I am a typical college student. I go to class, I do my homework, I go to work, and I save time for fun. But every now and then, an unexpected lesson finds its way into our tightly woven, typical lives, and we become, to some extent, more aware of reality.
Four weeks ago, I began reporting on the 2010 Maine general elections for a video in my journalism class. My focus was on young voters: How are students involved in the election? What do young voters know? How are candidates reaching out to this demographic? What are their reactions to the election results?
With tight deadlines and a narrow focus, I didn’t expect to learn much more than these basic questions, but as election day came and went, I realized that there was a greater significance behind my story; civic knowledge is increasingly important, and my generation has a lack of it.
It wasn’t until beginning this class project that I realized the extent of this problem. It was first brought to my attention when conducting “man on the street” interviews, or more explicitly, unscheduled interviews with random people on campus.
I would approach someone to ask them about their thoughts on the election, and most students declined being on camera simply due to their embarrassment of not knowing anything about the election. “ Sorry, I would totally help you out if I actually knew anything about it,” was arguably the most frequent statement I heard within the three weeks of conducting interviews.
Some students agreed to participate, and while a few of these randomly chosen students understood some basic facts about the election, most had no idea. These students claimed that research for the election is too time consuming, they’re too busy, and they don’t think the election would really affect them.
This problem of ignorance and apathy takes root in a generational shift of values from civil engagement, action and change, to a greater emphasis on making life enjoyable, despite many of life’s unpleasant realities. After all, ignorance is bliss.
Through this realization of how ignorant my generation generally is, I learned about why it’s so important for us to care and to take action. After casting her vote, 4th year student Kylie Kenne said that “we can no longer just sit by and let the world pass. It’s our world, and we need to take responsibility for it.” While this statement may seem cliché, it holds truth, particularly in the context of elections, as they are the most obvious event that affects every citizen, especially younger generations as we have much of our lives to left to live.
Regardless of how interesting any individual perceives politics or how disengaged someone is about the idea of “government,” politics largely dictates our lives as citizens of the U.S. and of our home states. Who can get health insurance? Under what conditions? How much of our paycheck will the state and feds collect? When can a woman get an abortion? Can a woman get an abortion? Will our roads be paved? Will more majors be cut? Will more programs be offered? These are only a small sample of the issues that affect our daily lives, and in some cases, the rest of our lives.
It is essential for my generation to become informed and take action. If we can’t motivate ourselves to care about a politician or proposition, we should at least have concern for our future. We must educate ourselves so we can have a say in what affects us.
This experience and realization is my own. My point is subjective. While you, the reader of my account, are unable to witness what I have seen and heard, I urge you to consider this article, and ask yourself: am I informed? Your choices do matter.
