October 17, 2004

I am the Youth Vote. And this is My Meter.

Quote of the day, from the winner of a contest for college journalists sponsored by Newsweek and MTV:

Sometimes I feel that no matter how I vote, there will still be war, crime and poverty.

via Cathy Seipp, who has more to say here.

Posted by Dr. Frank at October 17, 2004 06:09 PM | TrackBack
Comments


wow,even i think that an oversimplified statement. its like we live in the same world of
non-reality but on absolutely opposite sides.

just because things are going to get worse before they get better no matter what happens doesn't mean you shouldn't try to make little changes. i don't need p-whatever he wants his name to be to threaten my life to get me to do it either.

or anyone else for that matter...alas...
i'm probably preaching to the choir here.

i suppose i'll just have to appreciate that for its otherwise entertaing value.

Posted by: just me at October 17, 2004 06:39 PM

I often think, "Why do I bother voting when, whichever way I vote, I'll probably not get a Lamborghini?"

Posted by: Dave Bug at October 17, 2004 11:31 PM

Wait... is what this award-winning college journalist saying is that, when I go to vote in November (if I can find the time, gosh, it's such an inconvenience for a busy gal like me), a magic genie ISN'T going to fly out and grant me three wishes?

Posted by: punkmom at October 18, 2004 12:18 AM

"I am the youth vote."

So we should raise the voting age?

Posted by: Swimmy at October 18, 2004 01:49 AM

ugh. looks like she could write for the daily cal. please don't assume all youth voters are so simple. i guess so many people who want to seem jaded and disaffected would rather play the "why bother, the world won't change" card rather than think about what voting really means. it's not like i should talk though. i watched "7th heaven" for all of my voter advice. that show really had some great life lessons.

Posted by: kendra at October 18, 2004 03:05 AM

"SOMETIMES I feel that no matter how I vote, there will still be war, crime and poverty." Sometimes I feel that there won't.

Posted by: josh at October 18, 2004 03:51 PM

Yeah, the "Sometimes" is the real killer -- she perceives a 40% chance that if she votes, there will be no more war, crime, and poverty, but doesn't think that's enough to make it worth her time. What exactly does she imagine are the social ramifications of her entering (and/or winning) a journalism contest?

Posted by: DHarveyOswald at October 18, 2004 05:48 PM

You know that last nerve you were writing of on that fat-loss commercial guy last week? I'm just about there with the reaction I'm getting from listening to celebrities telling me to vote. It's not so much their urging - I suppose they think they're doing their civic duty or something - than the idea that some person out there might actually be thinking "well, I wasn't going to vote, but then Helen Hunt came on the TV and said..." that makes me want to reach for the sick bag.

Posted by: Emily at October 18, 2004 09:10 PM

"Sometimes, I think I won't reach for my pistol every time some bloody little twit writes something without proper capitalization. Then, some bloody little twit writes something without proper capitalization."

Posted by: Billy Beck at October 19, 2004 04:38 AM

Helen Hunt? I doubt you saw her on TV. Somehow she Jimmy Hoffa'd her career into total oblivion.

Posted by: captin krunchy at October 19, 2004 06:29 PM

It was her - whining about how 22 million women didn't exercize their vote in the last election, etc.

Posted by: Emily at October 19, 2004 06:48 PM

I'm still inclined to vote for the person who I believe will take us into war effectively and only when it's absolutely necessary, do their best to reduce crime and attempt to pull as many families out of poverty as possible.

I'm not exactly the youth vote, now that I'm in my thirties, but I still vote my conscience.

That piece is weak mostly because they're already making excuses for giving up.

Posted by: Tim at October 19, 2004 06:51 PM

one could argue that much of america's youth already has given up. they're comfortable and somewhat content, so why rock the boat?

Posted by: kendra at October 19, 2004 08:30 PM

Autocracy seems to be the issue. Time and time again, nationalism overrules personal convictions and personal convictions are envoked by nationalism. Being that the politically active have been divided into two major factions, the messages are too broad and we once again apease ourselves with diluted candidates.

Posted by: Sean Cosme at October 19, 2004 08:42 PM

helen hunt, all she does is whine through every movie. who is she to tell anyone to vote? she never contributed anything previously

Posted by: captin krunchy at October 19, 2004 11:39 PM

Did anybody seem to notice she said she doesn't vote because life is basically too exhausting??? Wait till she graduates...

Posted by: Dave not Bug at October 29, 2004 03:17 AM