From the old days till now, politics has had a big impact on how people live together. But, a lot of people don't really pay attention or have many reasons not to be into politics. They don't know much about it and kind of ignore political issues. Most of the people who aren't really into politics are usually young folks, including Millennials and Gen Z. Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) dropped some stats revealing how Indonesia's population is divided by age groups. This info comes from the 2020 Population Census, giving us a deeper look into Indonesia's generational setup for the future.
According to the released data, Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, takes the lead with a whopping 74.93 million people, making up about 27.94% of the population. This demographic is primarily composed of individuals in their early to mid-teenage years. This dominance sparks hope for potential progress and changes in the future. Following closely are the Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, clocking in at around 69.38 million individuals. They grab the second spot with a 25.87% share of the population.
Given that Generation Z and Millennials constitute a significant portion of the population, their involvement in politics could have a profound impact on the nation's future, especially with the upcoming presidential election. However, the importance of being engaged or at least aware of the current state of affairs is often overlooked by these youngsters. The majority of them have the tendency of being nonchalant with these issues as they have the notion that their voices are irrelevant.
A lot of times, young folks complain that the rules and decisions don't really represent what they want. Well, that's not much of a shocker. Young people don't usually vote as much or get into politics as often. It's kind of unfair to expect the older politicians to understand and meet all the needs of the young ones.
Well it's true, some of my friends are publicly telling everyone that they're not gonna use their rights to vote because they think that their vote wouldn't matter that much and they're going through the hassle of reading up on presidential candidates is just plain boring to them. But here's the deal - if you jump into politics when you're young, you've got a shot at making things better. And guess what? Your voice actually counts.
Now, how do we get more young people to care about politics or at least be open to learning about it?
We've got to spice up politics for the younger crowd. I mean, if you're a teenager and someone starts talking about the future, and it's all dull and boring, you're probably thinking that it sucks and just brush it off. So, we've got to talk to people in a way that's real. Make politics exciting and lively. But let's face it, our politicians aren't great at that. If they can't do it, maybe you can do it for your buddies.
Let's be real, politics can seem kinda dull for our generation. Luckily, with social media blowing up, politicians are starting to use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to connect with young voters-considering that they're in the middle of spreading a campaign to gain more votes from us. However, there are tons of social media accounts focusing on politics, and you can get info super easily. If you're curious about an issue but don't want to read a long article, there are videos online that break things down.
There isn't just one way to get involved in politics, there are so many different ways to acquire information and get involved. Our democracy was created to give the people what they want. For our government to best reflect the needs and wants of citizens, it is up to us to get involved and make a change by being a part of it.
You don't have to go a thousand miles by becoming a full-blown politician when you're young and state yourself as a representative of the young generations, but being part of it means understanding what's going on. Check out the presidential candidates, know their goals, see what aligns with your beliefs, and most importantly, vote in the election. You've got easy access to information, and your knowledge can bring changes that the older generations might have missed.
(DIP/DIR)