The Great Political Source List

Youth are talked about every election cycle. We are given some choice terms; unengaged, lazy, and, a personal favourite, snowflakes. Snowflakes was coined back in the day but is used by older generations as a term to describe their younger counterparts and their perceived obsession with individuality. 

I think it’s about time we took this individuality back. Each of us has our own lived experiences that shape our perceptions of the world we want to live in and it can be very easy to vote based on these experiences as they are likely to have the most meaning to you. If we only make choices in our own best interests we are more likely to live in a world where those with the most common experiences aren’t accommodated for. This marginalises those that are different to the average. 

To counter the sameness of our world we must make the effort to understand others' lived experiences and how we can make choices that are inclusive of them. In the spirit of understanding others, today’s resources are aimed at helping this. 

The Great Political Source List (GPSL) 

So You Want to Talk About… 

• An American instagram account that uses swipe throughs to explain a different topic each post. It’s a great guide to what’s going on in the world but also breaks down experiences that other people live with / through in plain language. 
• Favourite feature: Length, enough to understand why the topic is important and it always prompts me to go find out more!
• https://www.instagram.com/soyouwanttotalkabout/ 

Black Sheep 

• A podcast produced by Radio New Zealand that discusses the shady characters of New Zealand’s past. Whilst this focuses on individual bad guys there are episodes that bring an even handed narrative (ie not the white washed version you often come across) about New Zealand’s history and the experiences that people are forced to experience as a result of colonialism and racism in New Zealand. 
• Favourite feature: the variety of content, something for everyone with this podcast! 
• https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/black-sheep 

Amplify by All Is For All

• Co-founded by the incredible Grace Stratton, this platform tells the stories of those that live a different physical life to others. It was founded out of a need to have garments that suited her lifestyle, she needed to know different details to others and the clothes needed to be made differently in order to fit into her life. 
• Favourite feature: the celebration of all voices, the content is written by individuals who live the experiences they talk about. Don’t sleep on this one kids! 
• https://allisforall.com/amplifybyallisforall/ 

It’s time to start understanding others live’s! Don’t shy away from differences that make you uncomfortable, instead learn about them, accommodate them, just because you might live a common experience it doesn’t mean that everyone does!