On Feb. 10, I took a trip to the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Koreatown to vote in the general election of the world’s third-largest democracy. It wasn’t the easiest thing for me and my Indonesian friends to keep up with our politics amid classes, clubs and, well, trying to survive in a foreign country. It’s so much easier when it’s the only thing that comes up at family dining tables. Nonetheless, we dressed in our best batik and headed to the polls.

Or, a few of us did. Sure, the Indonesian population at USC isn’t exactly large, but there are certainly more than 12 of us. We eventually discovered that most of them either had other plans or were simply not bothered enough to go.

Not bothered enough. 

This struck a chord in me: not being bothered enough with the fate of our nation’s future for the next five to 10 years that you would skip on voting to eat out in Koreatown.

I am nowhere near the most politically engaged citizen; hours before heading to the ballots, I was still frantically researching the backgrounds of my candidates. But heading to the ballots is the bare minimum, it’s our bare responsibility as citizens. 

And yet, this initial awe led me to realize that political apathy is part of a bigger international issue: It stems from a privilege that many of us aren’t fully aware of — one that needs to be checked.

Privilege, in nature, often goes unnoticed until we encounter those without it. I didn’t pay much attention to the policies of my national education system because I had the privilege of attending a private school for most of my life, whose curriculum would remain the same regardless.

I didn’t pay much attention to it until I had friends from these schools who told me that the new Ministry of Education transformed their learning experience, because the newly implemented Merdeka Curriculum integrated more project-based approaches and student-oriented learning.

My friends told me they didn’t care much for political engagement until they saw the fear instilled in their Muslim friends throughout Trump’s presidency — until they witnessed classmates having to drop out of school to take care of relatives, because they couldn’t afford healthcare.

Being able to go through so much of our daily life without having politics occupy our headspace is a luxury many cannot afford. It means we are secure enough within our status, whether it be social, economic, racial — you name it — that we can live comfortably within the status quo.

The truth is, for many, being “political” is far from a choice; it defines their very livelihoods, their very existence. To deny the privilege of our political apathy is to deny them of their struggle.

Alas, it is not to say that political apathy inherently means a lack of empathy. In fact, according to political scientist Anthony Downs in “An Economic Theory of Democracy,” political apathy is rational in large democracies because it creates the impression that one’s singular vote wouldn’t be determinant of the final outcome.

But if this logic is adopted on a mass scale, then our democracies are at risk, and we can expect our governments to operate without accountability, without the need to appeal to our interests.

Additionally, the apathy in young people tends to stem from a cynicism of our democratic institutions — when we feel that no candidates represent our interests, are merely a far-separated elite, or that our electoral systems are rigged.

I too have faced these crossroads. It isn’t easy to feel like our voices matter when we are constantly let down by the institutions meant to represent us. I soon realized, however, that our apathy and withdrawal only benefit those in power; our blank ballots certainly aren’t taken as political protest, and our absence facilitates space for misusage.

Taking the time out of our day to exercise our democratic rights — no, our democratic responsibility — still remains the better decision. Our flawed democratic institutions are exactly why we cannot skip out on going to those ballots. At least then we can have a say in holding those in power accountable, and demand them to do better.

2024 is the year of major elections. Voters in over 64 countries, which represent a population of approximately 49% of people worldwide, will be called to the polls. If you’re eligible to vote, regardless of how far you may be from home, please do. If not for yourself, at least do it for the people around you. It’s the least you owe them.

Not sure where to start? Here are a couple resources to guide you through the voter registration process, whether you’re in-state, out of state or overseas.

For U.S. Citizens: https://allintovote.org/

For International Students: Overseas Voter Registration