It is a strange mood that has settled on our country in the course of the march toward Tuesday's elections.
Despite last-minute appeals and positive messages from candidates, people across the political spectrum seem to be engaged in an epic struggle to balance their anger with their despair. Many of these people seem to have abandoned any positive vision for the future at all.
Still, they are compelled by their disgust to destroy what exists so that something else, anything else, might take its place.
In short, the entire country seems to have caught up to where we, as college students, have been all along.
Behind politics in America something remains fundamentally amiss, no matter who's in power. Young people have always been able to see this problem more clearly.
The fact that we, the frequently maligned youth, do not vote does not solely owe to indolence - it is a subtle response to a system that seems to be manipulated from above - a system that is not ours.
So how can we respond ethically to a political system that seems hopelessly corrupt?
First off, go to the polls and vote Tuesday, but do it for the exact opposite reason of the one that you are told.
Everyone, everywhere seems to be telling each of us that we must vote for the candidate who will lead the country in a way that represents our values.
This is probably the most depressing idea in politics. Based on past experience, most of us are fairly sure that all of the candidates will be "tools" once they get in office, doing whatever it takes to get - and stay - elected.
Instead of despairing over this, vote because you believe you are the leader that the country needs.
This isn't some hackneyed philosophical point - people who vote are literally determining what politicians care about. If politicians are tools, the next question is, who are they tools of - you or someone else.
Second, cleanse your political palette - throw away every campaign advertisement and turn off the television (or better yet, sell it).
Money currently rules American politics. The candidate with the most money usually wins, so politicians spend half their time fundraising instead of actually talking to each other about what policies make sense.
They are forced to serve the interests of corporations and rich donors, because these forces determine their ability to last.
Instead of actually listening to the endless attack ads, disregard every bit of information that costs money to produce and look for information on your own. Search the Internet for the specific positions that candidates take on issues that you care about.
Then, talk to people whose opinions you trust and decide for yourself.
If everyone refused to be influenced by anything that cost money; common issues, rather than personal attacks, could become central to politics again.
Finally, engage someone that you don't agree with in a debate. Many of us have become so set in our ways that there seems to be no use in talking anymore. As long as we are inside, watching "Crossfire" and FOX News rather than talking to real people, our values are bound to be reinforced rather than genuinely challenged.
The age-old struggle to create decent politics will require that each of us open ourselves up to change and new ideas. It asks that we take responsibility for engaging and changing the views of others.
It demands that we participate fully as leaders of our country, rather than blindly following wherever our leaders tell us to go.
And all of it begins again Tuesday.
Taylor Jackson is a biology and society graduate student, and can be reached at: taylor.jackson@asu.edu.
