Don’t Scroll Apathy is One of Biggest Threats to Future | Valeriia Perimova | TEDxSt Clares Youth

Quick Overview

Valeriia Perimova argues that apathy, exemplified by low voter turnout in democracies like the USA (where over one-third of eligible voters abstain), is a greater threat than corruption or autocracy because silence allows for the erosion of democratic freedoms by empowering elites and extremists.

Key Points: Voter apathy in the USA is significant, with over one-third of eligible voters expected to not show up for the 2024 election, and similar low turnouts are projected for other nations like the UK (40% abstaining in 2024). The speaker argues that political apathy is more dangerous than corruption, frustration, or the rise of autocratic regimes because inaction allows injustice to be protected and power to consolidate among a select few. The term 'idiotes' originally meant a private person who refused to participate in public life in ancient Greece, highlighting the historical link between non-participation and political failure. Democracy is built on disagreement and the collective choices of the people, not reliance on a single leader. The cost of maintaining democracy is active participation, including voting, caring, and being willing to defend one's position even if unpopular. The presentation theme is "The Future We Shape (a verb)," emphasizing that shaping the future requires action rather than passive observation.

Context: This TEDxSt Clares Youth talk by Valeriia Perimova addresses the threat of political apathy to democratic systems, framed around the theme "The Future We Shape." Perimova draws parallels between historical definitions of non-participation (like the Greek 'idiotes') and current global trends of low voter turnout in major democracies, arguing that this collective silence actively endangers democratic freedoms by enabling corruption and autocratic tendencies.

Detailed Analysis

Valeriia Perimova delivers a talk titled "Don’t Scroll: Apathy is One of the Biggest Threats to Our Future," arguing that citizen apathy is the primary danger to democracy. She begins by presenting data illustrating widespread voter abstention: in the upcoming 2024 US election, over one-third of eligible voters are projected not to vote, and similar high abstention rates are shown for the UK (40% in 2024) and South Africa (41% in 2024). She contrasts this with the historical meaning of the Greek word 'idiotes,' which referred to a private person who refused to participate in public life, suggesting that apathy is inherently corrosive. Perimova asserts that political apathy is more damaging than corruption, frustration, or the rise of autocratic regimes because silence inherently protects injustice and allows a select few to consolidate power. She contends that democracy relies on collective action, disagreement, and the willingness of citizens to defend their values, not on waiting for a leader to solve problems. The ultimate message is that the future must be actively shaped through participation, as democracy erodes when citizens choose comfort over engagement.