You can read my previous post and reason #1 (openness) below. Just a reminder. These are non-political observations that I’m making, based on my experience in working with the typical young adults demographic and under (35 and younger).
So if you want to read all my caveats about me not typicall writing on politics, or about how all candidates and parties play a very shrewd and political game, often leaving the voter with less than a clear picture of the reality behind the campaign machine, then read the beginning of post number one. Otherwise, let me just jump in to the next reason.
Reason #2: Experience/In-Experience
Kyle, the first commenter in my previous post actually made an observation that was one of the ones I was going to state. Kyle, therefore, I agree with you.
Inexperience sometimes does work in favor of someone in the 35 and younger crowd. And to many of the voters, pundits, news outlets, etc, this is one area that Obama is constantly being criticized over. What most of them don’t realize though, is that many younger Americans aren’t looking for the person with always the most experience, hence making this debate between the candidates about who is better equipped to answer the White House phone in the middle of the night somewhat irrelevant to many.
Let’s first talk about experience. There are people who have no experience in something. Here we often think of your freshmen out of college, or your incoming high school student into college who has never worked. If they are wanting a job, say in some organization (whatever it may be) they are probably truly inexperienced.
Then you have people who have done all kinds of things. Gone to college. Worked in several different fields, experiencing both success and failure. They may come to a new line of work, but you can’t really say they are inexperienced. They may not have all the expertise or knowledge in that one field, but they have experience in other areas.
Again, I’m in vocational ministry, so let me put it in those terms. Often in the Church you see people getting hired who come from other successful careers (i.e. businnes, finance, administration, community development). That person may have not been in ministry professionaly before, but that doesn’t mean they lack experience.
“Okay Rhett, get to the point!” Obama has experience in other careers, and just because he has never worked in the White House doesn’t mean he lacks experience. This is where Kyle is right I believe. Younger generations actually have a backlash towards the idea that someone has to have lots of experience or even a lifetime of it in one area to do that job properly. Also, if so many younger Americans are disullionsed with American politics, then want they really don’t want to do is to put someone in office who has tons of experience in the system that they feel is not working. Why would they put McCain or Hilary in the Presidential Office if they are not happy with the political system, or what the parties have done? Rather, what they are looking for is someone with a new and fresh perspective. And for many, Obama fits this bill. Some may call him inexperienced, but that would be missing the point. He is experienced, just not in the ways that previous generations have equated experience with.
I know that is quite a rambling mess of a post above. Bottom line: People who are often not part of a system, or rather who have not been born and raised within a system, often come into a position looking at new and imaginative ways to do a job differently. This is where Obama’s experience/inexperience pays off for him.
Recap so far:
#1 Openness
#2 Experience/Inexperience
