Whether I’m on my lunch break at work or simply checking my social media before I go to bed, I know that at some point throughout the day I’ll open the Facebook app on my phone and scroll. This is a normal behavior and something we are accustomed to doing9. Checking each of our social media accounts has become a habitual activity for most of us in order to keep up with what our friends are doing and see what else is going on in the world. Although Facebook isn’t the most reliable source of gathering information about current events, in particular the election, at least we are gathering different political perspectives in the posts we read or videos we watch.
I’m aware that these views and other posts are biased. There are certain clips of debates that make a particular candidate seem out of line, but that’s also because they are out of context. Certain posts are extremely exaggerated and I highly doubt thousands of people are actually going to keep their word when they say they’re going to move to Canada if Trump gets elected, but my point here is that at least we are all taking the time to read about it. A major problem with elections is simply the fact that a majority of voters don’t know enough about politics, which deters them from voting in the first place. It is completely valid to decide not to vote if you aren’t making an informed decision. Every vote counts, so why should you vote for someone when you don’t know about his or her potential policies and empty promises?
These social media platforms are infected with videos and long posts about each political candidate, but I think this could be a good thing. I think it will inspire people to look into what is happening in our political world. After watching a video that is completely destroying a candidate, aren’t you inspired to check the facts? Since everybody seems so concerned, wouldn’t you be motivated to actually watch the full debate? Simply talking about politics creates heated conversations. In fact, this current election has shattered friendships over the extreme differences in their personal opinions. However, despite the ups and downs, at least social media is promoting people to vote. It is at least encouraging people to get involved in learn about the candidates. The only things I am asking for is to please check your sources, gain different perspectives and don’t simply follow in your parents’ footsteps.
