or a crap salary just because they can control that, but I do understand that the person that made that company shouldn't feel bad because they worked hard and they don't see the need to give it all away to those that don't. I see that's a slippery slope for some reading this... but again, I'm one of the broke people, so don't think I'm speaking from a well off position.
I'm sorry to hear about your situation Jaded. I can appreciate that for sure.
Life is just a drag that way. I don't have a degree either, but neither does Elon Musk and many many other well off people. I honestly believe the only person that held me back, was me. I'm not blaming my parents, nor the town I grew up in, nor my Government for my lack of education/ability to get a degree. I'm sure in the USA, just as Canada anyone can get a student loan and get that degree if they want it bad enough (correct me if I'm wrong).
I can see how the word Socialism can be taken many different ways and the fact you mentioned a checkup bankrupting you and your GF dying because of a crap medical system hurts you deeply, but many other counties have great health systems including my own without pushing for socialism. In fact Canada's system was originally planned under a conservative government (1867).
So total Socialism seems to be the direction allot of people are pushing for in both countries and when that is achieved (hopefully never), all the big companies will leave, thus all the jobs will be gone and then everyone can have their FREE stuff because nothing will be available at that point.