I'd love to see it, but I find the argument that 'voting validates a system I am opposed to' very common among young folk that can vote. Personally, I find that argument ridiculously convenient and self-defeating, but it persists. Coupled with plenty of young voters that just don't care, I find it unlikely they will put Bernie in the Whitehouse.

This is what I tell young people with this attitude, hope that I can help smack some people with a 2x4 here.

Old people vote and then go to church, or bingo or their social clubs and shame those who don't vote. Want to know why social security is untouchable? Want to know why Medicare is untouchable? OLD PEOPLE VOTE. Want to know why politicians don't seem to give a shit about the future? OLD PEOPLE VOTE. Want to know how a climate change denier can get reelected every two years? OLD PEOPLE VOTE.

Even if you go to the polls and write "I love weed" as the candidate you vote for, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND FUCKING VOTE. Want a politician to treat you like a human being? Show up to the polling place, sign in and return a ballot on the next 3-4 primaries and then don't miss a general election. When I was young and stupid I did work for a campaign. We got a list of people who voted in the last election. The people working on the campaign also had the lists going back 10 years. If a name showed up in those lists, THEY GOT A CALL. They got a personalized letter from a city councilman asking for a vote. They did not get the junk mail, they got the fancy letter.

Be the person who's ass gets kissed. Start local. Vote in every election, even if all you do is vote against the judges and keep the fundamentalists off the school boards. The reason politicians don't give a shit about millennials, and continue to make fun of them is that they don't show up and at least put in the effort to look like they care.

Every time you don't vote, the old people win. Remember that.

Hate to say it, but I'm afraid you might be right. However, it's that same kind of thinking that made me look at trump as some sort of cute side show at first. Now I'm not so sure. It does feel like some sort of change is in the air.

voting validates a system I am opposed to

This sentiment resonates with me. Although I do vote, I steadfastly believe that the United States is an oligarchy.

Coupled with plenty of young voters that just don't care, I find it unlikely they will put Bernie in the Whitehouse.

I'd point to Occupy Wall Street as proof that they do care. Regardless of the effectiveness of the drum circle as a means of economics and political reform, a lot of man-hours went into that. Apathetic people generally don't invade the financial district.

He doesn't need to convince them that the political system works. He needs to convince them that the window hasn't yet closed for them to mobilize and fix it. He needs to convince them that the window is closing, not closed.

I think that both Sanders and Lessig's decisions to run were attempts to do that.

I also think it is possible. Ron Paul's bottleneck was being libertarian, but he showed that strategy has merit. He brought in disenfranchised voters and captured 10% of the Republican party. These people didn't just vote for him, they tried to learn the system and take over the party's local infrastructure. If America had been in a different place culturally, they might have had the numbers to do it.