Last semester I had the pleasure of taking Political Science 204 with Philip Pavlik. This class helped me to think critically and further develop thoughts about public policy into arguments I would feel strongly enough to write a weekly Technician column about. While writing for the school newspaper might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it is critically important for one to pay attention to current events and formulate opinions about what is going on in our country and locally, based on fact and not just pundit and parental dialog.
When you ingest the news, make sure it’s actually news. Conservatives can kid themselves into thinking Rush Limbaugh presents the news much like a number of young liberals taking The Daily Show‘s entertaining display without a grain of factual salt. Opinions, while engaging and entertaining, are not the news. The columns I have written over the past semester, though backed by fact, should not by any means be taken as unbiased reports on the news. When you cast your votes in next year’s election, take the time to assess the information that led you to vote for the candidates you did. Was it actual track records or a commercial with a grave voice and negative message put on air by the opposition?
Some members of the older generation have accused our age group of being apathetic to the world around us—perpetually engulfed in social media and selfish thought. Make it your mission to prove them shortsighted. As a member of this university, you are one of the best and brightest students in the nation. Prove that you are worthy of that title. Challenge what is on the surface and dig deeper while thinking about politics. Take the time to consider the concept of the Tragedy of the Commons, which states that individually logical decisions can add up to a final outcome that is negative for all parties involved. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, Google it—it literally takes minutes.
Understand that there is no such thing as a free lunch in the American political system. If we, as a society, decide that we need certain social programs, we are going to have to pay for them. If we decide to cut certain programs-Medicare is currently on the proverbial table-think beyond immediate cost savings and try to grasp how this decision will affect us years from now. Immediate tax relief for our parents’ generation coming at our expense is definitely something to consider and be aware of when thinking of the future world we will most likely be alive to experience.
Think of your needs and think of your neighbors’ needs. Think of the present, but don’t lose sight of the future. Read Wikipedia if you can’t find anything better for factual information. Once you have obtained the undeniably factual information you need, formulate your own opinion and challenge what has been fed to you by the media. It is not uncommon for our humanity-studying compatriots in powder blue to accuse us Wolfpackers of being misinformed and unaware of the world around us. If there is one thing I have learned in my four years at this university, it is to never ever let Carolina be right about anything.
