What do you think? Personally I’m all for it. I think it’s important to have as many young people involved in politics to counteract the old majority.

  • Andy
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    18
    ·
    1 year ago

    I think it’s fine in theory. However, like the other commenter mentioned, it might not be with the best intentions. Young voters, like older voters, tend to be easier to manipulate.

    • LostCause@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      In Austria it‘s already been a thing for a long time and… I can see where you are coming from. I mean my first vote at 16 was for the far right solely based on what my mother told me of the world. Still ashamed of that. Took me until 21 though to get out of that, so 18 would‘ve been no different.

      That is why to me 16 is fine, a lot of young people are concerned about climate change for example which old people give less of a fuck about, just feels off to me to not let them express that in a vote.

      • Andy
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        True, but it isn’t solely that. I had a close family member that was a very educated chemist. Got corrupted by Fox News and eventually “red pill” communities.

    • Kissaki@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      1 year ago

      Is that actually the case? What do you base that on?

      I can see it for younger than 16. But I’m skeptical 16 is much different from 18 or 21. Maybe no different from even older.

      • Andy
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        It’s solely dependent on the person and their experiences. I know I personally aged a lot from 16 to 18, but some people mature a little faster, some a little slower. Some not at all.

        I think 18 is a decent starting cap, but for some people 16 is their 18, and for some it’s their 14 or even 13. So it’s hard to say.

        The manipulation comment is based on my own experiences with teens I’ve known, so it’s subject to bias.

    • letmesleep@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Young voters may to manipulate by others but they are also less set in their ways. I’d say that older people are being manipulated by their past selves. After all that would explain a lot of irrationality regarding necessary changes to deal with climate change and other issues that won’t go away.