Lack of political interest

Political indifference seems to be rampant among our age group. After many long discussions on politics, I have come to the conclusion that our generation is basically uninvolved and uninformed about political issues.

For the most part, the masses have settled down over the last 30 years. Political demonstrations do not occur with the same magnitude that they had with our parents’ generation. There are no melodies being sung by today’s artists about social injustices or the government’s abuses of power.

Is it because our government has become perfect? Or is it because our age group is content with what our parents have spoon-fed us and told us to believe in? In earlier times the motto for college-age individuals was, "trust no one over thirty." Now it seems to be "hope someone will make decisions for us when we’re thirty".

Through talking to various people I have come to the conclusion that the vast majority of students do not even understand the parties they devoutly attribute their allegiance to. Many individuals simply hear a word or a name and decide based on what they have heard from parents, church, or friends. This is an outrage!

Why do we base our own important opinions on things that may carry no real legitimacy? Why are so many content to give this freedom away to the mass confusion of compliancy? It seems that we just don’t care.

Voter turnout has even seen around a ten percent drop since 1972 among people within the 18-24 age category. Our nation is ranked close to the bottom in voter turnout when compared with other developed countries. This seems a bit strange for a country that had produced such enjoyable hits as, "The Vietnam War", "Embargo of Cuba", "The Iran-Contra Affair", and "The Muslim Concentration Camp in Guantánamo Bay".

Have these issues not struck a nerve in the American people? Have they not forced the people to reckon with poor decisions our government has made? Or have the people just become too lax to care about what can happen when we become passive and apathetic? Maybe our generation, since missing many of these failures in leadership and government policy, is simply unaware of the mistakes that can be made by our government. Maybe this is why we care so little about the political choices we make.

Whether you’re right, left, or in the middle, make sure you learn about your political choices. Make sure you vote. Make sure you take advantage of this freedom to choose, or you run the risk of trivializing and possibly losing it.