Washington Times: Youth Vote Ignorant

4 Responses to “Washington Times: Youth Vote Ignorant”

1. Kevin Bondelli says:

   May 22, 2008 at 3:22 pm

   The fact that she rails on Millennials about this only a week after Chris Matthews exposes conservative pundit Kevin James for not knowing that Neville Chamberlain gave Hitler the Sudetenland is astounding.

   There are voters of all generations that are familiar with the history of the Middle East and those that are not. She seems not to be familiar enough about the research on Gen Y to know about the increased knowledge of civic issues. Perhaps she is not qualified to write editorials.
2. Night Hawk says:

   May 23, 2008 at 12:04 pm

   Of course, an editorial is merely a fancy name for an “opinion piece.” I can understand Ms. Field’s comments regarding youth voters very well. When one peruses the “rock the vote” website, the clear indication is that it is very biased in a particular direction. I personally hate to look at political leanings as either right or left. However, using contemporary “trends” in describing politics, “Rock the Vote” is decidedly “Extremely left leaning.” This is done without even mentioning candidates involved in the race.

   Ms. Fields’ editorial, while abrasive, is inherently true. The majorit of youths today do lack the ability to truely make a rational decision based upon the facts of the matter. While they may consume much more numerous quantities of news, that news is filtered through very little reasoning. The capacity of many people raised within the education system of the last few decades for reason and rationality is severely hindered. The “educationists” that were mentioned in the piece have done a thorough job of dismantling the process of rational thought in most of the “arts” fields of study and have begun making significant strides in the science fields as well. This can be clearly evidenced in the politisization of the “global warming debate.” That very debate has abandoned true science for the “religion” of politics. The primary reason for their success is due to the failure of the education of today’s (and yesterday’s) youth. Reason and rationality are no longer involved in education. Rote memorization and regurgitation is expected. So, as you pointed out, the youths of today do consume much more news and “political” literature, unfortunately, few of them have the mental wherwithal to maintain an objective understanding of it.
3. Kevin Bondelli says:

   May 23, 2008 at 3:10 pm

   Nighthawk, I challenge your premise that young people are less informed and objective than prior generations because of filtered news.

   The dramatically decreased cost of publishing information has improved the ability of people to find objective information. When radio and newspapers were the only forms of information consumption, people were broadcasted news from the very few sources that could afford to publish on those mediums. The advent of television increased the number of sources, yet still only the wealthiest businesses could afford to own a station. The internet, which the Millennial generation uses more adroitly than any other, shatters the barriers between publisher and consumer, allowing anyone with an internet connection to produce content.

   There is more information available today that is widely and easily accessible than any other time in the history of the world. During the TV era, news consumers had no choice but to hear data filtered through the stations and news anchors. In the internet era the data itself is a Google search away. While you say young people are unable to make a rational decision based upon the facts because the “news is filtered through very little reasoning,” you ignore the fact that Millennials know how to find the raw data online better than any other generation.

   I also wonder how only young voters are affected by your perceived lack of unfiltered news. Unless a person magically gains a transcendent understanding of the truth in their 30s, it does not make any sense.

   While I am 100% with you that the education style of rote memorization and rote learning is antithetical to truly learning, today’s education system is not all that different than that of the prior few generations. The advantage the Millennial generation has is the ability to engage in self-learning with the use of the internet.

   I find your claim that the vast majority of young people do not “have the mental wherwithal [sic] to maintain an objective understanding” completely ageist, and the implication that young people are inherently mentally incapable of understanding anything is slanderously false.
4. Ian Magruder says:

   May 23, 2008 at 10:11 pm

   Well said Kat. Thanks for standing up for all young Americans.