After a week of trying to spark conversations with friends about their own beliefs and their political views, I have come to the sad conclusion that a large percentage of the younger generation do not fully understand what, or why they are voting.
One didn’t know the meaning of the word manifesto, and another wanted to vote UKIP because she enjoys the colour purple. It is very rare to find teens having a discussion about politics and most are negatively labelled for taking an interest in the subject. It is worrying that eighteen year olds are choosing to vote flippantly about their future, the policies they choose effect everything from the university fees they pay to the shoes on their feet, yet nobody seems to be too stirred about Thursdays events.
A large majority of teenagers vote for their parents politics and seem to have their parents views, which aren’t necessarily what they would believe had they been given the knowledge to choose for themself, embellished in their minds. It is not a truth that the Conservative party play only for the rich and Labour party support only the poor, this is what your children, our country’s future generation believe.
Another young boy who turned 18 a few weeks before the election said he wanted to vote UKIP as a protest vote, he had never heard of spoiling his paper! His friend believed that by spoliling your paper you, “aren’t going to make a difference.”
If we explore the younger population, 14-16, some seem interested in wanting to vote at 16, but are again negatively labelled by others who think Nicola Sturgeon was the person who helped make Rihanna’s dress for the MET Gala this week.
I believe it is vital for children to be taught politics in high school for them to be able to grasp a concept of each party and build their own political values. They deserve to have their own say about their future.
Do you agree?
facingoutwards 