Are presidential candidates basically activist influencers? Moreover, would you go to Tic Tac [misspelling intentional] to find your ideal presidential candidate? This idea was posed to me by a thirty-something guy whose job is— wait for it— social media. I think if you are young, this may look like the future, that is, choosing your presidential candidate via social media. But I’m not so sure. Let’s take a moment to examine this claim.
First, what is an activist influencer? It is someone active on social media platforms promoting a particular cause or interest. Social media activist influencers use their platform and followers to raise awareness of social problems and advance positive or negative change.
Second, Generation Z tends to “crown” these influencers as leaders. What qualities do you desire when you look to someone for presidential leadership? Experience? A strong resume’? A track record of leadership accomplishments? Personality? Character? A solid commitment to follow the Constitution? Decisiveness? A huge fan base on the internet? Good looks? What makes a good leader?
Moreover, do you have a vetting process for selecting your candidate? Wise Americans have criteria to thoroughly “investigate” their candidate before supporting them. There will be pros and cons for every single person on the ballot. Choosing one is tricky as you must screen out all the voices and study what the candidate actually stands for.
So, can social media be the primary resource for choosing a presidential candidate? If you are young and consume news only on social media, then I suppose it is. However, it isn’t easy to ascertain a candidate’s who, what, when, where, why, and how by only looking at a social media profile. It’s not all about looks, sound bites, number of followers, etc. For sure, it’s not about others’ opinions who stand to profit from your choice.
It’s about who the candidates are and what they believe when they are NOT garnering your attention on social media.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
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