The Undereducated Generation Z and The Rise of Conservativism
By: Elijah D.
Tags: Generation Z, Activism

Student Daily News “Conservative vs. Liberal Beliefs” image.

One can not argue that conservatism and even alt-right media influencers are beginning to grow more popular over the past years. Day by day videos all over Youtube grow popularity of the stereotypical liberal getting “owned” by a calm and collected Republican. Many running on “owning the libs” and teasing the so-called “snowflakes”. It brings to question, if conservatives are running on “facts over feelings” does that mean liberals are wrong? Could it be that the alt-right debate lords are right? Why are liberals constantly losing? Is the lack of motivation in Generation Z proof of fake activism? Why do liberals tend to use feelings over facts in debates?

Well, no, no, yes, and its complicated.

Ben Shapiro, a very popular self-proclaimed “Conservative Libertarian” (which to some can sound like an oxymoron) and Steven Crowder, a self proclaimed comedian(debatable) and political commentator both run on these terms. “Facts over feelings”. Both gaining a strong audience of young edgy men as well as “ex-liberals”. Their most popular videos being of ones where they are debating or covering social justice issues. It’s a place where many right-leaning individuals can find a justification for their “edgy” perspectives. The New York Times even calling Ben Shapiro a “Provocative Gladiator”. The more popularity these men are given, the more their hateful beliefs continue to become normalized. Transphobia being simply an “opinion” rather than a threat to someone's life. Both of these men, regardless of how far they seem to go with their bigoted beliefs, are never shunned by the ones they support. Even the Proud Boys, a known white supremacist group, were never fully denounced. And when these influencers are caught spreading false information, they are never questioned. Not even by their own audience. Many not even questioning them and instead simply taking their word for it.

However, leftist influencers and leftist ideology is not only shunned by Republicans but by Democrats as well, compared to conservatives who have no problem even sheltering and pandering to far-right extremists if it means gaining more votes. House Democrats on the other hand blamed the left for their “losses” and continue to distant themselves from it. Nancy Pelosi being considered a centrist by many and Joe Biden even encouraging centrist ideology in his speeches, thus normalizing conservativism as “differences in opinions”. Though one can argue liberal perspectives have been growing and becoming popular amongst the younger generation, many of them lack an educational role model or influence that challenge conservative perspectives. This can also explain why so many “owning the libs” videos exist, but never “owning the conservatives”. Many self proclaimed liberals turning into conservatives overnight.

Conservatives have people to look up to as well as places to seek education from either Steven Crowder, Ben Shapiro, or simply Fox News(a top rated conservative news source). Whereas many left leanings and young liberals’ majority of the time do not resulting in many having to do their own research or simply not finding the motivation to do so.

This can also explain the disingenuousness of many generation z and their “activism”. Instead of doing the research on their own they prefer to play a long game of telephone. Repeating whatever they see on twitter rather than doing research on their own time. A band-aid for a knife wound. This allows them and the people around them to feel better about what they’ve done without needing to push for actual systemic change. Examples of this can be with how many are already coming in defense of Vice President elect Kamala Harris due to diversity, the “#blackouttuesday” trend on Instagram, or the support for Barrack Obama for being the first black president, but it was during his presidency when the Black Lives Matter movement began. This can also explain why many self-proclaimed liberals are beginning to turn into conservatives. There is no world where social justice is served without a change in the system, otherwise it is simply moderate republicanism. The support for centrist ideology and politicians is nothing more than push in the direction of alt-right agitprop.

And the “feelings over facts”? If there is a lack of education of course a person, especially if they are being publicly gaslighted will resort in expressing their frustration through their outbursts. Many of these alt-right or conservative debaters are privileged. They don’t live these dire experiences they debate about with their peers. To them its a sport, an opinion, to the less fortunate, its their life. Its the lack of connection with these social issues that gives them the advantage in many of these discussions. I could spend my entire day proving that systemic racism does exist and how transphobia kills with a white cisgender man, but I quiet frankly would rather chug an entire cup of thumbtacks.

So how do we prevent the loss of more “liberals”?

Tom Watson once said, “You are kept apart so that you may be separately fleeced of your earnings”. Progressive ideology isn’t unpopular. An example of this is the minimum wage raise in red states and Oregon voting to decriminalize all drugs during the election. Many individuals tend to vote against their own interest without knowing due to lack of genuine political education and the rise of right leaning entertainment. Majority of these voters being poor or older white people. Fox News being to blame for its constant alt-right agitprop and even going far as to spread complete lies to their audience. The answer to this would simply be educating yourself and many others. Supporting many activists of color as well as leftist influencers. Even book clubs. Change can still happen.