Young people and Politics in General (Thread)

[Zychonia]

I think we need to improve young peoples interest in politics, I am one of the youngest members of the British Conservative Party (I am 16). However, it is a difficult goal to achieve.

[Nua Corda]

Teenagers are fucking dumb. I know, I used to be one. Seriously, I wouldn't trust my graduating class with a car (I can't count how many times I've almost been run over because some jackoff was too busy kissing his spraytanned whore or snapchatting to watch for cyclists), let alone political power.

Now, getting 20-somethings to actually vote, that is important.

[Zychonia]

Not all teenagers are dumb, I will admit most teenagers are too busy talking to their friends or on facebook. However, some teenagers like me actually like politics and prefer to be involved in politics rather than playing XBOX 360 all day or sending tweets. #I hate social medial

[Reddogkeno101]

I think we need to improve young peoples interest in politics, I am one of the youngest members of the British Conservative Party (I am 16). However, it is a difficult goal to achieve.

So you're saying indoctrinate them at an early age to make them vote for a certain party.

[Mike the Progressive]

Well I started out in Democratic Party politics when I was 18, and got to be a delegate to my state's convention back in 2008. I wish I could have gone to the national convention as a delegate like that little shit from Iowa did, but oh well.

In any case, I think it's good for people to get involved and to know what is going on, especially in local politics. In the US, it is really overlooked, when it probably affects the average voter far more than any presidential or congressional race ever could.

Either way, best of luck!

[AiliailiA]

I wouldn't know. I'm an old fart.

It might help if Civics classes were less po-faced and reverential of past "statesmen". Show the down and dirty of how politics is, and always has been.

[Nua Corda]

Not all teenagers are dumb, I will admit most teenagers are too busy talking to their friends or on facebook. However, some teenagers like me actually like politics and prefer to be involved in politics rather than playing XBOX 360 all day or sending tweets. #I hate social medial

The problem is that most teenagers have a warped sense of reality: they see their personal problems as huge, larger than life issues, they're overly affected by their perception of their parents and adults in general, and let's not even get started on hormones. This often leads to applying that thinking to "real world" politics: there's a reason such a large percentage of right-libertarians are teens: it's not a huge step from "Mooom, get out of my ROOM!" to "Gooovernment, get out of my LIFE!"

[L Ron Cupboard]

I get the impression from NSG that young people see politics as being about killing people.

[Mike the Progressive]

Not all teenagers are dumb, I will admit most teenagers are too busy talking to their friends or on facebook. However, some teenagers like me actually like politics and prefer to be involved in politics rather than playing XBOX 360 all day or sending tweets. #I hate social medial

The problem is that most teenagers have a warped sense of reality: they see their personal problems as huge, larger than life issues, they're overly affected by their perception of their parents and adults in general, and let's not even get started on hormones. This often leads to applying that thinking to "real world" politics: there's a reason such a large percentage of right-libertarians are teens: it's not a huge step from "Mooom, get out of my ROOM!" to "Gooovernment, get out of my LIFE!"

I wouldn't say it's why a large percentage are right-libertarians, I'd say its why a large percentage are politically radical and idealistic. Most teenagers are either left-leaning or left-winged. Favoring high taxes and massive spending. It's not until they are out of college, working full time and earning a larger amount do they realize that they have to pay for those higher taxes.

[Nua Corda]

The problem is that most teenagers have a warped sense of reality: they see their personal problems as huge, larger than life issues, they're overly affected by their perception of their parents and adults in general, and let's not even get started on hormones. This often leads to applying that thinking to "real world" politics: there's a reason such a large percentage of right-libertarians are teens: it's not a huge step from "Mooom, get out of my ROOM!" to "Gooovernment, get out of my LIFE!"

I wouldn't say it's why a large percentage are right-libertarians, I'd say its why a large percentage are politically radical and idealistic. Most teenagers are either left-leaning or left-winged. Favoring high taxes and massive spending. It's not until they are out of college, working full time and earning a larger amount do they realize that they have to pay for those higher taxes.

Most left-leaning teens, in my experience, are more socially than ecconomically liberal.

[Zychonia]

The problem is that most teenagers have a warped sense of reality: they see their personal problems as huge, larger than life issues, they're overly affected by their perception of their parents and adults in general, and let's not even get started on hormones. This often leads to applying that thinking to "real world" politics: there's a reason such a large percentage of right-libertarians are teens: it's not a huge step from "Mooom, get out of my ROOM!" to "Gooovernment, get out of my LIFE!"

I wouldn't say it's why a large percentage are right-libertarians, I'd say its why a large percentage are politically radical and idealistic. Most teenagers are either left-leaning or left-winged. Favoring high taxes and massive spending. It's not until they are out of college, working full time and earning a larger amount do they realize that they have to pay for those higher taxes.

I would agree before I was a Conservative, I was a Marxist and now I see how wrong I was. Also, I've never had a job in my life (due to me being in full-time education) but I believe that people in work should not be taxed heavily. To paraphrase Nixon "The American Dream does not come to those who sleep".

[Mike the Progressive]

I wouldn't say it's why a large percentage are right-libertarians, I'd say its why a large percentage are politically radical and idealistic. Most teenagers are either left-leaning or left-winged. Favoring high taxes and massive spending. It's not until they are out of college, working full time and earning a larger amount do they realize that they have to pay for those higher taxes.

Most left-leaning teens, in my experience, are more socially than ecconomically liberal.

I don't know. I recall talking with a lot of teens in high school and my early years of college who were progressives, socialists or liberals (and all three were only libertarian in the sense that they wanted to legalize pot). Hell, I was. And I didn't go through my right-leaning libertarian phase until my last year and a half of college, where I was earning a lot more than I had before and realized I had to pay more.

[Renewed Dissonance]

Hell, I was. And I didn't go through my right-leaning libertarian phase until my last year and a half of college, where I was earning a lot more than I had before and realized I had to pay more.

In my case, I traveled to the "developing" and "third" worlds and realized how much I actually get back by paying more. I also ended up paying for my own private health care, and realized that taxation is just another form of risk sharing.

[Zychonia]

Most left-leaning teens, in my experience, are more socially than ecconomically liberal.

I don't know. I recall talking with a lot of teens in high school and my early years of college who were progressives, socialists or liberals (and all three were only libertarian in the sense that they wanted to legalize pot). Hell, I was. And I didn't go through my right-leaning libertarian phase until my last year and a half of college, where I was earning a lot more than I had before and realized I had to pay more.

Socially liberal is not a bad thing, not in all cases but making it so athiests aren't demonised in schools is good and making so gay people don't get bullied is a good thing too.

[Mike the Progressive]

I wouldn't say it's why a large percentage are right-libertarians, I'd say its why a large percentage are politically radical and idealistic. Most teenagers are either left-leaning or left-winged. Favoring high taxes and massive spending. It's not until they are out of college, working full time and earning a larger amount do they realize that they have to pay for those higher taxes.

I would agree before I was a Conservative, I was a Marxist and now I see how wrong I was. Also, I've never had a job in my life (due to me being in full-time education) but I believe that people in work should not be taxed heavily. To paraphrase Nixon "The American Dream does not come to those who sleep".

We're not too far off. I can comfortably say that once upon a time I considered myself a communist. Fortunately, by 16 I sort of realized how silly it was and just became a supporter of American progressivism.

[Mike the Progressive]

Hell, I was. And I didn't go through my right-leaning libertarian phase until my last year and a half of college, where I was earning a lot more than I had before and realized I had to pay more.

In my case, I traveled to the "developing" and "third" worlds and realized how much I actually get back by paying more. I also ended up paying for my own private health care, and realized that taxation is just another form of risk sharing.

Well I've rocked back to the Democratic Party and progressivism. I still value hard work, but I think there needs to be more compassion.

[Renewed Dissonance]

Well I've rocked back to the Democratic Party and progressivism. I still value hard work, but I think there needs to be more compassion.

I've added emphasis above because I'm genuinely curious why it is American's (which I assume you are because "Democratic Party") seem to so frequently need to emphasize the importance of "hard work."

This is some sort of mind virus, like "dear" and "sincerely" in business letters and e-mails from strangers.

[Stahlarev]

16, Malaysian, loves politics, hate political parties in my country.
Also, i think im too young and stupid to see which one i'd vote for

[Czervenika]

I first developed a serious interest in politics at the age of sixteen and I'm now almost 23. With that said I'm inclined to agree. Young people need to get their voices out there.

[Old Tyrannia]

I'm 18, and I am reasonably interested in and informed about politics. I wouldn't trust the rest of my age group to run a chess club let alone a country, however. Raise the voting age, I say.

[Divair]

NSG is a perfect example of why kids shouldn't get involved in politics.

[Vitaphone Racing]

There are old people with no interest in politics so... you're really just fighting a losing battle here.

[Mike the Progressive]

Well I've rocked back to the Democratic Party and progressivism. I still value hard work, but I think there needs to be more compassion.

I've added emphasis above because I'm genuinely curious why it is American's (which I assume you are because "Democratic Party") seem to so frequently need to emphasize the importance of "hard work."

This is some sort of mind virus, like "dear' and "sincerely" in business letters and e-mails from strangers.

Time honored tradition

To be honest, I'm uncertain, but I like to think it has something to do with the fact that we are still a nation of immigrants. People who come here because they hope for something better. The work they do is hard, it's a hard life, but it's done with the dream that their children's lives will be an easier one and so on. I'm somewhat sentimental about it, obviously, though in my defense it is very real for my family.

[Czervenika]

There are old people with no interest in politics so... you're really just fighting a losing battle here.

That is true. I know of plenty.

[Mike the Progressive]

There are old people with no interest in politics so... you're really just fighting a losing battle here.

That is true. I know of plenty.

Try working at a phone bank or canvassing doors some time