Political parties as of recent years seemed to have lost their complete stronghold on the mass majority of the American people. In the recent election for example the main focus of the election for both parties was to persuade the Moderate people or “the silent Majority” as Ronald Regan said, to one side or the other. In order to understand why the outcome of this past election was in the hands of the Moderate’s one must look on why it was in the hands of the Moderate’s in the first place. I will begin with the generation of 18-24 or in other words, the generation that is currently breaking into the workforce or studying in college. This particular generation (my generation) is a generation of profound accelerated media coverage. From the time my generation was able to comprehend the concept of television media influence already started to begin its work. The popularity of television sets grew year by year, technology increasing at an immense rate; society begins to purchase these items with eager drive. Then we move forward to the same generation only in the 90’s when the internet takes the world by storm. The internet only further exposes the media coverage leading to large amounts of web sites devoted to political parties and there causes. Furthermore, the internet allows for everyone to express personal opinions and create personal web pages on those opinions and ideas. Cell phones struck the masses with a hammering fist providing personal updates on campaign trails and updates on personal web pages about political ideals. The 18-24 generation has been shaped and molded to become the new Moderate’s simply because the exposure of tremendous amounts of media influence.
The generation of 18-24 is a generation that grew up with access to media coverage like none before. Everywhere a person turns the access to political ads or political ideals are available. Like all overexposed media influences, they begin to lose their credibility with the public, but in this case they lose the whole attention of this specific generation. I cannot speak for everyone, of course there are a lot of people in this generation that are involved in politics, but it is not to the extent of generations past. To continue my reasoning I bring forth the notion that this particular generation grew up in an environment that requires multitasking. One must complete this extra curricular course in order to participate in another course. A student is required to take three different core classes to get into one. A student must be involved in off campus activities in order for their resume to be credible. A student must complete a 3 or six month internship in order to graduate. The difference between our generation and generations past is the overwhelming requirements needed to become politically involved. It seems nowadays one has to be involved in a club or affiliated with a political party in order to be taken seriously. When in years past a student, was just labeled a student, their job was to be a student. Now times have changed a student is no longer just a student, he or she works or is involved in multiple extra curricular activities or is subject to the will of the university and over priced books and tuition. The costs of universities around the U.S has caused many of these factors, requirements of books, i-clickers, lab fees, the list can go on and on. It is no wonder why student’s attention is diverted away from politics; we don’t have the available time to become involved. I understand that if someone is truly passionate about politics they can and will make time for it, but the average student takes on a workload of fifteen credits and not to mention other requirements such as labs or internships.
It may sound as if I am making excuses or complaining about how our generation has it worse than generations past or how our father’s and mother’s expect too much from us, but in reality I am merely stating that times have changed. They have changed in a sense that there is not enough time in the day to do everything a student of this generation wants. It may have been the same for generations past, the certain things such as overwhelming media coverage and increasing tuition rates cause’s people to take priority in their personal lives. A student in the generation of 18-24 has seen there fair share of media coverage throughout their lives. The increasing amount available technology and exposure can cause one to push aside the overwhelming bombardment. Priorities come into factor, with increasing housing costs, tuition rates, books, prerequisites and requirements leaves very little time to focus on the involvement of politics.
This past election many even the generation discussed became thoroughly involved, but still the main focus of both parties was to persuade the Moderate’s to one side or the other. The Moderate’s from my perspective are made up of my generation. The generation that has seen so much political exposure throughout their lives from media coverage to everyday discussion’s with family, friends or strangers. Just the other day I had a conversation with my landlord about the apartment below mine and how the long the renovations where to take place. The conversation quickly turned to politics which led to a longer discussion than I intended to a subject I didn’t want to talk about in the first place. My landlord told me, “You need to talk to your fellow students on campus about the wrongs Obama is doing because he’s going to turn this country into a socialistic government.” I understand the need for concern, but when a man turns an openly friendly conversation into a political one it can cause a person to shut down and not take in anything that was said. It seems our generation has been exposed so much to what to do or what political party is right that we seem to have shut down. The “silent majority” I believe is made up of people from my generation due to all of these matters, but it doesn’t mean that we are completely silent. In the recent election our President Barrack Obama was elected simply because he won over the “silent majority”. So when the time is needed the “silent majority” speaks out to which the mass believes in, but when the time is not right it seems the focus is not politics, but more so on a personal agenda due to today’s requirements to stay ahead of the curve.
The “silent majority” or the age group 18-24 seems to have the most moderate view on politics. The over exposure of media and the pressures of everyday life may have a large factor on the lessened involvement of politics. The requirement of students and the pressures of making rent or paying off student loans may be an excuse from not being involved, but its reality, priorities must come first. The exposure of politics throughout our lives and the availability of politics on television such as c-span, CNN, MSNBC, Fox and more may have caused my generation to push politics aside. The constant bombardment of left and right, right or wrong cause’s divergence with one self which may lead for them figure it out themselves.
