Being politically active sounds like something utterly boring to a lot of people, but even those of you who care as much about your local MP as you do a Thursday morning post-Timepiece lecture, can find some way to become more politically informed. Knowing even a little bit about politics will always come in handy – both for important things such as voting and for starting lively conversations at your local pub. Apathy about politics is becoming steadily worse, especially amongst young people, and if reading up about voting reform may be your idea of hell we’ve got some suggestions to make it all a bit more interesting.
1. Television
As much as it may sound unbelievable, watching shows like The West Wing really does teach you about politics and the wider world. As a Politics student, I’ve been glued to The West Wing as it’s not only a genuinely good show full of witty banter and drama, but a good way to learn something about my American Politics module. At least more than I learnt from Gossip Girl… There is a long list of shows which are not only funny, but informative – Mock The Week, The Thick Of It, or for something a bit more retro, Yes Prime Minister. If none of these appeal to you, simply watching the news is a great way to increase your political knowledge and it keeps you aware of any important current affairs.
2. Direct Action
Protests and marches are quite a divisive issue for a lot of people, but there’s no denying that they’re a more interesting way to get directly involved in Politics. While we’ve all seen how the student protests ended up, and perhaps wouldn’t want to end up being kettled, there are plenty of peaceful protests which concern issues relevant to the modern student. One such protest is ‘Slutwalk‘, a phenomenon which began in Canada after a police officer made a derisive and victim-blaming comment about a woman who had been raped. Slutwalk involves women marching (often in various states of undress, but that’s not compulsory) to prevent slut-shaming and to dispel the idea that women dressing provocatively leads to rape.
3. Voting
It’s as simple as popping to your local polling station, or even sending in a postal vote if you’re at uni, and you’re automatically getting a say in government. In my opinion, if you don’t exercise your right to vote, you lose your right to complain about the government (something I’m sure we all enjoy doing). If young people don’t vote, our ‘representatives’ will not be representative at all, and our voices will not be put across properly to the government.
It needn’t be time-consuming or boring to clue yourself up on Politics, it really is important to exercise your democratic right to vote – I hope you all start watching The West Wing, having a go at protesting, and vote in the next election!
Image Credits: demotix.com, fanpop.com, urbantimes.co