Politics. It’s part of becoming an adult. You’ve been trying to avoid it for so long, but there it is, creeping into conversations with friends over drinks, the same friends who most prior conversations with began with “What happened last night?” Then it’s there. It’s real. You’re all of a sudden supposed to know something.
So many people in their twenties are trying to figure out what they believe and where they sit on the political spectrum. They’re trying to figure out who to vote for and what blanket political ideology fits them best.
Part of getting older is developing a personal set of beliefs and morals; part of maturing is being open to allowing those beliefs and morals to change. By our mid-twenties, most of us are familiar with the general political climate in our own country, and hopefully have at least a vague idea of what’s happening in other parts of the world. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I work in politics, so for me, familiarizing myself in this regard is part of the job. Many young adults struggle with figuring out where they stand on a particular issue, what to believe and to what extent they will support a political party. Many people will agree with a political party on an issue they are passionate about and instead of reading further into election platforms, political records and familiarizing themselves with other important factors facing the country, will jump on board with the party. They will adapt their set of beliefs to match the political party they’ve decided to support. I remember a brilliant Chris Rock comedy bit years ago where he discussed the phenomenon of people who too easily identify themselves as a Republican or a Democrat. He said “Anyone who makes up their mind before they hear the issue is a f***in’ fool.” The man has a point. He further explains, “Crime, I’m conservative... Prosititution, I’m liberal!”
So many people in their twenties are trying to figure out what they believe and where they sit on the political spectrum. They’re trying to figure out who to vote for and what blanket political ideology fits them best.
Part of getting older is developing a personal set of beliefs and morals; part of maturing is being open to allowing those beliefs and morals to change. By our mid-twenties, most of us are familiar with the general political climate in our own country, and hopefully have at least a vague idea of what’s happening in other parts of the world. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I work in politics, so for me, familiarizing myself in this regard is part of the job. Many young adults struggle with figuring out where they stand on a particular issue, what to believe and to what extent they will support a political party. Many people will agree with a political party on an issue they are passionate about and instead of reading further into election platforms, political records and familiarizing themselves with other important factors facing the country, will jump on board with the party. They will adapt their set of beliefs to match the political party they’ve decided to support. I remember a brilliant Chris Rock comedy bit years ago where he discussed the phenomenon of people who too easily identify themselves as a Republican or a Democrat. He said “Anyone who makes up their mind before they hear the issue is a f***in’ fool.” The man has a point. He further explains, “Crime, I’m conservative... Prosititution, I’m liberal!”
People who become more attached to a party than their own fundamental beliefs can lose a sense of who they are and more importantly can lose the ability to be open-minded. That isn’t to say that you can’t be whole-heartedly in support of a political party. Naturally, if you are conservative in your thinking about the economy, you will likely agree with the majority of the economic policies of your country’s respective conservative party; whereas, if you are of a more liberal mindset, you would likely support the liberal party. And hey, it’s great when one of the political parties in your country represents a lot of what you believe. It doesn’t happen all the time. So when it does, by all means, embrace it.
I truly admire people who are passionate about politics, not for the political games, but because they understand the importance of the issues on the table and want to be involved in the democratic process. These are the people who have a strong sense of beliefs and may support a political party, but will have no issue speaking out against a policy if they were to disagree with it. These are the people who know who they are, will listen to both sides of an issue, think about it and then form an opinion.
As young adults, many of us find ourselves in a constant state of trying to define ourselves. Let’s be honest, it makes things easier. It’s nice to know exactly where you fit in. Let's instead try to be in a constant state of learning. Let’s take each issue individually, sit with it and then make up our minds. Let’s not pretend to know a lot about an issue when we don’t. Let’s not pretend to have our minds made up when we’re still on the fence. Let’s not make our mind up about an issue and close the book (understand that you will change and the context of the issue will change). Let's take the time to read, educate ourselves and figure out what we believe in. Let's let go of trying to put a label on it.
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