So, you don’t read newspapers or watch the news and you get sick of people posting things about Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders memes in your newsfeed. I get it—most news is bad news—and the presidential campaign sometimes seems like a bad reality TV show. I have a cousin who is so fed-up with the news that he avoids knowing anything about current events at all costs. He’d rather be stuck in a room listening to Nickelback for hours on end than turn on CNN.

But it’s time to wake up. The excuses we all make (especially my cousin) for being ill-informed are just wrong. Is your excuse for not keeping up with the news one of the ones below? If so, maybe you should reevaluate and do something drastic: pick up a newspaper (or, you know, scroll through the infinite supply of information on an app on your phone).

"It doesn't affect me"

This is the excuse that I take the most issue with. Are you a human who lives on planet earth? Then yes, the news does affect you. You might look at an article concerning Sudan and think that it doesn’t concern you because it’s happening so far away, but it does. Part of being an independent and aware individual is to at least understand what is going on around the world. Even though it may not directly affect you because it isn’t happening next door, it is still happening somewhere and might affect you more than you realize. For instance, Congress could be drafting legislation that uses your taxpayer dollars. People also use a similar excuse for presidential elections with an attitude that their vote won’t make a difference. Maybe if people didn't have this attitude, then a certain Republican wouldn't be the current front-runner?

“I have better things to do with my time”

I get it, you have a limited amount of free time, so why should you waste a portion of it reading the news? Lucky for you, there are several apps and email newsletters that make being conscious of the world a lot easier. For example, The Skimm and the Daily 202 are excellent email newsletters that will concisely summarize the most important events of the day. It will literally take you five minutes max to at least get a brief understanding of the most important news stories. Problem solved!

“It’s depressing”

Admittedly, not all news is happy news. In fact, nowadays it seems as though a new tragedy pops up every day. According to the Washington Post, there has not been a calendar week that has passed without a mass shooting incident during President Obama’s second term. With statistics like that, I don’t blame people for finding the news depressing. That said, if everyone in the world ignored the “depressing” events of the world, then there would be no awareness and nobody would be fighting to end these issues. Awareness is extremely important because if we all work together, we can make a difference and (hopefully) make the news less "depressing.” That said, there is also a lot of positive news! As a result of awareness and action, several good things have happened in the U.S. such as marriage equality and greater eco-friendliness. When people are aware of the news, they push companies and the government for change.

“Nobody else cares about the news anymore”

It’s difficult to know exactly how many people pay attention to the news, but many sources say that it’s declining. On the other hand, news consumption is evolving. The radio and TV stations are no longer the main sources of information. In the digital age, access to the news is everywhere. So while it may be true that fewer people are reading traditional news sources, more people could be turning to late night news TV or blogs for their information. Regardless of whether or not reading the news is “popular,” it is still important to read. If people always based their habits on what everyone else does, then we would be a population of sheep with no individuals. This also draws from my earlier point that there would be no social change if nobody is aware of what is going on.

“It’s all biased anyway”

Reasons why its not all biased: There are thousands of committed reporters who are determined to report the news factually and without bias. Sure, some may have an agenda, but it's your responsibility to filter through the news and find a reliable network that works for you.

Reasons it wouldn’t matter even if it was all biased: In order to fully understand issues and hold an informed position, you should listen to the opinions of others. It will challenge you to look at the issue from a new point of view. Your whole opinion might change, or it may strengthen your previous opinion.

It's our responsibility to be informed, especially during this election cycle. If you don't participate in our government, then you can't complain about it. It only takes a small portion of your time to stay up to date on current events. My cousin is extremely smart, but when it comes to current events, I think he's made the wrong decision. After all, "just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you."