Somehow, over the past four years, my generation has managed to make politics cool. I can remember the election four years ago; I was in school then. In my town, you didn't express your opinions--no one did. Not even the senoirs who were able to vote. Today, fortunately, it's very different. Almost everyone in the high school has an opinion about politics, and I know all my college friends do as well. Just the other day, I was at OSU, and just as many students were talking about politics as were talking about the night's frat party. No, I was not on a college visit. I was staying with a friend on a weekend, and yes, there was a party. Political activism has become "in" and displaying your views, even more so. Lots of students display buttons on their bags or coats, and bumper stickers on their cars. Many people have attended numerous political rallies and many have even campaigned for their candidate of choice. Over the past week, almost all of my classes have turned into political disscusion (or debate) arenas. Now, interpret this as you will...but I'm going to say that while that may reflect badly on the public school system, it does look favorable for the future. Hopefully, voting and being politically active will stay "cool". But now, how did it get cool? Does this just happen every fourty years(for those of you who don't understand that look up the 1968 Presidential Elections)? Are people truly interested? Hmmmmm. Does it have to do with the economy? With global warming? What caused this change to happen? I think that it will be hard to tell--maybe it's a combination. Maybe five, ten, or twenty years from now we will know. Hopefully it will stay this way; and people will continue to get involved, especially those who may not have been inspired to vote before. Hopefully this election will make America feel that the people's votes do count, despite the electoral college. If it does, then soon, after realizing our power, we will be able to do something about the power that the electoral college holds overs, like vote to change it.
Frat Parties and Politics
By erebmann - Posted on October 25th, 2008
I hope civic life is not a fad, or worse another outlet for happy utopian consumerism, like you've described.
If we have to make political conversations cool for national elections to be palatable for the masses, what do we have to do to local elections? Show how it affects our lives?
my documentary...
"some folks say that a hippie won't steal,
but I caught three in my corn field"
--John Hartford
I'm not sure it is that people care more than they used to, I think it has just become socially acceptable for people to talk about it. My grandpa used to say "If you want to keep your friends, never discuss two things: politics and religion." And that may be true. I've seen some viscous fights come out of a political debate and people get angry when someone disagrees. But our generation is very outspoken. However, it certainly is the norm. At my college, a small one in the "south," I hung out for almost two hours discussing the election after a meeting.
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Honestly i think what turn politics into "cool" was president elected Obama. he directed parts of his compaign towards college students.
he also was inheritly different ; he was young and African American and understood and was more connected with the younger generation.
Obama certainly helped, but I think things were going that way during the last presidential election as well. I saw major discussions, even full on arguments over Bush vs. Kerry. And I was in high school at the time. Of course, there were some very hot button topics too, such as abortion and the war on terror, so that played a part.
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http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tricia0711