The Dangers of Political Apathy Among Youths

"Politics is a dirty business." This cliché is often used in our society, particularly among young people. Well, I can't blame them because we live in a democratic society where people are unaware of their political rights and are under the impression that their political obligation (to vote and be voted for) is unimportant. As a result, political apathy is unavoidable.

The aim of this article is to enlighten everyone on what Political apathy is and its dangers especially among the youth. Political apathy is defined as a lack of interest in politics. It could be defined as a person's disinterest in political actions. Elections, political events, voting, and public gatherings are examples of political activities. This attitude is common among young people, who regard politics as an activity for adults rather than a child's game.

Reasons for Political Apathy

People are disinterested in political activities for a variety of reasons. The following are some of the reasons:

The belief that one's vote doesn't matter

The majority of youth believe that their vote doesn't matter or doesn't count during elections. They begin to lose interest in political actions as a result of this view. They would always come to the conclusion in their hearts that the winner is known before the election begins, so why bother going to vote? This final thought has caused manyyouths to abstain from political participation.

Politicians are disliked.

When there is a feeling of disdain for someone or something, it is certain that there will be a lack of interest in it. The majority of youth despise politicians, and as a result, they will not vote. Lawmakers' antipathy may, however, stem from prior scandals involving certain politicians. As a result, the level of skepticism rises, leading to political apathy.

Lack of confidence in the government

When people lose faith in their government, no civilization can develop. The government has lost the trust of the youth. This is due to the fact that they merely make promises and do not follow through. The administration is viewed by the youth as folks who have fantastic manifestos but do little to implement them. They also believe that the government cannot meet their changing needs and that participating in political activities is pointless.

Electoral Misconduct

A democratic system that manipulates election outcomes promotes political indifference among its citizens, particularly among the youth. Electoral fraud could take the form of fixing election results, paying people to vote for you, and so on. People are discouraged from engaging in the voting process and other political matters as a result of this statute.

 

Poverty

A poor man's mentality isn't in the right place to consider political problems. He is primarily concerned with how to eat and care for himself, and he spends more time criticizing the government than voting. As a result, engaging in political activity is the furthest thing from his thoughts.

Dangers of Political Apathy among Youths

Every action has ramifications, which can be positive or negative. As a result, we'll be looking at the dangers of political apathy among youth. These are some of them:

Lawlessness and disorder.

When you don't participate in an activity, you don't know what it's about. This could result in lawlessness and chaos. Because youth are unaware of the government's do's and don'ts, they will continue to live in lawlessness and disorder as long as they are politically apathetic.

Leaders who are mediocre are more likely to be in power.

There are many capable young people who could manage a country, but inept people will continue to dominate owing to their lack of interest in politics. These irresponsible leaders will also continue to wreak havoc on the country.

Accountability is lacking.

Because the youths who are supposed to hold the government in check are uninterested in its business, there would be no accountability from the administration.

Denial of political education and information

"Whatever you don't know has the ability to control you." Youth will be denied political information and instruction if they continue to remain politically apathetic. This suggests that young people are not well-informed and educated about current events. As a result, selfish governments will continue to exploit ignorance for their own gain.

Communication Gaps

Participating in political activities is the safest approach to interact with a society's authorities. Youths will be unable to communicate with the government if they do not participate in political affairs. The government will be unaware of what the youth require as long as communication is lacking.

Political Development Moves at a Slow Pace

Youth are a country's future, but they will have no future if they do not understand how the country's politics are run. This can also result in a slowing of political progress. When they get active in politics, however, they end up learning from their elders, which could speed up political development in the areas where they are in power.

 

 

Conclusion

Political apathy is not a healthy thing, and it should not be prevalent among the youth, who are the country's future. Rather than indulging in political apathy, it is recommended that you exercise your civil right to vote and be voted for. Also, keep in mind that you are not permitted to criticize or condemn someone who is engaging in political activity while you are not participating in political matters.

 

Ahmed Precious Enyo-ojo

OS/21C/0611

Kogi state

Kogi state University 

Mass communication