Sunday, October 19, 2008
Celebrities and Youth?
Note: Please excuse the slight profanity in the video. I guess it's supposed to make it so that it's better related to teens? Haha. Kind of silly.
Some of you may have seen this video. It's a little late since the deadline to register has passed already, but I still wanted to discuss celebrities' involvement with youth's voting. This video is brilliant, amazing, and any other positive word I could use. It's hilarious. Many people think that youth votes are very important. After all, they make up a huge percentage of the population. Just think about it, even the economy relies a lot of our desire for material objects. How much money do we spend on clothes, accessories, and eating out? But there's also the issue of whether people really know what they're voting for. Is the average 18-year-old informed enough to make a decision that would benefit them? Maybe. Some adults don't even know. So many people get caught up on the "band wagon" or just taking whatever opinions they are surrounded by without formulating their own. And it made me wonder... if celebrities could convince a youth to register & vote, who's to say that they can't influence WHO they vote for? A previous blog entry had a few quotes of celebrities publicly announcing who they're voting for. Does that swing things? Would it be better if celebrities didn't share their ideas with youth? It's something to think about, and I still can't decide since there are pros and cons to both.
Feel free to comment :) I love reading the discussions.
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16 comments:
I'm glad that so many celebritites are doing the best they can to get people registered and get people out to vote. I liked the fact that they used a ton of celebrities and the sarcasm really sucked you in. Genius propoganda.
My favorite part:
"Polar ice caps are melting."
"I hear polar bears can swim."
Haha yeah, I think the sarcasm was a greeat idea!
"You do have five friends...don't you?"
"I USED to have five friends"
Haha I loved it!
that was hilarious! I've actually never seen this video before. I think that is a great way to get people to vote. Especially since the certain youth who look up to celebrities as role models or as inspirations, they'll see this ad as an encouragement to vote. I dont know that actor's name..but the one who was like "I'll take my bra off while you're registering to vote". That was classic. :) good stuff.
I thought that this video was hilarious. However, on a more serious note, statistics show that people over the age of 30 are significantly more likely to vote, than people under the age of 30. I think that this is caused by a variety of things: First, younger people often feel out of touch with the government. They feel as though the government is just older people making decisions in which they have no say. Second, younger people often feel as though they do not really have any input, as if their vote does not matter. I think that this feeling can be derived from the fact that our society creates a sort of submissiveness in younger people. From the time children are born they are expected to listen to their parents, their teachers, and any other elder. In school, children have almost no say in the material they learn, or in rules. By the time a person is 18, he/she is conditioned to believe that having no say is the norm. I believe that this translates into their decision not to bother voting
…just my personal theory
Jonah hill is a boss. it really is geinus propaganda to the fullest. even though every one knows its kinda staged it makes you feel more light hearted about voting and really want to go out and do it.
This video was great. I loved how all the different celebritites were used and the sarcasm was great.
This video was funny but seriously, voting is a waste of time. The chance that your vote will change anything is effectively zero.
Before you say "OMG WHAT IF EVERYONE THOUGHT THAT!!!!!!!", realize that it doesn't matter because not everyone thinks that way. In fact, if no one voted, your vote would matter.
Plus california is going to vote for Obama anyway. The only thing I would be tempted to vote on is the california gay marriage thing, because I am strongly against that, but even so my vote wouldn't really matter.
Not to mention, voting implies that you accept the current flawed system (electoral college), and that you accept the government's tyranny.
I forgot to mention: I'm not saying people should not vote. If it makes you happy to vote, then vote by all means. I'm saying that people should not immediately judge others for not voting.
Well, if your happy with the way things are then you should vote no on the things that'll change it instead of not voting at al. The real problem is not whether or not you're really satisfied with how things are right now, it's a question of whether or not you're apathetic, whether or not you just don't give a..hoot. There isn't really any excuse for not voting, if you don't think you know enough about what you're voting on, do the research. Although, the problem with just getting people to vote without any prerequisites is that they could just vote randomly or based on the funniest name and not research the topic. Life could be so much better for everyone if we voted! Have a problem with the government? Are you too cynical? "Oh my vote won't count anyway" Do you know how many lives were sacrificed so we could obtain and protect this right? It's practically sacrilegious to not vote. It's like not recycling, it's just stupid.
So vote, you don't have to agree with what I believe in, but vote, make sure our government lives up to its claim as "government of the people, by the people, and for the people"
it's cool how all these celebrities made this video and the sarcasm was hilarious
It's great to get involved and such with government and I'd say your vote definitely counts. Even if it is one vote out of thousands and thousands, it's still not zero. No vote = No say. People argue that your vote counts for nothing so why bother voting... but not voting is essentially the same thing. By voting, you at least have some influence over the actual outcome. I suppose one wouldn't vote if they are satisfied with life but if you're satisfied, you might as well vote "no" on some things to ensure that you stay happy.
While I think voting is definitely something people ought to do, I'd also say that it's perfectly fine not voting as well. It's true that people have fought and died for our nation's freedom and the people's rights, but that still doesn't mean we would have to use these privileges. What makes our rights so important is that we can choose whether or not to use them. To choose not to vote is essentially a choice in itself. I doubt mandatory voting laws would work for our country, considering our political culture and the general sense of rebellion from authority that our nation has. Voter ignorance is also another huge problem as many may vote for something without getting all the facts about it.
But all in all, while voting is an amazing right, it's still just that. A right. I think that if someone doesn't want to vote, then fine. I mean, we have the right to bear arms, but I expect most of us don't own any weapons... (at least I don't...)
POLAR BEARS CAN VOTE? NO WAY.
I really liked this because usually you think of propaganda as a negative thing, but this was definitely propaganda and was definitely a good thing, and I0m really mad that i wont be able to vote this year. grr.
And I think that is should be illegal to not vote, or at least for presidential elections. When I was in Ecuador I asked a friend if she was going to vote (there was an election for the sort of equivalent to the senate) and she said "of COURSE" and she was shocked to know that in the us its not mandatory to vote. I think that (they should get rid of the electoral college cough cough and) that it should be mandatory to vote.
I think that only problem with making it mandatory to vote is that it forces uninterested people (see how I didn't say stupid people?) to make decisions they don't want to make (or are underqualified to make). Also, Americans arn't to keen on being told what to do. Kind of like when your parents ask you to take the trash out, you were going to take it out eventually, but now that they are forcing you to take it out, its now a time-consuming chore.
Maybe you should tax people more if they don't vote, people hate taxes. Maybe that will motivate them to be more "in the loop" and educate themselves on policies that candiates stand on. I think that if you make it illegal to not vote, people will just vote and put no effort into. There are a few draw backs.
But don't even get me started about the electoral college.
It's great that celebrities are trying to get younger people to register and vote. I think that celebrities can influence young voters a little when they announce who they're voting for, but ultimately I think that voters will vote for who they think will do the best job.
I'm not happy with the way things are. But voting won't make a difference anyway, first of all because one vote is meaningless and second because I disagree with both of the candidates. I hope Obama is just promising a bunch of stuff to get elected, but I can't be sure that is true.
Life would not be better if everyone voted, because the majority of people do not know what is best for the country.
And why is propaganda considered good just because you support it?
Also does anyone actually read what I say?
~ ballin4life803
Well of course we read your posts..
or at least I do
I don't expect Mr. Silton to give me any points for this post...
But I'm really curious as to who you are ^_^
Okay ballin, I just read what you wrote. And while I understand where you are coming from, I don't think that voting is a "waste of time." though there are always going to be people who are politically active and will always vote, statistics do show that voter apathy has increased throughout the years. Yes, California is most likely going to end up as an Obama state in the end, but isn't it the job of a citizen to help choose who they think will be the most effective leader? To me, it's the thought that counts. If there is someone you believe in, you should vote. This leads into why I don't think that mandatory voting would be a good idea. A vote in the hands of an uneducated person could be dangerous. However, if you have someone that cares about the issues, not voting just because he doesn't believe in the system doesn't make sense to me. Our system isn't perfect, but it's what we're stuck with. So its either use the system, or the entire country goes against this tyranny that you speak of by ditching the entire electoral college, and we experiment with an entirely new electing system. Highly unlikely.
In response to this video: good. At least celebrities are doing their part in reaching out to encourage people to register. Though this video doesn't make me REALLLY want to get up and register (which I couldn't even if I wanted to), its humor will probably encourage the younger citizens into registering and looking into the election. Oh yeah, and Kate, I just got the 5 friends thing. I think...
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