3 ms·

> At this point, I believe we should stop discriminating based on age. If the age of voting is lowered to 6 (as some have asked for: [1]) or even removed altog

> At this point, I believe we should stop discriminating based on age. If the age of voting is lowered to 6 (as some have asked for: [1]) or even removed altogether what stops me from producing 5-10 kids and then having them vote for a political party that I support? That is 5-10 extra votes in just a decade. And if 1000 families do that, that would significantly tilt the outcome of an election. By the time they grow up to understand what their rights are and that they were being exploited by an adult they would feel disgusted that they were used (or rather misused). You are assuming that minors have inherent understanding of political issues at that young age. Most don't. And it is not reasonable to expect them to know. Voting should only be enabled for those who are completely aware of their rights. Children typically are not. They are not political by nature. They are playful and more interested in learning things around them. Turning them into political ballots waiting to be exploited by adults around them is the last thing we need in this already fractured World. [1]: https://reason.com/2018/12/07/should-we-let-children-vote-the-troublin/ https://reason.com/2018/12/07/should-we-let-children-vote-th...

drcoopster 6y ago
You are assuming that most adults have an inherent understanding of political issues, too. Most don't.
- shripadk 6y ago
  Yes but if you are an adult I can't coerce you into voting for a party of my choice. Children can be coerced. Children can be used as pawns. Schools can turn into political arenas. There are so many things that can go wrong by introducing politics at that young age. It is rare for adults to fall for peer pressure as you would have matured by then. Kids and teens can easily succumb to peer pressure. You might want to read about on peer pressure and age influence here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779518/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779518/ Do you really want your children to be exposed to political influence at such a tender age when they are already dealing with peer pressure, bullying and all other negative aspects that come with school life?
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - CraigJPerry 6y ago
    By that logic we should ban churches because some of them indoctrinate children who grow up to be single issue voters.
    - shripadk 6y ago
      That is precisely what I am talking about: peer pressure/influence. You are just confirming my point. We already have enough influence on children from different angles: Religion, Race, Sex etc. I am saying that children should not be forced into these things and instead just allow them to explore the World in their own way. Let them learn about everything they feel interested in. This is not an age to be force-fitted into a mould. This is an age where they are growing/learning. Once they are ready they should be given their voting rights. Giving them voting rights at such a young age will just make them all into activists or worse politicians. I see so many child activists who are just being exploited by their parents for making a quick buck. Most of what these children utter on TV is just stuff that have been told by their parents. If you talk to them outside of all this media circus you'll know that they are innocent and don't have much idea about the World except for doing what they are told. This is what happens when you engage children in politics/activism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUhKpnv8-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUhKpnv8-k They are just not prepared for it. The moment you go off script the cookie crumbles. But keep aside politics/activism for a moment. Do you think it is fair that a child has to go through this sort of exploitation for what should be adults coming out with solutions? Because let us face it. This is exploitation. The child needs to be in school studying and enjoying with friends. She will never get back this youthful life again. We as adults are literally using children as props to settle our political issues. This is immoral and not right.

drcoopster 6y ago

You are assuming that most adults have an inherent understanding of political issues, too. Most don't.

shripadk 6y ago
Yes but if you are an adult I can't coerce you into voting for a party of my choice. Children can be coerced. Children can be used as pawns. Schools can turn into political arenas. There are so many things that can go wrong by introducing politics at that young age. It is rare for adults to fall for peer pressure as you would have matured by then. Kids and teens can easily succumb to peer pressure. You might want to read about on peer pressure and age influence here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779518/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779518/ Do you really want your children to be exposed to political influence at such a tender age when they are already dealing with peer pressure, bullying and all other negative aspects that come with school life?
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- CraigJPerry 6y ago
  By that logic we should ban churches because some of them indoctrinate children who grow up to be single issue voters.
  - shripadk 6y ago
    That is precisely what I am talking about: peer pressure/influence. You are just confirming my point. We already have enough influence on children from different angles: Religion, Race, Sex etc. I am saying that children should not be forced into these things and instead just allow them to explore the World in their own way. Let them learn about everything they feel interested in. This is not an age to be force-fitted into a mould. This is an age where they are growing/learning. Once they are ready they should be given their voting rights. Giving them voting rights at such a young age will just make them all into activists or worse politicians. I see so many child activists who are just being exploited by their parents for making a quick buck. Most of what these children utter on TV is just stuff that have been told by their parents. If you talk to them outside of all this media circus you'll know that they are innocent and don't have much idea about the World except for doing what they are told. This is what happens when you engage children in politics/activism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUhKpnv8-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUhKpnv8-k They are just not prepared for it. The moment you go off script the cookie crumbles. But keep aside politics/activism for a moment. Do you think it is fair that a child has to go through this sort of exploitation for what should be adults coming out with solutions? Because let us face it. This is exploitation. The child needs to be in school studying and enjoying with friends. She will never get back this youthful life again. We as adults are literally using children as props to settle our political issues. This is immoral and not right.