This is a phrase that many of us have probably heard when learning valuable life lessons, or what they believe to be valuable life lessons, from those of older generations. I actually just heard that exact reply when I asked my forty-nine year old mother what being a young voter was like in the 70’s. With the Pennsylvania Democratic primary currently in progress, and the Presidential Election quickly approaching, candidates are doing everything they can do to reach out to those crucial undecided voters. Thanks to the surreal technology of our generation, this is an easy task for presidential candidates, and websites such as “Facebook” and “YouTube” are making history. Could the web be the new battle ground for candidates?
Chances are, if you haven’t lived in a cave for the past four years, you are familiar with the name "Facebook.” If you are one of those unfortunate few, let me educate you quickly. Facebook is an online social networking site that connects people with friends and others that live, work, and study around them. It was created in February of 2004 by two Harvard students, Mark
Zuckerberg and Chris Hughes. Most of the sites users are college students around the world and now has over fifty-six million members worldwide. To all of you college students reading this, act like you aren’t a compulsive Facebook stalker because we all know the truth! Okay, so Facebook does have educational value other than studying up on your crush? Over the past four years, the creators of the site have been adding outside applications that allow users to do the unthinkable. When the web begins to take up all of one’s free time, it is difficult for anyone else to get through to them. So why not get onto the web and get their attention on a more personal level?
There is a "Facebook Primary”application? Yes, the League of Young Voters and MoveOn.org launched their “Facebook Primary” the same day as the Iowa caucus. Students and users of the site can add the primary application to their profiles and choose their favorite candidate. You may have seen this application while on a friend’s page, but had no idea what it meant. It allows users to not only pick a candidate, but to state reasons for their vote, and also pick any of eleven issues to express whatever their greatest concern is. Results are visible by any Facebook network: region, school, work, etc. The fun part is that people can look into their networks and see how candidates are doing, which gives users an incentive to get more involved in the current election process. Ursinus College junior Courtney Fox admits that, “this is the easiest and most simple way for young voters to find out more information on the Presidential race and their particular candidate.”
Another obsessive college student craze is the video sharing website "YouTube,” which was created in 2005. You can find bizarre and hilarious video clips here, that you most likely then see posted in your friend’s AIM away messages just minutes after they have discovered it. I’m pretty sure most of you know what I’m talking about. The raw and uncut characteristics of YouTube would rarely be partnered up with the 2008 Presidential Election, right? Well, not only can voters post videos supporting their presidential candidates, but they can access their many of candidate’s statements and campaign advertisements. The biggest surprise came when CNN aired a debate in which candidates fielded questions selected from a pool submitted by users of YouTube. Because of the use of technology to get questions from a wide range of constituents, the forum has been referred to as the most democratic Presidential Debate ever.
Whether we realize it or not, we as young voters are constantly being targeted, but we should look at it as a positive thing. My mother told me that when she was “my age,” the main influence to “rock the vote” was her mother. Her mother would tell her that, “as a woman she should be more involved, because at one time they couldn’t vote.” Today, we have the ability to seek out any information we may need on candidates and their issues, if it isn’t already being thrown in front of our face. So, be grateful for what you have when your elders tell you what it was like when they were your age, and be sure to take advantage of the opportunities that are given to us.
Chances are, if you haven’t lived in a cave for the past four years, you are familiar with the name "Facebook.” If you are one of those unfortunate few, let me educate you quickly. Facebook is an online social networking site that connects people with friends and others that live, work, and study around them. It was created in February of 2004 by two Harvard students, Mark
Zuckerberg and Chris Hughes. Most of the sites users are college students around the world and now has over fifty-six million members worldwide. To all of you college students reading this, act like you aren’t a compulsive Facebook stalker because we all know the truth! Okay, so Facebook does have educational value other than studying up on your crush? Over the past four years, the creators of the site have been adding outside applications that allow users to do the unthinkable. When the web begins to take up all of one’s free time, it is difficult for anyone else to get through to them. So why not get onto the web and get their attention on a more personal level?There is a "Facebook Primary”application? Yes, the League of Young Voters and MoveOn.org launched their “Facebook Primary” the same day as the Iowa caucus. Students and users of the site can add the primary application to their profiles and choose their favorite candidate. You may have seen this application while on a friend’s page, but had no idea what it meant. It allows users to not only pick a candidate, but to state reasons for their vote, and also pick any of eleven issues to express whatever their greatest concern is. Results are visible by any Facebook network: region, school, work, etc. The fun part is that people can look into their networks and see how candidates are doing, which gives users an incentive to get more involved in the current election process. Ursinus College junior Courtney Fox admits that, “this is the easiest and most simple way for young voters to find out more information on the Presidential race and their particular candidate.”
Another obsessive college student craze is the video sharing website "YouTube,” which was created in 2005. You can find bizarre and hilarious video clips here, that you most likely then see posted in your friend’s AIM away messages just minutes after they have discovered it. I’m pretty sure most of you know what I’m talking about. The raw and uncut characteristics of YouTube would rarely be partnered up with the 2008 Presidential Election, right? Well, not only can voters post videos supporting their presidential candidates, but they can access their many of candidate’s statements and campaign advertisements. The biggest surprise came when CNN aired a debate in which candidates fielded questions selected from a pool submitted by users of YouTube. Because of the use of technology to get questions from a wide range of constituents, the forum has been referred to as the most democratic Presidential Debate ever.Whether we realize it or not, we as young voters are constantly being targeted, but we should look at it as a positive thing. My mother told me that when she was “my age,” the main influence to “rock the vote” was her mother. Her mother would tell her that, “as a woman she should be more involved, because at one time they couldn’t vote.” Today, we have the ability to seek out any information we may need on candidates and their issues, if it isn’t already being thrown in front of our face. So, be grateful for what you have when your elders tell you what it was like when they were your age, and be sure to take advantage of the opportunities that are given to us.
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