A study by a Rutgers Universty-Camden political scientist of 800 millennials at three universities found few are interested in careers in public office.

Professor Shauna Shames says she finds millennials are a generation of deeply caring and engaged young people who feel like they would like to change the world for the better.

"In my book and my research, I found that millennials, at least the ones that I was studying, are just really a wonderful generation."

Nevertheless, Shames says, "we are turning young people off from the idea of running for office so much that we are going to make politics something that they would not want to do."

She says that it is the aspect of electoral politics that really is not their "cup of tea."

Shames says this millennial distrust is not just limited to politics.

"The younger generation, and increasingly all of us, are more and more mistrustful of institutions, even institutions that used to be much more trusted or even revered, like the military or churches."

Shames says millennials aren't stupid or selfish, but "we have structurally set up politics in a way that makes people think that it is not working and it is not worthwhile."

She says it makes her sad because we need good public office holders. Shames describes politics as "one of the most important human pursuits that we could do. But the fact that they (millennials) do not see it that way means that we have not done a good job of teaching them that."

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5

Also on New Jersey 101.5:

 

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM