THE PATH TO CONSCIOUSNESS: FOR YOUNG AUSSIES, THE ROAD NOT TAKEN? SHINAE TAYLOR EXAMINES LOW POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG YOUNG AUSTRALIANS AND CONSIDERS HOW WE CAN BECOME MORE AWARE. As I’m sure a lot of you have noticed, it seems like a lot of people our age are disengaged from Australian politics. This is a sentiment echoed at MQU, with many students completely disconnected from campus news despite the number of impactful changes that are currently taking place. Believe it or not, Macquarie University was once a place of radical activism, most notably between 1970 and 1971, when students organised marches to protest the Vietnam War. Some students even worked together to cover the legal fees of students from La Trobe University when they were charged with protesting offences. While many students did participate in recent marches against MQU’s brutal austerity measures, namely the dissolution of the Faculty of Human Sciences, most of us find it hard to imagine students on campus collectively achieving radical social and political change. At such a critical time of climate change, Sydney’s housing crisis, and widespread wage stagnation, why does it seem that few people our age care about what’s happening? You’ve probably heard the term ‘consciousness’ when used in relation to social movements and political involvement. At a basic Merriam-Webster Dictionary level, consciousness is defined as “the quality or state of being aware”. In relation to politics, this definition of consciousness could imply that an individual is aware of their social, economic, and political environment. So, how do people become more conscious? Is it simply about being aware of what’s going on? Most scientific and philosophical definitions of consciousness recognise that there are two components, the first being subjective experience, our perceptions, thoughts and sensations, a.k.a. ‘qualia’ in science speak. On the other hand, there’s also our awareness of the world around us, as well as all the physical things and processes that take place in it. In other words, there’s the physical world, a.k.a what’s actually happening, and then there’s how we perceive it. Unfortunately, achieving consciousness might not be that simple. We have to ask ourselves: why are young people not more politically and socially conscious? Well, it’s likely due to a complex array of social, economic and political factors.
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To keep it simple, let’s break it down into three elements: work, money and media. Work The sad reality is that most of us have two or even three jobs. In 2018, one in three Australians aged 18 to 29 had a side hustle outside their normal job. According to the ABS, union members earned on average $171 a week more than non-members. In 2016, only 4% of employed 15 to 19 year olds were trade union members, while for 20 to 24 years olds the rate still sits at a low 7%. This might not sound so bad out of context, but considering that 21% of 55 to 59 years are trade union members, you can see how political apathy can prevent young people from getting what they’re rightfully owed. While the extra $171 a week is just an average, it remains clear that collective bargaining power is important for making sure workers get what they deserve.
Money It should come as no surprise to anyone that young Australians are struggling financially. In the 2018 Triple J survey, over half of 18 to 29 year olds had less than $5000 in savings. Considering that this age group have such limited financial security, it’s then understandable that working, possibly at multiple jobs, becomes the main priority for young people. Young people not only struggle with having enough savings, but also with the amount they owe. In the same survey, two in three people aged 18 to 29 had a HECS debt, of whom 33% owed $30,000 or more, while a scary 9% of respondents “don’t know” how much debt they’ve accrued. As I’m sure you all understand, having a HECS debt in the tens of thousands introduces extra pressure to work hard and be successful. This financial burden leaves young Australians with less time for self-reflection, activism and collective planning.
