The political playingfield of the United States is experiencing a massive culture shift and we the people need to shift with it. 

Comparing the last two presidential debates to all that came before, there is a noticeable change in how both candidates communicate with their audience and with each other while running. 

The 2016 election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is a good example of how debates have changed to a contest of humor from the prior judgements based on leadership.

The evolution of presidential debates, which now consists more of intense verbal showdowns, are a far cry from the more formal discussion that characterized the first televised running between Nixon and Kennedy. 

The clear contrast begs a pressing need to revisit the real purpose of elections and rewind to a time when they were used to highlight the strong characteristics of a candidate.

 Not only politicians but people also have the power to do so with social media playing such a huge role in how populations perceive people.

The polarization of voters has become an increasingly prominent problem. 

Now that certain news outlets can be identified as liberal or conservative, many viewers are only watching the channels that support their views. 

This creates skewed perspectives that can negatively impact elections and who leads our country. 

Former President Trump is by no means a perfect leader or man for that matter, especially with the controversy around his criminal charges. 

But, social media has also diverted attention from important matters to something as pointless as his haircut which doesn’t speak at all to his ability to lead. 

The same can be said for Joe Biden, our current President and social media has a huge role.

Cancel culture, a trend that has increased on the internet among younger generations over the past few years has completely changed the game. 

Fortunately for some and unfortunately for others, cancel culture depends entirely on how an audience shapes one’s perception over platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram. 

Social media changed how the public can twist a story as well as how public figures can tell their own. 

One candidate that I’ve personally witnessed use their platform to good use is democratic candidate Marriane Williamson who has taken advantage of Tik Tok as a vital asset for answering questions while talking to younger audiences. 

All the new changes in today’s political culture calls for the people to change as well. 

Voters’ objective for electing a president has changed over time. They not only look for a candidate that is physically attractive and good in front of a camera, but also for one that supports their specific laws and implementations. 

The contrast in opinions among the general public has become dangerous, focusing on individual values instead of the bigger picture, which is to improve our country and society overall.

Almost twenty five percent of our Sea Kings here at PV High, including myself, will be eligible to vote in the 2024 election.

Everyone is required to take a government course throughout their high school career but even so, they may not be completely prepared and informed when they register to vote. 

When voting, it is important to consider every side of an argument, to try and be unbiased and most of all, to be responsible. 

No matter how small you may feel in the nearly 350 million people in the United States, every vote counts.