“[It] is not that 18-year olds are old enough to fight – it is because they are smart enough to vote.”
In Frost’s lecture on the Youth Voting Rights Movement in America, this quote summarises Nixon’s argument for lowering the voting age to 18-years old. As Frost states, at the end of the day, age is but a social construct. The marker for maturity and the ability to vote with intent is not demonstrated or decided solely by age.
Being ‘young’ does not mean that youth are uninformed or ignorant. On the contrary, with growing levels of education, youth, and the ‘young’ are arguably more informed than ever before.
It is often on the basis of age and experience that people are disenfranchised or have their voices ignored. For example, in the research space, although veteran academics undoubtedly have much wisdom and knowledge, the younger researchers can be dismissed because of their age and inexperience. Although younger researchers may have less knowledge than older researchers, it shouldn’t automatically negate what they have to offer.
In a similar fashion, youth are often dismissed in Asian households, by their parents or older relatives on the basis of their age and are not treated as an autonomous person capable of making decisions for themselves.
However, Frost’s lecture demonstrated that youth were, and still are informed and educated. They have the ability to make their own choices, and their efforts should be heard and acknowledged.
