Our generation is, of course, considered “technologically advanced.” Whether it be from smartphones, tablets, laptops, or even smart watches, we can acquire an infinite amount of information by simply clicking a button. News websites and social media are just a few of the myriad of sources of potential information. Amazing things can be learned and accomplished from these resources. For example, approximately a year ago I began to take a special interest in social justice and politics via Twitter. I read story after story, followed account after account, and looking back, I have learned a lot about an innumerable number of topics including rape culture, politics, mental illnesses, intersectional feminism, social and economic inequality in America, #BlackLivesMatter, cultural appropriation, the intersection between immigration laws and xenophobia, and white privilege, just to name a few. I took advantage of my ability to access this information because I decided that I care about this country, this society, and the people within it. But often I hear not only adults, but also my peers say, “Why do you care anyways? It’s not like you can make a difference.” It sickens me to think that I am belittled because I care about our society. Just because I can’t vote in the next presidential election, doesn’t mean I don’t want to be informed on the issues and take part in the conversation. I’m afraid that our generation has a lack of care for what is going on in the world around us. Even though we have unlimited access to this information, many of us simply do not care, but if we continue to create a culture of ignorance towards social, economic, and political issues, our country will not be in good shape in the next 20 or so years. So first, we’ll address why teenagers have begun to believe that their voices don’t matter; After that, we’ll check out what effect this discouragement is having on not only our youth, but also our society; And finally, we’ll discuss how we can reestablish the importance of social awareness in our generation through social media.
The most significant reason that teenagers don’t care about politics and social issues is that the media and adults are telling us that our voices don’t matter; that “we don’t know what we’re talking about.” This condescension is discouraging us from learning about the issues facing our country. Just because we’re young, doesn’t mean we can’t take part in the conversation. Our age should not be a factor in what our words are worth. Take Girl Meets World actress Rowan Blanchard for example. She has written numerous articles and essays as well as speak out about intersectional feminism, human rights, and gun violence—and she’s only fourteen. Although I am sure she has been disregarded by adults many times, her message has begun to resonate with other teenagers. She is just one example of how being socially aware can make a difference.
Teens that do not recognize the magnitude and potential of their voices due to discouragement often go down a dark path of blind support and/or hate. When discussing the 2016 presidential race for instance, I have heard many people say, “Anyone but Hillary.” When I ask why, and they don’t have a logical explanation, I have no choice but to disregard their opinion. Anyone is entitled to dislike Hillary of course, but if you can’t come up with a better reason other than, “She just sucks,” or, “She’s a woman,” then your opinion isn’t valid. Others who are discouraged from forming opinions simply don’t have one and don’t care. It’s this lack of concern that will put our country in danger years from now. If we don’t have more people step up and begin to care about our world, we won’t have the next Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, or Susan B. Anthony, and we won’t be able to progress our society.
The only way we can fix this generational normality of rejecting social issues is by educating ourselves. There are numerous social media figures, accounts, organizations, and magazines that provide quality information. For example, you’re on one right now: Affinity Magazine. For over three months I have been a staff writer at Affinity where I have had the opportunity to help educate other teens on social issues and politics. I have written on an array of topics varying from Bernie Sanders to the Powerpuff Girls. This magazine has a great staff that provides an excellent source of information about the issues we should all care about. As I said before, we have the ability to access anything; now we need to take advantage of it.
All in all, we have to understand that our voices do matter. If we underestimate the power that we hold, we won’t be able to progress our society. So take a stand, do some research, educate yourself, form an opinion, and fight for what you believe in. Becoming socially aware has allowed me to meet amazing people, partake in meaningful and insightful conversations, and enrich my mind. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I didn’t take the first step in understanding that I can make a difference – that my voice matters, and yours does too. It is our social and moral obligation to learn about the world around us; if all we care about is learning how to do Pythagorean theorem or memorize the date range for the ancient Roman empire, we’ll never be able to change the world. Educating myself has left such a positive impact on my life, and I know that it will on all of you as well.
Comments are closed.