Beyond bullies
American patriotism and the candidates catching young voters' eyes — or algorithms.
I’m deep in conversations with our Gen Z community and ambassadors this week and have heard from dozens of young people with our latest Reality Check, which we’ll continue to break down in the coming weeks. I’m hearing a lot about civic and political habits, how young adults continue to feel about the cost of living, AI, and their social lives.
It’s becoming exceptionally clear to our generation that no one in traditional positions of power has any idea of what’s going on. Not the politicians in charge, not their professors, not their parents. If you’re wondering where widespread distrust and disillusionment comes from, it’s pretty clear.
Distrust is the baseline. That will have consequences. This morning, I joined Ali Vitali on MS NOW to break it all down.
In our Reality Check, we asked our community how they feel to be an American today.
American patriotism, for some, feels like something their generation hasn’t been privy to. One respondent went so far as to say they are “anti-American.” The consequences of toxic political partisanship and violence, paired with little to no government accountability, is leading to the demise of national pride.
Young people are tired of feeling this way. Instead, they want something to celebrate.
We also asked which, if any, politicians stand out for doing a good job right now.
There was a lot of range in the replies. But none of the candidates who stand out to our community currently code establishment.
James Talarico and Zohran Mamdani — who cracked the code on the attention economy — are both top of mind.
Across the board, the politicians mentioned have heterodox politics. They’re defying party norms (with the exception of Marco Rubio, maybe), saying things like they mean it, and using plain language that’s clear and easy to understand.
And, aside from Bernie Sanders, they’re all relatively young.
The distinguishing factor: these candidates have differentiated identities of their own and stand for something — not just against President Donald Trump.
Inside today’s full report
What being an American means to the country’s youngest voters
The politicians doing a good job, according to our community
The allure of being earnest