"Ah, youth, that fickle force in politics. Young people bring energy, passion, creativity and technical wizardry to the presidential campaign - everything, it seems, except impact on Election Day.
With their Web logs, Facebook profiles and college rallies, the 2008 presidential candidates are lavishing attention on a group that displays unbridled enthusiasm early in the campaign but tends to lose interest when the voting starts."
- AP story
This is a good thing, right?
Young people tend to be more liberal, so it is fortunate that they vote less than older people.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I have a theory on why this occurs -- that youth are liberals that don't vote. They have been taught by their teachers that they should be liberals, that being liberal is smart, and moral, and kind, and heartfelt, and also that being a conservative is being mean and selfish and backward and stupid.
So, after 10 years of that, and all the peer pressure to buy into that line, they naturally give in and join the liberal party. Besides, being a liberal is more aligned with college lifestyle, with the open permission check regarding drugs, sex, and the lack of any moral (higher authority than self) accountability.
But even with all that institutional liberal pressure, there is still something uneasy about it for many youths. Deep down, they sense maybe they are being railroaded by their profs, and maybe, just maybe they should reconsider the Party line.
But, it is too much for them to overcome, and becoming a conservative is just too outcast-like for them. So, their very common, short term solution -- don't vote at all.
I think it is a fair and reasonable reaction and I applaud it.
These non-voting youth hold the keys to our nation's future. Will they be able to overcome their 10 years of institutional liberal pounding? Or did they retain the curiosity of their grade school years that will lead them to different observations and conclusions of the world once they leave their ivory towers?
So, best not to vote until this is better determined.
What do you think of that theory?
I could not figure it out.
I think your theory explains it.
Post a Comment