Who should influence your vote?
Discussion statement | This is for ages 14 to 16
Many people talk about politics with family, friends or people they trust. Others believe voters should look at a wide range of information before they decide who to vote for.
Do you agree or disagree with the statement below? Explain why.
Listening to people you trust is the safest way to decide how to vote.
Tell us what you think
You might want to structure your answer like this:
I agree / disagree with this statement because [your reason]. Another reason for my view is [a different reason or example].
Make sure you read the comments from other Topical Talkers to see whether you agree or disagree with them.
Comments (88)
I think if someone is young, for example, 13, 14 or 15 years old, I think that parents are the ones who are supposed to monitor them, but if they are older, I don't think they are old enough to choose their decisions by themselves without the help of anyone or follow up from anyone, but parents can follow them, if, for example, they want to know their children how to think or will it remain a useful need in the future in their way of thinking or not, for example, parents are scientists, in this case they can study the new generation, and how they think and this is my personal opinion
Bye bye
I halfly disagree with your opinion because, if younger teens learned to rely on their parents in everything while they're young, when they grow up they are going to rely on their parents in everything they do and they will mostly be unresponsible and uncapable of doing anything correctly in life, so I personally think that parents should teach their children to not rely on them unless it's extremely important and make them learn how to save up their own money and maybe make their own business while they're still young. By the way, since I was 9 my parents taught me how to save up my own money and sometimes I start my own business and making bracelets and necklaces and maybe accessories and I was thinking that I wanted to start a new business, which guarantees me getting money all by my own at a really young age, legally too! And this made me so responsible through a lot of stuff in my life, I know I'm not exactly capable of everything, but for my age, I think I'm pretty responsible.
Bye.
I disagree that listening to people you trust is the safest way to decide how to vote. While family and friends can offer useful advice, relying only on their opinions is risky because it can limit independent thinking. Without doing our own research, listening to others can be a big problem because most people hold biased views shaped by personal experiences or social background. In many cases, political beliefs are passed down through generations and people continue to follow the same ideas simply because their family has always done so. This does not mean those opinions are well-informed for everyone.
For example, a young voter might choose a candidate only because their parents have always voted that way, even if the policies are limited and do not match their own views.
When voters depend only on trusted voices, they often hear just one side of an issue while different perspectives are ignored. Democracy requires citizens to think critically, question information and form their own judgements rather than copying the views of others. The safest approach is to look at a wide range of sources, compare party policies and examine the records of politicians before making a decision.
Discussions with trusted people still have value. They can help explain complex issues and encourage political interest. Yet these conversations should only be a starting point, not the final guide.
In conclusion, personal advice alone is not enough. The safest way to vote is to combine open discussion with independent research so that each person can make an informed and responsible choice.
Thanks for sharing your ideas mirthful_cloudberry!
I completely agree with you!
Trust can be misleading because even people we trust still have bias. This can make trust really easy to manipulate, especially when opinions are passed down rather asked, why? That's why relying on people you trust can be really risky - I believe in the art of making your own thought, your own opinion using your own research and your own beliefs. People feel like trust can lead them towards the right path and the right option is always in the one you trust. Trust should guide decisions, not replace your own thinking.
I disagree with few of your point, listening to people isn't bad but analyzing what you've heard and trying to confine a space of interest matters, especially in the aspect of voting.
Can you recall that the family is usually the first-place socialization takes place, the same way people around you at times mislead you is still the way an outsider would possibly do, and that's why it is said, the devil you know is better than the angel, you don't know.
In honor to a point that both opinion is required to make a right choice, the people around you shares better understanding of related voting tips and immoralities related to it and in addition to the knowledge from social media and other external people, the right thing required here, is to think of what you need and the path to follow from the help aced by your other viewers, this help better than other compiled forms of selection.
In voting, some leaders actually fail to fulfil the oat taken before sit, and this is why individual opinion is necessary needed to fight for their legal rights, and when related thoughts are not man overed it tends to result into the large shares that gives politicians low marks on honesty and understanding the needs of ordinary people.
In conclusion, even if personal advice is not enough the backed-up idea should always be valid because the electoral boards tend to favor leaders who are against the citizen selection leading to the story everyone says today. So, the best way of voting is the combination of all your legal points and the ability to choose justice by the electorates.
I disagree with this statement because naturally we young people should have the mindset that we can make decisions on their own without totally relying on anyone. Basically, as we mature our mentally and mindset to also matures enabling us to think and reason more critically than before. In my opinion, I fell like our friends we trust shouldn't easily influence our voting decision. In some instances your friends and family can advice you on who to vote for, but it is up to you to decide considering that you have the right to choose. Furthermore, it actually depends on if the candidate your friend advises you to vote is of good character and is capable of managing the country/state. For instance, your friend advises you to vote a formerly convicted criminal of course you most likely won't considering the fact you won't fully trust him, but if he/she advises you to vote someone who is responsible, has good character and is capable of the handling the position you most likely will. So in essence what I am trying to say is we shouldn't easily let our friends or people we trust easily affect our voting decision rather it is our choice to make and we should also consider some factors before we vote a candidate. Thank You.
I strongly disagree that listening to people you trust is the safest way to vote.
Last week we spoke on a topic "opinions or right answers" and I learnt from my fellow students that listening to people's opinions shows a sign of respect and care for what others have to say, but choosing the right answers is regarded as the best option for most situations because opinion of the public sometimes isn't the right opinion. When it comes to voting, as a student I personally feel that people should make their personal researches on the various candidates and then compare it to what people think. Because when you have your own reasons for doing something, you'd do it with pride knowing that it came personally from you and not from what others thought and told you. So, listening to people you trust IS NOT the safest way to decide how to vote. THANK YOU.
Hi there! I’d like to add some of my opinions to depend the discussion.
I disagree with you on this topic. As a first point, there often isn’t one single right answer, so when you refer correct answers as “the best option”, it’s actually grey areas, which seem ethically better to the chooser.
Secondly, people are able to do personal research, as well as listening to opinions to broaden your perspective. There’s no reason you can’t listen to others, and research your own questions to form an opinion, in fact that is the best way to do so as you are employing the listening skill this festival is centred around. You have to know multiple perspectives and facts to form your own, and the best way to do that is to listen.
As a final example, sometimes people get stuck, and aren’t quite sure where to start when forming their political opinion. If you decide to cut yourself off from people you trust, you are denying help, and denying your own learning from expanding. If you never learn how to properly make an informed opinion, then you are effectively bias. This leads to a debated topic of whether or not youth and elders should be allowed to vote because of developing, and devolving mental capacity. The leading argument for that issue is bias opinions and perspectives ruin the voting system, which if you don’t properly learn how to form an opinion, leads you to.
People you trust aren’t going to try to manipulate you. If you trust them, you trust them because of their actions and it’s very likely they have your best interests at heart.
I agree because some people ACTUALLY rely on other people to tell them their opinion, and then these people actually 100% believe that this was their opinion but deep down the already have another opinion. So I think that the world should run some type of training around the whole world to train people on how to care for others opinions without hurting their feelings but also having your own character and your own opinions, because just because you have an opinion on someone that you love has an opposite opinion, you need to say the opposite opinion because you having different thinking is logic because there is nothing that old people agree on at least there's one person that objects, because simply there's nothing perfect.
That's it, bye-bye.👋🏻
I think that listening to people should actually have on effect on how to vote but it shouldn't be the top priority of your decision. Voting is an individual's choice on something.
I think that the listening to others is a vital process in voting but it shouldn't replace the most important part which is your own personal decision. Well, one has to take time to think about what he/she wants and also whether it would benefit his country and society. Voting is your choice so I see no reason why someone's choice should take ultimate control of your vote. Other people's personal decision can only give you alternatives on what to do but it shouldn't control your vote. Your vote should only be gotten from "what you want" not "what others want".
I usually hear people say "Your opinion matters". I have grown to understand that nobody's decision is useless or not valuable. All opinion can be used to develop the country's leadership. So, I urge everyone to always value your decision more than another thing because your vote is important. I think that when others see their vote as important, it would really guide how they would vote.
I disagree with the statement above, the people you trust may not always make a correct choice.
Firstly, a choice is influenced by many factors which are only in tune with an individual because of their personal story or experiences. Every choice has a 'why' factor to it, and it is unique to each and everybody. Allowing someone to then shape your own 'why', would not allow you to uncover the full truth about how a person thinks about a particular situation.
Secondly, a decision on a vote is something that benefits the voter exclusively. A person who wants you to vote someone might have his or her own benefits, which you may not know about. Even if the person is very close to you, small factors are what made them choose who they chose. Despite being close everyone has their own background story, and everyone wants their problem to be fixed first.
Lastly, I believe that our vote should be made after we have gathered the necessary information on candidates. Information that is given to you by close friends, might not always be the most accurate. Discovering something on your own allows you to shape your own view and connect with the propaganda of a candidate. I believe that we should decide how to vote by what our own interests are.
To me, as someone whose family always talks about politics during family events, people of all ages must make their own voting choices and not let others influence their decisions. Each person has unique perspectives and experiences that shape their beliefs. If someone is trying to pressure you into voting a certain way, it could lead to more tactics for others to get you to do what they want. While family and friends can offer valuable advice/information, trusting your instincts is extremely important. According to a NY Times article, it states that parents and family members often influence people's votes, but it is key to break the chain and allow everyone to have their own opinions.
We also need to make a change in the way people vote, and the voter turnout that is currently taking place around the world.
For example, in canada according to Elections Canada, during the 2025 federal election, 30.54% of eligible voter didn't show up, and some studies show this is due to family or community members saying "it's not gonna make a difference" or "it doesn't matter." but that would be false itself, very vote matter your voice and opinion matter and you shouldn't let other deter you from voting the way you want to.
In conclusion, voting is meant for you to share your opinions in the form of a vote, not for others to share theirs inside your vote. THANK YOU
I disagree with this statement because no matter how much you trust someone, that´s not an excuse for believing that the information you hear from he/she is valid or accurate, misinformation nowadays is very dangerous, and not studying, researching or even trying to understand what happens in the world, and, with critical thinking, who you think could be the best leader, is not just a luxury, but a civic responsability. Another reason for my view are, the famous " filter bubbles " makes us to hear only what we want to believe. So, to avoid this, people should question assumptions, diversify sources, and read evidence-based evaluation. If not, social poralization, poor health choices and erosion of democracy will be between us.
Can you say more on what you know about "filter bubbles"?
Sure!! The term " filter bubbles " was popularized by the activist Eli Pariser in 2011, this means that online platforms such as TkTok, Instagram, Twitter, use algorithms to show users content that they had previously liked, believed, even clicked, or any kind of interaction. The goal is to maintain engagement, so they personalize what each person sees. It might sound good or convenient, because it filters the stuff you are into, but, the problem is when you end up surrounded by opinions that share many similarities to yours, creating limited perpsective, making you to stay in this " filter bubble " .
I disagree with this statement because of 2 simple words *negative exploitation*
You can't trust anyone in a topic like politics because the self-enjoyment that someone has when he persuades someone to get self-care especially when it's wrong, get over any trust.
If you build trust with someone they can exploit this trust into their own advantage because you will trust them no matter what.
If you don't trust someone, but don't hate them (you just don't know them personally) why would they tell you false information. He wouldn't benefit from it and you will sense the information being wrong because of checking.
The people you trust can negatively exploit you into believing them without checking if they are right or wrong so choose who to trust.
Hi triumphant_memory - there will be people in your life that you would say you probably trust, such as friends, parents, teachers, etc. Would it not be useful to compare all their opinions so you hear all sides of the debate? The decision on which way to vote is yours and it should be based on your opinion of all the available information, whether you agree with it or not!
I disagree with this statement because you shouldn't have to listen to people you trust to decide what you choose. Even though friends and family can offer and share useful advice/ information, relying solely on them to create your decision could be risky because it can limit independent thinking. Another reason for my view is that people should have their own opinions when it comes to voting, especially because even though you might think you have the same opinion as someone, you actually might disagree with them once you think more about your own decision.
However, some other people might say that it's good to follow the way that people you trust choose, because then you share similar beliefs and opinions. For example like if a new, younger voter were to choose a candidate just because that's the one their parents have always chosen, even if that person does not match their values or views. People who think this are not wrong and I do see how their point makes sense, but sometimes this is not the best way to go. When you base your opinion off of someone else's without doing your own research, it could be a problem because some people have biased views based off of personal beliefs or experiences. This could lead to you accidentally picking someone you don't actually support because you decided to follow someone's opinion even though you don't think the same.
So basically what I'm saying is that talking with other people about their opinions is great to help form your own, but in the end you should follow your own thoughts to create a thoughtful, informed choice.
I strongly agree with this statement.
The people we trust are people who have earned our friendship, love, or support through their actions. Having a trusted person guide you through the political system is not bad by any means, in fact I would say it’s way better than doing it solo. Listening to those you trust means hearing their opinions, and unlike people have assumed, it doesn’t automatically mean you’ll agree with them. After all, listening to others opinions is the only way to broaden your own perspective. Without having a perspective which considers all sides of the story, your vote may do more harm than good.
Not only this, but some people have assumed that this question means that those you trust won’t support you, and will push their beliefs onto you. This can be true in some cases, but the vast majority of those who earn friendship are operating with their communities best beliefs at heart, especially when it’s someone close to you.
If you were to not listen to anyone who trust to decide how to vote, it’s way harder to actually learn. When you learn how to vote, it has to be through someone trusted, lest a untrusted individual enforces their beliefs on you instead of allowing you to make your own. However, if you learn through a trusted person, you’re way more likely to learn in a safe, calm environment which teaches you.
Talking with those you trust means informing yourself of other’s opinions, to learn, and broaden your own. It doesn’t mean that they’ll brainwash you, because as long as they’re trusted, they likely have your best beliefs at heart.
I disagree because the people you trust will not always be right, but neither will they always be wrong. The information they give you is based on their own perspective or research they have done, however you are intentionally given your vote not to make it because someone told you to, but to actually find out about the person, what you like about him, what you believe or records have shown he can do and choose your vote instead of just believing what they told you and have a poor perspective on the right person. Some people may also be thinking about the respect factor, but we should listen to all suggestions and collate what is the best option from our perspective.
You're absolutely right. Trust is established through actions. Listening to those you trust doesn't give anyone the right to influence your opinion. Although there are particular cases where someone tries to force his or her opinion, there are many reliable sources that have catered for the welfare of their communities.
I partly disagree, because sure listening to someone that you trust can help but I don't think that it's the best option. Sometimes listening to people you trust, like family and friends mean well, they've got experience and they actually want what's best for you. Listening to them will definitely help you understand the topic better, so yes I do think that their voices matter.
However, I think that voting is personal. and when you decide to vote based on the people that you trust that means you are using their beliefs and not using your own judgement and your own opinions. Because even the people that we trust have biases and uses their own feelings, so I don't think that it's quite suitable to vote based on the people that you trust. I think voting is about your own independent thinking, and trust should help guide you but it shouldn't replace your own opinions and thoughts because they just as important.
I disagree with this statement because even though we should listen to our family and friends whom we trust, we should vote based on our own opinion. We must learn to be independent and learn to make our own decisions. If we only listen to our family or friends whom we trust and vote fully on their opinion, we will never see other's point of view. However, being in a democratic country requires us to understand a wide range of perspectives, even the ones we don't agree with. Listening only to the people who we trust can limit our understanding and create a bias. Instead, we should find information from multiple sources and ask some people for their opinions. After that, we form our own conclusion. While listening to people we trust is helpful, it shouldn't replace our independent thinking.
Conclusion: We just have to stay open-minded and make a decision based on our opinion.
But this is my personal opinion. I don't know about the rest of you, so what are your opinions?
I strongly agree with this statement because relying on people you trust can be risky when deciding how to vote. Trust doesn't that accuracy so trust alone isn't enough to vote. Listening to trusted people's views blindly limits the exposure to diverse perspectives.
Misinformation risks
Even well-informed people can spread inaccurate informations without intent. Therefore, if we relied on these informations only, we might take wrong decisions or miss facts.
Different interests
People we trust might have different priorities and interests which might be different from ours; their view would reflect their OWN interests not OURS.
Not only that, but also this would reduce independence.
Voting is about expressing our OWN views after research, studies and also listening to different perspectives. Have you ever asked yourself why does a country choose many people to vote? Because different perspectives can help choose the appropriate fair choice so if you were just influenced by trusted people's opinions, why did they choose YOU? Voting is a personal decision which is taken after research and studies. Hearing to only trusted voices can lower people's OWN voice and so they won't have critical thinking skills.
However, we still should hear from the people we trust because as I said earlier, listening to others' opinions helps us think about things deeply not in a superficial way. To avoid mistakes, we can make sure by using reliable sources. Still, we MUST hear from people we truly trust like parents because they don't only say their view, they advise, support and encourage.
I think that the vote should be influenced by the world around you.I mean you should see wath's around you and decide how it could be improved and what doesn't work and then make your own idea,just by looking around you and not by listening to the others opinion on what is the best thing to vote.
I disagree with this statement,because you can always listen to other people's opinion,but you are the one that chooses if you think the same or not based on researches,news of the day and listening to many other people with point of view different.
Another reason is that by limiting the people you listen to,you are limiting your knoledge and why other people are voting other things.
I disagree because not necessarly you have the same idea as your parents or family, maybe it is the comparison with the people close to us that makes us reflect and understand that we don't agree with them. obviusly our family wants the best for us and the try to direct us on the better way, but we are mature enough to make an personal idea , reading news, whatching videos on social media and talk with foreigh peole that makes us understand what we really think
I disagree with this statement because I think you shouldn’t rely your votes on people you trust just so you can keep it safe. If your’re new to voting or still a bit young, you might think it’s best to follow what others choose, especially if they are older and wiser with more experience in voting. That can be true but politics is a very controversial topic with many different opinions and political beliefs. Every household could have their own beliefs that their family believe in which can influence you on who or what to vote.
Mainly following what others choose could make it hard for you to make your own independent choices and opinions for future situations. Ask yourselves “ if the opinion you have is from blindly following the crowd, is it really your own opinion ?”. This doesn’t mean you need to come up with a brand new idea or refuse to listen to what others think and their perspectives. For political and controversial matters there won't always be a clear answer, everything has it’s pros and cons.
It’s great to hear out what others think but it’s also important to do your own research and make sure your vote is not from presure but from what you know and believe.
I would argue that I wouldn't fully agree to the statement said above.
When it comes to people you trust, it can be in a form of friends, family, teachers, and other roles that usually have more authority (doesn't have to be). From my personal point of view, I think not all people we trust have the most reliable source of information. Yes, we can get different voices that can help support or improve our own mindset. But some people have different things in mind and aim to bring us down instead.
The word "trust" by definition means "a reliance of character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something" (source: Merriam Webster). Which means that people can be obliged to rely on authorities (political figure, teacher, parent, etc), even if they completely disagree with their (the authority's) beliefs. So when you listen to people you have to rely on, it's not always the best solution, since--they may have authority over you, but not your opinions.
Nevertheless, I still believe that people we truly trust can help us improve how we think and vote in a very complicated democracy. When we have approved sources, they explain the fact and don't need anymore forms of subjective trust. These sources will significantly help how we think and vote, without needing reliance of other people directly.
In conclusion, I don't really agree with the statement because we sometimes have to put trust into people we don't truly believe. But if we do find the correct people to trust, they can help us decide on how to vote safely.
I disagree with the statement because of listening to those around you might not give you enough information which will aid you on how to vote and independent thinking on who you want to vote for.
another point of my view is that listening to those around you will not give you enough KEY information, instead listen to the world around you.
let's use social media.
when we go to social platforms like TikTok, Whatsapp, Instagram and the rest, through videos, texts and chats on political pages we can get enough useful and confidential information which may succor in our choice of who to vote for.
Yes I agree that listening to someone we trust is the safest way to cast our vote because the attribute of trust is not just a mere thing. Before someone is trusted he or she must have the attribute of saying the truth, so we have no fear of been misinformed by them and as such will vote rightly. So what about you ?
i agree with this statement because trusted people help filter over whelming info, they can flag obvious nonsense or bad faint argumentandthis help boost independent thinking
hello! thank you for sharing your thoughts and perspective. However, I strongly disagree with the idea that listening to the people that you trust is the safest way to vote, because trust does not guarantee accuracy. People tend to trust those who thinks like them and shares the same beliefs, but this does not protect the voters from misinformation it actually makes it harder to detect. In my opinion, voting should be based on checking sources, and understanding the consequences that their action can make. Sure, trust can support discussion but it should never replace your own opinions, thoughts and also independent thinking. Democracy works best when voters think for themselves, not when they borrow opinions from the people that they trust.
I agree with this statement because when you listen to the people you trust you get a wider range of reasons for the people that you what to vote for whether to still vote for them for to not vote for the person.
Hey reserved_guitar. Thank you for your comment, but I do view the problem differently.
Depending on the people that we trust can stop us from thinking for ourselves, people we trust may have their own opinions and also biases, and those opinions are not always right for everyone. If we only listen to them, we may end up copying their choices instead of understanding the candidates properly. voting is an important responsibility, and it should be based on our own opinions, research and also understanding. everyone experiences society differently, so what matters to one person may not matter to the other. A strong democracy needs voters who think independently and make choices based on facts, not under someones influence or people around them. Sure, listening is helpful but thinking for yourself is more important.
I disagree with this statement because listening only to people you trust isn't always the safest way to decide how to vote. Although family and friends may have valid points, they still have their personal opinions and biases that might not match your own opinions and can confuse and alter your thoughts.
Another reason for my view is that voting should be a personal opinion that should not be decided by anyone aside from you. This is why, as a voter, you should have voting sense and be mmature You, as a voter, should be able to look at multiple resources, compare,e and make a final vote. Talking to those you trust is a good start, but it should not alter your own political beliefs and views. You should not have to be pressurised into voting or feel like voting because of someone else but yourself.
I disagree with this statement because as students, we are the leaders of tomorrow and I think that relying or depending on other peoples decisions does not prepare us for the future and shows that we are not mature enough to make our own decisions. Research also shows that up to 79% of 18-24 years old turn to their parents for advice in becoming an adult but less than 50% even research online to make sure it is true and that is really bad because nowadays a lot of young ones are vulnerable to anything they see or hear especially from their loved ones and many loved ones can take advantage of that. For example, a research I made talked about Richard Ramirez also known as "Night Stalker", his violent act were influenced during his youth by his older cousin Miguel, who took advantage of him by showing him graphic photos of war crimes and he even killed his own wife in front of Ramirez which boosted his violent acts. So what I'm trying to say is that our loved ones should not always be the ones to help us make our decisions because they would not always be there to help us and when we hear information, we should learn to research even though that does not mean that the internet should always be helping us too.
Another reason for my view is that when voting, they can be people we trust very well but we should not always listen to them because we are meant to make our own decisions by ourselves and we should think of it as something that will help us to make our decisions wisely when it is our time to be leaders. Which eventually teaches us to be independent.
Now that is just wrong. You can`t make decisions that sensitive based on what others say or think. Like in the topic that discussed about opinions, we need to look for the truth, not what people think about it. If I was of age to vote, and I voted based on the thoughts of my family or friends around me, I would not only be prone to making the wrong choice, but I might be even be conflicted, because peoples opinions differ. To vote for someone, find out whether the person is capable enough to hold that position and see whether he /she will be in that position in the interest of the people, and use tangible information. You cannot follow peoples decisions when in cases like this because to be honest, their decisions are mostly, if not all biased.
I strongly disagree with this statement. Trusting near people in elections like family members or friends is so terrible.
First of all, by trusting people in how or who to vote will make you independent. You will depend and rely on someone to vote in the elections, and you do not know even who you are going to vote. Does this make sense? It is like reading a book since its cover is attractive and you do not know what it is talking about. In my class, I decided to ask the students, who is the best footballer in the world and why then I recorded their answers. when I reached to a girl and asked her that question, she answered flawlessly yet when I asked why, she paused for a second and said, " my dad told me that." This shows that relying on other makes you stop from thinking. Also, some people are biased in the elections so depending on them can cause you to make a wrong decision. Besides, people can have fake information so do not always rely on them.
I believe that voting and participating in the elections depends on your perspectives and point of view. Instead of depending on near people, we can see the candidates' platforms, search for facts about the candidates and see the candidates' plans like improving education. All of these can help you choose the right choice in the elections accurately.
To conclude, if we depend on the near people's point of views, we will be like the soft clay that is shaped by other people. Got it?
Hello, quickwitted_knowledge,
I strongly agree with your point that relying only on people we trust, such as family or friends, is not the safest way to decide how to vote. When we listen to others without doing our own research, it is like choosing a book because the cover looks good, without knowing what it is about. This does not help us make an informed decision, especially in important matters like voting.
Relying on others can also weaken our ability to think critically. In my history class, we learned that we must verify information from different sources before forming an opinion. If we only trust one person’s view, we might ignore important facts and make choices that do not match our beliefs.
Moreover, some people may have personal biases or misinformation. This makes it risky to follow their advice without checking. Trusting others too much can limit our independence and make us more likely to be influenced unfairly.
Instead, we should explore different perspectives, research candidates, and examine their policies. This helps us make a decision based on our own values and priorities, not just what others say.
In conclusion, I agree that relying only on trusted people for political advice can lead to manipulation. It is important to think for ourselves and gather information from multiple sources to vote.
I disagree with this statement because listening only to others opinion neglects how you may feel as a person.
Often times many people are influenced easily by the word of mouth, especially when it comes to close family and friends. We believe that such special relationships would never lead us astray, in comparison to biased news stories. However, it is this exact ideology that could harm us more. In the U.S, midterm elections are coming up, and one of the most dangerous things is to be uneducated when voting. Candidates in these elections campaign to different groups. For example, in the 2024 election, Kamala Harris campaigned especially towards younger voters appealing to college funding. With that in mind, if a friend has not been to college, clearly they will say that Harris may not be a strong candidate.
It is vital that we as people do not underrepresent ourselves. Imagine in that past example, you listened to that person although you, yourself, are an underfunded college student? It would be as though a defense attorney neglects evidence because they also believe you are guilty of a crime you did not commit.
With this in mind, it is imperative that as voters we educate ourselves. Look into nonpartisan, non-biased websites that will simply present facts without favoring one side or the other. While hearing other people's opinions is also essential, you should never simply base your opinions on what others say.
An individual's beliefs usually come from their background and how they're taught to perceive heavily debated topics. Yet, I disagree that listening to the people you trust most should be your only form of knowledge.
I personally always discuss the news with my closest friends and family, but the conversations are structured in a way that allows everyone to have a 'brain dump' and not necessarily take all the ideas shared and firmly believe them. Remaining open-minded and neutral builds character and engagement skills. This provokes future thought-provoking statements to be said with a non-judgmental community, allowing others to be sensitive with trusted people.
I also believe trusted news outlets, first-hand political statements, and proposed legislation are the best ways to explore issues that impact society. These forms of media are often spread with little censorship, unlike social media content, which allows individuals to grasp the severity of issues such as wars, famine, and poverty, and how officials are handling situations, rather than relying on another person's explanation.
By remaining open to new perspectives, you're able to explore and build your own political opinion, ultimately changing the way you vote.
I disagree with this statement. I believe that doing research and finding reliable evidence to support what your mind and values believe in leads to the best voting decisions. It is important to listen to other people's opinions, but you should not let them completely dictate your choice, especially when the decision is ultimately yours.
While older people may have more experience or knowledge, relying on facts, statistics, and your own critical thinking is what truly matters. For example, someone may not share the same political views as their parents. If their parents believe in something the individual cannot genuinley agree with, it can create conflict and make decision makign difficult.
Overall, I believe it is okay to seek guidance from others, but it should not define who you are or what you belive in. You should do your own research and choose to support people or ideas that truly align with the change you want your vote to make.
I disagree with this statement because even if their a family member it doesn't mean you should fully trust them. Many people have different perspectives on things. One member would like one politic while another member might say another politic is better. Trusting someone who says and not provides is not a safe way since you may vote for a politic who does bad things with that power. Doing your own research on the politics can open your mind to it. Researching both sides will make you understand on trust your own work instead of someone's mouth, so with that you can vote who is safer to you.
However, you mat feel more inclined to listen to your family member if they had a long history of knowing politics well and can trust them. With that voting with a family member would make you feel safe to since you've known your whole life. If they give good reasons why to pick a certain politic and can make you understand them better it would give you a sense of safety.
Overall, when voting you should do your own research since it would make you understand the reason why your voting them and not just going off people who have different sense of mind. Researching in depth about them you would find things that would make your reasoning more reasonable.
I believe that you should don’t have to always listen to other peoples opinions because, most of the time you probably would find it that it’s not what you wanted. But this could be the opposite! Maybe it would be the best option. I don’t really know 🤷♀️
Yes i agree with this statement, if a 16 year old has the opportunity to vote but he/she does not know who to vote for he/she can ask those he/she can trust like his/her like their parents, other family members, neighbors, or their friends who can give advice on the people they want to vote for, and if the don't feel like asking they can do their own research.
Good point, champion_turtle - but might there might be a risk of young voters blindly following the voting patterns of those they trust? You mention other research, and this could be useful in discovering opposing opinions - who do you think you might you go to for this information?
Yes i very much agree to what you just said, and if i have to go to any medium to research i would first go to the news to the kind of things this candidate is proposing and the impact he/she can have on the country if his/her ideas or plans are not in the category i'm looking for,then i would see the other candidate,s plans for the country, secondly i would search the web about the candidates and i would search this category ideas for the country, personality, criminal record and present status to see whether he/she fits my description of a "Leader".
I disagree with this statement because trust can make it easier to make a decision, but voting is not meant to be easy, it's meant to be responsible.
This is what I learned when I noticed how differently people I trust view the same question. One teacher I respect has praised a particular govt policy for fixing the infrastructure, while another has condemned it for not addressing the issue of deforestation which helped build that infrastructure. Both were smart and geniune. But they were also constrained by their own agendas.
This taught me something really important. Trusted people do not provide easy answer. They just provide their answer.
When we vote based on trust alone, we may be tempted to outsource our thinking. Voting is not about electing the person for which there's someone who speaks the loudest in our social group. It's about electing the person who has really strived for the betterment of the society and whose policies will impact millions outside. While listening to trusted voices is important, democracy can be strengthened when people move beyond the opinions they are familiar with and look at evidence for themselves.
Hello Topical talkers, I disagree with these statement.
Listening to people u trust shouldn't be the safest way to vote. Your vote should depend mainly on your on view and choice. For instance, an individual decides to vote for a particular government not because of his choice but others choice. I don't think that the individual would actually enjoy his decisions because they are not from his/her point of view.
Other people may feel that their vote can get influenced by people they trust because they believe so much in their friends. They usually think that their friends choice is the right choice. However, others may actually let people determine their vote because they don't want to feel "left out". This is also known as peer pressure. There is a particular saying that says "If u can't beat them, join them". I highly disagree with that saying because I believe that everybody can decide to have a stand and make their own votes or choices.
One thing that I always tell myself is to make sure the decisions I take won't affect me negatively but instead, it would bring me joy.
I disagree with this statement because relying only on people you trust can create what is known as an 'echo chamber'. An echo chamber is when the same viewpoint is repeated and saturated at every possible opportunity and is considered 'correct'. Friends and family are valuable for personal advice but due to the surrounding culture, they may share similar backgrounds and viewpoints which results in constant reaffirmation. This means that listening to only people you trust is not a safe, unbiased way of learning about a topic with multiple morally grey questions like voting. Traditions and customs bleed from generation onto the next which means that, even if you don't realize it, you may unknowingly repeat what was said to you with full faith while never questioning it. Blind faith to anything is a detriment to both your analytical and emotional sides.
Another reason for my view is that the most credible, concrete way of learning about anything is to actively seek multiple varied sources of information. This means that, as first, you check the official websites for the topic you are viewing. You then compare it to various different independent sources, from these comparisons, you can then come to your own conclusions about any topic. In an environment where free thinking is looked at as 'doubt' and questioning is considered weak, you cannot guarantee that the opinions of those you hold dear are concrete. This does not mean that you should not looked to them for advice, it just means that you should look at the question from different angles before deciding on a response.
You make an excellent and well-argued point on echo chambers resulting from shared cultural background, and your suggestion that people should seek independent views is a robust way to combat what we call availability bias: giving more psychological importance to information, opinions for example, that are heard more often. Do you think that this kind of critical thinking is common among persons that vote, and how would you encourage more of it?
Hi, Daniel.
In all honesty, no. I do not believe that most voters critically think about the side they are supporting as well as the opposing side. I believe this stems from the idea of 'if you're not with me, you're against me' which doesn't lead to productive discussions surrounding topics such as voting. The media has played a role in polarizing seperate political sides by using algorithms and relying on a constant reaffirming loop (not too dissimilar to what I discussed in my original comment) to promote different news to different people. Controversy and drama are used by the media to scrape as much money as humanely possible from as many people from different political sides. If you're not willing to go outside of your own social circle/bubble (which I see happening a lot; especially within people raised from birth with a specific ideology), you're not going to be able to see your ideology through the perspective of an outsider. I believe that normalizing debates and discussions about 'taboos' should be the first step to making critical thinking more prevalent among people. For example, here in Egypt, you can't really openly talk about things such as religion without facing some severe social backlash. This I believe to be the core of unproductive thinking. Limiting speech because of social stigmas is not beneficial to a society at large. Having actual open debates (not Charlie Kirk/Ben Shapiro screaming matches) about real complex issues is what I believe to be the first step to stop the stream of uninformed opinions with no thought or care put into them.
I think you make a very well informed point and I agree the media form a critical part of the problem, especially where less scrupulous organisations will 'engagement farm' in order to increase ad revenue as you describe.
Similarly, I agree that taboo topics won't by definition support open conversations on potentially critical areas of policy, however you draw the contrast to those US influencers, and I think this is an interesting example. The politically polarised view broadcast by such influencers provides strong example of both your concepts of echo chambers and engagement farming, with particular audiences targeted. Topics like religion's role in the state aren't taboo, yet arguably it hasn't supported increased levels of critical thinking by citizens.
Do you think there are particular nations that have 'got it right' - and if so, what lessons could be taken from them?
I don't think listening to people you trust is the best influence for your vote. Despite the fact that you trust these people, it doesn't mean your opinions and choices can't differ; who you would want to elect may be completely different from who they want. Yes, listening to such people's opinions can show you a different perspective, but it may also lead to arguments and quarrels if the choices aren't really equal.
In my opinion, casting a vote should be influenced by what you think is the best option for the society and country at large, and not just yourself. Relying on other people's ideas, even ones you trust, can cloud your judgement. So no, I do not think listening to people you trust should influence your decision, but rather choosing the good of the nation over all friends.
I disagree with this statement because... First of all;
I personally feel that voting is a personal and Individualized process. Ideally, your vote is meant to be based on your own knowledgeable choices, your morals and standards and the possible influence it would have on the community.
In my opinion, I feel one`s decision should start or be based on the issues at hand; like how it affects our daily lives and our well being; instead of making decisions based on what people say and even those we trust.
Another reason for my view is due to FALSE IMPRESSION.
False assertions can gain unmerited credibility simply through what we hear from people around us.
Another reason is that it can lead to reduced decision quality because individuals would conclude their decisions based on what they hear from instead of thinking from their own perspective. Depending on people we trust might decide for you WHAT TO BELIEVE instead of explaining why a rule or procedure is good or how it affects other people outside one`s social clique.
I highly disagree with this statement. Listening and following what other people vote and stand for even if you trust them is not as safe as many people think. Unfortunately, this is what a lot of people do and I feel it is very wrong.
If you have the rights to vote for yourself, why not at least think about what your opinion is? Asking the people you trust for advice and their opinion is always a good thing. But if the reason of you voting for something or someone is just because your parents or your friend told you to. I believe. that is when it becomes a problem.
Voting is a very serious matter which really effects your life in many ways. Even though it may seem very small, your one vote can really determine the next president or a new political leader. I think people should value their power and rights in the society more. Showing your own opinion and your own ideas really shows that you are an active community member and a very creative person.
So I think when people vote, they should try to think of their own opinion before asking for advice. Maybe that could fix some of the political problems many countries face today.
I strongly disagree with the notion because trust is not necessarily an indicator of political knowledge. Although our family members and close friends may give us their opinions in good faith, their opinions are also likely to be influenced by their own ideological beliefs rather than a careful consideration of the facts. Making voting decisions has a profound impact on society as a whole and, as such, requires political knowledge rather than trust and familiarity. As stated by UNDP, 85% of people around the world think that political polarisation is on the rise, and this trend is mainly fueled by people seeking information in their own social circles. This clearly illustrates how placing too much emphasis on trusted opinions can actually limit our political knowledge rather than enhance it. Another reason for me disagreeing the notion is that the democratic citizenship requires us to be well informed about a broad range of creadible sources. Our voting decisions should be informed by policy results, expert opinion, and fact checked information, not simply by the opinions of those in our immediate social circle..
I disagree with this staement because the people we trust are not necessarily knowledgeable when it comes to politics.People always love to support a certain opinion for a number of reasons related to their personal experiences and it is not a must that what may be fit for some people will be fit for me as well.The matter of voting is not made upon the others' opinions or else it will be "herd behaviour", mere blind immitation. Of course we must listen to all opinions,however,to make informed decisions ,we need to be more careful and think critically of what we receive through our senses. Vting is choosing the right person who is honest and who is ready to talk for people about their needs in ordr to achieve a better life for them. Wen choosing the people who we will vote for,we must be very creful to choose those wo really care about the others and have noble in nature.
A great point. But how do we increase critical thinking and get the electorate to really examine what it is that they need, and what is the best option for society?
I believe that would start with a real desire of a whole community to build a lifestyle where real values will rule.We should start with the way we bring up and educate the children to make them better citizens and become aware of the challenges of life and how the different fields of life link to each other. Mass media and social media may have a role in this by providing good content and beneficial one for all the followers. If a clear vision is declared for the country like 204 in my country this will help make a better community.
I agree with this statement because we feel comfortable to talk about anything with people we trust. If the people, we trust are really trustworthy you can say whatever without being afraid he will tell the wrong person. Although it is important to check different sources, adults who you trust especially family know much about politics and morals and can help you understand complex political situations in a way that makes sense to you. Relying on people you trust also protects you from misinformation that comes from biased untrustworthy sources.
For example, some young people feel non confident when they see conflict against their country, in this particular situation they might ask trustworthy adults who will simplify things to them. In the presidential voting situation adults can help explain to young people what every candidate will do and how their policy look is like. Trusted adults can also share lessons and experience from past elections would be super helpful.
In conclusion, asking trusted people about policy is the best thing for young people as it would pave their road to becoming adults and shaping their minds.
Although I agree with the sentiment, I disagree with the wording of the statement “Listening to the people you trust is the safest way to vote.” It can be helpful when formulating opinions or making decisions to listen to those you trust but not necessarily the safest. The reason I believe this is because bias is a very prominent issue. If you ask anybody about their political beliefs they will lean in favour of one particular party and everything they say will have alterations due to this. Therefore it can be a useful practice to listen to people you trust but everything said can’t be treated as fact.
Another reason for my belief is that even your most trusted friends/family can try to influence your vote. Which in turn, ruins any sense of individuality or personal convictions from your chosen vote. Personally, I believe that this plan of action can result in a vote being cast that purely follows another person's belief system rather than your own.
Obviously, there are outsider influences that can disrupt a person's political ideology, but these are not as enticing as personal ones are.
In my opinion, I believe that the safest way to vote is by conducting individual research on each political party but only from websites that have no bias. Although, I am not completely discrediting the statement as listening to people you trust can be safe. But as a whole, there are many risks that can occur, such as the ones I have stated earlier.
I disagree with this statement because listening only to people you trust is not always the safest way yo decide how to vote. Even trusted family or friends can have strong biases, limited information, or opinions shaped by social media and misinformation. Politics is complex, and one person's view may not show the full picture.
Another reason for my view is that democracy works best when voters think independently and consider a wide range of sources, such as official policies, debates and reliable news. This is especially important today, when fake news and online influence can affect people of all ages. Talking to trusted people can be helpful, but it should be combined with critical thinking and fact-checking.
Overall, the safest approach is to listen to others and do your own research before making an important decision like voting.
I disagree that listening to people who you trust would be the safest way to decide how to vote. I say this because there are many factors to consider before you decide what vote is right for you, even though you trust these people, trust alone cannot tell you if the person knows what they are doing , the blind should not lead the blind. Instead you could listen to these people who you trust and try to understand if what they are saying is something you believe in or not, so you are able to form your own opinion, which the opinion you should care the most about. Another thing that could be said is that the people who most people trust is family, but this also makes it more likely for the family to have bias opinion, an example could be that the family has always sided with Democrats (a party in the U.S), so then you believe that Democrats should be who your vote goes to without ever really researching in if this party will really benefit you. So I believe that it is okay to listen to the people who you trust, but take their words with a grain of salt, and make your own opinion that fits right for you.
I disagree with this statement because listening only to people you trust is not always the safest way to decide how to vote.
One reason is that people we trust can still be biased. For example, family members might always support the same political party because that’s what they’ve grown up with, not because it’s the best choice right now. If I only listen to them, I might end up copying their opinion instead of thinking for myself. That can be risky in a democracy where everyone’s vote is supposed to be personal.
Another reason is that trusted people don’t always have all the information. A friend might share a strong opinion they saw online, but it could be missing facts or only showing one side. Around the world, we’ve seen how social media and group chats can spread one-sided stories really fast, which can influence people without them realising.
However, listening to people you trust isn’t totally bad. It can be a starting point, especially if they explain their reasons calmly. But it shouldn’t be the final decision. A better solution is to listen to different viewpoints, check reliable sources, and then decide. That way, you’re not just following others; you’re actually using your own brain.
After talking to my family, I sometimes feel confused. For example, my uncle’s reasons during the election didn’t make sense when I checked the facts.
But listening to different opinions helped me see the full picture and make an informed decision, not just pick a side.
So overall, trusting people is helpful, but thinking independently is the safest way to vote.
Thank you for your comments, resplendent_blueberry, this is a great approach to getting a balanced view! Could you please share some examples of the kind of people you spoke to outside of your friends and family, those who provided a different opinion?
Thank you.
Outside my friends and family, I tried to listen to people who see the world differently from me.
For example, in school, my citizenship and history teachers often explain political ideas from more than one side. In history, we learn how past decisions affected people in good and bad ways, which helps me understand that choices in politics usually have consequences. That made me realise voting isn’t just about opinions, but about real results.
I also listened to young people online (like students my age from other countries) who talk about how political decisions affect their schools, jobs, or daily life. Their experiences were different from mine, and that helped me think beyond my own situation. It reminded me of geography lessons, where we learn that countries face different problems, so one solution doesn’t fit everyone.
Finally, I looked at reliable news websites and fact-checking articles. They didn’t tell me who to support, but they gave facts, which helped me judge what people were saying more clearly. This is a bit like science class: you don’t just trust one experiment, you check evidence from different sources.
Listening to these different voices helped me compare ideas, notice bias, and think more carefully. It showed me that the safest way to vote isn’t copying one person, but mixing trust with evidence and independent thinking.
Many people talk about politics with friends and family because they trust and value their opinions. Although, relying on these few opinions can reduce your limit of understanding.
Looking at a wide range of opinions can help you see different viewpoints, so I feel the best way is to combine trusted discussions with independent research before voting.
In =essence , all voters are influenced in different ways, so the best decisions are made by balancing trusted opinions with a wide range of reliable information.
I don't totally agree with the statement, neither do I completely disagree because, I feel you should decide who you want to vote for by yourself, then discuss about it with the people you trust. By doing this, you and the people you trust get to discuss about the choice of your leaders, then you can weigh your choices and know who is more advantageous and beneficial to the society.
Thank you for sharing, faithful_dusk! Who might be the people you trust, and why would you trust them to guide you through voting?
I do not agree with the statement because listening to only trusted people is not the safest way to make a decision on how to vote. Even though family members and trusted friends may have the best intentions for us, their opinions may be influenced by their personal beliefs, feelings, and lack of knowledge. This can cause biased thinking, where a person votes for a political party or a candidate without knowing their policies, actions, and effects on society.
Another reason for my opinion is that the decision of voting has effects on the whole country, not just on individuals or families. In order to make a good decision, a person should consider a variety of sources of information such as news from different sources, debates on elections, government documents, and opinions from experts. This will enable people to compare different opinions, verify facts, and think critically rather than relying on what other people say. Although listening to trusted people is a good way to start, it should be accompanied by doing research on one’s own.
I disagree with this statement because, I think that people have to find the complete information, they cant just trust people easily without a clear information. When we only listen to friends or family, we might hear things that are biased or one sided. That can lead to wrong ideas and beliefs because not everyone has the full facts or understands everything about politics. It is important to check different sources so that we can make smarter decisions.
Also, looking at a wide range of information helps us learn more about different POV. If we only talk to people we trust, we might miss out informations that's important. For example, newspapers, videos, and official sources might have facts that others do not know. By reading or watching different sources, we can compare what we hear and decide that makes the most sense.
Finally making our own informed decisions can help us feel confident and responsible. Voting is an important right, and it should be based on truth, not just what others say. When we do our own research, we become more respectful and clearly with others, because we understand the topic better.
In my opinion, I think that my parents should influence my vote, because my parents always tell me new things which might change my opinions on things.my parents also tell me to choose the option that seems wiser to choose or just the one that might be more obvious that it is correct.They also tell me that I shouldn’t vote for the same thing my friends did because voting is all about yourself choosing what you think is best and not for what your friends think.
Other than your parents, do you think anyone else should influence your vote?
The people around you only see the little changes in you, but cannot fully give accounts on who you really are, this tells that you are the only one that knows yourself better and what you need and that's why other people's involvements in your life comes when you need them. Every human decides on what the really feel like doing each day, so the voice of the world just encourages us to fight for more especially when it deals with one's mind.
If to say, this idea on lowering voting age was an individual's idea, who has desired to let known to the world and this has led to the circulation of the information, now the main person involved gets to listen and read to the views and reply's from the topical talkers and the world at large, just to stabilize and maintain a better rule that would benefit all.
I think the ideas from all viewers and your personal choice over voting leads to making the right decision on who to influence you as a voter.
Just like the sources said to investigate claims that Venezuela had hacked voting machines in Puerto Rica, but added the probe didn't give clear evidence on his interference in the territories election, at first a lot of things would be ringing on the mind of those who have received such information which can disrupt voting but in a smart move, one necessarily needs to get more information on the arises problem and evaluate it with his or her personal thoughts before deciding on what to believe.
This is why i strongly agree that yourself is most likely to influence you better than others be it positively or negatively as the case may be.
I oppose to the statement that says listening to people you trust is the safest way to vote. My reason is , when you listen to people you trust in other to vote is you violating democracy. democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people. when you listen to people you trust you are gradually bringing their world to life. at that point you are not voting based on what you think is right you are voting based on what you think he or she is right. People who do that are people who are usually silenced and they tell those people that what they are saying is not true. Views , opinions should not be silenced, nobody is going to die if they vote according to what they think is right. When you are voting , you are not voting to make your friend or your father and mother happy, you are voting to make the world better. Another reason to back my answer is people who vote based on their experiences are likely to change the world and make it better, they do not want those mistakes to keep happening rather they want it to stop so that it would not affect other people. Voting during elections alone is you giving out your pinion, putting trust in some one who you think can make the country better, and when you now vote for someone because the person you are voting for is who your most trusted person is also voting for , you are no longer giving your opinion rather your trusted persons opinion which is not good.
Hello guys young people are from 0-18 so they under 18 years old can't be sentenced rather they should be placed in correctional centers because they might not know their rights and they might be maltreated in prison most of the times they might be framed by others
Hi fellow topical talkers, for me, I disagree with this statement because many people rely on their loved ones and trust them all the time because they feel that it is the best thing to do. Research also shows that trusting loved ones in democratic situations can weaken democratic decision-making. I also feel that trust encourages bias and not accuracy in voting, and trusted people most times share the same ideas, and it's almost like giving another you to think for you. When I researched this topic, I found out that Hannah Arendt, who was a political theorist, said that democracy depends on citizens who think independently and not on citizens who outsource their judgement. Another reason for my view is that good intentions or people we trust does not always mean we will have good information because I feel that if professionals can be wrong sometimes, then trusting people's decisions or advice just because we know them or their personality is not really safe. Lastly, I feel that democracy should be protected by critical thinking and independent judgement. : )
To me deciding who to vote is just like a team choosing a captain or choosing the film the whole the family will watch
1. Your Future Self
You should be influenced by the world you want to live in when you are 20, 30, or even 50. Think about things like the environment, how much college costs, or if there will be good jobs available.
2. Experts, Not Just Influencers
Social media is full of people who are trying to get your attention. Instead of being influenced , look for experts who have studied the issues for years.
3. Your Community and Neighbors
A good voter thinks about the people around them. You should be influenced by what helps your neighborhood stay safe and healthy, not just what helps you personally. Listen to the stories of people who have different lives than yours to see what they need.
4. Your Family (As a Starting Point)
It is totally normal to be influenced by your parents or guardians because they raised you with certain values. However, at 16, you can ask them why they believe what they do. You can use their ideas as a base, but you are allowed to add your own thoughts too.
What is one thing you and your parents agree on, and one thing you see differently?
5. Your Own Research (Your Brain)
At the end of the day, you should be the biggest influence on your vote. This means looking at the perspective your colleague is coming from and see their actual plans, rather than just listening to what their enemies say about them.
In a situation whereby you had to explain your choice to a friend, could you give three solid reasons that you found on your own?
I agree with this statement but it depends on how old and how viable the info they're giving you is because there are certain people that could joke around and mess with you
I agree with statement because listening to people you trust can be a very practical and safe way to make voting decisions, especially for teenagers (like me). Trusted family and friends often know your values, personality and concerns, which can help guide you through complicated political issues.
Another reason for my view is that politics can be confusing, with too much information online that might be misleading biased. For example, during elections, some teenagers may feel overwhelmed by social media or conflicting news, and advices from parents or mentors can help them make clearer choices.
Some people might argue that relying only on people you trust limits independent thinking, but I think it actually can teach you to question and compare opinions safely before looking at multiple sources.
Personally, as a teenager, I always ask trusted people first when I don't understand something in the news, then I research further, which helps me vote wisely while feeling confident.
That's it!
bye-bye...
I disagree with this statement because determining on who to vote or how is a personal responsibility on the person themselves. I believe everyone should base choices through research and personal values instead of other people’s opinions and likings. Another reason for my view is trusted individuals and reliable peers can be rather “biased” or led to through misinformation, so trusting them or relying on them can be a regret made later in the future.
For instance, people who are close to you might value different priorities such as the economic state, tax, safe environments and more. On the other hand you might value on how the education system should work or age restrictions and video games. If you end up following the person you trust you might not get what u prioritised in general.
Moreover, listening to people you trust can limit independent problem solving and thinking, which are key skills in the future. News sources, experts and research should be the main options to voting someone based on their opinions and priorities in life decisions. This is your choice to vote not just on someone else’s perspective.
In conclusion, familiars perspectives and experiences are not enough to base a vote. Some information could be false and “made up” by others for you to vote them, so research and deciding should definitely be contributors. Voting by yourself can develop critical thinking and expand knowledge. This can help to be a more responsible and independent child or adult.
I disagree with this statement because although they can help you a lot by giving their own points of view, there's a much wider range of opinions that you'll miss. Besides, they might have a similar thinking which won't be very enriching to you.
Firstly, I believe that if you have a close relationship with them it's more probable that you share ideas, what won't help you regarding voting wisely. Moreover, you will be missing many of the views of your country's situation because you won't be listening to all the sides, even the ones that are completely different from yours.
However, it's true that for someone it's easier to open with the trusted ones and to share freely what you think. Furthermore, they can explain to you other sides of the story in a better way that people who aren't close to you and it would be easier for you to understand.
In conclusion, from my point of view, it's better for you to search for information in people who aren't as close to you or that you know that think differently than the closest to you because they will help making the decision and bringing new perspectives. This, knowing that people who are close to you can also help you to ensure your values and decisions but knowing that having others points of view in to account is the best option.
While many discuss whether parents or social media have the most influence, I want to pivot to a different factor: civic education. If the UK and other countries follow through with lowering the voting age to 16, the most critical 'influence' shouldn't be a person, but a process of neutral information gathering.
I disagree with the common argument that 16-year-olds are 'too easily influenced' compared to adults. According to researchs, by age 16, young people have the same logical reasoning abilities as adults to make informed choices. The real problem isn't our age; it’s the echo chamber effect. If we only listen to our immediate circle, we risk what sociologists call 'intergenerational bias,' where we simply inherit the political views of our parents without questioning them.
To solve this, schools should treat the two years before voting as a 'Democracy Lab.' Instead of being told who to vote for, we should be taught how to verify sources. This would move us from being 'influenced' by others to being 'informed' by ourselves.
I have a question for students in countries where you already vote at 16 : Did having the right to vote change how your teachers or parents talked to you about politics? Did you feel more pressure, or more respect for your own views?
I see both sides of this argument, I agree that being influenced by people around you means that you might struggle to form your own opinions as when you talk with them you would only reinforce the same bias rather than seeing the complex argument. For example, in South Africa, we have many unemployed people who do not pay taxes. If your community believed that only taxpayers should vote, this would reduce the democracy of our country, ruining what we have worked so hard to build. On the other hand, discussions are very important in forming an opinion or coming to a solid conclusion on a topic, as it can help you see both sides on a topic, or form a stronger argument on why you believe something. For example, in Parliament politicians debate and discuss topics before they are allowed to vote. This shows the importance of discussion, and forces you to consider the other side. The issue with this is what I said before, as the people around you often share the same opinion or bias.
So therefore I think to have the most effective democratic environment, we absolutely should discuss with those close to us, but also expand our discussions and our own knowledge so we see the complexity of any topic, to we can make a decision true to ourselves.
I disagree because you can trust someone but not agree with their point of view because you've told something else by someone else, there is also more than one way to trust someone. Trust is an emotional response, if I needed brain surgery and I love and trust my grandma but then there was a brain surgeon I'd never met before, who would I trust? You would probably trust the brain surgeon because they are an expert at what they do, you trust them because they are reliable, you might not emotionally trust them but they are reliable. I think this would be the same with listening to the person you trust for a vote. Are they reliable? Have you gotten reliable information politically from them in the past, if you have voted before. If you haven't voted before and you're not sure who to listen to, consult the experts, or watch a video as long as it's not biased because then it'll be a one-sided view, you would need all the different perspectives.
I partly agree with this statement because when you discuss voting with your family, you mainly discuss with older people who have seen many political parties come and go. This gives you a better understanding of political parties, as older people know which parties keep their promises and which do not. Also, discussing with family helps you understand different perspectives of political parties. For example, the ruling party at present might be giving benefits to people with disabilities, single mothers, or women. If you do not discuss with your family and friends, you may not know about the good things a party has done for the people.
However , I also disagree with this statement because being given the right to vote at 18 means that you are capable of thinking independently about the political and financial situation of the state and choosing a political party on your own. If you rely only on family opinions, it shows a lack of independent thinking and also, family opinions are not always based on education or facts. For example, a well-educated student may come from a village-based family where members are not educated and blindly believe in a political party without solid reasons. They may insist on voting for that party even when the student knows that the party will not keep its promises.
In conclusion, discussing with trusted people can help us understand politics, but the final decision should be our own. Listening is important, but voting should be based on our own thinking and understanding of the situation.
I partly agree with this statement but the other side is that sometimes it’s best to just listen to yourself because George Washington listened to someone he trusted and got betrayed or another person is Benedict Arnold 😕.
Can you share why you party agree with the statement?
I think that the statement made here by knowledgeable_revolution is a point of being neutral or should I say, just follow your instinct. However, this could be a wrong decision as you may choose a wrong person. But the point he or she is trying to make is the fact that you can be betrayed just like George Washington who was betrayed by Benedict Arnold who was his most trusted General. This may not be in relation to voting but still gives a point on why you should not let your votes be influenced by people you trust as they may be misinformed or want you to fall at the expense of their success.
Personally, I don't agree with the statement about our votes being influenced by the people we trust because they may be misinformed and lead you to making the wrong decision, but rather give space for the media by performing proper and adequate research before voting in order to be informed, know why you made the decision and be self confident that is is your personal decision.
THANK YOU
I disagree with this statement because not really you have the have to go as your parents or friends but our family wants the best for us and they try to direct us in the better way. But young people should have the mindset that they can make decisions on their own without trusting what others tell them to pick. I feel like our friends we trust shouldn't easily influence our voting decisions. Your friends and family can give you advice on who to vote for but it is up to the decision maker that you have the right to choose. In conclusion I'm trying to say that we shouldn't easily let our friends or people we trust affect our voting decision and it is our choice to make our voting choices.
I disagree with this statement because only listening to people you trust can limit your understanding. people you trust may have strong opinions, but can also be one sided or only share one side of the story. This means that you might not learn about all the choices.
Another reason for my view is that looking at different sources will help you make your own decisions. Reading the news, comparing polices, and thinking about yourself helps you understand what is important to you. Advice from trusted people can be helpful, but should they really be the only one that influence your vote?
There is no specific individual that should be the one shaping your view and deciding how(or what) to vote. You can't even rely on yourself. Each individual has different way of approaching their views and the best way we can form our stance is by talking to people who have different views than you. This way we can reach a conclusion ourselves to find out what we believe and support in the most. Blatantly trusting someone close---even if its a family member or a relative to shape your views is a bad idea, even if you trusst them as a person---you mustn't quickly trust their opinions.
I often feel the same way, as a young person, I think that I havent talked to enough people with other views than me to broaden my view. My view is mostly shaped by my parents---most young people feel the same, they vote the same way their parents do because we dont know any better and is less informed of other views. I'm always actively trying to broaden my view by thinking what other political parties are basing their stance from---every person has a reason on why they choose to believe something. Put yourself in other peoples shoes and see why some political parties can make more sense to them in their current condition.
Once you understand everything, you have to choose what to believe in---see the one where you can see a brighter future in.
Well, I believe that listening to people may not be the safest way but it's can be an effective way to vote. Listening to people is not meant to determine your vote, but actually hear what people think from different perspectives. Imagine a classroom discussion or a group work, where somebody single handedly explains what he/she feels from his side and everybody just follows him and keep their suggestions in their mind. Instead of them hearing each other's perspectives, they decide to trust they first person's opinion at first glance. I think that if they actually come together and share ideas, they would achieve more knowledge that way.
However, others may say that a person's vote should not come from people he/she trust, because they might betray or manipulate him/her into what they want. I am simply just saying that listening to people may not be the safest way but it can open one's mind to different alternatives. What someone sees somewhere, somebody else can't see or sees something else.
I strongly disgree to the statement that listening to the people you trust is the safest way to decide how to vote.
This is because listening to them is a way of just hearing their opinion, but their opinion may not be the truth or fact.
People may say that because you trust them, you can also trust their opinion but I dont agree with this because their opinions or decisions might have been also influenced by another source which may not be trustable.
Maybe listening to them may add knowledge, but it should'nt take the place of accuracy especially when it relates to voting because voting is a strong pillar of other aspects of both an individual and a societal's life.
In conclusion, our decisions about voting should not be based on other's perspectives, but rather on our convictions.
I disagree with this statement, because I think that voting should be based on personal opinion.I do think that influencing someone is good,I agree with that,but I also think that when someone has influence on you,you should make sure that all information they told you are true.I also think that all people who I trust have different personalities and personal opinions,Its good to talk about opinions with people we trust but I wouldn't completely change my political opinion because of them.Lets think about the importance of your own thinking,if we rely only on the opinion of others when voting, we are not using our own critical thinking. It is important that we consider the information for ourselves and make our own decision.Also People we talk about politics, could have found or heard about false information,and that leads to voting for someone we didnt want to.In addition every person has its own way think about political topics,Its simple what is important to person A doesn't have to be important to person B,so other people's opinion doesn't have to match our current situation.And also the main thing,that VOTING IS PERSONAL OPINION, that's why we shouldn't let anyone change our opinion,and also its important that we get all information possible,to think about what are we choosing,to think about consequences.I think that we should choose the thing that makes us happy,and that we think is best for current situation of our society.
My other point of view is that when you are in a household with others, you tend to have the same points of view as the people that you live with, so you might vote the same way. But as you get older you might vote differently to someone like your parents or other family because you become your own person, and the things you want to vote for may be different than when you were younger and what your family members are still voting for.
I disagree with this statement because voting is a personal decision based on your knowledge and beliefs.
When we are little or too young, we`re influenced by our family and friends, since we don`t yet have a defined criterion. Over the years, we have to develop it cause if not, we wouldn´t be independent or think for ourselves. If the opinions of others drastically changed our opinion, it would no longer really be ours.
Obviously, we shouldn`t refuse to listen other`s points of view, as long as it is a common debate to share and see other perspectives.
To conclude, you don`t have to think that your vote is wrong just because it is different from your family or friends, that makes you self-sufficient and self-confident. There is never a mistaken opinion!
After I researched about what could influence new voters, I landed on the best idea that had a link to school.
Many schools (most actually) in modern countries like the USA have the system of a class president at the primary and elementary school, which teaches children discipline, hard work and working for a goal, as well as a validectorian being the best at high school, getting special certification and giving a speech to newcomers.
These schools sometimes let the students choose who the validectorian or president is which is like voting, but easier to understand. So an influence a validectorian needs could be him/herself, someone who works hard to achieve the best.
I disagree with the argument that hearing only from people you trust is the "safest" way to vote. While trust is a vital pillar of any relationship, in the context of democratic health, it can quickly become a "blindfold."
The Echo Chamber Danger Depending exclusively on a trusted circle creates a dangerous echo chamber. It is a natural human trait to trust those who share our values, but this often results in being exposed to only one version of reality. To be truly globally-minded, we must intentionally step outside our "social bubbles." Understanding how a policy impacts a community completely different from our own is essential; otherwise, our vote is based on a narrow perspective rather than a holistic one.
Safety vs. Informed Agency Furthermore, "safe" does not equate to "informed." A vote is a tool for systemic change, which requires Critical Thinking applied to unbiased facts. The only way to verify if a candidate’s pledges are plausible—or merely populist rhetoric—is by analyzing diverse information sets, including sources that challenge our existing worldview. Relying on trust alone is a form of "intellectual shortcut" that bypasses the responsibility of personal research.
My Perspective Trust should be the starting point for dialogue, but objective data must be the basis for the final decision. If we confine ourselves only to the voices we trust, are we truly exercising our own agency? Or are we merely mirroring the loudest, most familiar voice in the room?
I think making decisions at such a young age needs a lot of information that can be trusted.presidents have their own advisors .Why shouldn't young people and teens have their own as well as long as they can trust them?I mean parents,family,teachers and the elders in general. This might sound silly because I can hear some saying,but hat if tehy wre wrong. All i meant was listening to these carefully,not following their recommendation without giving it a second thought. The idea is that we need a starting point and the sound decisions almost always come from those who are in charge of us.We are living in a globalized wirkd and I think that the people we trsut are the best to refer to when making decisions related to our lives.
I disagree with the statement that listening to people you trust is the safest way to decide how to vote. While it is good to talk to family, relying only on them can mean you only hear one side of the story.
One reason for my view is that even people we love have their own opinions and can be biased. If we only listen to them , we might miss out on facts about the vote. to be a good voter, it is important to look at a wide range of information from different places before you cast your vote.
Another reason is that we can use tools like the internet and AI to learn more about each vote. By doing our own research we can compare what different people say. This helps us feel more certain about our vote.
I believe the best way to decide is to listen to people you trust and do your own research. That way , the final vote you make is truly your own choice.
Thanks for reading!!! 😊
Hello Topical Talkers!!! I'm secure_sparrow.
I don't agree with the idea that other people should influence how we vote. I think voting is a personal decision and everyone should take time to learn about the different political parties before choosing one. Reading information and understanding what each party believes in helps us decide what we really agree with.
It is true that many people end up sharing the same opinions as their families, because those are the ideas they grow up hearing at home. That is understandable, especially when you trust your family and respect their opinions. However, that doesn't always mean those ideas are the right ones for you.
I think it is important to think for ourselves and not let others decide for us, even if we are close to them. People can care about each other and still have different opinions. When we vote based on our own thoughts and values, our vote is more honest and meaningful.
Do you think the same?
I disagree that listening to people that you trust is the safest way to vote. In my opinion, we have to rely on our own perspective and news about politics to vote. If we just listened and followed people we trusted, we would be biased about the vote and not vote based on the current politics. There are a lot of cases where children just followed the parents voting just because they were told to, not because of the fact that their beliefs and perspective align with it. If we just trust the voting of people we trusted, that does not mean that their opinions are well informed or educated. Our judgment will be clouded because of these opinions then. I believe that the best way is to listen to your trusted people opinions, but still search about the current politics, don't rely on all of their opinions, and still do your research. After all, your vote can change a lot of things.
I disagree with this statement because only listening to those you can trust may limit your understanding of important issues in life. This is because family and friends may have similar opinions about a particular issue in life. Therefore, you may only hear one side of an issue when making a decision.
Another reason why I think so is that even though trusted sources of information may be well-meaning, they could still be biased or not well-informed. Dipping into a variety of sources such as news, debates, etc., will enable voters to be more critical and make a more informed decision. Listening to well-meaning sources may be beneficial, but it certainly is not the only way of deciding how to vote.
This is such a vital question for our generation, especially as we discuss lowering the voting age. The balance between trusting those closest to us—like family and friends—and seeking out independent, diverse information is where true civic responsibility begins. It’s not just about who influences us, but how we develop the critical thinking skills to weigh that influence against the facts. This activity is a fantastic way to help young people find their own voices in the political landscape
I don't agree with the notion that listening to people we trust is the best way to vote safely, and there are many real-time examples of why. In the last election, many people in my community took the voting advice of family and close friends without fact-checking themselves, even my mother. These people were also heavily influenced by information they received from social media and local WhatsAppinfluenced heavily by information they recieved by social media and local whatsapp groups, which turned out to be false. Later, after the election, some people realised that the promises they voted for were exaggerated or false, and the policies that were put in place didn't actually solve problems such as jobs or rising prices, which were the most important issues for them. This goes to show that even people we trust can give us false or incomplete information without even realising it.
Another reason why I believe this is because I have observed young first-time voters discuss politics only with their friends. Since they all had the same ideas, none of them questioned the information or considered other perspectives. People who took the time to read party manifestos, watch debates, and get information from reliable news sources felt more confident in their decision, even if it was different from their family's decision. This is a real life example of why I believe that the best way to vote is to check as many sources as possible and make an independent decision.
I disagree with this statement because your vote shouldn't be based on what other people think ,even if you trust them, it should be based on what you think and decide. Sometimes we think that making decisions based on what older and trusted adults think is best because of their knowledge and experience,but actually it isn't always the best option. Not all adults and people we trust are politicians and know the proper information concerning political parties and governments. What you hear and believe from a person you trust may be misinformation that you are going to then use as a foundation to decide who to vote for and that can cause problems.
Other people have different opinions and views about politics and you might only be seeing one view about politics rather than a range of views that would help you decide who to vote for. Also by going on what other people think, you will limit the capacity of your own thinking and decision making, by doing this you won't learn much new things and you will have a narrowed view. Many people do go through this especially in family, For example your family might vote for a leader , you listen to them and what they have to say, which could be misinformation,but because you, yourself don't know much about this topic, you feel pressured and convinced to vote for that person ,so you do.
Where if you got many peoples opinions and views instead of one and did your own research ,combined with conversations from trusted adults, you would have a wider range of perspectives which could help you decide and you could think for yourself.
I disagree with the Statement because you should listen to yourself, not to anybody else! YOU decide how and for whom you vote. You can ask people you trust about Information (e.g. if you don’t know much about the parties) or about their opinion, but you have to check the sources of the information and go with your own decision :)
Hello topical talkers ?
I don't agree with this statement as ....
In 2026, we can see that "Echo Chamber Syndrome" is at its record high; a study shows that people who only talk about politics with friends are 3 times more likely to believe misinformation or deepfakes because they don't experience "cognitive friction" at all.
Besides that, modern issues can be so complex that it is hard to understand everything. My best friend is a great person, but is he knowledgeable about the 2026 Global AI Accord or the latest changes in the carbon, tax? Most probably, not. Without consulting a wide range of data, we may be fooled by a "vibe" instead of a policy.
Still, I do see why people are attracted to it. It's so easy to get lost in the internet where there's a lot of noise created by bots. Going to a parent or a mentor is like finding a "safe harbor" in the middle of a propaganda storm. We, humans, naturally want a trusted filter.
But here is the truth: democracy shouldn't be "safe"it must be challenging. If we only hear the voices that resemble ours, are we really electing a leader or just multiplying our shadows?
If your entire circle agrees with you, shouldn't that be a warning sign rather than a comfort ?
What do you think ?
I agree with this perspective for many reasons.
These days, many different opinions are circulating on social media. People should have a safe group of people who can help them choose what's best for them without bias. Many people are being swayed into believing stuff that is not right for them. Talking to people you trust helps in many ways. It can help take away the stress of making the right vote, because you know people are here to help you. The people you care about should be able to help you no matter what they feel, but they should be able to help you create a decision that is best for you and the people around you.
People may argue that relying on people to help you can limit independent thinking. Even though this could be true in different scenarios, everybody is capable of taking other people's opinions and connecting them with their own. When people connect their ideas and think about what's right for everybody, talking to the people whom they care about can be a very useful tool to limit the stress of the internet and what the world around them is saying. Instead, limiting it to the people you care about makes you create a safe choice that doesn't just help you, but also correlates with the people you most care about. In a very trusting, honest relationship, friends should be able to think about everybody and not just what they want. The people you trust are likely to give you information that will lead you to pick what's best for you.
For these reasons, I am proud to believe that talking to the people you most care about can help in stressful choices.
Hi, I am Empowered Nectarine.
I don`t see the point of being persuade by people around our enviroment, because it can really change your original point of view. Sometimes it is good to listen to other people`s opinions but sometimes they try to convince you to vote to the same leader as they wanted and because they are close to us we think they are giving us the correct option.
I think we should be informed as much as possible and then we`ll have a clear point before to tell our beliefs to them because as I have already mentioned, they will always try to convince us.
I disagree with this statement because people you trust can still mislead you into doing the wrong thing and what they want.Another reason for my view is that we all have free democracy so we should be able to stand for what we think should be the new government this means we can listen to the people we trust but we should have are own rights and beliefs on who we think should be the new governments.
So if you want to listen to your parents you can debate why they think that this will grow your independent thinking so young voters hear both sides of you trusted one and yourself.
So overall the safest way to vote is to do your own complex research listening to what others think and base it of on what you think this makes sure you can make a knowledgeable precise and responsible decision,also be careful on what you see or hear online as this can mislead you to vote for bias information.
I strongly agree with lovely fruit as it is risky taking advice from online as again the comment said misinformation risks so check on websites that aren't bias for example BBC News who show both sides of the story which makes everyone know the side to stay on. I disagree with involved fruit as younger people actually have intellectual understanding and they know which decision is right for them as everyone should have a voice.
In conclusion everyone's opinion matters there is no right or wrong answer and you should stick with what you believe using deep thinking and research from the right websites (platforms) you'll always get the right answer so stick what with you believe in