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As you walk down the school hallways and hear students talking about immigration laws and taxation, it sounds more and more like a news station than their own ideas. It’s easy to overhear them talking about political issues — but maybe the only thing they really know about the subject is from the discussion their parents had last night at the dinner table.
Our generation needs to shift our understanding of politics to bolster and support our own opinions, rather than hook onto those of outside influence like family, friends and celebrities — especially in such an important election year.
Your parent’s politics aren’t exactly the same as yours — and they shouldn’t have to be. They may be fully educated in their political beliefs, but as teens we must find our own values and views through our own education instead of relying on our parents.
Whether growing up in a conservative or liberal house, bias plays a role in political discussion. Teenagers are impressionable, so the early values projected onto us by outside influences can become engrained over time — just like the basic teachings of the right to share and clean up after yourself. It can be difficult to form your own opinions or have opposing views from your parents — but teens need to be doing their own research — and no Snapchat’s “Daily Mail” doesn’t count —especially as they approach voting age. It’s important to judge your voting stance on what you believe, not your parents.
Though your parents may have strong values on certain issues like taxes and healthcare, the generational differences can cause a contrast between the policies that they think are in your best interest and what actually is. And if you’re interested in certain topics like college tuition and student loans, it’s up to you to research what candidates and political parties are focusing on them.
But for teens, it’s not just our parents who — whether we’re aware of it or not — are influencing us. Even the voices of celebrities we adore get in our heads.
In 2018 when Taylor Swift released her single “Only the Young,” she revealed her political stance publicly for the first time. With millions of fans idolizing everything she says and does, some started adopting those same beliefs with no other background on the topic. And as the lives of teens are increasingly intertwined with the internet, some young people look to their favorite celebrities for guidance just as much as they do their parents — if not even more.
Although to some Taylor Swift is a godly-figure, she doesn’t have all the answers for your personal preferences — and neither does any celebrity. Instead of falling back on your favorite celebrity’s own biases, you should be looking at debates and other government activity to get a sense of your own thoughts. You should be asking questions about what you believe, and seeing which politicians agree with them.
Teens can give all the excuses they want about being too busy to acknowledge their political beliefs, but after spending hours mindlessly sending Snapchats and scrolling through Instagram, you can make the time to at least dip your toes in the water. With stay-at-home orders, now is the perfect opportunity for teenagers to find a voice for themselves on government issues without worrying about after-school practices and dinner dates. Watch press conferences, read unbiased news sources and realize how important it is to have a voice in our county’s governmental actions — your own voice.
Once you blow out your 18th birthday candles and legally take on the title of adult, doing personal research before making decisions won’t just come into play when it comes to voting. For example, when buying a car, you’ll need to look at factors like gas mileage and price to pick the best option for you. It’s the same kind of research and decision making, so why not develop these skills and start this process early?
The U.S. values the citizens’ right to democracy. The engagement of citizens plays a vital role in our country’s ability to make accurate decisions for what the people want — so before the day that our generation is in power, it’s essential to learn your stance.
Even if you won’t be eligible to vote in the next election, it’s still important to stay informed on politics for when you are eligible — that way when you share your opinion, you’ll have research to back it up. Since those under the age of 18 are still affected by election results, you should research to figure out what your own stance is on climate change and what your family’s favorite politician actually wants as far as healthcare goes — it will impact you at one point or another. People of all ages should be ready to vote with a strong position towards politics, even if it’s not the “cool” thing to do as a teenager or if you’re scared of judgement.
The internet provides teens with an abundance of resources to help them with their process of learning. Media and news sources can provide information on certain topics, but don’t just look to channels biased towards a certain party like MSNBC or Fox News for all the answers. If you perform all of your research through biased sources, you could have a hard time discovering the other side’s solutions and views — and making a strong opinion for yourself.
While it is about finding the best candidate for you, it’s an important life skill to learn how to branch out from the pressure of others and develop your own opinions. Whether you’re truly interested in politics or not, it’s something worth figuring out now.
Our generation needs to realize the privilege of being in a country where our views can be heard. The clock is ticking until Nov. 3 comes around to decide our president for the next four years, and it’s time to get informed and find your political voice — not your mom’s, your best friend’s or your favorite actors, but yours.
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