In American politics, the majority of people fall somewhere in between two political parties, Democratic or Republican. However, there are many people, specifically teenagers, who seem to be “apolitical,” meaning they intend to stay out of political discussions and debates, and find themselves simply not concerned with global political issues.
Frequently, I have found myself in the center of political discussions with people around my age, resulting in some eye rolls and claims that the topic of the discussion doesn’t concern them, simply because they can’t vote yet.
You are never too young to care.
Anyone, from any age category, can see the topics and issues facing America and everywhere else around the world and have an opinion on them. Whether you support or oppose what is going on, the issues and decisions being made in this day and age will affect your future.
Additionally, anyone currently fifteen years old or older will be able to vote in the next election. So, why not educate yourself now?
Commonly, for most teenagers, opinions are formed based on what their parents believe in. However, most people who are knowledgeable about what is happening with our government and nation are old enough to research, read articles, ask questions, and form opinions of their own. You are never too young to educate yourself, especially when your future depends on the decisions being made now.
Unfortunately, politics can definitely result in a heated discussion or a passionate debate. However, it doesn’t always have to be that way. You don’t have to cut someone off for believing something different than you. A mature political conversation can result in two people simply concluding that they believe in different ideas, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Especially at a time like this, when there are constantly new headlines detailing new policies passed by the government, it is so important to be educated. Everything political will always affect you, whether you are sixteen years of age or eighty-five, or anywhere in between. Now is the time to be educating yourself, largely due to a great influx of people who can vote in the next election. If you are a teenager who says you don’t care about politics or don’t like being involved in political discussions, you are certainly part of the problem. This way of thinking is exactly why there is an influx of people who can legally vote who just follow their parents’ opinions, and never fully educate themselves or form a political opinion of their own. Avoiding political discussions simply because they don’t affect you or because you can’t vote is not a suitable way to live in this current day and age, and it is an extremely privileged way of thinking.
It is so important to form an opinion and to not simply follow the crowd and vote for the same policies as everyone else around you. As there is a large number of people who will be able to vote next year, now is the time to be reading articles and news headlines and educating yourself. Not being able to vote shouldn’t be an excuse to not care.