Our racial diversity has shaped our values and dreams for the future, as demonstrated this summer in the Black Lives Matter protests. A Yubo poll found that nearly 90% of the Gen Z respondents said that they support Black Lives Matter, 77% percent had already attended a protest to support equality for Black Americans, and 62% said they were willing to get arrested during a peaceful protest to support this equality (Davis). A peaceful protest was even organized in Mukilteo by Kamiak alumni to protest police brutality. Our diversity has created a more progressive generation, and both Democratic and Republican Gen Zers are more likely to believe that Black Americans are treated unfairly in the U.S.

In addition, we are on track to become the best-educated generation yet. We are less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to enroll in college (Parker and Igielnik), which explains our likelihood of leaning farther left with Democrats, as uneducated white Americans make up the majority of the Republican Party’s voters (Griffin).

Statistics also show that the majority of Gen Zers want an activist government, acknowledge that climate change is due to human activity, and support the LGBTQ+ community.

Social Media: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

With the first social media platform emerging in 1997, Gen Z does not know a world without smartphones, the internet, and social media. This comes with a variety of pros and cons, as well as some ugly truths. By taking a look at how social media has influenced us, as well as how we use social media to influence, we can begin to see how our relationship with social media will affect our political future.

First and foremost, social media has allowed our generation to connect and communicate like never before. We are connected to diverse viewpoints around the world and can converse with people beyond our hometown in ways that past generations never could. This has become especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it has allowed us to continue to socialize and organize while still remaining physically distant. Many students utilized their free time over the summer to spread awareness on a plethora of issues on social media with informational posts, petitions, and protests. Another positive is that underrepresented groups who may not have a voice can share their stories on social media and spread awareness about a variety of matters, whereas before they had to be given a platform (like TV, newspaper, etc.).

Of course, the con to social media is that unlimited information also means unlimited opportunities for misinformation. Posts or tweets that contain emotional and moral language are far more likely to go viral and can spread like wildfire across all platforms because they are not fact-based. Emotions become elevated on all fronts, and outrage pours out in comment sections and polarizing posts. The key to combating misinformation on social media is fact-checking. Read every bit of something before you repost, check the reliability and bias of the sources, compare the information to other sources, and distinguish fact from opinion. The process can be time-consuming, but that is why it is so important. We cannot become lazy on social media and share something just because everyone else is. We must be diligent and put in our best effort to share the truth and combat lies.

Finally, we arrive at the ugly side of social media — division and unrealistic expectations. Social media algorithms, which determine what each user sees based on their previous activity (likes, amount of time engaging with a post, etc.), are one of the deepest factors in the current political divide deepening on social networks. Each party or side only sees what they want to see. There is no “reality check” or unbiased narrative making sure that people are reading truth. There is no middle ground or room for compromise — only “right” versus “wrong” in each perspective. The irony is almost laughable: the platforms that were designed to create more connection and openness have instead only further limited people’s point of view.

However, it is clearly no laughing matter when we see the consequences of these algorithms play out before our eyes. There is no more relevant example than the insurrection that occurred at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. Those domestic terrorists were not only lied to by President Donald Trump; they were encouraged to believe lies by social media algorithms. Their feeds likely contained false confirmation and “evidence” of conspiracy theories in order to keep them engaged on social media for longer periods of time.

We can fight these blinders that social media gives us by viewing neutral, fact-based news sources, having open conversations with people that disagree with us, and encouraging social media platforms to reevaluate their algorithms and policies.

Social media has also created a plethora of unrealistic expectations for Generation Z that will continue to hurt our future goals. With all of the information available on the internet, an unhealthy standard has emerged that everyone should be aware of everything that is going on in the world at all times. If someone is unaware of something, they have the potential to be “cancelled.” This idea, although coming from a good place, is ultimately not healthy. It is important to be aware and to advocate for what you believe in. However, it is not okay to put unrealistic pressure on ourselves and our peers to know everything; it’s literally impossible. The willingness to learn should be the number one quality valued on social media, as simply the desire to grow and advocate shows great promise for our future.

The Power of Voting

The key to achieving the progressive feats that Generation Z desires is voting in both local and nationwide elections. In order to create change, we must actively participate in the democratic process and elect legislators who reflect our values and policies.

In the 2020 election, one-in-ten eligible voters in the 2020 electorate were a part of Generation Z, with the oldest of us turning 23 this year. Most members of our generation are not old enough to vote, and yet we are already having an impact. If we continue to advocate, organize, and vote, we will have the power to create the future that we want for ourselves and the generations that will succeed us. The chart below, with the percentages written in, shows the amount of eligible voters and voters in each generation in the next four presidential elections (Griffin).

Our influence in the political atmosphere will continue to increase as more of our peers grow up and reach the voting age of 18. The big problem, however, is the percentage difference between our eligible voters and the people who actually go out and vote. We have yet to establish ourselves as a reliable voting block, and if we continue on our current path we will not reach our full potential. The older generations before us are consistent in using their right to vote and generating policies that fit their priorities. We must do the same in order to create the change we want to see in the world. Every vote counts.

In addition, our newfound voting power and political influence will allow us to help set the agenda, even if the youngest of us cannot vote yet. The work of young activists has the power to sway political leaders and parties, and we can change the agenda to reflect what young people need from the government. The tight race between Democrats and Republicans for control will continue, and each party will have to find ways to pull in young Gen Z voters if they want to continue to succeed. The odds are in the Democratic Party’s favor, as their progressive policies reflect the future that most of Gen Z desires. Already, we are beginning to see the influence of young activists on the Biden administration’s agenda. With Democrats controlling the Senate, Congress, and the presidency, activists will have a larger say in what really gets accomplished. There is only so much time for all of the administration’s goals, so social media campaigns and communication with state representatives can have an enormous impact right now on what will be accomplished in the next four years.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Finally, we must keep hope that we can achieve progress and continue to better our country and the world. Politics is a balance between cynicism and optimism, and we must find a middle ground where we can be realistic about what we can accomplish and when, yet pursue our dreams for a better future.

If we want to reach the full potential of our political influence and accomplish the change that we desire, we must lead by our values and morals. We must continue to advocate and learn on social media. We must understand our own bias and put in our best effort to share the truth, and in turn oppose lies and misinformation. We must treat each other, and ourselves, with grace and kindness. We must vote, share our voices, and determine what we will accomplish. The choice is ours, and it will decide the future of American politics.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet.

Sources

Brownstein, Ronald. "The GOP's Demographic Doom." The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2020, www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/10/millennials-and-gen-z-will-soon-dominate-us-elections/616818/.

Davis, Dominic-Madori. "THE ACTION GENERATION: How Gen Z really feels about race, equality, and its role in the historic George Floyd protests, based on a survey of 39,000 young Americans." Business Insider, 10 June 2020, www.businessinsider.com/how-gen-z-feels-about-george-floyd-protests-2020-6.

Griffin, Rob, et al. "America's Electoral Future." Center for American Progress, 19 Oct. 2020, www.americanprogress.org/issues/politics-and-elections/reports/2020/10/19/491870/americas-electoral-future-3/.

Haidt, Jonathan, and Tobias Rose-Stockwell. "The Dark Psychology of Social Networks." The Atlantic, Dec. 2019, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/12/social-media-democracy/600763/.

Parker, Kim, and Ruth Igielnik. "On the Cusp of Adulthood and Facing an Uncertain Future: What We Know About Gen Z So Far." Pew Research Center, 14 May 2020, www.pewsocialtrends.org/essay/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far/.