Commentary

Age is Wisdom…but is Wisdom Necessarily Age?

 

The United States of America prides itself on its concept of democracy. It ensures that Americans can enforce principles of representation ensuring that the government represents as many opinions of the overall country as it can. There remains, however, a challenge arising from the disparity between the views, experiences, and ideas of the older and younger generations, particularly concerning social relations and newer technologies, such as same-sex marriages and artificial intelligence. The only way to represent our changing society is to introduce younger generations to speak out for themselves in office.

In the U.S. Government, it is not uncommon to see individuals above the age of 70 and 80 holding influential positions — ones that impact the lives of every single member of this country. While the older generation undoubtedly brings wisdom and experience, the prevalence of their similar ideas in numerous roles can hinder the emergence and progress of newer perspectives that change with the times and fit the status quo — leaving younger representatives stuck in the background. Given their closer connection in age to the majority of the U.S. population, younger candidates possess a stronger motivation to fight for their beliefs and enact positive changes in the country. Younger representatives, since they are personally affected more by the consequences of governmental decisions, possess a stronger drive and motivation to actively work towards improving laws and challenging outdated ideas that persist today even though they no longer align with the current realities of our country. When it comes to Congress or the Senate, these qualities become essential for representatives to effectively contribute towards making the country the best it can be. By including younger generations in the political landscape, the government can ensure a more comprehensive and inclusive representation of the diverse opinions and needs of the American people.

Additionally, involving younger generations in political roles serves a dual purpose. The inclusion of younger people in the government not only helps the government and future generations but also brings fresh perspectives and a diverse range of voices. For example, younger government officials bring innovative ideas and solutions to address pressing issues such as climate change or technological advancement — both topics that have only developed in the last decade — forming a broader range of perspectives that are now given a platform to expand upon. This process will take time to implement and multiple voting seasons for it to go into effective motion. As such, even if we start at this moment to make these changes to help the U.S., it is likely that only my generation, Gen Z, will be able to benefit and have a fair opportunity to inject our ideas and opinions into the United States government. 

The idea of democracy depends on the representation of the people, and the government must do its best to reflect the diverse opinions and experiences of the population. Fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are important aspects of government that the younger generation can provide and it is important to provide them with the chance to do that. By introducing younger representatives, we can ensure a more comprehensive representation of the population and address the evolving challenges and needs of the nation. My French teacher tells me that we as Andover students have the chance to go off and be leaders in our generation in the future. But that can only happen if the previous generation steps aside and lets the new one come through. We do not always have to be traditional and we do not always have to be modern, but we have to find a balance between the two to be able to include all types of views that we see present in the population of the United States of America.