If you're like me, you probably get anxious and angry in .5 seconds when you open up Twitter and see thousands of views and videos about the election. You're overwhelmed by how much tension there is between voters. You get upset when you feel like you don't know as much as you could. So, you shut down your laptop, close out of Twitter and tell people you "don't care about politics." I used to be like you and, sometimes, I still am. It took me almost 18 years to understand the importance of educating myself, especially caring about "politics," even if they make my cheeks red and steam rise out of my ears. Even if you do not agree with the historical decisions of America, becoming an upstanding citizen of our nation provides the privilege to vote for who represents our country. That, in itself, is a great feat. What the president and his or her cabinet carry out during the term affects you, your family, your friends, your co-workers, your co-workers families...You get the idea. Whether you're the ambitious, 5 am go-getter or the sort of lazy, 11 am dreamer, America is your home and here for you to leave it better than you found it. Here are 5 ways for the lazy voters to educate themselves. Get involved without really getting "involved."
1. Think: What popular social issues are important to you?
Everyone has their opinions (some more outspoken than others) and have the right to discuss their values with like-minded people. For the anxious citizen, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the copious judgements from debating friends. How do you know what to believe? With tons and tons of information, it's hard to come to terms and make a rational, educated decision on what to label as "My Opinion." Take the alone time to find what makes you tick, what makes you uncomfortable, and what changes you wish you could see in your nation. What issues do you hold close to your heart? If you don't know where to start, search inside yourself and discover where you stand on topics such as: pro-life/pro-choice abortion, race relations, climate change, immigration, the legalization of marijuana, gun control, or the wage gap).
2. Watch video clips of Debates when you need a break from binge watching shows.
For the lazy, average, of age person, you may love spending your free time stuffing your face in front of your laptop screen, catching up on Stranger Things. (You hate Steve too, right?) Take it upon yourself to catch up on all videos presidential. Look up interviews from trustworthy networks for both parties (CNN, Fox, CBS), or even conspiracy documentaries if you wanna get lost in the debate hole. Hear from the candidates themselves and their plans for action that will affect you. Go on youtube. Trust me, you'll find a lot. Just make sure you try to view videos from both parties as to not raise bias before you form your opinion.
3. Take an online quiz that matches you with the candidate who stands closest to your beliefs.
Do you love wasting your time taking meaningless quizzes on Buzzfeed and Playbuzz? (They make me happy.) Then you should probably waste your time taking a quiz that will actually teach you a lot about yourself, about your values and where you stand with the candidates racing to run the country.
4. Ask educated friends, co-workers, teachers or family members to feed you information about the candidates and their plans once in office.
Make sure to ask more than one and compare information. Also, remember to talk to someone that won't give you lies or intended bias so as to sway your decision. You want to be as neutral as possible while retaining all the information you can. This way you can slack off while talking to friends and avoid dreaded, boring reading.
5. Lastly, if all else fails and you find yourself still confused or feeling dissatisfied, turn to social media.
Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr...these are all platforms that may provide biases, but will not stray away from exposing the rumors you may be unsure of. Plus, there are millions of videos, pictures and GIFs to make you laugh while still learning about who these candidates are as people. These mediums are good at illuminating the negatives of the candidates, which is why you should wait until absolutely necessary to turn to them for guidance. However, for the lazy, Wi-Fi searcher, you may already have some idea of what content is on these sites. Don't let these alone shape your opinions. There is always more out there to discover!
Remember: all of this information will be useless if you don't use it in your decision to vote. Your vote matters, and your opinions matter to you as the individual. Even if the candidate you do not agree with prevails, you will be glad to know you did the necessary research and chose the candidate that you, personally, felt would best represent you, and your vote did not contribute to the latter. Also, find it in your heart to never bash others' political stance. No matter what, we are humans who want to live in harmony. That can't happen when we do not accept that we are different individuals, with individual brains and souls. Learn to love what you believe in, but most importantly, learn to love the fact that you are a part of a country where we can discuss opposite views with no fear.
