It Isn’t a Surprise That Political Apathy is on the Rise
As a so called millennial by the older generations, I have no interest in political affairs. Not because I don’t understand them, but because I have given up all hope in the weight of my voice. I am not the only one who feels that way. Much of the American population suffers from “political apathy”. The past 2016 presidential election has proven to myself and others, that keeping up with politics is fatiguing. And rather than attempting to understand this seemingly abstruse world, it is much easier to simply not care.
In no way am I trying to say that the lack of political participation is anything to be glorified. It’s not. I do feel ashamed when I can’t offer my opinion in political conversations due to lack of knowledge on what’s going on. However, we, the apathetic masses, are not subject to blame for our indifference towards politics.
There are many reasons why people become disinterested in politics. First being that people believe that their vote doesn’t count. There is often a disconnect between politicians and voters. A Pew Research Center survey from 2011, found that 69 percent of Americans believe that politicians don't care what average Americans think and 72 percent say that, once elected, politicians lose touch with the voters back home.If people feel that politicians do not care what they think, then what is the motivation for voters to get out to the polls? Additionally, people's votes often turn out to seem unimportant to changing the political future. Take for example the results of the 2016 election. Although Hillary Clinton received the majority of votes, Donald Trump won the presidency because of the electoral college. This sways people away from voting because they feel as if their participation doesn't even matter anyway.
Not only this, but American voters are swayed away from politics because of a lack of trust in politicians. In a study by the Pew Research Center, only 19% of Americans can say that they trust the government always/most of the time. Many Americans don’t vote because they feel that the candidates available won’t bring about the change that they campaign about. In fact 74% of elected officials put their own agenda ahead of the country’s. Why vote at all if you believe the person is not going to represent you?
Ultimately, people are sick of politics. Scandals, corruption, investigations and tragedy in politics appear everywhere nowadays. With social media becoming the biggest platform to get information out, there is no escaping the reach of politics. On sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, the presence of politicians has taken root as a main form of teaching the public. There is no doubt that I have seen my fair share of political memes on my Instagram feed daily this past election. Even on TV, news coverage was dominated with talks of the 2016 election. Just Donald Trump alone was mention on major news channels almost 1.75 million times not including other candidates which would add up to way more.(https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/graphic-whos-the-most-popular-candidate-mentioned-on-television/402451/) The constant back and forth of media attacking candidates and candidates attacking the media, and even just the constant discussion of politics is what turns people off from caring about politics.
This is not to say that it is okay to condone political apathy. We need millennials, baby boomers, immigrants and voters of all demographics to participate in politics now more than ever. It's important for those who are apathetic to remind themselves that remaining indifferent is giving politicians all the power. Without our voices, we are surrendering our right to control our democracy and ultimately giving politicians what they want. The more active we are as a body politic, the easier it becomes to hold politicians accountable for their responsibilities.
To truly see a change in our politics, a couple things must happen. A major reformation in the ethical behavior of candidates will arise from voter participation, voters can choose candidates they trust and can forge closer relationships with. Also, controlling media so that information is fact checked and accurate can help information become more attainable to everyone. Only then can politics become a platform where people can actively participate in and see their vote matter.