Do any of you readers out there want to raise your children to be interested and involved in the political system from an early age? I would like that for my children, but it is a daunting task to tackle. I remember growing up-- as long ago as that may be-- and I always found the news on television to be mind-numbingly boring. In fact, I didn't grow out of it until I was in my late twenties.
The news, especially political news, is a bland, dull dish to someone who doesn't have the background knowledge and education to understand the significance of what is being reported. Although I was a somewhat late bloomer when it comes to my deep interest in the political environment, I always wanted to be involved in society and considered it my civic duty to be involved. I was interested in environmental and social justice causes from a young age; it was just that I did not see individual issues that I found compelling in the frame of the big picture.
I did vote reliably as soon as I was eighteen years old, and spent at least the afternoon closely perusing the description of each candidate in the free guide available by the League of Women Voters before making my decisions. Still, once that was over, I went about my everyday life and ignored the news and never saw if the candidates who won (whether I voted for them or not) were making a difference, for better or worse, in our communities.
So, how do we make politics palatable to our children at a younger age so they become involved participants in their government earlier on? I have an idea for one possibility--music. Maybe it's not for all kids, but most young people I know are very interested in popular music.
For better or worse, I was raised on Mtv, back when it actually was music television. I was very nearly obsessed with music-- and here's the important part-- memorized the lyrics to an enormous amount of songs. Granted, many songs, especially pop songs, are meaningless fluff on the whole. However, there are also a decent amount of musical artists who write thoughtful lyrics concerning the most controversial and pressing issues in the world, or at least their own nations, at the time they are written.
There are enough examples of this that I have considered writing at length on different musical artists and their positions on social issues. I have only neglected to do so because I am not sure if there is a sizable audience interested in reading such things. However, when it comes to my topic du jour, the audience is already there: your children.
So, what I am saying here is that music is a fantastic way of introducing your children to politics and societal concerns and nurturing them to be active participants in their government. For example, if you hear your child singing along with a song on the radio or their mp3 player, etc., strike up a conversation. Ask them if that is one of their favorite artists or songs. If so, ask what they like most about it. Listen to or look up the lyrics. If it is a band or song that doesn't have a message that can be used in a discussion about larger issues in society, try and find something about the artist or song that sounds similar to a band or piece that you know and ask them if they have heard of it.
No, this is not a one-time discussion. Yes, it take some effort and time to communicate with your children about their musical interests and then segue it into discussions about politics. However, I believe it is a fun and insightful way not only to raise your child into an aware and franchised young adult, but also to understand what cultural influences are affecting your child and who they are as a person.
It's not as complicated or difficult as I may have inadvertently portrayed, seriously. Here's an example:
Hey Devin, whatcha listening to? Oh yeah? I hear they're from Ireland. Do you like them a lot? You know, when I was young, there was a popular singer from Ireland named Sinead O'Connor. In fact, she's still around. She was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live back when I was in high school. After she performed, she ripped up a picture of the Pope on camera. Everyone freaked out about it. She did it as a protest against sexual abuse in the Catholic church. Maybe Irish musicians are more prone to speak out against things they think are wrong. Both U2 and The Cranberries are from Ireland. U2 is famous in part for a song about pacifism and civil rights and the band members are activists for causes such as relief for those suffering from famine or unemployment. The Cranberries have a song protesting civil violence in their own country between groups of people who were bombing each other and other atrocities for decades.
Yeah, I tried to cram a whole lot of information there in the one example, but I think you get my point. You have the time to ease into these conversations with your children at home. The above example could actually be the content of two or three conversations with more or less detail, dependent upon the age and apparent interest of the kid.
So, take it for what it's worth to you. If you want your children to be informed and interested in current politics and social issues, maybe the music they are listening is the open door to introducing them to these sometimes onerous topics. Cheers!
