Politics & Propaganda: Can We Make The Change?

By Reilly O'Donnell

8/31/26

As if being a teenage girl is not confusing enough, deciding who I am and where my political beliefs lie overwhelms me beyond extent. To make matters more confusing, every few posts I see on my phone are about a new social issue and that individual's opinion. When I open the comments, it is nothing but reprimand and heated disagreements. So, not only am I being exposed to two different sides preaching two very different ideas, but the consequences of being proud of which “side” I stand with can also be negative. Since when did political affiliations mean that respect and humanity had to be put to a halt? 

It is no surprise that everything is more amplified due to the increasing presence of social media. With more people having access to the internet and the global sharing of information, there has been a dramatic increase in political discourse. While expressing individuality can be beneficial for appreciating different opinions when it comes to politics, there should be specific platforms set aside dedicated to promoting respectful political debates.

If there were more platforms designed for civil political discourse and the current platforms were better moderated to promote positive debate, there is a possibility that the younger generation would not be exposed to as much hate, threats, and controversy over which side they believe in. The platform would serve as an “all opinions matter, each side is valuable” app where democracy can thrive. And because the United States is a democracy, it is the duty of the nation to cultivate a better way to explore the political discourse among the youth.

So even though informal political debates used to be held in face-to-face settings with respect and humanity on the table as well, we can still achieve unity as a nation despite having different beliefs if we designate places that aim to promote democracy and peaceful politics. While social media has promoted the rising unrest between people, it does not have to remain like this. There just has to be a mutual understanding that neither side is wrong, and if we put respect at the forefront, our nation will thrive.