Ask the Future
How can we all come together to strengthen American democracy?
Thanks to the Looking@Democracy Digital Media Challenge, we're already doing it—coming together to look at democracy.
Our short film Ask the Future widens the circle by turning to the next-gen voter, too young to count but old enough to matter. She's already watching, listening, forming opinions. She thinks the system needs changing and makes a strong claim for the untapped political energy of youth.
To strengthen American democracy, we will need her help. So we ask the future now.
3 comments
William WAUGH • about 13 years ago
Part of what old and young people need to work for is accurate tally of elections. There is no point in tricking young people into thinking their vote will count when it won't. So if the old are to try to prompt the young to get engaged, we, the old, have to inform the young that democracy is not here yet and that everyone has to work to bring it about. And equally important to an accurate tally, is to have a voting system that doesn't split votes, e. g. Approval Voting. The negative advertising comes about, I contend, because you can't vote for more than one. The oligarchs tell you how bad one candidate is and there is an implicit message that the only way to vote against that candidate is to vote for a specific other candidate, who turns out to be almost as bad in reality. If you are allowed to vote against the bad candidates by voting for several better ones, the campaigns will have incentive to talk up their policies rather than talk down the opposition.
Courtney Williamson • about 13 years ago
Hi, so if I'm reading you right, you're saying the best way to help kids like Grace have a more enfranchised future is change voting. Her concern with negativity will be addressed by it, of course, and it gives her more incentive to pay attention if she has choices. So yes - I love this idea. But then I think about how we have to live in this America - the one that isn't going to go with Approval Voting. So what do we do then? How do we help her stay informed on real issues (not negative campaigning) and feel motivated to vote?
William WAUGH • about 13 years ago
I guess expose her to a lot of different activist views about how to garner support for justice and democracy. There might not be easy answers in hard times.