Socialist is just a four letter word for the conservatives and republicans. Its meaning today is in the head and not in the world. In America we pretend we are a representative democracy, we are really combinations of plutocracy mixed in with a bit of democratic socialism. Consider SS, medicare, ACA, welfare, unemployment comp, etc as examples of the socialist elements of our political frame. People of an ideological nature miss the fact we are on this ship together.
"Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice; socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality." Mikhail Bakunin