I am fed up. I'm tired. And, quite frankly, I'm 100%, full-blown, no holds barred, sick of it.
The general public would probably agree that this is an adequate way to describe how they feel about the current election. And I, of course, agree with them; however, that is not what I am referring to. (Well, I suppose it is, in part.) What I am referring to is the apparent complete disregard people seem to have for the truth. Pure, unadulterated, TRUTH. Not what you see on the news, or what you read in the paper; not even what your professor teaches in that lecture class you so love attending. I'm talking about the actual truth; facts, figures, empirical data. Things that are proven before your very eyes, information that is obtained that simply can NOT be debunked. A trusted opinion isn't truth. A well-thought out theory isn't necessarily truth. In my opinion, people seem to have forgotten what the word even means. We've become so accustomed to taking things at face value, that we've forgotten how to find things out for ourselves. We've become so used to trusting the things we see on the news, and in social media, and from our friends, that we've forgotten how to seek out our own answers, for OURSELVES.
We live in a country that is blessed enough to allow for absolute freedom of speech. The ability to not only have your own opinion, but to broadcast it to the world in relative safety, is a privilege not many people around the world can afford. I am thankful every single day to be granted the freedom to do so, however, just like everything else, there is a flip-side to the coin. Opinions are oftentimes presented in the form of facts; every time someone looks down at their phone, more information can be seen flying about, oftentimes with no proof and no data, just one more person that is 100% sure they have it all figured out. This can wear a person down over time, often without being consciously aware of it. If everyone is so sure they are correct, then who actually is?
This is why, with the election right on our heels, I would like to encourage you, ALL of you, to SEEK THE TRUTH FOR YOURSELF. Get online. Do your research. Find data, facts, PROOF. Don't believe something you heard just because it's easier to. LOOK IT UP. Fact check EVERYTHING. It is incredibly dangerous to take anything you hear at face value, unless you have seen for yourself proof that cannot be refuted. So, before you vote, get out there and do your own research. Not what CNN says, not what FOX says, but what the source itself says. Find quotes, find emails, find irrefutable proof that what you are believing is fact, THEN take action. Do not allow for your decisions and beliefs to be decided for you; instead, seek out the truth, and decide your worldview for yourself.
Though things may seem hopeless, the real hope rests with you, the people. The power for change resides in your hands: take advantage of it before it's too late.
