I self-describe as more of a social democrat or sometimes called "democratic capitalist" (as in the free market Michael Novak sense, not the "pro-landlord" sense which the word often signifies in socialist analysis). I used to be more of a democratic socialist, but my view has changed a bit over time.

I used to support more government ownership and control (to be clear I still think this for medicine, utilities, academic research, etc. as the community decides); however, I currently think that the best way to stop exploitative capitalism is a strong regulative framework, rather than outright government or community control of most enterprise. I think that our current problems are more the failing of the government than it is the market itself, as our system does more to advantage massive corporations than it does to regulate them. I think it's more a problem of failed community regulation rather than a fundamental problem of needing community ownership.

My view isn't too different from democratic socialism practically, but I think the framework of fundamentally free markets with thorough community regulation preserves individual rights better than a fundamentally community controlled economy.

Often, I think many self-proclaimed "democratic socialists" fall under this general train of thought. However, I think that sweeping my view under the canopy of "socialism" waters down the rich history of genuinely socialist critique, which is fundamentally founded on community control of the means of production. Sorry for the essays, lol, but I like sharing my thoughts.

Note: I disagree with the rather eurocentric view of Novak (and many will naturally disagree with him due to his religious views), but his work "the spirit of democratic capitalism" played a role in refining my stance toward capitalism. I would recommend it as a way to see why people seem to support capitalism as an idea, despite the ways in which it has been used to exploit people. It certainly has helped me argue with conservatives where I'm from in the Midwest, and convince them that leftist "communist" policies are actually the best way for them to serve their own interests.