Free market for dummies (like myself)

I support free market. I do not yet fully understand it and what is more my knowledge of economics doesnt extend much beyond supply-demand curve. This, I admit, makes me butt of jokes and subject of ridicule, however I still persist with my belief. The reason is that I have seen effects of both. I am still learning about both.

I have seen the ignominy of living in a socialist utopia, and even though I was not the worst affected , having lived a sheltered life, I have seen enough to develop a distaste of socialism to last my whole life. Where do I start ?A bribe given for getting LPG cylinders, for getting ration cards, for cement. Waiting extending up to years for things like telephone or scooter. Creating artificial scarcity in name of poor, while at the same time ensuring that poor remains so.
Of watching as cities after cities die out owing to combination of the trade union thuggery and moral bankruptcy of our leaders seduced and corrputed by the power vested to them by a socialist state.

Of a place where ambitions have withered and dreams have been bonsaized, where, a father or a mother prays for son a clerical job not because it offers honest living, but because it offers avenue for corruption and life time assurance of employment not having any connection with performance. Or listening cringing to conversations in household holding forth on why a relative is a "desirable boy" because he is in a position where he wields power and use this power for "upar ki kamai".

Of a nation which is content to play Gungadeen or "we are like that" or "we were better under british" or "trains were punctual during emergency".
Of youth who learns through rot and earns degree liberal art or social sciences, not because it interests him, but because in order to get a job degree is the only criteria.
Cringing like a criminal in front of every babu, pleading like a murder convict for what is due to one. Or despair of a retired who is running through pillar to post for his pension.
Of belonging to a country, where everyone is for sale but the official motto is Gandhism.
Living in utter gloom, content to be mediocre, hiding the privations by spouting wisdom on how contentment is supreme religion. Or coining slogans of "Mera Bharat Mahan", without bothering to understand the greatness or meanness.

Of surrendering our will and reason to communist- in- entrenched positions, of accepting the disrepute, making fatalism superior to dharma.
Or accepting perhaps the most vile and dishonest aphrosim "From each according to his capability , To each according to his need"and internalized it as a mantra to live.

Reform and globalization has shown a ray of light, made us believe that we can be contender, it is not evil to profit, made cell phones and washing machines affordable.It has earned a new respect for us, from others but what is more important from self.
It has lifted, even if a little bit, the pall of gloom, has rescued us from genuflecting before every little tool of state machinary. I admit, this has not happened without it's share of controversies and still majority toils in oppression.
The solution to this, however is to dispatch socialism to where it truly belongs , dustbin of history along with white men's burden and eugenics.