In the current political climate, it is sometimes a touchy moment to discuss American politics, current events and especially the presidential election. Discussion turns into arguments, arguments turn into shouting matches and shouting matches turn into fights. The new nature of politics is that of polarization. Polarization in American politics is spurred on by emotions rather than intellect and research, as has been done in past elections. Look no further than Twitter to find evidence of the new climate of polarized, sensational politics.
These climates, spurred on from biased media outlets, have made it almost impossible for individuals to discuss politics in a constructive manner. This climate is one of the sole reason millennials refuse to talk or participate in politics. We no longer receive most of our information from books or newspapers. Rather, our information comes from these websites as well as the corporate media giants that follow news only for the purpose of making money. No longer do we live in an era of objective journalism. Everyone with a keyboard is an expert with an opinion. Even so, these arguments get intensely hostile, where no logical debate can continue. Many of my friends withhold their opinions for being scrutinized for them, especially if their beliefs or their ideologies are opposite of those with those they discuss with.
Just look at recent issues, such as the transgender bathrooms bills passed by several Southern state legislatures. Thousands of people this summer as the issue came to light in the media took to twitter and emotionally responded to the issues. Celebrities and people came forward to both condemned and defended these legislatures.
It is because of this emotional appeal to politics in 2016 that make it sometimes difficult to say that I’m a political science major. As a political science major, my courses examine the different theories, institutions and precedents in the four different fields of academic study. But the sad truth is that people aren’t interested in knowing how committees work in congress or the constitutional role of the presidency or what theories govern state behavior on the global stage or classical political theory. They care about what they are emotionally connected to.
My argument is not to be less passionate about issues, but to think, research and logically discuss these issues in American politics. The nature of debate is nonexistence if you have one side of an argument telling you that you're wrong “because you just are.”
But this cynicism from these “Twitter warriors” does not change the status quo. Members of my generation don’t change the issues of the day. As one quote from the recent protests suggests, “Silence is acceptance.” The same is true with politics. If our generation remains silent on the issues that are important today, then we lose out on changing the discussion or taking action and letting congress and our state legislatures continue to increase the debt that we will inherit once they've all retired to their mansions and book deals.
If we take it further, millennial hesitancy to discuss politics and policy leave a void in the democratic framework of America. The lack of millennial representation in public positions, ranging from town board members to house of representative members, is not enough. One startling example of the lack of millennial representation can be found in congress. The average age of a representative in the House is 57 and the average age of a senator in the Senate is 62. These men and women that make policy make decisions that can decide the matter of student debt, the economy and the increasing of the national debt that one day our generation will inherit. Who is to speak for those who are under 35 in Congress that guide policy that won’t increase the already crushing level of national debt built up by spending and social security? If we don't vote and if we don't run, how will things change if we vote for the same member of congress again and again?
