73% of Teens Have Never Heard the Word “Policy” – Why It’s Time to Reclaim Politics

When you ask a twenty‑year‑old whether they know what a “policy” is, more than seventy‑three percent of them shrug. That isn’t just a statistic; it’s a diagnosis: the political vocabulary that fuels democratic deliberation is in danger of becoming a relic of the past. Yet the very reason we should care is that politics, properly understood, is a roadmap for the collective future.

Politics isn’t a distant, abstract arena reserved for lawmakers and lobbyists. It’s the set of decisions that shape the air you breathe, the food on your plate, and the conversations you’ll have tomorrow. The first step toward engaging with it is to demystify the jargon. Replace “policy” with “real‑world rule” and “legislation” with “rule‑making.” Speak to your friends about how a new tax law will influence the rent of their apartment or how a local ordinance might curb traffic in their neighborhood. By framing politics in everyday terms, you peel away the layers of intimidation that keep people at arm’s length.

Once the language is approachable, the next move is to cultivate curiosity through stories. Follow a single bill from introduction to enactment; map its journey across committees, debates, and amendments. Share those narratives on social media or in a community newsletter. When people see the human side of policy—how a senator’s childhood experience spurred a health bill, or how a city councilor’s dog led to pet‑friendly ordinances—they connect emotionally. That emotional engagement transforms passive observation into active participation.

Finally, make politics a collaborative experiment. Form or join a local “policy think‑tank” that invites diverse voices: parents, students, business owners, artists. Use the platform to propose, refine, and advocate for solutions to shared problems. By turning the process into a group activity, you turn politics from an intimidating spectacle into an inclusive workshop. When the collective learns that their input can shape tangible change, the old fear of the political sphere evaporates, replaced by a sense of empowerment.

In short, to get started with politics, demystify the language, tell human stories, and build collaborative spaces. Each step is a vote for a more informed, engaged, and hopeful society.