Pay attention to current events
Kim Kardashian having a baby and naming her North, Robin Williams’ death, Ferguson, Missouri shooting of a teenager, ISIS (also called ISIL and the Islamic State), these are all examples of major headline stories. Now tell me, which one is more important than the rest?
No offense, but I pray that no one picks one of the first two as more important. Unfortunately, society has become more worried with the life, and death, of celebrities instead of what is going on in the world around it that can actually affect lives.
Lately, I have noticed a disturbing amount of people who have no idea what is going in the Middle East, or even in America. A few weeks ago I asked friends of mine, “If I were to come up and talk to you about Ferguson or ISIS, would you be able to have a conversation with me?” Most of them would, but that is being biased because my friends are very vigilant about staying updated on news and current events.
So think about this: if I were to come and randomly begin talking to you about ISIS or Ferguson, would you be able to hold a conversation with me? I do not claim to know everything on these topics, but I know enough to have an intelligent conversation, and if I don’t know something on the topic, I will find it.
The last couple of weeks I have done this in a different form; I approached random students on campus and asked them Man on the Street questions related to both of these issues. What I found is out of the students I asked only a handful could answer the question.
Many would say they did not know what was going on, they didn’t know who ISIS was, or they didn’t have a television/didn’t watch the news. As American’s, this shocks and frustrates me. I will admit that I do not stay as in-touch with the news as other people I know, but when something big is affecting a large number of people, I make sure to get the facts.
Someone I know made a comment saying, “Today’s generations believe that they’ll be taken care of even if they don’t know what’s going on. They’ve been told that they are free and protected.” Obviously there was more to this conversation, but in those two sentences I couldn’t agree more with this person.
So many people are attached to their phone, iPad, tablet, or any other device to watch cat videos, see what the Kardashians are up to, or other “news” events that are not going to change the lives of thousands of people. ISIS is a direct problem because militants beheaded two American journalists and it is not just America they are threatening to attack. If that caught your attention, go look up what has been going on and get caught up. Use your tablet, computer, or even turn the television on for 15 minutes.
There is a catch when it comes to news, however, and if you want all the facts I highly recommend watching a few news stations, looking at different news articles from different publications, and researching to make sure what you are reading is completely true. As a journalist, I have to do my research and get the facts straight from the source. I cannot rely on hear-say and I have to make sure everything I think I know is fact.
What I have learned in the past few weeks is that as a culture, we need to start paying attention to the news and current events around the world.
Returning back to the conversation I had, another comment pertaining to ISIS is, “Is it scary as hell? Yes. Do I want to think about it? No. Am I going to let it ruin my life? No. But am I going to stay informed so when something does happen I’m not standing around dumbfounded, and can actually do something to protect myself? You bet your sweet ass, yes.”
Just because some news isn’t fluffy unicorns and rainbows, it is our right to stay informed about what’s happening in the world. News isn’t always happy; yes, there are happy stories that hit headines and make us feel good. Unfortunately, there are also more pressing issues such as Ferguson and ISIS.
My hope is that more people stop using the “I don’t have a television/watch it” excuse as a crutch. Turn on the radio, get on a computer and research it for 20 minutes, anything is better than not knowing facts about the situation. Just remember before making a decision on whether you think it is right or wrong, check different sources and make sure you have the facts, not a biased opinion on the situation. Don’t be a brainwashed citizen who only cares about cute cat videos and how Kim Kardashian lost her baby weight, be informed on world news and current events.