Shaping My Political Identity: Influences and Insights
School
Mission San Jose High**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
ENGLISH 101A
Subject
Political Science
Date
Dec 12, 2024
Pages
3
Uploaded by BrigadierLightningChinchilla24
Vibha NadimpalliProfessor Bettridge5/11/24My Political JourneyPolitical beliefs come from many different places. Over time, I realized how much myopinions are shaped by socialization, political parties, and the media. Through these factors, Iformed views on issues that are important to me. Socialization plays a big part in shaping howwe think about politics. It includes the people and experiences that surround us throughout ourlives like family, friends, school, and work. Personally, my family has been the biggest influenceon my political beliefs. Growing up, my parents had strong opinions about what the governmentshould do. They often discussed politics at the dinner table, and I learned a lot by listening totheir conversations. Their views changed my own views about things like taxes, education, andhealthcare. My parents always talked about the importance of government programs that helppeople, so I have come to believe that the government should be responsible in making sureeveryone has access to basic needs like healthcare (Public Opinion Lecture).In high school, some of my friends had different political views than I did. We wouldsometimes debate issues like climate change, gun control, and immigration. These discussionsmade me question my own beliefs and think more critically about where I stood on certainissues. For example, one friend was very passionate about environmental policies and pushed meto consider the importance of government action on climate change. This made me more awareof the need for strong environmental protections, and I began to support more governmentinvolvement.
Another part of socialization that influenced my political views is school. Learning abouthistory and government in class gave me a better understanding of how politics works. It helpedme see the role that political institutions and policies play in shaping society. I also learned howmuch public opinion can influence political decisions and why it's important for people to stayinformed and participate in elections (Political Socialization Lecture).Political parties are another big influence. Parties help determine the policies and issuesthat are debated in the political system. The Democratic Party had the most impact on mypolitical views because many of the values and policies that the party supports align with mybeliefs. I agree with the Democratic stance on healthcare, which promotes access to healthcarefor all Americans. I believe healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. The government shouldensure that everyone has affordable access to medical care. This belief has been shaped not onlyby my family but also by hearing Democratic politicians talk about healthcare reformation andseeing the party advocate for policies like the Affordable Care Act.On the other hand, I have also been influenced by the Republican Party’s argumentsabout limited government and fiscal responsibility. While I do not agree with all Republicanpositions, I understand their concern about government spending and how too much governmentinvolvement can sometimes create inefficiencies. This made me more moderate in my views, as Isee the importance of balancing government intervention with personal responsibility. Learningabout political parties helped me realize that no party has all the answers. Both parties havestrengths and weaknesses, and I have tried to develop my own views by considering the bestideas from both sides (Political Parties Lecture).The media is an additional factor. Today, people get information from a wide range ofsources including news websites, social media, and TV. For me, social media has been a big
source of political information. However, it has also been a place where misinformation spreadsquickly. I have learned to be more careful about the sources I trust and to verify informationbefore forming strong opinions.One thing I noticed is that different media outlets often have their own biases. Some newschannels and websites tend to lean more liberal or conservative, which affects how they reportpolitical issues (Media Bias Lecture). I try to get my news from multiple sources to avoid fallinginto the trap of hearing one side of the story. I became more skeptical of political news and moreaware of how media outlets can shape public opinion by talking about issues in a certain way.During the last election, I noticed how some media outlets focused heavily on certain candidates'scandals while others ignored them. This made me realize that the media also plays a huge rolein changing voters' perceptions of candidates and issues. The way an issue is presented caninfluence how people feel about it, even if the facts are the same. Because of this, I try to bemore critical when taking in news and look for facts rather than opinions.The media’s role in shaping political beliefs is complex. On one hand, it provides the informationwe need to make informed decisions. On the other hand, it can also mislead people or pushcertain agendas. This has taught me to approach media with caution and to always look forcredible sources before forming my own views (Media and Politics Lecture).Socialization, political parties, and the media have all played important roles in formingmy political beliefs. From family discussions and school experiences to political parties andmedia outlets, I have developed my own views on important issues like healthcare, climatechange, and the role of government. Politics is complex and our beliefs are constantly evolving,but it is important to remain open-minded and critical when considering new information.