Young Voters

Find the article here.
The Washington Post; By Jose Antonio Vargas
Published June 16, 2008

Americans under thirty have been one of the most important and influential voting groups of the 2008 Election. Young voters have been a main focus of Barack Obama and John McCain's campaigns. In elections past, the number of votes cast by young Americans has fallen short of expectations. However this year, a new interest seems to have been sparked in the minds of these voters and the numbers are expected to fully exceed those of past elections. One of the driving forces behind this new interest in voters is the Internet. Many voters are educating themselves about the candidates on the Internet, e-mail, even texting. Websites like Myspace and Facebook even help young voters learn more about the election, and let them share their opinions with others. Director of CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), Peter Levine, talks about youth voters in the article by The Washington Post-- "They realize what's at stake and the impact this election will have on their future and the future of our country."

Reading this article and knowing how much this election relys on young voters, I could definitely see a connection to the Enlightenment. Part of the Enlightenment was questioning everything that hadn't been questioned before. During the Enlightenment, people questioned their religion, government, jobs, etc. "More than a set of fixed ideas, the Enlightenment implied an attitude, a method of thought. German philosopher Immanuel Kant proposed as the motto of the age, “Dare to know.” A desire arose to reexamine and question all received ideas and values, to explore new ideas in many different directions—hence the inconsistencies and contradictions that often appear in the writings of 18th-century thinkers." ('Age of Enlightenment'; MSN Encarta, Link). I see this being related to young voters of the 2008 Election because these voters do have the desire to question others, themselves, and the government in order to make their decision. I think that in order to be an educated voter, you definitely should be wondering, examining, and questioning the ideas that are trying to be sold to you.

It was a trend during the Enlightenment, and it is a trend now. Questioning and forming new opinions is a huge part of the Election, especially when it comes to young voters.