As 2015 draws to a close, we are preparing to ring in the new year. 2016 promises to bring us the long awaited sequel to "Finding Nemo, and other great movies, as well as the re-release of the classic Lincoln Continental, in its 2017 form. It seems like I'm forgetting something... Oh yeah, we have this presidential election stuff we need to attend to. This is the sentiment of many U.S. citizens and voters as we approach the date that we must elect our 45th President. Why is this so? Of course, I haven't been around to witness more than three of our country's leaders, and an equal amount of elections, but has there ever been such an indifference by the vast majority of the people around us? As the economic gap between the lower class and the aristocracy increases, a gap between those who care about politics and those who don't has also increased. By saying this, I mean that those who care, really care, and those who don't, really don't. In addition to the indifference, there is sheer hatred of the opposite party's front-runner, by the percent of the population that does care on each side: liberal and conservative. Most jeers make it as though no candidate is truly qualified, but rather a bigot of some form just shouting ideas until someone agrees. I have even heard, "Ok, let's stop messing around. Trump can't be President!". There has to be a reason or reasons behind this! I dare to say that there exists more than one reason, but recognizing them isn't so easy.

Let's be real with ourselves here, the absolute number one reason this article exists is Donald Trump. Yes, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are just as progressive as Trump is conservative and attract their own reactions, but Trump is so far out of left field on the spectrum of presidential candidates that he brings the largest shock value and provides the perfect example of my point.

A few days ago I was at the gym I attend regularly, and the situation that presented itself explains my point just as well as I can myself. Three TVs sit in front of me; one has a normal 'family' type show on it. The other two show a very conservative Fox News and a more liberal CNN. Both stations were showing an interview of Donald Trump that he was conducting mid-flight. The headline for both reads something along the lines of "Trump to spend $2 million a week on campaign ads". Here's why:

Point #1: Shock Value

It is fair to say that in this age of social media and an overload of information that to stand out from the crowd you have to be different, very different. It's no accident that the news stories we hear about the most are the most tragic or the most shocking because that is how our media is trained to do their jobs! They are constantly in competition for views and viewers alike, and will do almost anything to get it. The same rules apply to political media. From Fox's standpoint, they want to "rally the troops" so to speak and enthrall conservative voters. CNN is using a different tactic, wanting viewers to scoff at what the man with the bad hair has to say. Trump does an excellent job of getting his name out there, and deciding whether it's idiotic or genius is up to you.

Point #2: Money

This second point is just as evident as the first. The world revolves around money. As college students, we know this better than anyone in the nation. With thousands in student debt racking up for the vast majority of us, and many taking jobs and classes just trying to get by, it's hard to get out of our minds. The reason Trump is known is by his Real Estate investments. With his education at Fordham University and the Wharton School of Business, he's no stranger to business deals. This works in his advantage tremendously. Most candidates have investors or companies that donate to campaigns to push their own agendas. Trump is special, however. Not only does he not have to modify his ideals for those who support him, he has a nearly bottomless pit of resources. Just as his wealth has put him at the forefront of investors, it has helped him do just that in his quest for being president.

Point #3: Hate is exposure

This goes back to point no. #1. As an American society, we focus on the negative more than we probably should. What this means for presidential candidates is that any dirt on them, will be found and exposed, but is this really the worst thing in the world? Most average people are so set in their political ideals, and take pride in not swaying, that negative press only cements their choices further. This stands on the basis of 'any press is good press'.

What I'm trying to get across here is that the leaders of both primaries at this point are just as much a product of press and merely how our society functions, as they are of true political support. The next time you call one of the candidates a "joke" or say that we need to "get serious," I ask you to think about how much each and every one of us has contributed to their rise. They may just be a product of societal standards that we embrace every day and how fast we have let our daily lives become.