A range of cultural icons stretching from Tupac Shakur to Greta Thunberg have commented on how younger generations are, in their eyes, more activist, more open to change and more willing to work to make sure change happens. Generational differences in views of issues such as the Israel-Hamas war have created discord between Gen Z and the generations that came before, as youth protests have re-entered the national conversation. However, the perception that young people care more doesn’t necessarily translate over to reality.

“It’s always been [the case] that the oldest generation is most invested in the political process,” history teacher Kevin Doherty said. “In the last 70 years, the younger generation has often been the loudest voice in our nation and in many times the most influential in political activism. There is data that says that while the younger generation is disproportionately active in a positive way, they vote disproportionately less, because [they have] iPhones in [their] hand, but not all of them make it to the ballot box.”

Nowadays, the term “baby boomer” does not bring to mind visions of raucous protestors rioting in the streets. Boomers are far more likely to be blamed for issues such as climate change than seen as  leaders in driving societal change. That wasn’t always the way they were perceived, though. It’s all too easy to forget that backlash to Vietnam War protests and Holy Week uprisings, in which boomers participated heavily, helped spur Richard Nixon’s victory in 1968 — in other words, their generation was considered far too radical by those that came before. This is a trend observable in many young generations. Young people tend to be more likely to protest in general and are likely better at managing the increasingly online nature of coordinating protests. Diplomacy Club vice president and senior Nidhisha Pejathaya emphasizes online activism as a key feature of political engagement for Gen Z.

“Gen Z is, at least online, very politically engaged,” Pejathaya said. “A lot of the media I’ve seen online has been very politically [focused]. Even [vice president] Kamala [Harris] is trying to cater to the Gen Z population. People who are running for office are aware of [how Gen Z engages], and they’re starting to cater to us more because our vote is really starting to count.”

Gen Z’s increasing salience in the political sphere would seem to suggest that Tupac is right and younger generations do, in fact, put more energy into activism. However, protests and posts aren’t the only areas of political engagement. Older generations do better in venues such as being politically informed and voting.

“My generation has more apathy for the political process and maybe takes it for granted,” Doherty said. “That is also true of our students at West High, but amongst a minority, there’s a real fervor, a real intensity about their engagement.” 

This discrepancy can be explained by differences in what people need at each stage of life. Younger generations tend to be lonelier than their older counterparts, and research suggests that a need for belonging and fulfillment predicts protest involvement among young adults. In other words, older people are more involved in solitary actions such as researching and voting on issues. In comparison, younger people are more engaged in group activities that lends a collective purpose.

In a season of political discord, perhaps even “a time for choosing,” understanding how generational dynamics affect political activism can help communities engage more effectively with the political sphere. Instead of heaping increasing amounts of backlash on student protestors, older generations would do well to remember that young activists are often motivated by an impulse that exists in all of us. At the end of the day, maybe they just want to belong. As for West High students and other young voters, there’s no better time for us to close the gap in information and voting between us and our elders.

“Our generation is very politically engaged, [but] only when it comes to major party stances, like abortion or presidential elections. A lot of us don’t realize that our representatives have to vote on our bills; it’s not just the President [who] makes the final decision. A lot of us show up for the main election, but we don’t show up for primaries. We need to start voting for the people who are [involved in] making change,” Pejathaya said.

 In Missouri, you can register to vote online in a quick and easy process, then come to West High or a closer polling place on Nov. 5 to cast a vote. Alternative voting options such as early voting or mail-in voting are other options to ensure that you make your voice heard. Staying up to date beforehand with reliable news sources such as Reuters and the Associated Press can help new voters put their best foot forward. The more aware our generation is of the stakes and the more willing we are to make our voices heard, the more power we have to protect and preserve our democracy.

“The American experiment is ongoing, the jury’s still out, and it’s not a foregone conclusion that this system of government will always thrive,” Doherty said. “Our imperfect system does stand, in my opinion, far above the other systems. That alone is a reason to engage in the process. Hopefully, that [reason] will [push] the voter to learn the issues that are being voted on and to learn how to articulate their own convictions about those policies. Teenagers ought to be informed before they actually start voting. There are places in the world where this right is not guaranteed, [and] it’s forsaken by many.”