Political Literacy

Understanding politics has never been more important, especially for 2024 seniors, as it is the first year that they will be able to directly affect the outcome of local and national elections.

Political literacy is the comprehension of systems, groups, and ideologies. Having awareness of dynamics and where you yourself lie within the political spectrum gives context and allows you to better understand what’s going on in the world.

Once you’re well informed about issues around you, you can confidently justify your beliefs and decisions this voting season. 

American politics are becoming more polarized, leading to news sources that portray information that generally supports only one side of the political spectrum. This causes many to receive narrow perspectives of the world and the many issues going on.

Social media has a major impact on how we identify and form our beliefs. Whether it’s product or campaign advertising, we are constantly bombarded with information in attempts to sway our thinking. In order to be able to extract useful and factual information from media, we first have to understand the influence of propaganda.

Since the beginning of time, propaganda has been used to influence the way people think. For the purpose of supporting or undermining, in today’s age, propaganda has become a part of everyday life.

As 2024 seniors and the rest of the United States prepares for the upcoming presidential election, being able to understand truth from lies has never been more crucial. It’s important to stay well informed about topics even if they don’t directly impact you. Knowledge is power, and it is never a bad thing to be educated about topics.

Most importantly, know that your opinion matters. Every voice counts and has an impact. Even if you can’t vote this year, you still have the ability to share your ideas with others and continue to refine your own beliefs.