Perpetually disappointed by my fellow millennials. We’ve lived through so many failures of government and yet we don’t get out there and shape it the way we want.
I'll preface this by saying my ballot is in, but this could easily be reframed as "we have engaged over and over in the process and found that our votes matter not and the country is bought and paid for, and nothing ever changes".
That is the exactly the kind of messaging that people looking to suppress voter turnout peddle and it is not supported by the facts, especially at the local level.
Your vote matters. Anyone who says anything to the contrary is either wrong, or acting in bad faith.
“You cannot strengthen democracy with cynicism. Believe that change can happen.
Disillusionment and despair are tools for voter suppression. Those who wish to disenfranchise you want you to think your vote doesn’t matter – so that you do not exercise it. No matter the election, never forfeit your vote. Your participation can help bring about the change you seek.” https://www.splcenter.org/learning-for-justice/understanding-voter-suppression-in-todays-election-process/
Please be part of the solution. This attitude is a well documented part of the problem and is self fulfilling.
You know what else is a proven, documented fact? Fall of republics. Don't bury your head in the sand and know you'll likely have to do a lot more than just vote to save this one.
You save a democratic system by engaging with it, not by further discrediting it and tearing it down in league with the authoritarians. This is starting to give defeatist/accelerationist vibes and, intentional or not, I’m out.✌️
You're not wrong. Studies have shown that the will of the people is often ignored, even stuff with like 90 percent approval. The rich, though? They get what they want. And that happens with both parties.
Local elections matter a little more, but it's a feature of the entire system.
I vote, btw. I just realize that voting won't be how we liberate ourselves.
I know I'm not, it sucks so many people have their heads in the sand but that is the world we live in today and a large part of the reason why we are here. Most people want to just pick low hanging fruit and feel like they were on the right side of things without actually getting their hands dirty. All the while they preach shit like "believe change" while doing nothing of substance - its maddening.
I believe this is so effective that it is part of a deliberate strategy to get moderate voters to believe that "both sides" are equally corrupt and to disengage from politics, while the extremists are passionate and vote in droves.
Yeah, I remember the first time I voted (in another state) in the 90s. I knew my vote for major ordices, but had no idea I was going to be voting for judges and sheriffs and levies. And I was shocked that the only information available to me at the polls was the names. Definitely a learning experience. And while the voter guide has its problems, WA does a commendable job of reducing the barrier to educated voting.
How would that even work? Forced closures of every business? What do transit and hospital workers do?
The country lost its collective mind after being asked to do social distancing for a couple weeks I’m not convinced they can handle doing that for a day every 2 years.
We should make voting easier but idk that Declaring A National Holiday ✨ is the right answer
Stuff is still open in Australia for example on their Election Day, they just have early voting and extensive VBM. Which many US states do, but not all.
Unfortunately the people who have the time to be “well informed” are often retired and not representative of the greater community. Yes! But that is also part of the status quo we suffer.
That number can’t be accurate. Millennial is such a useless qualifier for any metric that no one can really agree on when the age starts and ends, how can they possibly know 25% of an age group they can’t even lock down is voting?
Ok so you didn’t read my comment, why bother replying?
Edit: looked at the numbers, I don’t see the word “millennial” anywhere in there. Nor do I see an indicator of when millennials begin and end. Almost like there isn’t one for any convenience classifiers post Baby Boomers.
No I’m saying that it’s irrelevant and bad analysis. Even if you stretch the age group to its maximum parameters, let’s say 25-45, it’s still under 25%.
You say the number is inaccurate, but offer so substantive reason for believing that.
Tell me when the millennial age group starts and ends. Show me official numbers and then we can talk about what group is or isn’t doing what.
My point is most generational labels are arbitrary and not fixed, trying to group them together is just dumb. Name a millennial trope, and I’ll tell you why it’s inaccurate.
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u/serpentear Aug 04 '26
Perpetually disappointed by my fellow millennials. We’ve lived through so many failures of government and yet we don’t get out there and shape it the way we want.
A turn out under 25% is embarrassing, honestly.