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I was not being sarcastic. I found Steinbeck's explanation fascinating, I suppose for it being the first time reading/hearing it.
I tend to want to couch it more like "Socialism never takes root anywhere there's a preponderance of selfish individuals", because I think ego easily explains so many social failures to connect. Say that, it doesn't seem a stretch to regard an ego as a "temporarily embarrassed millionaire".
But I also think it's important that being labeled proletariat doesn't fix the ego problem in such. As far as I can tell, most of the "proletariat" would become bosses/the-wealthy in a heartbeat if they could.
Thanks for the explanation, and my apologies for assuming bad faith on your part.
I must have been in a bad headspace yesterday because I immediately assumed sarcasm, but stepped back just far enough to consider the possibility of earnestness.
As far as I can tell, most of the "proletariat" would become bosses/the-wealthy in a heartbeat if they could.
I don't blame them, not when it so often seems like a binary choice between exploiter and exploited. There's a third option, rejection of the false dichotomy and refusal to be either a boss or a worker, but that's a *lot* harder.