Survey of young people aged 16-25 from all US states shows concerns across political spectrum

The overwhelming majority of young Americans worry about the climate crisis, and more than half say their concerns about the environment will affect where they decide to live and whether to have children, new research finds.

The study comes just weeks after back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton, pummeled the south-eastern US. Flooding from Helene caused more than 600 miles of destruction, from Florida’s west coast to the mountains of North Carolina, while Milton raked across the Florida peninsula less than two weeks later.

“One of the most striking findings of the survey was that this was across the political spectrum,” said the lead author, Eric Lewandowski, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “There was no state sample where the endorsement of climate anxiety came in less than 75%.”

The study was published in the Lancet Planetary Health, and follows a 2021 study covering 10 countries. Both the previous and current study were paid for by Avaaz, an advocacy group.

    • bassomitron@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      It’s always amazed me that young voters tend to be the most unreliable voting bloc. I was a young, early-20s idealist, and I made sure to go out and vote. Hopefully they step it up this November.

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          1 month ago

          Or even worse, people like you who do everything they can to disparage the only party that might possibly do something good…

          You think you’re being sly, but it’s just cringe.

          • leftytighty@slrpnk.net
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            1 month ago

            Choosing between shit and a shit sandwich, it’s fine to point out one has carbs but it’s dishonest to pretend you’re excited to eat a shit sandwich

          • knightly the Sneptaur@pawb.social
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            1 month ago

            If talking about Democrat policies is disparaging to the party then I don’t know how I’m supposed to explain why the young folks aren’t excited to vote without disparaging the party. XD

          • Samvega@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            1 month ago

            Or even worse, people like you who do everything they can to disparage the only party that might possibly do something good…

            “The problem isn’t with the politicians and their policies, it’s with people disparaging them.”

            In my 42 year being alive, has social mobility improved? Is the education system allowing more young people to succeed? Have we made strong inroads into ensuring all young people have food and a place to live?

            If no, then maybe the problem is not with people being disparaging.

        • pycorax@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          And that’s the problem. Why do they need someone to inspire them when they should also be interested and invested in their own future? Can’t say the same thing is happening in my country, generally even the most politically apathetic person at this age range (me included) understands the importance of it but somehow this seems like a wild idea in the US?

          • knightly the Sneptaur@pawb.social
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            1 month ago

            And that’s the problem.

            I agree, it’s a very serious problem that the Democrats continue to push policy that is unpopular with young folks.

            Why do they need someone to inspire them

            Because elections are popularity contests.

            they should also be interested and invested in their own future

            They very clearly are, but there aren’t any American political parties that are invested in their future. Just ones that pretend to cater to them while selling them out to the oil and weapons industries.

            somehow this seems like a wild idea in the US?

            Yeah, it sucks. Any time you start talking about making the future suck less, Republicans start calling you a commie socialist and Democrats kick you out of the group chat.

            • pycorax@lemmy.world
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              1 month ago

              That seems very defeatist though? I mean I get where you’re coming from in that ideally we’d have options which align more with what we want to move towards progress but realistically that’s not something that’s entirely possible right now.

              Right now, there’s an option that pushes progress further back and the other one that seems somewhat neutral by comparison (unfortunately). In that case, wouldn’t picking the lesser evil be better than simply standing by and doing nothing?

              • leftytighty@slrpnk.net
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                1 month ago

                Let’s look at the topic of this thread. Is Harris neutral? She’s walked back her stance on being against fracking.

                The options are “a lot worse” or “less worse.” And those are the options every four years. Voting is ineffective, and Democrats are just as bad as Republicans when it comes to making villains out of climate protestors.

                Yes harm reduction is important and I think young people should vote Democrat. But Democrats have done nothing to earn it.

                • pycorax@lemmy.world
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                  1 month ago

                  Yea I definitely agree with you entirely and I don’t think what I said is in anyway counter to what I said. I do wish that’s what people in general keep in mind when choosing what to vote or even voting at all.

                • pycorax@lemmy.world
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                  1 month ago

                  While I agree with you in the ideal scenario, wouldn’t the end result of not voting for the lesser evil lead to the outcome where the greater evil wins anyways? In that case, realistically, wouldn’t a lack of a vote be practically equivalent to a vote for the greater evil?

                  I’m not American and so I have no idea how things on the ground are like but it does seem that the people who support the republicans seem to be a lot more passionate in voting for their end?

              • Optional@lemmy.world
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                1 month ago

                Forget it, you’re talking to a brick wall.

                Let them get some life experience and maybe in 15-20 years it’ll be a productive conversation.

      • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
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        1 month ago

        I think there are voter suppression efforts that target youth. Plus they’re likely struggling to get by and may feel like they can’t spend hours/all day voting.

        • Longing@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          There’s also a huge amount of political cynicism. It’s easier to just think that there can be no change, and that my one vote doesn’t matter, and that all politicians are evil. I saw this way too much during my college days.

            • abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world
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              1 month ago

              No. No. Absolutely not no. I don’t care if youre a Democrat in the middle of rural Kansas. Get the fuck out there and vote. This kind of defeatist shit is exactly what lets those locked in areas get away with it. A revolution has to have attendees. Show up. Vote. Even if you feel like you’re voting alone, you’re not.

                • abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world
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                  1 month ago

                  As far as I’m concerned she hasn’t won until she’s sworn in. And that’s the approach people need to take. I agree with convincing Democrats to get their shit together, but this thought train of “I’m not even gonna vote, it’s already won/it doesn’t matter” is exactly the kind of shit that gets us in trouble. Get out there and vote. It’s your fucking responsibility as a citizen of this country. Do it.

        • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          You understand that with a super-majority in congress, we get to make the rules, right? Companies can only do what is legal in the countries they operate in.

          If we decide to take 90% of the money from fossil fuel companies and divert them to clean energy, reduce our DOD spending by 50% and funnel it into scientific research, NASA, etc. then we have a shot.

          We are the people, and the government is intended to be a reflection of that. Not the gerrymandered, voter suppressed state it’s in today.

        • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          If you get a large enough majority? Hell yeah it will.

          Have them all demand to raise taxes on oil company profits to 90% to fund renewables, it’ll be just like when we broke big tobacco.

    • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      We need to suspend Medicare for 10 years, let things sort themselves out.

      They do hate socialism after all, “keep the government out of my medicare!” and all that?

      • jagged_circle@feddit.nl
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        1 month ago

        Surprised there’s so many Stein folks ITT to downvote you. Since there’s no other major candidate that will do dick for the climate