How Do You Explain Politics to a 22 YO?

[IglooDame]

My cousins 24 she didn't really understand how her preferred option lost tge election. She's in one of the most liberal parts of the countries lived in a bubble as all her friends Essentially have the same opinions.

Eg she likes the idea of free student loans. Kinda said student loans aren't free someone else pays for it. Those someone else like things like tax cuts instead.

And outside where we live people have very different opinions. On global scale we're the extreme minority. 8 billion people and very broadly speaking the dominions and a handful of countries in western Europe and Northern Europe see things similar.

I'm mystified at how you considered this to be a reply to what I posted, honestly. Did you mean to reply to a different post and mis-clicked?

 

[Zardnaar]

I like that this answers how not to explain politics to a 22 (or 24) year old.

Your point? She didn't realize that our city doesn't represent the country.

Sje basically didn't get why people voted for current pack of clowns.

Slim majority wanted tax cuts. Comes with Liz Truss light BS.

 

[Kaitzilla]

Politics is how people get along with each other when they can't physically fight or kill each other?

 

[Gorbles]

Your point? She didn't realize that our city doesn't represent the country.

I already made my point. You're telling her her issues are inconsequential. It's fine for you because your "realism" isn't affected by anything - you're fine with the status quo.

But nevermind, I'm sure telling people they're living in a bubble is really worthwhile and gets results.

 

[Zardnaar]

I already made my point. You're telling her her issues are inconsequential. It's fine for you because your "realism" isn't affected by anything - you're fine with the status quo.

But nevermind, I'm sure telling people they're living in a bubble is really worthwhile and gets results.

I didn't say that. Basically I said that right vs left breaks down along tax cuts/social spending.

Tax cuts is basically what they push in all the anglosphere countries at least. Everything else is window dressing.

That's the one unifying thread.

Broadly speaking she doesn't follow politics limes basic ideas such as social spending/liberal causes but doesn't know about terms like left/right, neo liberalism, socialism, how voting works beyond the basics, government funding/spending, austerity etc.

She's not stupid just not interested in politics/history. She doesn't really get why people didn't vote for the left. She's never voted with the right in power).

My first election didn't go my way and it's because of votes elsewhere in the province and nation (age 18).

 

[Gorbles]

I didn't say that. Basically I said that right vs left breaks down along tax cuts/social spending.

Tax cuts is basically what they push in all the anglosphere countries at least. Everything else is window dressing.

This is why it's bad advice generally. You're pushing your conclusions as fact. You need to try and let folks make their own conclusions and simply provide data.

For example, reactionary politics is a big thing, even in NZ (reminder, once again, that you're not the only Kiwi I know who talks politics). So tax cuts is one thing, but a right winger running on culture war stuff can and will win votes. In fact they have, haven't they?

I mean you can blame Jacinda, I can blame whoever, but that's the reality of the platform of the new government, yeah? It doesn’t matter what each of us believe the cause to be - all that matters is laying out, plainly, what is happening. The 22 or 24yo will take that data and arrive at their own conclusions. You don't need to inject yours over the top. I would try and avoid doing the same.

 

[Smellincoffee]

In my experience most 22 year olds are more eager to "explain politics" to other people than they are to hear it explained to them.

 

[Gorbles]

In my experience most 22 year olds are more eager to "explain politics" to other people than they are to hear it explained to them.

I find this to be true inconsequential of age. But let's say it was. Does it answer the OP's question?

 

[Smellincoffee]

I find this to be true inconsequential of age. But let's say it was. Does it answer the OP's question?

Well, no, but I'm not from New Zealand so I have no idea how I'd approach explaining their politics, like why not liking Trump is even a thing in New Zealand. If I were in New Zealand I'd be more worried about Xi than the big bad orange man.

 

[Gorbles]

Well, no, but I'm not from New Zealand so I have no idea how I'd approach explaining their politics, like why not liking Trump is even a thing in New Zealand. If I were in New Zealand I'd be more worried about Xi than the big bad orange man.

Eh, I meant generally. The age claim was yours.

 

[Zardnaar]

This is why it's bad advice generally. You're pushing your conclusions as fact. You need to try and let folks make their own conclusions and simply provide data.

For example, reactionary politics is a big thing, even in NZ (reminder, once again, that you're not the only Kiwi I know who talks politics). So tax cuts is one thing, but a right winger running on culture war stuff can and will win votes. In fact they have, haven't they?

I mean you can blame Jacinda, I can blame whoever, but that's the reality of the platform of the new government, yeah? It doesn’t matter what each of us believe the cause to be - all that matters is laying out, plainly, what is happening. The 22 or 24yo will take that data and arrive at their own conclusions. You don't need to inject yours over the top. I would try and avoid doing the same.

Same patterns play out. Our culture war isn't as bad as overseas but it's creeping in.

General right wing.

1. Tax cuts
2. Rural and richer suburbs
3. Older voters.
4. Higher % of whites and Asians.
5. Pro corporations and land lords.

More context we live in one of NZs most liberal electorates. University town that sometimes gets the highest % of green votes. In her demographics about 90% vote left.

We're in that red bit down the bottom.

2023 New Zealand general election - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I would bet US a d UK maps are very similar with urban/rural divides.

 

[Hygro]

*laughs, spits out drink*

I did

edit: why did typing : shrug : but no spaces give the emoji instead of emoticon?

 

[Remorseless1]

I find this to be true inconsequential of age. But let's say it was. Does it answer the OP's question?

The younger generation always it has the solutions to the problems created by older people. I certainly felt that coming out of college, I saw it in both my daughters and, growing up in the Sixties, that Boomer generation coined the phrase "trust no one over 30."

 

[Arwon]

It sounds like you've already got a handle on being a maximally condescending old fart so I don't think there's anything else to advise on. Got the role nailed down.

 

[Zardnaar]

It sounds like you've already got a handle on being a maximally condescending old fart so I don't think there's anything else to advise on. Got the role nailed down.

Well the younger hard left crowd doesn't get any traction anywhere in the world.

It's what happens when you alienate everyone further left than you while representing 5-15% of the population at best or sub 1% CFC variety.

It's all about nose counting at the end of the day.

It's not a grand conspiracy there's not enough of you anywhere in the anglosphere.

Maybe ditch the purity tests and think hard about ff your behavior alienates more people vs being right.

 

[Arwon]

There, see, fitting the part perfectly

 

[Zardnaar]

There, see, fitting the part perfectly

Well your not exactly innocent yourself. Self convinced you're right and everyone else os wrong.

There's a reason the Labor parties move to the center which disappoints the hard core leftists. You've got a choice of being right or being in power.

Politics involves compromises another dirty word.

I suspect things will be rifferent in 20 years but that's not the world yet.

 

[Arwon]

If any of youse ever catch me posting here about trying to correct my young cousins' and nieces' political idealism please bash me over the head with a shovel and use it to put me straight in my old man's grave

 

[Zardnaar]

If any of youse ever catch me posting here about trying to correct my young cousins' and nieces' political idealism please bash me over the head with a shovel and use it to put me straight in my old man's grave

Not political idealism she didn't know why her team lost.

My 1st election I was aged 18. Everyone was voting for local candidate and Labour. Said candidate got off to a reat early start enough to get mentioned on national coverage.

Once the rural votes rolled in and the votes from Queenstown came in they both got blown out.

Fundamentally the way it works you need more people to vote your way than the other way. That's literally how it works.

Once you leave my city you saw the anti Ardern signs up and anti government signs. My Cousin doesn't travel that much or doesn't really know what the signs are referencing.

When you live in a student city and attend the local university and only travel from A to B not talking to anyone along the way you're kinda in a bubble.

At her age I had been working on farms, traveling for work and working on orchards 300km away. City girl living at home with mum vs townie who had been working since age 13.

Very different back grounds. She was born when NZ recovered I was born just in time for Social Democracy to die and 20 years of upheaval.

 

[Lexicus]

If any of youse ever catch me posting here about trying to correct my young cousins' and nieces' political idealism please bash me over the head with a shovel and use it to put me straight in my old man's grave

Look, dialectically, exposure to Zardnaar is likely only to further radicalize this young woman by pissing her off so I say keep condescending to her Zard you're doing the lord's work