JurnalPost.com - The younger generation is a key demographic with a significant position in political life. Their presence not only determines the future direction of democracy but also plays a role in building a better nation and state.
As members of society, young people have the right to express opinions, exercise their right to vote, and engage in various activities related to public interest. However, in daily life, many young people, including Generation Z (Gen Z), still show a lack of interest in political issues.
For some young people, politics is considered complicated, boring, or even disconnected from their daily lives. This perspective can lead to apathy, a condition where an individual tends to be indifferent or chooses not to engage in political matters.
Rohmah et al. (2026) explain that political apathy in Generation Z is linked to various factors, such as political trust, democratic literacy, digital media usage, and low involvement in political life.
This phenomenon is concerning because the sustainability of democracy depends not only on state institutions and existing regulations but also requires the awareness and participation of the public, including the younger generation.
Understanding the Phenomenon of Political Apathy
Political apathy does not always mean that a person is completely unaware of political issues. In some cases, individuals actually understand that there are various problems in political life but choose not to get involved because they feel their participation will not bring about change.
This attitude can develop gradually due to personal experiences, social environment influences, or views on the political system.
Camberly et al. (2025), in a study on the tendency of students to avoid politics, discuss apathy as a form of indifference, non-involvement, or a choice to distance oneself from political issues.
This condition may be related to the assumption that politics is irrelevant to personal life and a low level of trust in the political system.
In reality, politics is linked to the daily lives of the community. Policies in education, health, the economy, and job creation are all part of public decisions that can affect the lives of the younger generation.
Therefore, a lack of involvement in political issues can limit the opportunities for young people to understand how public decisions are made and how those policies affect society.
Riyanti, Luthfi, and Rohana (2023) explain that the younger generation acts as an agent of change. Political education can help build an understanding of government structures, the rights and obligations of citizens, and the importance of participation in the political process.
Low Literacy and Political Education
One factor that can lead to political apathy is the younger generation's lack of understanding of political issues.
Discussions about politics often use terms that are not easily understood, ranging from government systems and state institutions to public policy and decision-making processes.
For young people who have not received adequate political education, these discussions can feel distant from their daily lives. As a result, they tend to avoid political information because they find it difficult to understand the issues being discussed.
Novandika and Riyanti (2024) discuss the importance of political education in increasing youth participation. Families, social environments, and mass media play a role in introducing political information and building public awareness.
Structured political education is necessary so that the younger generation can develop critical thinking skills, understand their rights and obligations, and make decisions responsibly.
Beyond basic knowledge, political literacy is also related to one's ability to understand and evaluate circulating information.
The development of digital technology provides increasingly broad access to information. Various political issues can be learned through social media, news portals, and other communication platforms.
However, the ease of obtaining information is not always followed by the ability to understand the content accurately. The spread of inaccurate information, fake news, and misleading content can influence how the public views political issues.
The younger generation needs the ability to distinguish between credible information and information that lacks a clear basis.
Political literacy is important so that they do not only understand politics as an election activity, but also as a process related to policies and decisions that affect the lives of the community.
Nasution and Hafizsutrisno (2023) also discuss the importance of political education approaches that are close to the lives of the younger generation, including the use of popular culture and social media to build interest in political participation.
Low Trust in the Political Process
In addition to a lack of knowledge, low trust in the political process can also be a cause of apathy.
When someone feels that their opinion is not heard or that their involvement will not produce change, a tendency to distance themselves from political activities emerges.
This feeling can create a gap between the public and political institutions. In the long term, this condition has the potential to reduce the desire to follow public policy developments or participate in democratic activities.
Wahyudi et al. (2013), through a study of students, found a positive relationship between political trust, satisfaction with democracy, and political participation.
These findings indicate that the level of trust and satisfaction with democracy is related to the tendency of students to engage in political activities.
This shows that apathy does not always arise because someone lacks concern for society.
Some individuals may have concerns about social issues but doubt the ability of available political channels to produce change.
Therefore, building public trust in the political process is just as important as increasing political knowledge.
The younger generation needs opportunities to express opinions, engage in public discussions, and understand how public aspirations can be part of the decision-making process.
Handaningrum and Rini (2014) also discuss perceptions of candidate quality and political trust as factors that can be studied in relation to student political participation.
The Influence of Social Environment on Political Attitudes
The social environment is another factor that can influence the formation of the younger generation's political attitudes.
The family is one of the first environments to introduce individuals to life in society. Through daily interaction, one can learn the importance of respecting differences of opinion, understanding social issues, and expressing views openly.
The habit of discussing problems in the surrounding environment can help young people develop a concern for the common good.
Conversely, if social and political issues are always considered unimportant to discuss, the younger generation may have fewer opportunities to develop an interest in public issues.
Besides family, the educational and peer environment also influences the formation of political views.
Schools and universities can be spaces for the younger generation to learn democratic values, develop critical thinking skills, and understand the importance of community involvement.
Academic discussions, student organizations, and social activities can be learning tools regarding responsibilities as citizens.
On the other hand, social media also plays an increasingly large role in shaping the political views of young people. Digital platforms allow them to obtain information, follow public discussions, and express opinions more easily.
However, its use still requires a critical attitude so that the information received is not immediately believed without going through a verification process.
Thus, a social environment that is open to discussion and respects differences of opinion can help the younger generation build a better understanding of politics.
The Impact of Apathy on Youth Political Participation
Political apathy can affect the level of youth involvement in democratic life.
When young people rarely follow political developments, their opportunities to understand public policy and express aspirations can also become increasingly limited.
An indifferent attitude toward political issues has the potential to reduce involvement in various public activities, such as policy discussions, community organizations, or other democratic activities.
In the long term, low participation can lead to the aspirations of some young people being underrepresented in the decision-making process.
However, it is important to distinguish between political apathy and a critical attitude toward political institutions or actors.
Someone who is dissatisfied with political conditions is not necessarily apathetic. Dissatisfaction can also drive individuals to seek information, express criticism, or choose other forms of participation deemed more appropriate.
Therefore, efforts to increase youth participation are not enough if they only encourage them to follow political activities. There is also a need for open spaces for participation, easy-to-understand access to information, and opportunities to express aspirations meaningfully.
The Importance of Building Political Awareness Early
Reducing apathy among the younger generation requires the role of various parties, ranging from families, educational institutions, and society to public institutions.
Political education should not only focus on introducing government institutions or election processes but also connect political issues with daily life.
The younger generation needs to understand that political decisions can relate to education costs, job opportunities, infrastructure development, public services, and various issues they face.
A communicative, open, and technology-aligned educational approach can help make political discussions easier to understand.
Social media can also be used as a means of disseminating information and political education, as long as the content presented prioritizes accuracy and encourages critical thinking skills.
Ultimately, political participation does not always have to be realized through involvement in political parties or election activities.
Following public policy developments, participating in discussion forums, expressing aspirations, and engaging in social activities are also forms of concern for the common life.
Conclusion
Political apathy among the younger generation is a phenomenon that can be influenced by various factors, such as low political literacy, lack of trust in the political process, and the influence of the social environment.
This phenomenon needs attention because the younger generation has an important role in the sustainability of democratic life.
Efforts to reduce apathy are not enough just by increasing political knowledge, but also need to be accompanied by strengthening critical thinking skills, opening spaces for participation, and building trust in the democratic process.
The younger generation needs to be given the opportunity to understand that politics is not just a matter of power or competition between political actors, but is also related to various decisions that affect the lives of the community.
With proper political education and a supportive environment, the younger generation is expected to develop the awareness to participate critically, independently, and responsibly in democratic life.
Bibliography
Camberly, G., Stevani, L., Samantha, J., Maharani, J., Colin, S. O., & Dariyo, A. (2025). Why do students tend to avoid politics? Understanding apathy and its meaning. Kaganga: Journal of Historical Education and Social Humanities Research, 8(6), 1037–1044.
Hapsari, M. A., Wardhani, S. H. R., Ariyani, N., & Andani, D. (2022). The danger of youth apathy toward state life: Political participation education for Karang Taruna Ira Kusuma Yogyakarta. DAS SEIN: Journal of Legal and Humanities Service, 2(2), 105–117.
Hasrullah, Arya, N., & Hidayatullah, F. (2023). Digital literacy and social media engagement: Examining the impact on political participation in Indonesia. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 12(3), 1822–1829.
Marsuki, N. R., Oruh, S., & Agustang, A. (2022). Youth apathy in political contest: A case study in the 2020 Gowa Regency Head Election. JED (Journal of Democratic Ethics), 7(1), 73–82.
Mukminul, J. (2022). Political apathy of the millennial generation in Napallicin Village, Muratara. Ampera: A Research Journal on Politics and Islamic Civilization, 3(1), 56–64.
Novandika, B., & Riyanti, R. (2024). Elections and political parties: Political education in increasing youth political participation. Themis: Journal of Law, 2(1).
Riyanti, R., Luthfi, A., & Rohana, D. (2023). The role of the younger generation in political education to increase political participation. Themis: Journal of Law, 1(1).
Rohmah, A. N., Susana, E., Masloman, M. A., Putra, R. I. A., & Ulfa, K. (2026). Political apathy of Generation Z in Indonesia: A systematic literature review on threats to democracy. Journal of Communication and Social Politics, 3(4), 1480–1486.
Wahyudi, H., Fernando, T., Ahmad, A., Khairani, A., Fatimah, F., Agung, I. M., & Milla, M. N. (2013). The role of political trust and democratic satisfaction on student political participation. Journal of Psychology, 9(2), 94–99.
Comments 0
Write a Comment Share your response