Whether you love it or hate it, politics make the world go round. However, in a time where choosing a side can feel like marching onto a battlefield complete with Italian suits and Twitter rants, you may feel like the best thing to do is run far, far away. Even though self-preservation may feel like the best way through, this mindset can actually backfire on you. In these tumultuous times, in order to create a functioning democracy, we have to rely on educated, well-informed citizens who can think critically about issues and analyze misinformation – a skill you don’t just pick up the day you turn 18.
Politics have consequences, and this upcoming election has a truckful. With major issues such as the economy, immigration and abortion in play, it can be hard to see how these issues can affect our lives. If you fall into this category, I ask you, do you remember the toilet paper crisis of 2020? Economy. The lockdown drills we do every year? Gun control laws. It’s all politics, and these decisions affect us and our communities more than we believe. In fact, political events that occur between ages 14 and 24 have three times more impact on a person’s political leanings than events that occur later in life. That means that the result of this upcoming election could change our worldview and even our moral values for the rest of our lives. Politics impact everyone, and the decision that our country makes on November 5th could change the trajectory of our lives; it is crucial that we, as Americans, pay attention to and participate in decisions that can change our country and our lives forever.
Because of the crucial decision that our country makes every election cycle, even though the majority of us, as middle and high schoolers, cannot vote, it is important to remain active in politics, whether that is reading a news article every week, registering people to vote, or calling people in swing states to encourage them to vote, starting or participating in a discussion with peers, or calling out misinformation, remember that you can make a difference even without a ballot.
